ML20056B587

Forwards Addl Press Clippings Re Application Pending Before Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to Discharge Heated Circulating Water & Low Level Radwaste from Plant

ML20056B587
Person / Time
Site:	Monticello
Issue date:	03/19/1968
From:	Mcelroy D NORTHERN STATES POWER CO.
To:	Tremmel E US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
References
NUDOCS 9102070562
Download: ML20056B587 (9)

Text

{{#Wiki_filter:__ -. FOR M t l 5 L4 4 3 Np2THEFN STATES POWER COMPANY 5 " {g .. _ _J __7__[-- - ~ J se w o, pg kr :1_--- [0"M d = March 19, lfo8 Mr. Ernest B. Trensel ~ Division of Industrial Participation United States Ato::ic Energy Cor.nis:Jon Washing on, D. C. 20545

Dear Mr. Trennel:

Enclosed are additional press clippings having to do with our application pending before the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to discharge heated circulating water and low level radioactive waste from our Monticello plant. Very truly youro, I is, w-- f D. F. McELROY Vice President-En;ineering Enclosures Cc: Mr. Harold L. Price gytr f Fremm2 PEC100lt uQu;w:n frE*ylfidC EP.t.MA CCWT Wo its Si VA 13 f B E CEIAE3 800'dI),Il Lin o' hB@ ?-. =S--- ggej _// {AL- - rime ___ [_- - 3gth,____ 9102070562 680319 il --7 CF ADOCK 050 63 g 7 i

-NSP CLIPPING DIGEST -March 11, 1968 Info. & Ad. Dept. Monticello Plant Radiation Factor Causes Split Whi Mlw 3 -11 EDl10ftS NOTE: The hiinnesota Poflution Control .4pency still consider Tuesday en applicatien by Northern of the proposed plant, one to ten picoeuries of radiation State Poirer Co. to operate o nuclear-furled etertric pen. l will be added to each hter discharged from the plant. erating plant of Monticello, Minn. The folioscing articles (A curie is a unit to measure the amount of radiation. tremine some of the issura connected arith the NSP pro-A picoeurie is one-tri!!ionth of this basic unit.) g ot By PETER ACKERBERG i James M. Smith Jr.. radiological engineer for General Minneapons star staft wruer Electric Co., which is to build NSP's plant, says the average Will a nuclear plant at Monticello proposed by North, concentration of discharge will be about 5 picocuries a ern States Power Co. (NSP) contribute " infinitesimal" ra. hter of water, d etivity to the Mississippi River, as company spokes-The diluting effects of the river probably will cut this to % half a picoeurie per liter by the time radioactive Or, as critics charge, is NSP underestimating the materials reach the Minneapolis water supply intake nt amount of radiation and its possible effects? Fridley,40 miles south of Monticello. To weigh the benefits of a nuclear power plant against the possible dangers, a clearer picture of the radia-COmpOMSOn Made tJon amounts, and therefore the hazards, must emerge. Smith contrasts this amount with the approximately As it stands now, conflicting claims, often couched in 120 picocuries a liter found m most domestic tap water techmcal language, are made by company officials and I from natural background radiation and nuclear bomb tests. c ritics. i Even if the technical language is mastered, there still-Figures from the Minnesota Department of Health show remams the hb of checking out data on-which the claims l Minneapolis tap water rated at an average of 3 picocunes may be based. l per liter. Take this, for example: When measurements of specific radioactive materials released are not taken, NSP plans to measure only to91 "The picturesque lake and marshland country of north-radiation, AEC permits up to 1000 picoeuries per hter. crn Mmnesota, long a hunters' and vacationers

• paradise, now shows health conditions so serious that they cannot But the standard being applied in the Monticello case.

be kept out of sight forever." says A. V. Dienhart, NSP manager of engineering, is 100 picoeuries per hter. It comes from a publication issued by the Committee to End Radiological Hazards, a, citizens group, in New NSP will meet that standard easily, say company offi-York City that calls for *the retirement of atomic energy cials. But Charles W. Huver. associate professor of zo-from use." ology and curator of fishes for the Museum of Natural The health of northern Mmnesotans is declining at an History at the University of Minnesota, cites figures he alarnung rate, and the cause may be an atomic testmg sta. says,show that AEC limits are already exceeded in the It in Manitoba, says the publication. M1351552Ppi-In 1962, says the committee, " leukemia deaths were . The U.S. Geological Survey monitors tritium, a radio 70 per cent above national levels" in Kittson County, Minn., active material released by Minnesota' only nuclear gen-and m Lake - of - the - Woods County, the rate was "230 erating plant, located at Elk River. per cent above nationalleukemia levels." According to measurements take-by geological survey at Anoka, Huver says, rnore than 1.t:0 picocunes per hter Only One L, ath Each from tritium is reguiariy recoreed. 3 I l A check of U. Health Pubhc Health Service (PHS) The 1,600 figuq 's above any of the applicable AI,C standards for drinkmg water Huver notes. The tritium records for 1962 discloses, however, that each county re-corded one leukemia death that year. 2s presumably entering the river from the Elk River plant, 4 which is only about one-twenty-fifth the size of the proposed The national average of seven trukemia deaths per Monticello plant, contends Huver. Much more tritium, he yse s w{ill enter the Mississippi from the larger Monti-100.000 population means one leukemia death for every g g-14.285 population. NSP says m. its apphcations to AEC that small frac-i Both Kittson and Lake - of - the Woods Counties had tions of picoeuries per liter in tritium radiation will be re-populations under 9,000 in 1962, so that even one leukemia leased. In any case, the power company says, " tritium is death would place their leukemia death rates above the relatively harmless" and is passed quickly out of the body national average. when consumed. Figures recently made available for 1965 by the FHS T 3m show no leukemia deaths in either county that year, A CIn16G g/GUgeTOUS, In the Monticello plant, the major part of released Huver contends this is nonsense, that " tritium is po-rcdiation, all sides agree, will be put into the Mississippi tentia!!y a very dangerous substance," partly because of its

