ML20096C609

Georgians Against Nuclear Energy Submits Videotape of Natl Tv Crew Current Affair Breach of Security at Georgia Tech Research Reactor.* W/Certificate of Svc

ML20096C609
Person / Time
Site:	Neely Research Reactor
Issue date:	01/01/1996
From:	Carroll G GEORGIANS AGAINST NUCLEAR ENERGY
To:
References
CON-#196-17405 95-704-01-REN, 95-704-1-REN, REN, NUDOCS 9601180122
Download: ML20096C609 (6)

Text

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• - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ggppg NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION j.

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% JM -4 P 4 :58 l BEFORE THE COMMISGION 0FFICE C ' 'E'M G"?,i AND  :'

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BEFORE THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSING BOARD  !

Administrative Judges:

Charles Bechhoefer, Chairman Dr. Jerry R. Kline Dr. Peter S. Lam Docket No. 50-160-Ren In the Matter of ASLBP No. 95-704-01-Ren GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH REACTOR Atlanta, Georgia Facility License No. R-97 GEORGIANS AGAINST NUCLEAR ENERGY SUBMITS VIDEOTAPE OF NATIONAL T.V. CREW "A CURRENT AFFAIR" BREACH OF SECURITY AT GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH REACTOR Georgians Against Nuclear Energy (GANE) respectfully submits the enclosed videotape as urgently relevant to issues under consideration by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Atomic Safety and j Licensing Board concerning safety at the Georgia Tech Research Reactor on Georgia Tech campus in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, in the middle of the 1996 Olympic Village which will provide housing to the world's athletes in July 1996. GANE requests that this videotape be considered

'n light of its management contention pending before the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board. GANE also requests the Commission to review the enclosed tape relevant to GANE's request of 11/10/95 that you suspend 9601100122 960101 ~~

PDR ADOCK 05000160 0 PDR. Mc73

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a the part of Georgia's Agreement of 1964 (under the Atomic Energy Act) pertaining to the 250,000 curies of cobalt-60 which are presently stored in an unsafe manner at the Georgia Tech Research Reactor, and requesting that the NRC take back authority from Georgia for the cobalt-60.

GANE believes that the intrusion of the Fox Network's "A Current Affair" camera-crew into the Neely Nuclear Research Center graphically illustrates our concern that the facility is wide open to terrorists.

Georgia Tech's response to the intrusion, thus far, has been to lock the door to the facility and increase the frequency of campus police drive-bys. We cannot state strongly enough that the T.V. crew were opportunists who took advantage of the lax security to get a compelling T.V. show. Real terrorists would not have entered through the front door during broad daylight. And a controversial piece of videotape would not likely have been the motive.

GANE calls upon Georg : Tech, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the State of Georgia and special Olympic security forces to begin immediately to plan for the removal of the cobalt-60 before an unthinkable tragedy is perpetrated involving it. It will take more than a locked door and frequent drive-bys to protect the Georgia Tech campus and Atlanta populations from radiological sabotage concerning the cobalt-60. Please refer to the site layout plans attached to GANE's 8/31/95 filing concerning mootness of our security contention. ,

GANE reiterates that the chief concern is the location of the cobalt- l 60 by an outside wall, which makes it vulnerable to an Oklahoma City-type terrorist attack. A terrorist bomb instigated either outside the building or from within the building would cause real harm to people and the environment as well as create widespread terror. The building which houses the cobalt-60 is also particularly vulnerable through the roof which has no security protection (or detection devices) at all.

This scenario can be easily prevented. It seems to GANE that it would be simpler (and more effective) to prevent an incident by removing the l hazard than to attempt to guard the cobalt-60 from terrorist intent. l By now Georgia Tech should have completed moving the cesium-137 l sources from the nearby Cherry Emerson Building. Beginning February 15 l the weapons grade uranium fuel should be cool enough to begin transference to the cask which will transport it ftOm the site. We appreciate these examples of Georgia Tech's cor.cern for public health.

GANE has done some preliminary research into Georgia . .ch's options j for removal of the cobalt-60. The cobalt-60 was given to Georgia Tech

. by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in the early 1980s as a " gift."

