ML20114D179

Comment Opposing Proposed Rule 10CFR72 Re Dry Cask Storage at Plant

ML20114D179
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	08/14/1992
From:	Roche M AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To:	NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY)
References
FRN-57FR28645, RULE-PR-72 57FR28645-00015, 57FR28645-15, NUDOCS 9209080015
Download: ML20114D179 (2)

Text

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' DOCKET NUMBER 4

PRCPOSED RULE PR 71 U 1 F R .1 Tc f B ) jg M;>HHC ii 4

Secretary of the Commission August 14,1992 Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington D.C. 20555 92 E 24 All 1I Attention: Docking and Service Branch m g. j %t C g-d i& \ ; " 's t U t h tae Dear Sir; I an writing you because of the grave concern I have about the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant of Consumers Power Co. (Covert township, Michigan) and its new plan that may etiect the future health of the ecological system of the Great Lakes.

Over the past two decades during which the plant has been in operation, they have had one of the worst satety records of the 87 nuclear plants in the country. Nov , Consumers Power informs us that they intend to store spent radioactive fuel rods, on the site, above ground, in concrete casks and just 150 yards f rom the ever moving shoreline of L2e Michigan. Furthermore, these proposed casks have not been certified nor tested in any way. No one knows for sure the effect of the severe Great Lakes weather on these constructions. Also in question is the wisdom of storing such a potentially lethal substance in storage casks on notoriously unstable sand dunes. The environment tor the placement of these casks is a totally unpredictable one.

Just one small accident or miscalculation could lead to a tragedy of major proportions. Any contamination to the lake could affect the entire Great Lakes system. Conservatively, four million people in the Chicago area alone get their drinking water f rom Lake Michigan. Populations going over into Lake Huron and beyond

, could be affected as well as the agriculture of the entire fruit belt of southwestern nichigan.

' ' "".* .a?& ' '> 8 ' J W : 4' Organizations that have served as wat'Ehdods M for th'is particular

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pova. plant have become discouraged over the' complex state and national politics that have permitted th%y~ermissive experimentation that could jeopardica so many' lives. Because of Michigan Public Act 113, Palisades is now wit 1 tin the lav in e storing high level radioactive vaste in abliye9Yound ~ f acilities.

! As a result of this hastily passed ~1av,~~t^nere vill be no public hearings, no cost benefit analysis, no**envirohiaNiriteile impact study, no proper monitoring. .- - 1 v'.

Time is running out. The highly..radicactive spent l'u'd1 'is scheduled to be moved to the first casks in January. ~ Palisades Power Plant cannot continue to operate if they are prevented f rom using these casks I believe the decision to use the casks was hastily nade under the immense pressure the owners and officers of Consumers Power f ace because the f ederal government of f ers no permanent storage facilities, forcing the power company to find some storage method on their own site or lose the whole plant. The 9209080015 920814 PDR PR 72 57FR28645 PDR

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Power company of ficials tell. us that the storage is temporary and the radioactive vaste vill be moved to a permanent site when one ,

can be built by the f ederal government. This time could be decades away and in the meantime the casks- could become detective or vulnerable to access-by hostile persons. It all: comes down to the one obvious, horrendous truth. _'Ihere is no such thing as

" AVAT' As-long as the plant is in operation there vill be an -

unending amour.t of = har.ardous waste accumulating.

Scientists tell usL this fuel vill be dangerous to all life for at--least 10,000 -

years. It makes good sense to- f orce Consumers Power Co. to temporarily cease operations at- the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant until such time when the spent fuel can sately be moved to a permanent, underground, federal facility rather than the continued buildup of hazardous vaste with no solution, _ in, the f oreseeable futute,-for its disposal.

This is a grave. situation affecting the several millions of people who depend on the Great Lakes f or .the quality of their lite. .I hope you agree and will -use the power of your office to work to prevent this hasty' storage technique f rom:being approved by the NRC in September.

Sincerely, 7

Margaret oche Available; Hargaret Roche (616) 764-1549, Box 158A, R.R#2, Covert, Michigan, 49043 through Labor Day then 2322 Ridge ' Avenue, Evanston, Illincis 60201 (708) 864-5141

-cc: -Don' t Waste Michigan (Nuclear watchdog group located in Kalamazoo, 111.

Sierra Club Casey Bukro, Chicago Tribune _ environmental-editor Senator Albert Gore Senator Paul Simon

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