River, relatively long half-hfe.

l The river is the chief source of water for nearly one (The half-life is the time it takes for a particular sub-i million residents in the Twin Cities area. stance to lose half its radioactive strength. Tritium has a l half-hfe of 12.3 years.) f According to the PHS. which has reported favorably b i4df / f V 7 .1D{ to the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) on the safety

How inuch tritium will be released and how harmful ]t without unduly restricting A mdependent appraisal of the issue perhaps by the th of e c ind t 1 Pollution Control Agency, is needed. critics say, if the bene. Ifits and possible dangers of the Monticello plant are to be The statement proves nothing. but it suggests the dual ] weighed. and possibly conflicting AEC duties. 1 Other possible " serious errors"in NSP's estimate of re. The Atomic Industrial Forum, an international organi-j leased radioactivity are cited by Dean E. Abrahamson, as. zation which seeks to boost the role of private enterprise sistant professor of anatomy in the College of Medical Sci-in atomic energy development, points to a safeguard: ences at the University of Minnesota. To avoid conflict between the role of promoting the He says, for example, that the power company has not development cf peaceful uses and that of regulating these shown whether a new method to remove radioactivity from same uses, the AEC has set up a separate staff for the watzr to be used at Monticello will be as effecitive as latter function." claimed. Another criticism leveled at NSP has been that the pow-Completely separate Unit i er company should monitor specific radioactive materials . rele: sed from the plant, not just total radiation. The critics believe a unit completely separate from the Without this information, says Huver, it will be im-AEC should be in. charge of regulating atomic energy. pc:sible to measure the impact of the plant's radiation in Questioned about the variance between radiation stan-the human food chain. dards, NSP's McElroy likened them to differences between states in setting maximum speed Itmits for motorists. Some radioactive materials, he notes, are concentrated m living organisms at varying rates. Only by measuring Who's to say what's right?" asked McElroy. "No doubt specific radioactive materials in the environment both be-there'll be fewer accidents with slower speeds, but how fore and after the plant goes mto operation will the im-long would,we tolerate uniform slow speeds throughout pact be able to be weighed. the country?, There are other criticisms, too, but for each one NSP In the Monticello case, the amount and impact of in-officials have material to refute the critics. creased radiation is in dispute. i Power company spokesmen frequently point to four of lt might be resolved if the Pollution Control Agency five bulky books, some thicker than the Minneapolis tele-hires an independent consultant to review the issue, or af phone directory, that were reviewed by the AEC and The the Minnesota Atomic Developmer,t Problems Committee Public Health Service before a construction permit was s re-established and asked to consider it. issued. The books are filled with initial data on the proposed plant submitted by NSP to the AEC, plus answers to spe-I i cific questions asked later by the AEC. i NSP SEEKS 8TH PERMIT ,'There has been no element of secrecy or any attempt pinnt,,thhold any facts or data concerning the Montice"' FOR ONTICELLO PLANT to wi j says D.1. McElroy, vice-president of engineermg for NSP. non 09eidnsdeIe'd by the Minnesota The Pollution Control Agency Tuesday is for one of Il per- ,' ' Closed Cucle Asked mits required by Northern States Power Co. (NSP) for J a nuclear-fueled generating plant at Monticello, Minn. The critics say that NSP should build a

• closed cycle

So far, NSP has acquired seven of the permits. lant. one in wh,ich no radioactive wastes would be re-I cased to the Mississippi. l These permits or licenses are still needed: Any radioactive wastes produced, they say, should be Atomic Energy Commission (AEC): Operating Li-3 cense. carted off and buried away from the plant site. Minnesota Department of Conservation: permit for ~ NSP officials say this is impractical because it would discharging coolmg and service water from plant. carting off about 4 million gallons of liquid wastes u y pg g discharging cooling and sevice water; permit for dis-There is one final and sweeping charge made by Huver, posal of sanitary sewage. Abrahamson and other critics. The permits already given to NSP are: They point to the drinking water standards of 10 pico-

curies of radiation per liter of water recommended by the AEC

Construction license.

