ML20128G980

Transcript of D Ritter 850522 Statement on Behalf of Members of Congress Urging Conclusion of Hearings.Served on 850529

ML20128G980
Person / Time
Site:	Three Mile Island
Issue date:	05/22/1985
From:	Boner B, Borski B, Broyhill J, Clinger B, Courter J, Gallo D, Gaydos J, Randy Hall, Hendon B, Jeanne Johnston, Kolter J, Martha J, Mcclure J, Moorhead C, Murphy A, Ridge T, Rinaldo M, Ritter D, Saxton J, Shelby R, Shuster B, Casey Smith HOUSE OF REP.
To:
References
CON-#285-161 SP, NUDOCS 8505300372
Download: ML20128G980 (6)

Text

_ _-_______ -____ __-_

- llsI neer-, m P- ,. NC. L UTH FAh,k7 STATEMENT OF THE HONORAELE D:N PITTER (PA-15)

ON EEHALF 0F l'EFBERS OF CLERESS BEFORE THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY CCW lSSION r Q1ggg FAY 22, 1085 g,cgg7tg usnac W NAY 29 A10:06 CHAIRMAN PALLADINO AND Com!SSIONERS:

CTFE U Swa 00CXEimG & SEp.rc ERANCH MY NAME IS CONGPESSMAN DON RITTER (15TH DIsTPICT, PENNSYLVANIA), AND I ,7.

SPEAKING TODAY ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND THE Uf,DEPSIGNED MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.

YOUR MEETING TODAY AND NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULER VOTE Ofi WHETHER TO LIFT THE SHUTDOWN ORDER FOR THREE MILE ISLAND UNIT I WILL Flf; ALLY PRCVIDE AN ANSWER WAT HAS BEEN FOREMOST IN THE MINDS OF A LAPGE SEGIENT OF THE CITIZENS OF PENNSYLVANIA AND IS OF INTEREST TC THE NATION AS A WHOLE. YCUR RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT AN EASY ONE. PUBLIC CONCERN DURING THE LAST SIX YEARS ABOUT NUCLEAP.

POWER IN GEfERAL, AND TMI SPECIFICALLY, HAS CCffTINUOUSLY FCCUSED ATTENTION ON THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY CCf NISSION AND ITS pef'.BEFS TO ASSURE PUELIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.

THE NRC'S ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS ON THE RESTAF.T OF TMI-l HAS CFTEli APPEARED TANGLED AND CONFUSED WITH PARTIAL INITIAL DECISIONS LEADING TO APPEALS, PESULTING IN REOPENED AND REFANDED HE/5It'GS AT EVEFY TURN. NUMEPCUS DECISIONS MADE BY THE ATceIC SAFETY AND LICENSING C0ARD HAVE BEEN REVIEWED AllD WHERE NECESSARY RESOLVED BY THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSil'G APPEAL BOARD.

HCWEVER, WAT IS BEHIND US TODAY. THE TMI-I FESTART RECOPD IS NOW CCl4PLETE.

g5300372850522 T ADOCM 05000289 PDR

f( .

1 PAGE 2 YOU, THE CortilSSICf:ERS, MUST NOW WEIGH THE ADJUDICATORY PECOPD CREATED

.DURING THE NEARLY SIX YEARS OF HEARINGS AND l'ECIDE WHETHER TMI-I PAY PEETART.

THESE HEARINGS HAVE BEEN CHAFACTERIZED CNE OF THE MOST ADJUDICATED FROCEEDINGS EVER CONDUCTED UNDER THE ATOMIC ENERGY ACT, ENCOMPASS!hG OVER 100 DAYS OF EVIDENTIARY HEARINGS INVOLVING MORE THAN 190 WITf, ESSES. NEARLY 40,CfC TRANSCRIPT PAGES OF EVIDENCE HAVE BEEN CCf! PILED. IHE ASLB HAS ISSUED CVER 1200

'PAGES OF DECISIONS. APPELLATE REVIEW OF THESE DECISIONS HAS TOTALLED IN EXCESS

-0F 1000 PAGES.

1 THESE STATISTICS FEFLECT ONLY THE F0FFAL PACCEELlhGS EEFCRE THE

ADMINISTRATIVE BOARDS, AND THE ASLB F.ECEIVED AND CONSIDEPED MORE THAN 2C(0 WRITTEN LIMITED APPEARANCE STATEFENTS AtlD OVER 200 LittlTED APPEAF/ ACES IfNOLVING ORAL STATEVENTS. YOU ALSO HAVE RECEIVED CCUNTLESS WRITTEN ALD CRAL STATEMENTS FROM CONCERNED CITIZENS, ThE GENERAL PUBLIC, ELECTED CFFICIALS, /TD MEMBERS OF CONGRESS DURING THIS FFCCEEDING.

I NO ONE CAN TELL YOU WHAT DECibl0N TO MAKE. THE PECORD SPEAKS FOP ITSELF.

