ML20071L332

Supports DOE Request to Expeditiously Authorize Site Preparation for Crbr

ML20071L332
Person / Time
Site:	Clinch River
Issue date:	12/11/1981
From:	Mcnally R TENNESSEE, STATE OF
To:	Palladino N NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
Shared Package
ML20071L321	List: ML20071L320 ML20071L329 ML20071L332
References
NUDOCS 8208020425
Download: ML20071L332 (3)

Text

b1 AIE hEPxtshS1 in E

. (ONSLR\ ATION ASD ENVIHONMENT M88 M E Q ESERGY SUliCOMMIT1LE ELDGET blisCOMMITTEE 7 r,y 4 11 MONA LASE '*s* ~.g-  ;

OAK RIDCE.TN 37830 h) ,c a -S.' LABOR ANIS CON 50 MEN AFFAIRM (616) 453 8544 I

QM.. . $ LABON St BCOMM111EE

%.!'3E 0)FICE JOIST 1101 SE-SEN ATE REPUBLIC Ah CALC 05 bECHL"f AR)

"'*^*

s = "#N a', [fottse of %eprescittatibes i.m m =

$ late of Ecititessec NASHVILLE December 11, 1981 The Honorable Munzio J. Palladino United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear Mr. Chairman:

As an American concerned about the nation's energy future and as a Legislator representing the interests of taxpayers, I strongly urge you to approve the request by the Department of Energy (D.O.E.)'

and act expeditiously to authorize site preparation for the Clinch River project.

The Department of Energy's petition filed on December 1st would save the taxpayers from $120 to $240 million in additional costs and avoid delays of one to two years. This cost and time savings approach is certainly in the national interest. Moreover, under the proposed licensure schedule, the N.R.C. would conduct all necessary review and hearings required in the public interest. Should the N.R.C. decide subsequently that construction should not proceed further, the site could easily be restored to pristine condition.

By allowing site activity to proceed this spring and ending the ,

unconscionable delays imposed on this vital energy project by the pre-vious administration, the N.R.C. would send a signal to Americans that government is indeed responsible to the wishes of taxpayers wary of hearings and overly restricted regulations. From my personal exper-icnce as a Legislator dealing with people from all walks of life, I can attest without hesitation that those who suffer the most from the indecision and stop-and-start policy of many government programs are the underprivileged, the eldarly and minorities.

Electric rates throughout the country are being irresistibly forced up year after year. Those that are least able to afford higher utility bills are the most victimized by these unyielding increases. I whole-heartedly support you in your statement that taxpayers and consumers would benefit from a streamlining of the regulatory process and an approach that simplifics regulations and rules when we can preserve the public interest, the environment and our concerns for safety while bene-fiting Americans by efficiently and effectly managing government pro-8208020425 820720 PDR ADOCK 05000537 33rd LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT U PDR ANDERSON AND ROANE COUNTIES

.-~

Jb. M. J. Palladino '

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comm1ssion 12/14/81 ,

grams and assisting utilities in providing cost effective services to ratepayers.

The federal government, electric utilities throughout the country, and contractors have invested $1.2 billion in the Clinch River project.

More than $630 million worth of components have been delivered or are on order and the project is ready to begin site preparation. Congress has steadfastly supported the project and its expeditious completion.

Over the past several years, the project has undergone extensive safety and environmental review.

As you know, the breeder can tap an energy source larger than the estimated energy supply of the entire world's coal, gas and oil. In fact, the uranium already mined and stored as tails in the government's enrichment plants is equivalent to the entire world's reserve of oil in a breeder. These tails would produce an equivalent amount of elec-tricity -- compared to oil at $36 a barrel -- exceeded $60 trillion.

The consensus of expert opinion not only in the U.S. but worldwide is that we would be foolish to turn our backs on such a vast resource.

Recently, scientists and engineers for "SEZ" declared that the Clinch River plant "may become the only realistic technological undertaking of its kind in the free world" ("SEZ" members include seven Nobel Prize Laureates and imminent scientists from the nations most respectable universities and research centers).

This kind of support indicates clearly that the Clinch River project is indeed a national project of value to all Americans. Over 3,500 people in 30 states and the District of Columbia are under contract to build hardware and provide services for the Clinch River Breeder Reactor proj ect plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. I respectfully urge you to immediately consider the request of D.O.E. and authorize site preparation activities under Section 50.12 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regu-lations. Such an action would enable this important project to comply with both the letter and the intent of the law. It would provide for .

the most productive use of available funding of taxpayer dollars---

something we as government officials sometimes forget---it just makes common sense.

The beneficiaries of such favorable action on the part of N.R.C.

would undoubtedly be the nation and the American taxpayer.

Sincerely, 6td NW Randy cNally State Representative RMcN:ml cc: Governor.Lamar Alexander All Members -- Tennessee Congressional Delegation Mr. Ron Getz Department of Energy P. O. Box U Oak Ridge, TN 37830

[ . , . . ,.

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 205 By Elkins, Ashe A RESOLUTION Relative to the adoption of the official policy of the State of Tennessee concerning the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Project.

WHEREAS, The Department of Energy and other project sponsors are prepared to begin construction and site preparation for the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Project; and WHEREAS, The pooject, which has been in the planning stage for over ten years, has already been unnecessarily delayed and has cost taxpayers one billion dollars; and WHEREAS, During the period that site selection and preparation has been discussed, the public and all interested parties have been given ample opportunity for comment; and WHEREAS, The breeder reactor licensing process has been interrupt'ed more than once, and preliminary public hearingr would delay the project even longer; and .

WHEREAS, Funds for research and development and to purchase major components of the project have already been appropriated by Congress and should be used to begin site preparation with no further delay; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSE31BLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, That we adopt as the official policy of -

the State of Tennessee that the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Project should be completed as expeditiously as possible and toward this end that site preparation should commence without any further delay or hearings.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Honorable Lamar Alexander, Governor, the Honorable William Leech, Attorney General and Reporter, the Tennessee Congressional Delegation and to the members of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C.