International Commission for Radiological Protection, an Army Corps of Engineers: permission to build struc-i independent scientific committee which has advised the tures on Mississippi Rive-World Health Organization since 1956. Minnesota Department of Conservation: permission ^ De AEC's lower standard of 100 picoeuries per liter to withdraw surface water from construction site, per-may reflect its eagerness to promote the use o.' >.tomic mission to withdraw well water for drinking and toilets energy, some critics contend, at plant and permission to build structures on Missis-sippi River. The five-member AEC, appointed by the President, should not have the responsibility of controlling what it right County: permission to erect temporary is also expected to promote, say Huver and Abrahamson. f (CQstru tion site buildings. Permanent building permit g it sets up, they believe, an inevitable conflict on in-terest. g g,, The conflict could be suggested by this statement from 4 en AEC pub!! cation on radioactive wastes: " Regulations h:v2 been developed through research to ensure effective 2 .~

' Harmless' Radiation Facts About Radiation Exp%cted From Plant e Spgo. 'smen for the North-amag*e g is% ern States Power (NSP) say - Here is what the council Scientists Retnarks Rad oactive materials emit $75-rni!! ion nueltar poweri says about it: energy which can damage liv-a plant at Monticello, Minn. Pmfessor Sheldon C. Reed. ing tissue. scheduled to operate regular: .,Although many scientists director of the Dight Institute ly in May 1970, will send 8N Prepared to express inde of Human Genetics at the But how much damage and harmless amounts of radio-r edaan opinions as to the like-University of Minnesote, said what kind? cctivity into the air and Mis-lihood that a threshold (point in an interview he is not sissippi River. below which no damage oc-familiar enough with theNSP Here is what the U.S. Pub-curs) does or does not exist, proposal to comment on its lic Health Service says in a Thus, an NSP press re ' we believe that there is in-effects. recent publication: lease issued at a meeting sufficient scientific evidence with local officials, says: on which to base a definitive But he posed this question

• Scientists know a great conclusion in this regard."

to indicate the nagnitude of deal about the effects on hu- "The. f.nitesimal radioac. m tivity from the Monticell lthe issue: "Do you consider man beings of large doses of plant will present no danger, Standards Urged the birth of one idiotic child radiation-such as would be n the community worth the encountered in a nuclear war. Jzmes M. Smith Jr., radi' ological engineermg consuit" The council says that safe. total savings on electricity or amounts used in medical tv standards should be set bills?" therapy to destroy cancerous l to the General Electric ant,s (GE) nuclear energy d'-f.nh this uncertamty in mind cens. Co. vision, pointed out. ' and it defines the implica-Reed did not answer his tions. own question, but he said ,On the other hand, not as GE is building NSP's nu-that " progress is going to much is known about the ef-clear plant. "On the assumption that continue, we're going to be' fects of small doses of radia-Notes taken at the meetmg there is no threshold, every using nuclear energy." tion, such as those to which Osc of radiation in"olves the "Perhaps Fm an optimist all Americans are subjected and a printed copy of Smith s but I think the use of nu -natural background radia-remarks mdicate he did not possibihty of some biologicai use those precise words. He risk either to the individual. clear energy is progress'" tion and fallout from nuclear did say that "the effect of or his descendents. tests, for example. the Monticello nuclear plant on downstream d r a n k i n g "On the other hand the "Ir8 particular, it is not water usage will be truly in' use of radiation results in Reed suggested the renew-known definitely whether sigmficant, both on an abso-numerous benefits to man in al of a Minnesota atomic de-there is a radiation dose or velopment problems commit-dose rate below which in-l lute basis and certainly by medicine $d research' industry

• com-merce, at tee to look into all sides of jurious effects will not occur.

comparison with the radioac-the proposed Monticello plant Prudent Course i er r-Question of Risk A committee was appoint- %, h a t e v e r the precise "If those beneficial uses ed in 1957 by Gov. Orville "However, it is the con-language used by Smith or. were fully exploited without L. Freeman, partly to study sensus of scientific opinion NSP officials durmg the con-regard to radiation protec- "the control of atomic en. that for purposes of health tion the resultin biolo ical ergy for the protection of the protection, the most prudent risk'might well be considered - public against health haz. course is to assume that even s essed th p ant afe y.. rather than its possible dan-too great. Reducin the risk ards. Very small amounts of radia-tion tr}few mdividuals whensy produce som E"' to zero would virtually elim-inate any radiation use, and it has not been active m ma Obj.ect. ion Ra.ised result m the loss of all pos-e en yea large mImbers of people are sible benefits-exposed. For the kind of rough cost. Critics, mainly two faculty members of the University of "It is eerefore necessary - benefit ledger suggested by "The cells of the human! Mmnesota, contend that any a stri e some balance be-the Federal Radiation Coun-body are highly specialized.' cil, benefits of the Monticello ,each with a predetermined amount of radmattive ma-een ma mum use and I terial, no matter how small. plant have been spelled out . task to perform. Radiation. by NSP. like other harmful agents, can be harmful. ..Ir. establishing radiation can disturb the cells

• balance The scientific world ap. protection standards, thebal-e benefits, says the pow-so they can no longer per-l l parently is unsure on the; ancing of risk and benefit is h# #7"c0st 7

r f rm their tasks. of e i l sssue. All scientists agree that a decision mvolving medical

• large doses of radiation pro.

social, economic, political and (nuclear fuel is less e*P'n- If enouEh cells are af-i duce genetic and other bodily other factors. sive than coal), and avoiding fected, body processes may I dimage in proportion to the the pollution problems that be disrupted. If radiation dose level' "Such a balance cannot be a e e o m p a n y coal burning harms the reproductive cells, made on the basis of a pre-plants. this damage may be passed But opinions, and apparent-cise mathematical formula

on to future generations.

