ML20034C801
| ML20034C801 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 05/02/1990 |
| From: | Curran D, Traficonte J MASSACHUSETTS, COMMONWEALTH OF, NEW ENGLAND COALITION ON NUCLEAR POLLUTION |
| To: | NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| CON-#290-10323 OLA, NUDOCS 9005150044 | |
| Download: ML20034C801 (3) | |
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v-pa UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY ~ COMMISSION L:0thL iED USHRC BEFORE THE -COMMISSION
'90 SY -4 P4 :19 y
In the Matter of
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0FrtCE OF SECRElARY Vermont Yankee Nuclear
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DOCKLUNG A MHVICI.
Power Corporation
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Docket No. 50-!$/@CbLA
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(Spent Fuel Pool)-
(Vermont Yankee Nuclear
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Power Station)
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NEW ENGIAND COALITION ON NUCLEAR POILUTION'S AND MASSACHUSETTS A7TORNEY GENERAL'S STATEMENT OF WITHDRAWAL FROM VERMONT YANKEE LICENSE ' AMENDMENT PROCEEDING.
The New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution and the Attorney General of Massachusetts (heroinafter '"Intervenors") hereby withdraw from the proceeding for the amendment of the Vermont Yankee operat-ing license, because the Commission has so constricted the scope of the litigation as to render it meaningless, i
In this proceeding, Vermont Yankee proposes to increase the capacity of the VY spent fuel storage pool from 2,000 to 2,870 spent fuel assemblies.
The plant was originally designed for storage of
'600 spent fuel assemblies.
To achieve expanded capacity, VY has already installed high-density closed storage racks.
l In 1987, NECNP filed environmental contentions which charged that, given the heightened density of the fuel-and the reduced cir-culation of cooling water in a closed rack system, the risk - of a l
zircaloy cladding fire in the spent fuel pool would be substantially increased during a severe accident at the reactor, such an accident could have catastrophic consequences for the entire New England area, causing the contamination of 19,000 square miles of land.
l Moreover, these risks could be entirely avoided by the implementa-
' tion of dry cask storage on the site. Intervenors therefore called for the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement, in which' D
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, the' Commission must evaluate the risks and benefits of spent fuel pool expansion and compare them against the alternative of dry cask storage.
Th'e Commission has now remanded Environmental contention 1 to the Appeal Board for a determination as to the numerical probability of the hydrogen burn scenario hypothasized'by.NECNP as one example of an event that could trigger a_ spent fuel pool accident.
The decision clearly demonstrates that the Commission's only goal is to l
restrict Intervenors to the-narrowest possible interpretation of.
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NECNP's environmental ~ contentions, to establish the low probability:
J of the hydrogen burn scenario, and to dismiss the contentions' on tihe ground that a zircaloy cladding fire is " remote and speculative" and l
1 therefore not worthy of consideration under the National.Environmen-tal Policy Act.
The Commission has no apparent intention of grapp-ling with the significant1y' increased accident risk posed by the proposed operating-license amendment, or to give any serious consid-i eration to alternatives which could protect public health and safety 1
and the environment.
-l Intervenors will not be party to such a hollow exercise.
Therefore they hereby withdraw from the proceeding.
Respectfully submitted,.
i New England Coalition on Massachusetts Attorney clear' Pollution General l
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.tane Curran HARMON, CURRAN & TOUSLEY Assistant Attorney General 2001'"S" Street N.W.
Suite 430 Chief, Nuclear Safety Unit j
Washington,- D.C.
20009 One Ashburton Place (202) 328-3500 Boston, MA 02108 (617) 727-2200 May 2, 1990
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TERTIFICATE OP' SERVICE I certify that I caused copies ~of the foregoing pleading to
.be served on May 2, 1990, by first class rail or as otherwise-indicated on all parties listed below:
Dr W. Reed Johnson.
Atomic Safety and
' Administrative Judge.
Licensing Appeal Board James R. Curtiss, Commissioner 115 Falcon Drive U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission -
United States Nuclear Regulatory 0:lthurst Washington, D.C. 20555 Commission Charlottesville, VA 22901 Washington, D.C. 20$$5 Charles Bechhoefer, Chairman
- George Dana Bisbee, Esq. _
Atomic Safety and Christine N, Kohl, Chairman h
Senior Assistant Attorney General Licensing Board Panel Administrative Judge Environmental Protection Bureau U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal 25 Capitol Street Washington, D.C. 20555 Panel
' Concord, Nil 03301 6397 U.S.N.R.C.
Gustave A, Linenberger, Jr, Washington, D.C. 20555 Jay Gutierrez, Esq.
Atomic Safety and Regional Counsel
. Licensing Board Panel USNRC, Region i U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
j 475 Allendale Road Washington, D.C. 20555 I
King of Prussia, PA 19406
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Dr. James H. Carpenter L M R. K, Gad,111 Esq.
Atomic Safety and Diane Curran Thomas G. Dignan, Jr., Esq.
Licensing Board Panel Ropes & Gray U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission One International Place Washington, D.C,20555 Boston,MA 02110 Secretary of the Commission Richard J. Goddard, Esq.
Atta: Docketing and Service Section U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission l
Region 11 Washington, D.C. 20555 1
101 Marietta Street, Suite 2900 Atlanta, GA 30323 Atomic Safety and Licensing gQ g
Appeal Board Panei n.!
John Traficonte, Esq.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission bR n%
' Commonwealth of Massachusetts Washington, D.C. 20555
$52 Eh l
Department of the Attorney General Efg; i"
One Ashburton Place Ann Hodgdon, Esq.
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g Boston,MA 02108 Office of the General 2 r-o Counsel, Bethesda d
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' George Young, Esq.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission G
Vermont Department of Public Service Washington, D.C. 20555
' 120 State Street Montpelier,VT 05602 Kenneth M. Carr, Chairman United States Nuclear Regulatory Christine N. Kohl, Chairman Commission 1
Administrative Judge Washington, D.C. 20555 Atomic Safety and
. Licensing Appeal Board Kenneth C. Rogers, Commissioner U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission United States Nuclear Regulatory Washington, D.C. 20555 Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 j
lloward A Wilber
- Administrative Judge Forrest J. Remick, Commissioner United States Nuclear Regulatory 1
Commission Washington, D.C. 20555
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