ML20039A209

Requests Responses to Listed Questions Re Effect of Budget Cuts on NRC Staffing Safety Issues & Deferral of Issues

ML20039A209
Person / Time
Site:	Clinch River
Issue date:	12/08/1981
From:	Dingell J, Ottinger R HOUSE OF REP., ENERGY & COMMERCE
To:	Palladino N NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
References
NUDOCS 8112160363
Download: ML20039A209 (3)

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The Honorable Nunzio Palladino - DECl 5 Chairman , , 'pw*g*fgggg.~

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Nuclear Regulatory Commission washington, D.C. 20555 p

Dear Mr. Chairman:

N As you know, last Friday the President signed an Appropriations bill which provides the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with a total cppropriation for Fiscal Year 1982 of $465,700,000. This appropriation is $35 million less than the Commission initially requested and opproximately $20 million less than the amount authorized in the House version of the authorization bill.

A reduction of this magnitude will unquestionably affect the Commission's program priorities, which, in turn, will provide the basis upon which reductions will be allocated among the various offices and programs. In the past, the Commission has been pressured to accelerate the licensing process, and, as a result, has already reallocated staff resources. Because such actions have already occurred, we are particularly concerned that the additional cuts not be based on the present assignment of staff. We are deeply concerned about the possible impact any future reallocation of staff will have on the Commission's safety programs. In order that the licensing function not be emphasized at the expense of the Commission's primary duty to ensure the public health and safety, the new program reductions should be based on allocation of staff at the time the budget requests were formulated. I do not believe it is a wise policy to defer the resolution of important safety issues on the basis that staff resources are better utilized in the licensing of new nuclear reactors incorporating unresolved safety issues in their design.

.- We are also aware that, in addition to the diversion of staff resources to the licensing process for light water reactors above that anticipated during budget preparation, the Commission has been required to allocate staff resources to address licensing questions raised by the Clinch River Breeder Reactor (CRBR) application. This application, which had been withdrawn at the request' of its sponsors and was recently reactivated, also was not a factor in the Commission's budget request. Moreover, I- have recently been advised that the Department of Energy has requested accelerated treatment of this license application and permission to begin non-safety related construction activities at U

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the site under a limited work authorization. Given that the Commission has already reallocated staff to establish the capability to review the l application beyond a level anticipated in the formulation of its

, budget , int believe that it would be. inappropriate for the Commission to i: assign additional staff to accelerate the licensing of a project which

.the applicant has failed to pursue for over four years. It is our belief that this government project should not warrant special consid-

eration. Any special' consideration allowed CRBR could disrupt or delay the consideration of pending safety-questions and commercial reactor-license applications. The' House recently approved some temporary modifications to the licensing process, and our support for those modifications.~was based upon your assertions that'these provisions

, would lessen the need to divert. staff from consideration of safety l issues. If the Commission now finds that it cannot adequately process

pending license applications, address unresolved safety issues and process the application for the Clinch River Breeder Reactor within the '

limitations of its appropriations, we would expect that the last item to be compromised would be the resolution of safety issues.- .

In order to better understand the impact of the budget reductions on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's activities, we request that you

supply our subcommittees with responses to the following questions

i-7 (1) To what extent have staff resources already been reallocated to' address (i) perceived delays in the licensing of light water reactors and (ii) the renewed application for the Clinch River Breeder Reactor?

l (2) What impact has the recent staff reallocation had on the i Commission's ability to address pending safety issues?

(A) Please identify those safety issues whose i resolution will be delayed or deferred as a result of the reallocation of staff.

L (B) Please identify those safety issues or commercial license applications whose resolution will be delayed or deferred as a result of the need to process the license

! application for the Clinch River Breeder Reactor.

l (C) Please provide a list of all unresolved generic safety issues, and identify those whose anticipated resolution has been delayed or deferred as a result of the staff .

reallocatio.n.

, (D) Please provide an estimate of the impact any

( delays in the resolution of unresolved generic

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safety issues or site-specific issues will have on the licensing of reactors or the issuance of construction permits.

(E) Please provide the criteria used in selecting the issues whose resolution should be deferred in order to avoid delays in the licensing process or to process the application of the Clinch River Breeder Reactor. .

(F) Please provide a list of all the identified public health and safety issues which are  !

outstanding in regard to the license  ;

application for the Clinch River Breeder Reactor, with the present schedule for their  ;

resolution.  !

We 1 forward to receiving your prompt response.

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Joh . In 11 Richard L. Ottinger Chairman Chairman Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Energy Conservation and Power JDD/RLO:mb p # #

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