A reac ated state atonu.c ly data, conflict when it but must be a matter of in comes to the effects of small formed judgment'" development agency - draw- "The human body is able doses. mg on experts from many to sepair most of the effects he question thus raised by fields - could assess the of non-fatal radiation, just as The fuzziness of the issue the NSP Monticello plant is cost sde of the ledger, not it is able to repair damage l 1s recognized by the Federal not whether it will cause only in this case. but in the caused by many diseases and; j R'diation Council, an agency damage, but whether the pos. two other nuclear-powered injuries. i of U.S. cabinet members pro. sible damage is worth the units that NSP proposes for viding guidance to federal de-benefits. Prairie Island, just north of Sorne Injury ents on radiation pro. Red Wing, Minn., by 197C ,,However, many scientists j ibelieve that radiation always 3 6fo Y f.*: N/SW 1_

causes scene injury to cells crhiclg cannot be repaired. If cells are subjected to con-p stant or repeated radiation,: EAPOLIS these injurious effects acd _ cumulate.. b Y' "The long-term effects (of MONDAY, MARCH 11,1968 y[ y radiation) that have been ob-C D4, @"an""=M"L' RADIOACTIVE WASTE u,k. of cancer and cataract for-52" '""' '""" "~ COULD COST MILLION' radiall0n Other effects observed , among those who work near The virtual ehmination of all radioactive wastes -sources of radiation, such as released to the Mississippi River from the proposed Mon-a ticello plant of Northern State Power Co. (NSP) would U physicians or dentists ex-posed to rad;ation from X, add about $1 million to the plant s yearly operating costs. g a ray machines, include lung, according to D. F. McElroy, NSP s vice-president of engi-7 l bone and skin cancer and "a " """ 8' s o m e w h a t increased inci-dence of leukemia." niis would add about 7.5 per cent annually to the presently anticipated operating cost of $13.5 milbon a .. Preliminary reports } c"f- { from a study of hfe ex-The $13.5 milhon includes all costs of operating tne Urh pectancy among radiologists plant, including expenses to meet standards of the Atomic YOU as compared to certain other Energy Commission (AEC) which permits sma:1 amounts LIVE

medical speciahsts indicate of radioactivity to be discharged.

' some life-shortening."

c-An imtial equipment cost of about $500.000 would be In conclusion, the health required to achieve the " virtual ehmmation" of radioac-service says

"Darnage to the tivity, McElroy said.

fr a t on e The $500.000 would be in addition to total.lant costs M 1 I .s u r e, including fallout, is

• ^

slight c o m p a re d to other t

~ 1 ? l'riatural and man.rr-de health No Estu* nate of Rates hnzards. t l Useful Appleation No estimates of what the additional costs would mean in terms of consumer electric rates are available, said }.g. 3 ~[ i "However, since the use. McElroy. l iful apphcation of radiation-Sort ern States Power Co. nuclear- ! producing machines and ma. It is impossible, he said, to isolate the impact of this powered electric generating plant under ' tenals, such as nudear re. additional cost from the overall impact of NSP's other construction at Monticello, tinn., may. l a I actors, radioactis e isotopes efforts "to make our facilities compatible and consistent dump waste water and water used for l iand X rays, is bound to in-with the pubhc concern over aesthetic and the environ-l crease in the future, the U.S. ment. cooling purposes im o the Minie-:ppi s Igovernment feels that every River. The river is the major source of effort must be made to avoid No figures are available, either. he sa.d. on the Twin Cities dnnking water, or prevent unnecessary ex-reduced radioactivity level that would result from the additional $1 million in annual operating costs. Wdl the level of radia-t l ,,Only in this way can our it would be a "significant" reduction though, he said, tion in the water make it with the only rad;oactivity discharged into the river com. unsafe for dnnkin-? The i p ople receive the many ing from contamineted laundry wastes. social and health benefits of uperts disagree. Peter t man-made radiation u hile Ackerberg, The St ar's ~ avoiding an unacceptable de-8kgggy $((nted in MOneV' ""'E*"" *"" "~ I gree of mercased hea1th i risks." porter, uill have a special v In a statement about the proposed Monticello plant, report m The Star March 11. Order The NSP President Earl Ewald said: Star today, through your carrier sales- "We have never stmted in mor.cy, material or man ' man, or by ramn; m at DN power to meet our respcmsibilities. And we are prepared to spend whateser is necessary to insure the protection of j pubbe health and safety. M -_ EE J m gimem ~1 "On the other hand, NSP feels obligated to the pubhc and to our customers to make sure the money is not need-lessly spent in be necessary." pursuit of arbitrary goals which may not. kI f vt NING The statement adds that proposals to eliminate all ) happening low-level radioactive discharge into the Mississippi "ig-f 8tGTISIfgg('S nore" AEC regulations over disposal of radioactive waste and are not based on reasonable control and regulation

• • OffM' iib Ip of use of the river."

