ML20064K900
| ML20064K900 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Pilgrim |
| Issue date: | 02/15/1994 |
| From: | Kerry J SENATE |
| To: | Selin I, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20064K722 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9403240009 | |
| Download: ML20064K900 (2) | |
Text
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JOHN' KERRY '
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Enited starts @tnate WASHINGTON, DC 20510-2102 One Bowdoin Square Tenth Floor Boston, MA 02114 (617) 565-8519 February 15, 1994 Chairman Ivan Selin U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C.
20555
Dear Chairman Selin,
Enclosed please find a copy of a letter I received from Mary Elizaboth Lampert, Chairman of the Duxbury Nuclear Advisory Committee.
Ms..Lampert is concerned about the' safety of Boston Edison's plan to dump 75,000 cubic yards of radioactive contaminated sand from the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station at sea.
I would greatly appreciate your responses to the issues raised by Ms. Lampert in her letter to me.
Thank you in advance for your time and consideration in.this matter.
Sr el,
John ~F. Kerry United States Senator JK/sw/gc
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i Duxbury Nuclear Advisory Committee Tremont Street Duxbury, Massachusetts 02332 December 6, 1993 Senator John Kerry 1 Bowdoin Square 10th Floor Boston, MA 02114
Dear Senator Kerry:
Enclosed is a letter from the Duxbury Nuclear Advisory Committee to Chairman Ivan Selin, NRC, regarding the disposal of radicactive contaminated sand from Pilgrim's discharge canal.
We would gre tly appreciate it if you would consider sending a similar roquest to the NRC.
The prestige of your office would greatly enhance our efforts.
Thank you again for your time and consideration.
t very truly yours, s t,t 6,-~
Mary Elizabeth Lampert Chairman J
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a ii-Duxbury Nuclear Advisory Committee 148 Washington Street Duxbury, Massachusetts'02332 December 1, 1993 Chairman Iran Selin U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comminsion Washington, D.C.
20555 Re:
Disposal of Radioactive Contaminated Sand From Diccharge Canal - Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station
Dear Chairman:
The accompanying article, " Pilgrim to send sand to sea" ran in the local press on November 24, 1993.
The thought of Bouton Edison being allowed to dump 75,000 cubic yards of radioactive contaminated sand from the discharge canal into the sea is, if true, of concern.
According to the article, "One of the 14 tests of the sand showed a minute trace of cobalt-60, which is attributable to the power plants operation". We ask, who determined the amount was " minute" and on what basis?
Who did the tests?
Were there any other radioactive contaminants?
What are the' rules and requirements?
We need more information.
In reviewing Boston Edison's required Annual Environanntal Renorts, samples taken from the discharge canal have shown radioactive' contaminants.
Just recently, the national press lambasted _the Russians for disposing of low level radioactive waste off the coast of Japan.
The United States and other nations signed an' accord' banning disposing radioactive waste at sea this fall.
Therefore, something is very wrong with this picture; Lor, as David Tarantino (spokesman for Boston Edison) said at the conclusion of the accompanying article, "We're not dealing with a situation here where. rationality always; prevails".
We request, as citizens of a seaside community and neighbors of-Pilgrim, the NRC holds a public hearing in Plymouth. At the meeting, the detailed plan for testing the material, the: role of the NRC, " allowable limits" of residual radioactivity should be clearly explained and justified to the public before the sand is dredged.
Only in this way will-9
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r the public feel we are dealing with a situation where "ratJonality prevails".
Thank you for your attention to this matter having considerable and potential health consequences..'We look forward to your response and appreciate your efforts to involve the public.
Very truly yours, Mary Elizabeth Lampert Chair, Duxbury Nuclear Advisory Committee f
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Pilgri.m to send sand out to sea was mwhehned by naturally said Thomas soulette, senior Not ' suitable, occurring radiation, they said, vice president of nuclear. "We for beaches and the amount was so small can't afford to do it because we that if a person spent a lifetime would be opening ourselves up ay Dewayne t.shman drfnking water with the same to criticism."
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level of cobalt-60, he would take According to Boulette, some-PLYMOUTH - While towns in only a fraction of what the one could make an issue out of all along the South Shore la-federal government has deter ' putting 'the sand on beaches,.
ment their sand starved mined to be safe. According to forci ; Edison to reclaim it. In beaches, plans are being made the Edison omeials, advances in the process of picking up all the -
to haul approximately 75,000 cu ' testing technology - which an. sand, Edison would end up with bic yards of sand, to sea for alyze material for 12 to 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> more than twice as much, he dumping. That's the equivalent to determine its radioactivity - said, and the cost of reefsfming of 3,000 to 4,000 semitzuck-loads are capible of determining the sand and disposing ofit as full of sand.
much smaller levels than be-low-level radioactive waste Boston Edison. plans to begin fore.
could be so great as to shut the dredging the small bay area in "If we were looking at this plant down. Neither Edison om-front of Pilgrim nuclear power (sand) 10 years ago, we proba- ::ials nor anyone else has come plant next year, and some area bly wouldn't have found this (co, up with a way to reduce' the oscials have been eying the ball-60) because of the technol-company's liability for the sand, project as a source of free sand ogy," said Edward Kraft, vice Boulette added.
to replenish beaches. But de-president of nuclear operations In explaining the test resulta, spite the depleted condition of and plant operation. "It's there Edison oscials said they didn't -
many beaches and oscials' ex-because the technology is be-know the cause of the "very, pressed interest in using the coming better and better."
very small amount" of cobalt-60, sand, Edison _ oscials say they Edison oscials said despite which is not normally present in will load the sand into barges, the interest in the " beautiful" nature. They emphasized a take it out to sea 40 to 50 miles, and " dean" sand, putting it on clean history of environmental and dump it.
t.rea beaches could create a testing of gardens, produce and The problemf Edison oscials public relations nightmare and ' dairy.
said two weeks ago durin perhaps lead to fiscal suicide.
"The reality ofit is, it's incon-editorial staff rnecting, is'g an that "Dy law, if we followed the sequential," spokesman - David one of 14 tests of the sand federal codes, we could do what Tarantino said, but added that a showed a minute trace of these people are suggesting," ' firm decision has been made to cobalt-60, which is attributable Kraft said, but Edfson won't be-dispose of the sand. "We're not to the power plant's nuclear op-cause of the possible crideism dea'ing with a situation ? here eration. But that indication of and liability that could ensue, where rationality always pre-nuclear related radioactivity "It's really a tragic sitaation," - vails."
j u-.s - a - ---- "'-(i Wednesday, November 24,JC33 DUXBURY REPORTER Pg.A5 4
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