When the cobalt-60 was in the possession of the DOE at the Savannah River Plant in Aiken, South Carolina, it was classified as nuclear waste - a by-product of nuclear weapons production. Having looked into the removal options, GANE believes that Georgia Tech's "gif t" from the DOE is presently a grave liability to Georgia Tech and the surrounding environment.

In the early 1980s, when Georgia Tech first received the cobalt-60 from DOE, permanent removal of the material would have cost $30,000. l Today, with nuclear waste " disposal" politically stymied, costs have risen dramatically and permanent removal will cost $1,000,000 (J.L.

Shepherd Company estimates). To return the cobalt-60 to the care of DOE's Savannah River Site will cost in the neighborhood of $80,000 to

$100,000. J.L. Shepherd Company, the contractor GANE spoke with, does not believe that the removal process is particularly exotic and that two months will be adequate lead time to secure a cank, transfer the cobalt-60 to the cask and transport the cask to another site.

GANE requests that Georgia Tech initiate proceedings to arrange for immediate, permanent return of the cobalt-60 to DOE. The cost of removal might be covered by whoever is considered to have benefitted from the presence of the cobalt-60 on Georgia Tech campus. It can come out of the Olympic Security budget. It's a relatively small pr3ce to pay to remove the threat of nuclear sabotage from the Olympic Games.

GANE believes Georgia Tech can make its greatest contribution to furthering nuclear technology by permanently shutting its reactor and remanding its major nuclear waste stores to DOE where it was created.

Then Georgia Tech will be free to focus on the future of nuclear technology - nuclear waste. At Georgia Tech nuclear waste research can begin by looking at the problems of guarding and dealing with the contaminated reactor building and heavy water inventory.

Respectfully submitted,

[

1enn Carroll Representative for GANE Dated and signed January 1, 1996 in Decatur, Georgia 00CMETED CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE - Docket No.(s) 50-160-REN I Secretary *% JR -4 P f 58 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission j Docketing and Service Branch Washington, DC 20555 0F;K~

DC . * '

Office of Commission Appellate Adjudication l I

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 f 1

Administrative Judge Charles Bechhoefer, Chairman Atomic Safety and Licensing Board U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 l

Administrative Judge Peter S. Lam Atomic Safety and Licensing Board U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 Administrative Judge Jerry R. Kline Atomic Safety and Licensing Board U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 Sherwin E. Turk, Esq.

Susan S. Chikadel, Esq.

Office of the General Counsel U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 Mr. Randy A. Nordin Manager - Legal Division E. Gail Gunnells Office of Contract Administration Georgia Tech Atlanta, GA 30332-0420 Ms. Pamela Blockey O' Brien D23 Golden Valley Douglasville, GA 30134 Ms. Patricia Guilday, Esq.

Assistant Attorney General 40 Capitol Square NW Atlanta, GA 30324-1300

The Honorable Zell Miller Governor of Georgia State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334 Mayor Bill Campbell City of Atlanta 55 Trinity Avenue Suite 2400 Atlanta, GA 30335

{ The Honorable John Lewis I United States Congress 229 Cannon Office Lailding Washington, DC 20515 Wayne Clough, President c/o Dr. Daniel S. Papp Executive Assistant to the President Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA 30332-0325 Bill Ray Manager, Office of Facilities Georgia Tech 225 North Avenue NW Atlanta, GA 30332-0410 Doug Boles Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games 250 Williams Street Suite 6000 P.O. Box 1996 Atlanta, GA 30301-1996 Special Agent in Charge David W. Johnson, Jr.

Federal Bureau of Investigation 2635 Century Parkway Suite 400 Atlanta, GA 30345 James C. Hardeman, Jr.

Manager Environmental Radiation Program 4244 International Parkway, Suite 114 Atlanta, GA 30354 Steven F. Schildecker Executive Assistant to the Director c/o David Moffet, Jr.

Chief of Radiological Programs Georgia Emergency Management Agency P.O. Box 18055 Atlanta, GA 30316-0055 Mr. Buddy McDermott Georgia State Patrol 959 Confederate Avenue Atlanta, GA 30371 l l

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