4 l 4 io

' w~s amanous terem g Sun., March 10,1968 NNSP Says its Atom Controls by the Mfanesota Department activity into the air, regulated Ad aG of Conservation on whether by AEC limits.) to grant NSP a permit to use Mississippi River water In recent years,it has rev-in the M'onticello plant's mas-en advantageous for N P to . By)OHN HERITAGE Chairman Robert Tuveson of sive cooling system. (NSP build nuclear rather t an 1 ' Minneapons Tribune starr writ,,. Albert Lea said, "We can't has asked permission to with- {, co*mpany's'vice-preside t substitute - Northern States Power Co.. the AEC's.,our judgement for draw up to 75 per cent of go ig the river's tiow, under cer-(NSP) says it will cost $2.2' million a year to reduce to The agency's staff had ree-tain conditimsJ But costs of nuclear power near-zero levels the heat and ommended granting a permit Also required will be a pro-plants are ri, sing now, and fu-r;dhtion effects on the Mis. allowing discharge from the gram to assure that radioac. ,ture conditions could favor si sippi River from a planned plant of about 4 m!Ilion gal- .tivity levels and concentra. choosinge said. Thus, accord-coal over nuclear NSP nuclear power p1a n t lons a year of mild ly radio. tions are monitored before l P ants, i near Monticello, Minn. active water after treatment, and after the Monticello plant mg to McElmy,NSPhas hot NSP doesn't believe the ex. and discharge from the !goes into operation. The De. decided yet whether units pehd!ture - which it says of heated water frc plant the Partment of Health has this' needed past 1974 will be coal ! would boost consumers' elec. emling process, provided responsibility for the state; or nuclear powered tricity rates - would rnean, state and federal standards 'the AEC has it for the fed-j eral government. lg e e ingfully increase the protec. were met, tion of the river on the ' health of Twin Citians. Thus, A major factor in the state I MINNESOTA joined the ~' agency's change of course iranks of nuclear power states it isn,t necessary, the com-was sharp and unexpected when the Elk River nuclear 2 lA2NelUl e e pany says-e ri tie i s m at a February ' power plant, run by the Rural U RUUbIEYI The 52.2 million would add egency rnecting of the plant's Co-operative Power Assn., about 16 per cent to the profosed heat and radio- . started operating in 1963. M I 1*l f plant's estimated annual ope. acuvity safeguards by two !But that 22-megawatt-capa-l rating costs. A one-time capi-University of Minnesota sci-city plant is small compared tal cost of $500,000 which entists, Dr. Dean E. Abraham-to the 545-megawatt Monti. - pates of radioactivity b M m. Ne also would be needed, would son and Dr. Charles W. cello facility. And NSP plans be a minor addition to the Huver. Minneapolis Mayor a nuclear plant of similar expected from the proposed plant's estimated $91.6 mil-Arthur Naftalin also voiced size by 1972 at Prairie Island Northern States Power (NSP) lion building cost. NSP says fears of bad health and en-above Red Wing, and a sec-yontmpany nuclear phnt at it is impossible to calculate vironmental effects in a letter ond nuclear unit at Prairie ] i" exactly how much the addi-ge ageracy. Island by 1974. 3 d S to r ic Commission (AEC) standards tions would increase electn-LAST WEEK. Tuveson still With Twin Cities electrical regulating the plant may be city bills. was saying the agency can't needs d o u bIin g every 10 unsafe, says Dr. Dean E. SYSTEMS already planned try to second guess the AEC years NSP says new units-Abrahamson, University of for the plant will assure ade-on radioactivity controls, but either nuclear or fossil fuel Minnesota scientist. quste protection, and will he added: If our consultant (coal) - probably will be meet radioactivity standards tells us no radioactive water added every two years after General Electric Co. (GE), of the U.S. Atomic Energy should be &scharged into the 1974. There will be room for which is designing and build-Commission (AEC) and Min- . M attempt 2 assure a seced unit at Mondech tng the plant for NSP, pre. pared the estimates. i nesota standtrds proposed to eat? heson recently con. which would double tlat Abrahamson has been urg-the federal government for ferred with Gov. Harold I.e. site's capacity - room for_a ing the Minnesota Pollution river heating limits, NSP Vanderon the matter. third and a fourth unit at Control Agency to require says. AEC has granted NSP And NSP, although still Prairie Island, and room for NSP to, ship all the plant's a permit to construct the insisting the plant wili~b'e a second unit at Oak Park radioactive wastes out of the phnt. An AEC operating li-' safe, sa if " substantial Heights on the St. Croix Riv-atate to one of several spe-cense will be needed before evidence"ys from "acknowl. er (where the Allen S. King cial disposal sites. the plant can go into opera. edged experts" is presented I S5il-fuel plant is scheduled . cMost of the wastes from tion in 1970, as scheduled. showing that there will be 6 open this summer), the power-generating nuclear Whether the plant will, in h, cr yni c stry, more s ay Bu ea, fact, be safe without the ad-e ll go i to e ditional cost is an explosive design and make' whatever than 50 large-scale nuclear h'ur million gallons af radio- , lasue now sitting in the lap changes are necessary "

