ML20114F365

Discusses Need to Determine Quantitatively Age of Soil Overlying Young Deposits to Refute Inferences of Recent Faulting in Area

ML20114F365
Person / Time
Site:	05000214
Issue date:	02/25/1965
From:	Wilmarth V INTERIOR, DEPT. OF, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
To:	Case E US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
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References
NUDOCS 9210130062
Download: ML20114F365 (1)

Text

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UNITED STATES

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 7

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• g GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

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W ASHING TON. O.C.

20242 February 25, 1965 PERSONAL

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Mr. Edson G. Case, Assistant Director

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Division of Resctor Licensing

'f'c-21y U. S. Atomic Energy Commission 4915 St. Elmo Avenue l

Bethesda, Maryland

Dear Ed:

During the recent critiquing of the Barclay Kamb report on the Malibu reactor site and his assessment of the geologic hszards, it became apparent to us there is a need to de', ermine quantitatively the-age of the soil overlying scane of the " young" deposits in order to refute Kamb's and others inferences of "recent" faulting in the area.

Dating of the soil or more specifically determining how long such a soil vould take to form bears directly as you can see on such a problem.

I feel fairly certain that the attorneys for the interveners will pursue rigorously this aspect of the geology in order to demonstrate clearly that faulting along the Malibu Coast zone within the past few hundred years has occurred.

You can quite correctly ask the questions:

"What difference does it make if the soil is 8,500 or 1,500 years old, or perhaps only 500 years old to the problem when we are talking of only 50 years plant lifetime?"

In reply to these questions I can only point out that our evidence to A. ate indicates deposits 10,000 years old have not been displaced; however, our evidence is not conclusive.

We would hope to obtain from a soils scientist the information needed to firm up this figure. It is like going to a poker game with five aces, The expected total cost to hire a consultant would be approximately $300.00.- We propose to hire a Professor Birkeland of the University of California if my argu.

ments presented above are accepted by the Atomic Energy Commission.

i 1 avait ycur comments.

Sincerely, l

l gat k.ch-l Verl R. Wilmarth Assistant Chief Geologist for Engineering Geology 9210130062 920520 NRCHg PDR ORG l

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