ML20044E973
| ML20044E973 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Claiborne |
| Issue date: | 04/20/1993 |
| From: | Freese W AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| To: | Selin I, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9305260332 | |
| Download: ML20044E973 (2) | |
Text
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1511 Park Rd., NW, #5 Washington, DC 20010 April 20, 1993 Mr. Ivan Selin, Chairman i
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C.
20555
Dear Mr. Selin,
I urge you to reject the application of Louisiana Energy Services to build a uranium enrichment plant in northwest Louisiana.
The proposed facility would produce about 4000 tons of radioactive uranium-238 waste per year, which will probably be stored on site. Polluted water from the plant would be discharged into the Lake Claiborne watershed, and the. risk to local residents from exposure to hydrogen fluoride in case of accident is not acceptable.
Most importantly, the residents of nearby Forest Grove and Center Springs are firmly opposed to construction of this dangerous facility. Given that thew i
i are low-income, mostly black communities, it's hard to resist the conclusion that the siting of this project is still another example of environmental racism.
All across the country, studies have shown that a disproportionate number of i
toxic waste sites, incinerators and hazardous industrial facilities in general 9
are sited in poor, minority communities which lack the power the oppose them.
I urge you to consult the United Church of Christ's 1987 report Toxic Wastes and-l Race in the United States, or any of a number of other studies, and seriously i
ask yourself: WHY HERE?
i A better quest son, however, might be: WHY LET THE FACILITY BE BUILT AT ALL?
l At present, the Department of Energy is the exclusive producer of enriched uranium in the U.S. - and even DOE plants are operating at only 50% of capacity.
-}
This strongly suggests that the U-235 from LES' proposed plant would be for j
export, particularly since its prices would be higher than DOE's.
Thus local residents would be exposed to unacceptable risks in order to satisfy the energy i
needs of foreign countries.
j There is also the question of proliferation.
LES' centrifuge technology could be used to produce the highly enriched uranium needed for nuclear weapons.
Do we really want to give this terrible power _- however unlikely the possibility
[
that LES will make use of it - to a private consortium? This would establish l
a dangerous precedent and be a decided step backwards in the fight against nuclear proliferation.
Finally, the European group Urenco, a member of the LES consortium, is suspected of having supplied Iraq with the' designs for uranium enrichment technology.
Should Urenco and LES be trusted? I think not.
Mr. Selin, don't burden the residents of Forest Grove and Center Springs with this highly questionable plant.
Don't let private industry get into the dangerous business of uranium enrichment.
I strongly_ urge _yo_u to _ reject LES_'
i applicat_1on a
Sincerely, O l
C
,_ {2Q II **
9305260332 930420 kQ PDR ADOCK 07003070 C
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