1. 1. units are under con-active water, which 'ill ac-struction or awaiting con-

'cuinulate from pipe drippings, of the Minnesota Pollution But both NSP and AEC struction permits. For the plant decontamination and Control Agency. shy away from saying at this past two years, nearly half. Se plant's laundry and lab-Fr.ced with esoteric ques-point whether. they believe of All Dew power-generating Mtory, will not. ' tions such as how rnany the state pollution control capac t o red in the Unit- ,.~ NSTEAD, it will be dis-picoeuries per liter of radio-agency has power to order been nuclear. activity it takes to threaten radioactivity standards more charged into the Mississippi A MAIN advantage of a River after being treated and human health, the agency has stringent than AEC's. cuclear power plant is that diluted to lower its radio-decided to hire an out-of-TUVSSON SAYS that a its use of atomic fuel often activity count so far that state consultant, "who will , have na vested interests in consultant's review and a resufts in lower fuel costs, "it will be as safe for drink-when compared to coal. An. ing as ordinary tap water," state agency decision on . this," to decide whether pro. whether to grant a water-other advantage has been says James M. Smith, Jr.,

. taction phns for the plant discharge permit and on what that the nuclear plants do not consultant for GE.

O sufficient, grounds can be made within produce the air pollutants, Abrahamson has made cal-A MONTH 60 days. The agency is ex-such as carbon dioxide and culations of his own, but wasn't plann g* th to hi pected to hire a consultat su%ur dioxide, that coal-hasn't concluded ye,t exactly consultant. It thought itself shortjY-burninr units do (although how far off he bebeves the 5 nuclear plants emit ndio-

on the verge of a decision. j pendine also is a decision W'

A T Y '/N.

er to 60 it that way," said PROFG50R URG.=S CAUTION Abrahamson. Aa s= w= ' Heated' River Cou!ci ditional radioactivity Core i into the esvironment which GE consultant is on tots' jwould be two and a half Moectivity count. times t2.a average dose from T i e TNf all other pources, a policyj k'.*. d %< ..:.brahamson dor,n't stink the Monticello 1% s radio-e-e which he feels is not safe. Heatmg of 6e Mississippi posed sendards, he said. fEEIEs int be 'nlERE IS at least a "see-River by the Northern States THE MINNESOTA PCA's a u. rels with those standards ond look" develogng within Power (NSP) e o m p a n y a proposed standards for the AECs standards for the the federal government about M nticello plant could have Mississippi River near Mon-i Monticello plant are similar{ the AEC stand.rds. The Fed-pr f und effects on aquatic 4icello woCd set.t maximc., to those it is r n.irin eral Water Pollution Control life downstream and could i other nuclear pla ts arb o, Administration (FWPCA), for produce bothersome algae ture of SG degrees, and at summertre water tempera-i a the country'lant to ship away example,is going to evaluate that, in dymg, migh, epos't other times, would allow an It has not re, quired any p the AEC standards "to make had-tasting oils in Mir.neapo-artificial river temperature %e In-volume

• low-count sure we agree or disagree lis and St. Paul water su? increase of about five de-rucioact.' e waste water, as with them," said Dale Bry.

plies. says Dr. Charles W. l grees, after the discharged Abraharr. son is suggesting son, director' of the FWPCA Haver, Umversity of Mmne-water has a chance to mix i for NSP at Monticello, ac. Minneapolis office. sota scientist. m with the river. cording to an AEC spokes-But many se'entists have NSP is spending SS million "If thb ' ;.av Ge opera-

man, little quarrel with the AEC for cooling towers at the tion of a

+A,ystem more ANY INCREASE in radio. standards which permit mi-lP ant to control the heat than NSP contemplates, it's activity, however slight, pre. nor radioactivity increases. Present in the large amounts going to have to be done" sents a danger of mereases "Ihese regulations are set of water it will discharge in-said John Ladalich. PCA *t in cancer and genetic muta. by committees that probably to the river after use (290.- rector. He added, "we won't tien and the effects of any know as much about radia. 000 gallons a minute at full know until they stas operat-increase are more widespread , tion effects as anybody in plant capacity). ing the plant (in 1970)." when 1. is close to the popu-

the world" says Dr. Merle Without cooling tower use, Huver says a heating of lation centers like the Twin Loken, associate professor of the water used tc cool oper-even five degret. could pro-

