ML20037B306
| ML20037B306 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 08/26/1980 |
| From: | Dircks W NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Pickle J HOUSE OF REP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20037B307 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8009110314 | |
| Download: ML20037B306 (2) | |
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50- % 0 AUG 2 61980 The Honorable J. J. Pickle United States House of Representatives Washington, D. C.
20515
Dear Congressman Pickle:
This is provided in response to your note of July 10, 1980 which forwards Dr. Russell Collins' concerns relating to the decontamination of the Three Mile Island (TMI) Unit 2 reactor building atmosphere. Contrary to Dr. Collins' statements in his letter dated June 11, 1980, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, before approving the purge plan, examined several alternatives for decontaminating the reactor building atmosphere.
I should note here that the purge operation has essentially been completed and was conducted well within the Federal whole body and skin dose limits imposed for this activity.
I am enclosing a copy of the NRC staff's " Final Environmental Assessment for Decontamination of the Three Mile Island Unit 2 Reactor Building Atmosphere",
NUREG-0662 for your information. This document was published (5/80) following wid2 circulation of a " draft" version (3/80) and is a revision of the " draft" based on the hundreds of public comments received by the NRC.
NUREG-0662 presents the results of an in-depth cxamination of the envirohmental impacts associated with several alternatives for reactor building atmosphere cleanup.
The Final Environmental Assessment also includes the NRC staff's rationale for recommending the purge alternative over the alternatives suggested by' Dr. Collins. This document, which includes a deta.iled account of public-comments submitted to the NRC staff, provided the basis for consideration and subsequent approval of purging by the Commission.
Dr. Collins is also mistaken in his statement that " Krypton is heavier than air, so it will not disperse into the upper atmosphere...". Krypton which is heavier than oxygen exists normally as only one constituent of the air we normally breathe.
Although some of the gaseous components of air are heavier than others they do not separate or stratify. The principle of " Brownian Motion" acts to keep gases of differing molecular weights uniformly dispersed in the earth's atmosphere.
In addition to NUREG-0662, I am enclosing NUREG-0673J " Answers to Questions Woout Removing Krypton from the Three Mile Island, Unit 2 Reactor Building".
This document has been distributed by the NRC staff to respond,'in an e understandable fashion, to the most frequently asked purge rela eg%
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The~ Honorable J.'J.
Pickle. I hope this'information adequately responds to your request.
Sincerely, (Signed)T. ARehm William J.-Dircks, Acting Executive Director for Operations
Enclosures:
.1.
NUREG-0662, Vols. l'and 2 2.
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