ML20080D157

Appeals Denial of FOIA Request for Transcripts of NRC Closed Meetings Held Between 810827 & 830510 Re Restart

ML20080D157
Person / Time
Site:	Three Mile Island
Issue date:	10/03/1983
From:	Yahner A KOHN, MILSTEIN, COHEN & HAUSFELD
To:	NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY)
References
FOIA-83-320, FOIA-83-A-27 NUDOCS 8402090010
Download: ML20080D157 (2)

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October 3, 1?E3 CERTIFIED MAIL RETURR f.ECEIPI REQUESTIO ' APPEAL OF INITIAL FOIA DECISION

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Serretarv of Co=ission

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United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Q Id; f Q-p[ 3 Washingten, D.C. 20555 h$ RE: Ac_c_eal from a FOIA Decision (FCIA E3-320)

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o Ii m We represent Jim Detjen, a reporter for The Philadelchia

%E cm Incuirer, in connection with his request for :.nf ormation pursuant

,ci mi to tne provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 5552, .

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On June 8, 1983, Mr. Detjen requested access to the gw transcripts of all Nuclear Regulation Commission ( Commi s s ion" )

gg meetings held between August 27, 1981 and May 10, 1981 that were g c=: closed to the media and the public and at which Commission members o" discussed t'ne restart of Unit 1 of the Three Mile Island Nuclear ex: o o" Power Plant near Middletown, Pennsylvania. On September 7, 1983,

%g Mr. Detjen received your Agency's response to his request. Of the

@fy fifteen meetings which you identified as responsive to the request,

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you withheld transcripts of Nos. 1 through 4, 9 and 11 through 14 o,4 in their entirety under Exemptions 5 and 10 of the Government in

"" the Sunshine Act. You further withheld transcripts 7, S, and 10,

' ' tj apparently also under Exemptions 5 and 10 of the Government in the Eo Sunshine Act. You are also withciding the second half of Trans-S 1; cript 15 under Exemptiens 5 and 7 cf the Government in the Sunshine

!.8 Act. A copy of the correspendence between the Commission and Mr.

tJ su e Detjen is attached hereto.

on Ey this letter, we hereby appeal from the decision to withhold these transcripts.

I trust that upon examination of Mr. Detjen's request, you will conclude that the transcripts he has requested are not properly ccvered by Exemptions 5, 7, or 10 and that you will overrble the decision te withhold the information. As raised in litig'ation involving Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc. and the 8402090010 831003 PDR QDM N$-A-27

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The Pniladelphia Inouirer -'

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Philadelphia, PA 1910: iO FOIA-832320

Dear Mr. Detjen:

This i[ in final response to your June 8,1983 letter in which you 1 recuestec, pursuant tc tne Freedom of Jnformation Act, copies of the ,

i transcripts of all closed Comission meetings held between August 27, -

1951 and May 10, 1983 at which the Comissioners discussed the restart of Three Mile Island, Unit 1 (TMI-1). -

We have identified 15 meetings responsive to your reouest. These meetings are listed on Attachment A, and will be referred to in this letter by the-number designation given in Attachment A.

Transcript 5 is being released in its entirety as a matter of discretion.

Transcripts 1 througn 4, 9, and 11 through 14 are being withheld in 9 -n e their entirety under Exemptions 5 and 10 of the Government in the 4 ' ~ r Sunshine Act.' The discussions in these transcripts deal primarily with +

the Qoestion of whether a decision in an enforcement proceeding authorizing restart of TMI-l reached by an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board following a formal adjudicatory proceeding should become immediately effective during the pe'ndency of the appeilate process within the Comission.

These discussions inciuce what issues should be included in a restart decision, the language of such a decision and procedural and scheduling matters in the adjudication. All of these matters involve conduct or disposition of a particular case of formal agency adjucication and are thus withnoloable under Exemption 10 of the Government in the Sunshine Act, 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(10) and the Cor.-issior.'s reguiations.10 CFR 9.104a)'iO). These discussions are cc:urring in an enfer er.:en proceedir.g l 2nd are ; .us i:ity.:icatie under Exer;;ict 5, 5 L*.S.C. EE2bl.e (5) ar.: s I O CEE E.l~~(a ';'5). RC le?.s e of thfie tri"! C'"ir t s F-I. f it*' it i* fUtprc candid CisCussions that are an orCinary and essential part Of thE adj.-ricatory process. D least tf thess riscussier.5 r.cf : als? ir.terft :-

with One Cor.ission's L ;.:icatery de 1sionmaking b,. ex;csing its in ugnt processes to p. blic strutir.y, and it could OrejudiCE the C o-i s s i o n 's litigative pesition shoule it be used af ter issuing a restart cetision.

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With recard to transcripts 7, S, and 10, those transcr p s

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witnneih for the same reasons asgenerator stated tubeabove witn th portions of each Those transcript which portions discuss the steam are enclosec.

repairs at TMI-1. i A large part of transcript 5, which discusses eleaset.

the courtThe litigat o involving psycnological stress at TM?-1, has already been r the litigation has rest of that transcript is now being releasec becauseThat pa .

been concluded.

enclosed. Tne first half investigation Finally, transcript 15 contains two segregable portions.

contains a briefing by the Office of Investigations on'theTne s it was conducting at TMI.The se:ond half of the transcript is being w discusses restart. Part of under Exemptions 5 and 10 of the Government in the f discretion.

same reasons as set forth in paragraph three of this letter.

F ine first portion, however, is being released 2 ( )(5)as anda mciter- oTne Tnat part is enclosed. l i s and 7 of the Government in the Sunshine Ac because it relates to an ongoing investigation.-

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it has been or e Pursuant to 10 CFR 9.15 of the Comission's reculations, i determined that the withheld information is exempt from prod '

pisclosure and that its procuction or disclosure is

• public interest. Hoyle, Assistant Secretary of the Commission. days from the

Tnis denial may be appeaiec to the Comission with receipt of this letter. elope and in to the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear h Wasnington, D.C. 20555, and should clearly state on t e the letter tna

Sin:erely, /.

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areDire:ter R.:les i Of fice of Administrat ca Attachments :

1. Apoencix A - list of meetings

• 2. Appenci>. 5 - releasec excerpts

Appendiy. A .

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10/6/81 t

i 1. TM -l Restar

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2. 12/9/B1 Discussion of Scheduling Matters Rec.ardinc.

TMI-1 Restart' Proceeding i

4.  ;.12 / 21/ E1 Eriefing on Contested Matters in TMI-I Restart Proceeding

5. 12/22/S1 Affirmation / Discussion Session TMI-1 Restar: Order 4

6. 1/20/E2 Discussion of TMI-I Restart Ccurt Litiga-tion I -

7.' 3/10/E2 - I'iscussion of TMI-I Restart Proceeding i S. 9/10/82 Discussion of Contested Issues on TMI-1 i - Restart Proceeding .

9. 12/1/82 Discussion of Irenediate Ef f ectiveness +

/ Issues in TMI-1 Restart Proceeding

, l'O . 12 / 6./ E 2 Discussion of Irriediate Effectiveness Issues in TMI-1 Restart Proceedinc. .

11. 12/9/82 Discussion of Irr.ediate Effectiveness Issues in TMI-I Restart Proceeding

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