"ities, Abrahamson contends. radiology and ellrector of nu-ating sections is heated 27 duce profound a ffects in the He no+es that everyone clear medicine at the Univer-degrees between the mtale river, if it were o occur'dur-; receives se.stl but regular sity of I/unnes:ta hopital. and the discharge points.) ing a hot summer when the > doses,as it is, from cosmic "As as we're abiding by ra ~am medical and den-th' 's permi.; sib!t limits. WITTI COOLING tower water temperature already ; tzf s,x-rays, frem defective col-I feel we are dealing with sc-use when necessary, the dis-would be high. Algae growti. or television sets and from ceptable radiation doses," he charge will taeet beating might be a result, and the what remains worldwide of added. The apparent levels standards already Mposed h radioactivity from nuccar involved a t the NSP plant b he irmesota n g weapons tests. are comparable to natural ) gency (P } ot tic life - at the worst, pro- "No radiation should be background radiation counts" approval by U.S. Secretary of docinE fish kills

• and at the l

a stress n the released into the environ-and dont' provide much Irjterior Stewart U3all, NSP ygst, pu tin 1 ment just because it is cheap-cause foi darm, Loken said. 'Y-H, "Ihe company says the er has suggested S4 degrees l towers will have to be used as the maximum allowable l to some degree about half summer temperature. the time. The tower cooling A PROHIBITION of heat system han the capacity to addiGon from April to No-circulate the water on " closed vember would be desirable system," without any dis ; also because of still un-Monticello charge to the river, but NSP answered questions about

• sElk River says this mode will be needed the effect of nver heating, je

. N.I MPA Plant] j time, when the river is at additional big, waste heat less than 10 per cent of the and in view of the fact that pg"""'g qu its low stafes. nroducing power plants are ( I, N5P Picnf Huver says NSP should scheduled for Minnesota use the " closed systen" from rivers. s April to N o y e m b e r, the It appears that up to now, 6 l months during which the no o*her large nuclear pow-p aquatic biologist alieves a er plant in the country plans - p

t. Poul river heat increas will have operation of a year-roend p

( bad effects.

• closed system." However.

NSP's vice-president for the Vermont Department of e 20 Planned engineering, D. F. McElroy, Water Resources may re-g J NSP Plant says use of the "* closed sys. quire use of a closed cool-tem" - with no heat dis. ing system from April to { ri r A D pnWrg charge - year-round would to November in a nuclear M V"M ProMe lsbnd add an annual operating cost p! ant planned for the Con-g gggg .cf $1.2 milhon (lluver's pro, necticut River. M N, posal is for eight months). The river heating effect McElroy feelt a year-round of nuclear power plants has or eight-month closed system become a nationwide pollu. RCPA ?LANT WAS STATE'S FIRST NUCLEAR FACILT!Y operation isn't n e c e s s ary. tion issue. A U.S. Senate Rural Cdopereftve Potecr Assn. haaf if g, g Present company plans for subcommittee, chaired by partial cooling tower use Sen. Edmund Muskie (D-are sufficient to assure NSP Maine), is holding hearings will meet the state's pro-on the matter now. 6

Sp/A/N' g/D';Q* Vbout PoHution Throat eak U i To the Editor: As re-sponsible citiz?ns, we ex-e pend every cent we raust f l l. to prepare our offspring g lE socially and intellectually so their lives will find ful-fillment. We spare no ex-i i pense for piano lessons / the best school systcms m history, college education and top-notch medical at- /m( er tention. /c,p.gg - XI,w Yet, unthinkingly, we fy e p discard waste in our na-1 tional and state parks, use water with no thought of its possib!e future scarcity and bernr~. apathetic to-By BOB wet.REATT 6 ward postwon. Staff Writer WORSE YET, we sit The Minnesota PoHution Control Agency. which already back while sc,phistJeatea has dipped its tem.: the state's muddy waters, is about j lobbyists bombard our law. to poke its rose into the smoky atmosphere. 1 makers with highly-fi-nanced programs designed Last v eek the agency received a federal grant of $65.574 to ruin what's left of our for the faitial development of an kir pollution control pro-forests, lakes and rivers in gram. 'lne grant will be matched with $32,787 in state funos. i their selfish-money-makmg This mor,ey will ba used to recruft and train a' staff. ""C5' set up an office and begin to coUect information on t!.e A case in point would be quality of Minnesota's air, according to John Badalich, the proposed NSP nucicar executive director of the agency. It is essential, Badalich said, to determine what's blow. el. och ind str a ite ing in the vind before any air quality standards can be are already desecrating our established for the state, country's rivers, lake re-gions and natural resources So, part of 'the initial funds will be spent to purchase j in their ever - increasing scientific equipment to test and sample air. A network of numbers monitoring stations wiH be ret up around the state to test .the air. The voice of the conser-From this, an " air inventory" can be compil-f. vationist is all but drowned When the inventory is complete the state can be divided out by the grmding of the into air regions. And quality standards can be established bulldozer as it scrapes and for each region, Badalich said, tears at nature's beauty. For instance. the metropohtan region likely would have 'Ihis, we ere informed, is lower quality standards, becaus3 of its industrial complex, m the name of progress. than the North Shore or the St. Croix River Valley. Progress to what end? That The state will set these air quality standards along guidelines laid down by the federal government. Municipali-no rc for ts ap ent y ties would, in turn, fit their standards to' state's. insignificant beauty? Hearings would be held in different areas of the state so the pubh,c could have a say on what he standards DO YOU remember a should be. scenic scoreline where you swam, fic hed and hiked as Procedure for this probably will be similar to hearings a youngstcr? If it is withm held on water pollution control matters, according to Bada-lich. 25-mile radius of any a city of size, why not re-After minimum quality standards are established, the agency would begin work on controlling the poHuthnts going cr yo rsel$ 3,hthe atmosphere. Emission standards will be estab. Let's not !ct this pollu-n tion of our n a t u ra1 re Industrial firms will be told how much in the way of poDu-{ clean up l sources continue. Instead, let's let our lettt+s out-tants they can emit into the vantaga of certain state and number the financed lobby-air. They will be required to federal tax breaks, Badalich ists. Let's show our elected take steps to control them. said. representatives we c M rs. m orge n' Badalich said he sees no Recent federal concern - problem here. "They findus-and prodding - has given BurnsvlHe* tries) seers to realize it's states like Minnesota impe-coming and see it as part of tus. their operation and they are willing to comply with it. Badallch figures it will take, ? at 1e a s t two years until, It ls fully realized by Badal. Minnesota air quality stand ' ich and industry that instan ards are established. And it ling devices to control pollu-will take even more time be-lfar, there is no federal or gramis fuDy op Istete aid program to ease the financial outlay by industry necessary to control pollution. 4 But firms who move to

