ML20127C461

Discusses Status of NRC Analysis of Source Term Data & NRC Regulations Governing Emergency Planning Zone,In Response to 850104 Request.Studies by Ans,Aps,Idcor & Natl Labs Re Source Term Data Cited

ML20127C461
Person / Time
Site:	Shoreham File:Long Island Lighting Company icon.png
Issue date:	02/04/1985
From:	Dircks W NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:	Gallagher J SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY
Shared Package
ML20127B321	List: ML20127B318 ML20127B570 ML20127B910 ML20127C143 ML20127C445 ML20127C452 ML20127C461 ML20127C466 ML20128Q623 ML20128Q750 ML20128Q758 ML20128Q786 ML20128Q816 ML20128Q840 ML20128Q890 ML20128Q919 ML20128Q966
References
FOIA-85-190 NUDOCS 8502110493
Download: ML20127C461 (2)

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Mr. John C. Gallagher Chief Deputy Suffolk County Executive County of Suffolk Hauppauge, N.Y. 11787

Dear Mr. Gallagher:

In your January 4,1985 letter you asked for a current report on the status of NRC's analysis of the source term data and the status of any changes that l might result to Commission regulations. You indicated a particular interest 1 in changes that might be proposed to the Commission's emergency planning ,

regulations since Suffolk County is presently litigating planning zone issues before a NRC Licensing Board in the pending Shoreham proceeding.

Before addressing the status of source ters work within the agency, I believe a summary of NRC, emergency planning regulations governing the Emergency Planning Zone may be useful to you. NRC requires the Emergency Planning Zones to be established for nuclear power plants in relation to local emergency response needs and capabilities as they are affected by such conditions as demography, topography, land characteristics, access routes, and jurisdictional boundaries. 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E Section II.

Generally, the plume exposure pathway Emergency Planning Zone is an area of about 10 miles in radius and the ingestion pathway Emergency Planning Zone is an area of about 50 miles in radius. 10CFR50.47(c)(2)..Theplumeexposure Emergency Planning Zone, however, does not by itself establish specified evacuation distances that may be called for in response to a release of radioactivity. If protective actions are taken in accordance with existing guidance, initial precautionary evacuation might extend to a two mile radius or perhaps even further out in some circumstances, while other protective actions, such as sheltering might be appropriate in other parts of the Emergency Planning Zone. Thus it is inaccurate to characterize a 10 mile Emergency Planning Zone as a 10 mile evacuation zone. The determination as to whether evacuation or other protective measures are appropriate to certain distances within the 10 mile Emergency Planning Zone is part of the planning required by the Commission's regulations. Appendix E.Section IV.

The NRC is aware of and has cooperated with ongoing scientific work which is reviewing available data from scientific investigations of the " source ters," 1.e., the amount of fission products which could be released from the reactor coolant system in the event of a severe accident at a nuclear power

,. plant. Studies have been released by the American Nuclear. Society's Special

,. Committee on Source Terms (dated September 1984), the Industry Degraded Core Rulemaking(IDCOR)("NuclearPowerPlantoesponse to Severe Accidents," ,

November 1984, Technology Energy Corp.), the national laboratories, and the European nuclear community. These reports all tend to indicate that the NRC emergency planning rules related to the size of the Emergency Planning Zone

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are conservative and provide ample protection of the public health and safety. As you may be aware, some members of the scientific and technical community believe that this new source tem work demonstrates that the NRC should reevaluate its emergency planning regulations, particularly the plume -

exposure 10 mile Emergency Planning Zone and the guidance with respect to recomended protective actions. However, the NRC is currently awaiting a report from the American Physical Society which will review the recent scientific work and report its conclusions. This report is expected to be released within the next few weeks. After the NRC staff has an opportunity to review the report, we will then make our recossendations to the Comission on l any needed changes to our regulations.

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I recognize the importance these developments have for Suffolk County's responsibilities and hope that this information will be of assistance to you.

Sincerely.

i (3lgnesWlBlan1.Dircl3 William J. Dircks Executive Director for Operations DISTRIBUTION WMShields Taylor WJ0lmstead Denton WJDircks tiurley EDO R/F #266 GCunningham OELD R/F OELD S/F Regs R/F Central File F. Gillespie 4

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