ML20125B399

Responds to NUREG-0591.NEPA Process Should Be Integrated Into TMI Plans.Requests Meeting to Discuss Concerns Re Prospective clean-up Operations

ML20125B399
Person / Time
Site:	Three Mile Island
Issue date:	10/10/1979
From:	Speth G COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
To:	Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
References
RTR-NUREG-0591, RTR-NUREG-591 NUDOCS 7911070001
Download: ML20125B399 (2)

Text

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- ,g EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

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n-.h CRA.4..a.. . . . . rc-COUNCIL ON ENVIRON M ENTAL QU AUTY 722 JACKSON PLACE. N. W. c'i:[:}

WASHINGTON. o, c. 20006

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00CKET NUMBER bm  %,

E4 PRO D. 86 UTIL FAC.. .N[Epaz. a') E .9 {

Eonorable Joseph Hendrie , .

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yashington, D. C. 20555 4 @ s N $

Dear Chair 3f sencrie: 2

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Toe Council mderstands that the Co d ssion staff has proprsed to prepare a series of environmental assessments (40 C.F.R. S 1508.9) en the various senges of the decon:v-ha: ion and possible rester of the

~hree F_ile Island Uni: 2 reactor. (See h"JPIG-0591, p. 1. ) "Jhe first as s e s s=ent , which was released in August, discussed only that segment of the proposal addressing the cleanup, temporary storage and handling of the lov level contaninated water in the M Unit 2 auxilliary building tanks . Tne 1RC staff sta:ed that. the actual disposal of the wate "will be covered in a separate assessment. In addition, ::ca =ent and disposi -

ion of {the high level vaste) vater in the reac o contain=en building

.-111 a.lse be covered in a separate assessmen:." (hJ?.EG-0591, p. 1; see also Cer. ission's Sta:enen o f F.ay 25, 19 7 9. ) Apparently, the h'?.C staff has indicated that ano:her assess =en: vill be prepared en the fu:ure

elease ef radioac:1ve gases fro: the reacecr contain=ent building. -.

0:ber nasks which have ye: to be decided include the construe:1on and ope:7.:1en of additienal vaste managemen: systens for treatnent of vastes generanef by the cleanup operations, the re= oval of fuel fron Unit 2, ether decon:*-"a:1on and preparations for restart, and the restart its elf .~ It is our understanding tha: sone of the ini:ial decontamina-

ion activities nay ultinately involve discharges of con:.,-%ated va:e:

inne be Susquehanna PJ ver. g

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. a:e concerned tha: the NRC staff's review a: TKI, as it is now (

pl-ed, vill result in an inappropriate seg=entation of the issues (40 1 C. 7 . 7. . $ 1502. 4(a); see also 1508.18, 1508.27). In addition, it appears 'I that several of the a.1:ernative operatiens being considered for "2C Urd:

2 vill have significant i= pacts on the environnent. In these circue-s:cnces, an environ = ental inpact statement (EIS) should be prept. red (40 ,

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j 7"5. 5 C. F. R. 5 1502.3). k*e believe it is i=pertant to neet with you and

. crplore the possibilities for in;:lenenting the National Invironnental ~IliE' Policy Act while alleving for tinely decenta ination of DII. The r:##

Council's NIPA regulations are fla'dble enough to acce=odate the da-m-ds """-

.cf the cleanup vithout jeopardizing the quality or utiliry of the ITI?A E,.;5i review process itself. ..

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Absent energency circu= stances (40 C.F.R. 5 1506.11), an IIS =us: be . . . -

conpleted prior to taking any actica which vill significantly aff ect the ,....

environ.tnant. I: vould be useful, therafore, for us to discuss those -

. foreseeable opera:1cus which would involve the discharge or release of 7~~

radioactive =aterials into the environnent. We bel.ieve it is inportant EE:

for the Co=nission to integnate the NEPA precess into its pla--d g for  !!!

Ihree M.i.le Island at the earlies: possible ti=e. 40 C.F.R. f 1501.2; ,.Z

' Andrus v; ' Sierra 'Cidb; 'et 'a1. , U.S. , 47 U.S.I W. 4676, 4677 ii?Ei (June 11, 19 79) . jGi.h xi1 L'e look forward to cooperati=g with you on this difficult proble=. i

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Sincerely, @5 i.... . .

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GUS S?lT!. r=

Chairnan

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cc: Vic:c: G' ' d-=ky, Cc= is sioner, NRC #

?.ichard "". Tenned>, Cerr.issioner > NRC U".."

Peter A. 3radf ord, Co-d ssiccer, NRC John F. Ahea me, Co -.issiccer, NRC

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