Pollution Group ~ c 4 Maym' Get Study Y k() KfA" ' f i Of Radiation 8-/ b f By ARLIN ALBRECHT.j { inE Managing Editor

p. kn the e n tir e area oft S.

UL - State Pollution ' atomie energy and potential! St. Paul Pioneer Press i j Control Agency (PCA) Director dangers to plant, animal and Frl Mar. 8, less C 13 John Badalich has been in-W Efe, W mid. j Tuveson saldihe Atomic En-- i structed to secure three pr posals for an independent study ergy Commission also might i of whether hazardous radiationIi become further involved. (he AEC issued the original permit might be emitted from the Mon-l under which the plant is being ticello nuclear power plant. ! constructed.) But Tuveson said The DRE karned of the ac-tion Thursday from PCA Chair-such further action ww.dd be

man Robert Tuveson, Albert at the advice of a private con-Lea attorney.

sultant. The fmdings of the study will Tuveson said the PCA has here direct bearmg on the twin the authority to set its own i nuclear inste!!ation planned by guidelines for radiation levels Northern States Power Co. on in discharge waters. De AEC 4 Prairie Irland. NSP officials guidehnes might or might not j have said emissions from the prove acceptable in the eyes two plants will be rough!y the of a consultant, he said. Some international radiation { hS has maintained in its [8," C~ , application to the PCA for a 1 l Monticello water. discharge per-I mit that the plant holds no No Radioh.on , danger for nearby residefits or for downstream coinmunities. jheat Seen -l ne Monticello}lant[ is lo-I cated some 35 miles from the. InIowa Plant Y. point where St. Paul and Min-g'pTNOINES (Qg., W j I neapolis take mogt of their ) - Indus-drinking water. The Prairie Is-try offietala planning to band land plant la about 4% miles above Red Wing. Both are now a nuclear power p; ant near Ce-dar Rapids assured state au-i under construction. thorities the p! ant will present No formal opposition has ari-no radiation or pollution threat. sen on the Prairie Island in- , Iowa Electric Light & Power s'.allation, but opponents voiced iCo. placs to erect the plant, de- { strong opposition to the Monti, signed by Commonwealth A558' cello plant at an informal PCA eistes, Inc., of Jackson. Mich.. hearing Feb.13. with a reactor built by General I he result uas that the PCA Electric Co. It will produce an i issued the order to Badalich estimated 20.000 kilowatts of in a private session Wednesday e ett it ,,,m.3 r Balialich's instructJons are to said the plant wlIl be designed find three independent firms or to limjt radiation to less than,i individuals willing to undertake fimm nionna of ee amount studies of the Monticello plant' '",",8(dered g;, ], an 1 in jdesign and any potential haz ' 4 ards it mirbt hold. year. He said such plants al-Tuveson said action wi!! be ready in operation produce only a taken on the study "promptly."{ one-minionth of this amount. water used to cool the plant ne three proposals are to will itself be cooled before it is * .be examined Dy the PCA, and, I j a decision is to be made as' returned to streams, to avoid heating the streams, he said. jto whether a study should be nose to be invited to male l solid radioactive wastt will be ttrried out or not i hauled away in shielded con-4 jproposals will be genently "ex-;l tainers and disposed of under government supervision, the of-ficial said. .-}}