ML20085K233
| ML20085K233 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Brunswick  |
| Issue date: | 04/19/1995 |
| From: | Heineman F HOUSE OF REP. |
| To: | Rathbun D NRC OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS (OCA) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20085K165 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9506230225 | |
| Download: ML20085K233 (3) | |
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FRED HEINEMAN O 1440 LoNo a Bun.ome dw Detegc7, Non7M ComounA BANlt.%G AND FW2.N AL eERVICES (202) 225-1784 Qe Me'v"orronvuwrv D
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Suecouunt GemsaAt OvunseoMT AN.er ou (9191 571-4661 bfWisTIGata:ms JuolctARY
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%)otige of Representatibeg Hiasfjington,3DC 20515-3304 April 19,1995 Mr. Dennis Rathbun Director of Congressional Relations Nuclear Regulatory Commission 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland 20852
Dear Mr. Rathbun:
As the Congressional Representative from the 4th District of North Carolina, encompassing Chatham, Orange, and Wake counties, I am concerned about the health, safety, and economic well-being of the citizens of my district and the rest of Nonh Camlina.
In order to educate myself and my staff on the peninent issues I would like your office to pmvide my office information relevant to the following two items:
- 1. Overrule of state safety standards. The Raleigh News &. Observer, on December 23,1994 published a story describing a ".. proposal before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission would allow the NRC to overrule state safety standards that are stricter than federal mies..." Please forward to me the details of this proposal and its current status.
- 2. Spent Fuel Rods. These rods are currently being stored in pools on site at existing reactor sites. Please forward to my office information about which reactor sites have pools and how much radioactive material is stored at each site. In particular, include where each reactor's spent fuel rods are currently being stored, and the storage plan for spent fuel rods generated in the future.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. I look forward to working with you in the future to help protect all Americans.
Sincerely, Fred Heineman, M.C.
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Dec 23 1994:U.S. cycJ ctntec' w:cta cits rulco
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Edition: Final nay:
Friday Cubicet NC; waste; proposec
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Headline U.S. eyes states' waste site rules Summary: To speed up disposa) projarts, rha Muclersr RegulaLuty Commission ig is considering ovstruling safety star.dards and turning control Q;"a,-
f over to privata nwnaru.
Bylls.e: fiTUART LEAVl!2TORTH v
Cource: STAFF WRITER Text:
As North Carolina rvudgan forward with a proposed nuclust waste site in Wake County, todcral otticiale are changing their Zu policiam on how RtatMH Cdu ConLrul dud tW9uldLW SWLh repooitorico.
A one pzupuual befute Lhe Nuclear Regulatory Ccanission would 8-allow the NMU to overrule state safety standards that are stricter than federal rules on low-level radioactive wastc.
g g pgp Another would allcw private cortpaniew to swuene roll
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ownership of such waste facilitios. Currently, otaten are
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s required to own low.lvvel rwdinant Iva want.e landfilla for the centuries it takes wasto to decay.
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Nil rwl orriciala may t. hey are interested in removing barricrc tnat might clock waste disposal projects nationwide.
M But in North Carolina, the proposed policy changes have alarmeo
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citizen groups monitoring studies of the wake site, about 20 M4M.
miles southwest of Raleigh.
State regulators also are worrivd. Ddyne Rrown, Ihw rad i a tion pg officer who has final osy on the Wako cito, cays the NRC's plans nicro-management" of the waste project.
could tvuult.in rei. lei n1 a
adding to current licensing delays.
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A1. worat, he said, the NRC rules could result in the federal
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nt overturning legitimate safety rules set by North h
p The federal action comes as nuclear power planes, indunrrien and research institutions face a disposal crunch for their v
icw. level radioactive waste. Under a law Cn9grann pannad in 1905, states were supposed to build regional w ote repocitories by 1991. Then the dare waH Het. back 1.0 1996.
Now, becauce of public oppocition and environmental concerns, it appestu Lhat nu new wanLu tepos1Lorles will be open before 1998, with Ca11tornia and North Carolina leading the pack.
The North Carolina facility, which is slated to take 13 million cutic test et low. level waste from eight southeasteza states, faces concerns about faulta and fractures under the Wa.Sc site. AG a result, a State authority developing the project doesn't expect a license decision from Drown's offico until 1996.
Even then, the snower could bc ano.*
Steve.9aloman, a Nuclear Regulato:7 Comiwelun physicisL in Washington, said the NRC became concernec a tow years ago when Illinois, a host state for a low-level waste disposal site, passed strict limits on the amount of radiation that could he released from a repository. Illinois' exposure limits werc 25 times more stringent than whar the M1tc racnmmanda.
"There has been a concern that come otateo have boca going
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- r.ararboardi a ' caid flaire.an,1 who worlo4 'in 'thw - NRC's of fico of. ctsto
. 'progroao;in Wachinetton.-North Cerclina's exposuro limits cro th3
'same A9 the NRC's, but'its reguint.intM d'ffer lu OLLuz cre&3.
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- North-Carslina, f or <*mPlc, recruirtc that c lic nro cppliccat -
enmat.ruct her.rivtw Lo t.uutain the waste.within the disposal site.'The federal rules have no suen requirement.
In t.he'last year, the NRC has prepared a "draf t guidance policy =. to eneure that= state regulations are compaesdie with federal' rules. States found to have "ince:npatible" rulca could -
. lose their authority en ser and enrnrr a regular.f tniw on disposal
' sites..
Rven if i.he NRC Iludu Nut Lh Catullue'w wt'atnfes to be
.compatib10,'wacto cite opponente fear the rule change could hurt the state's' legal standing if a waste site were rejected.
"Once these rules are in writing, lawyers for the southeast.
Compact or waste generators could use them to challenge North
. Carolina's laws,a said Mary MacDowell, a Chatham county emptnyan
,who is reviewing the waste site.
Environmerital gr' oups alan object rn an NRC.rulu change 1.h4L
~would allow private companion to own low-level radioactive waste mirem. Tn nearly 411 ntat.ew. Including NetLh Carolin&, private companiec such as Chem--Nuclear Systems-Anc. can. operate.
Iow 1wvul-wewLe twpos1Luries, but cannot own the property.in
. perpetuity.
Critics soy the NRC rule change would under:aine the public's ability to ensure that disposal wites are munit or d for 1maka over several centuries, s
- T em highly dr.n.hlrn1 I NL any of 1.he companien planning to build thcoc waote Inndfillo will bo'around in 100 years,' said Carl Rupert,- a renearcher for the N.C. Clean Water Pund, an environmental group.
- Waste site update-(Jhem Nuclear systems wants to conduct more studies of a
. proposed site for the Coutheast's low icyc1 radioactive waste.
' southeast compact cussniwwien wl11 ove.10 wi 4.74 n. 11 umat. low whether to grant $12 million for additional studies.
Nun 1 4r. L yolat.ury Cinnmission la conaldering rule changes to speed up such disposal projects.
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'Datei 19941223 l
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