ML20059D429
| ML20059D429 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Claiborne |
| Issue date: | 12/29/1993 |
| From: | Thompson R AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| To: | Jim Hickey NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9401070274 | |
| Download: ML20059D429 (1) | |
Text
,
~70 - 3o 7 0 R.H. Thompson, Ph.D., FAIC [
CONSULTING CHEMIST December 29,1993 John W.N. Hickey, Chief Enrichment Branch Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, Mail stop 4-E-4 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555
Dear Mr. Hickey:
This is to support the issuance of a combined construction and operating license to the Claiborne Enrichment Center in Claiborne Parish. Louisiana. I have revie'ved the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and have studied the entire proposal at length. I live in neighboring Lincoln Parish within about 15 miles of the site. I have studied the gaseous centrifuge method of enrichment and am convinced that it is safe and much more energy efficient than the older diffusion method used by the Department of Energy.
My academic training is in Nuclear Chemistry and Radiation Protection. I teach both nuclear engineering and radiation protection at Louisiana Tech University and have served as the Radiation Safety Officer for the past 8 years. So I am writing this as an informed individual with a considerable technical background in this area. I have published articles on the background radiation levels in Louisiana and on the baseline concentration of radionuclides in the soils and sediments of Louisiana. The proposed facility will certainly have a minimal impact on the environmental levels of uranium in the soils and sediments and will produce no measurable change in the background radiation levels.
Civic groups from Monroe, Shreveport, Ruston, Minden and Homer in Louisiana and El Dorado in Arkansas have invited me to speak on this proposal. In every case their response was greater than 95% in favor of constructing and operating the plant. As you know there are some with what I term "radiphobia" that oppose anything with the term radioactive. However, nearly everyone I talk to recognizes both the need for such.
a facility and the great economic benefit that it holds fo' our area. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely:
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Ronald H. Thomps6n, Ph.D., FAIC g1070274933229 ADOCK 07003070 C
PDR 060000 b
D P.O. Box 653
- Ruston. Louisiana 71273 * (318) 257 2603 * (318) 255-8566