THAT RECORD SHOWS THAT THE ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICEbSING PC/AD HAS FOUND Ti(AT i

Dil-l CAN BE CPERATED SAFELY SO AS TO ASSURE THE PUELIC HEALTH AFD SAFETY. YOU HAVE DECIDED THAT NO FURTHER HEARINGS ARE NECESSAPY. WE SUFFORT THAT DECISION.

THE FECOPD AS IT STANDS TODAY IS SUFFICIENT T0 f%KE A DETERMINATION ON THE MERITS OF WHETHER Dil-l MAY RESTART. FURTHEFMOPE, MEFEEPS OF CONGFESS ARE NOT ALONE IN THEIR BELIEF THAT A BALANCED DECISION CAN BE EASED ON THE EXISTit:G RECORD. MR. DON BAILEY, NEWLY ELECTED /L'DITOR GEhEFAL OF THE CCetrMEALTH OF

i l-

. (-

PAGE 3 g

PENNSYLVANIA' AhD FORMER FEFSER OF CCNGRESS, -15 URGIt;G THE CCtBISSI0t' TO FCVE

)

FORWARD CN A RESTART DECISION. FR. BAILEY It: HIS LETTEP CF FAY 2L 19FS, TO CHAIFFAN PALLADINO STATES "IG}IVEN THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE Cat!SSION, INCLUDING THE GREAT DEGREE OF PUBLIC AWAPENESS, THE GREAT AMOUNT CF TIME THAT THE PUBLIC HAS INVESTED IN THE APPEfL PROCESS, i VERY STRONGLY '

RECOPNEND THAT THE CO NISSION CCNCLUDE THE SIX YEAR DEBATE AhD REACH A DECISION."

IN StM1ARY, WE THE UNDERSIGNED EELIEVE THE CGHISSlot.ERS SHOULD BE C0tNENDED FOR PECOGNIZING THAT A DECISich Ot> TMI-I SHOULD BE MADE. KE 3

FECOGNIZE THE Et0T10NS SURFCUADING THIS ISSUE, YET THE All)UDICATORY RECOFD LN THIS ISSUE REFFESEtiTS AN AEUfDANCE OF INFORMATICh UPON WHICH THE CCffilSF!Ol'EPS CAN MAKE A REASONABLE At;D BALANCED EECISILN C/ FED ON SUBSTANTIAL EVIDEf;CE.

SUCH A DECISION COULD NOT BE C0f!STRUED AS Al BITRAPY AND CAPPICIOUS, AN' ABUSE OF DISCRETION, OR CONTRARY TO L/W.

WE URGE THIS C0fHISS10N TO ADHERE TO YOUP PUBLISHED RECORD.

4 u & >- hd ? Y/ '

Don Ritter, M.C. n . Murtha, M.C.

Dh%

Joseph M.

~

ydos', M.C. / Austin J. Mukhy, M.C. "

'M T' L

Bill Hendan, M.C.

h+%~ J ' James . A. McClur C )T % _

, U.S.S.  !

N

.< i l l Bill Clingerj M.C. Jo lter, M.'C.

Bifl Boner, M.C. ,

R h h $ Hall, MIC.

f ,'

• f g Tom Ridge, M.C.

//-tu h/

/

V James T.'Broyhil'1, M.C.

U # 1AL f i

l e

; n .,(

? ,

^

Carlos J. Moorhead, F .C. Matt Rinaldo, C. l

$$/ s

~

1. e N J Ch {(m'ih,M.%

• De W Gallo, M.C.

YS 3

'MY '

Richard Shelby, M.C. Jim urter, M.C.

G J. nnettJohhn,U.S.S. Bud Shuster, M.C.

~ k )h+

- - - - - - -- .-.-,.,,n-,._--- - , - - - , . - - - - - - _ , . - - - - . , - - - - - - . - - - , _ - - - - _ _ _ , . . , - - - - , - _ - , . - _ , - - , - - - . - - - - - - , - . . , . - - _ - - . - - - - _ . - -

.~.v:. .

t , : - ... . .,

g O- .a f

Ocu 9 4 s t. c v

..e ,e. +......

(.omumnweatrn .,t.1,ei.n gh .miu Orrice of me .su.titor Ge. val Ilur:-i-.bu, g In!m

' f ., v :1, Iur Mt. Nun-io Palladino Chairman U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Conmissic, Washington, D. C. 20555 .

Dear Mr. Chairman:

I recently rece ived a coir.nur.i t.a t - .- f : .it Mr. J:.cl Barry, International Vice President, inte- , .snn', i . a t h ,. r h o o d r, i Electrical Workers, who is awa:e ot nv ..xp..rtefice in the Uni ted .

States Congress as a member of the c i t ta: e p:- c:.c,ent e n d. .

Nuclear Systems Subcommitte- of t h.. A r .:.t d . : r '/ i t e t Commi. tee and ray work on the Trade Subcotmittee . ' t h e. ii .. .% a:ai Me a n.,

Committee, concerning the re tart c. f ~ '.' ! lj. . t ;

While I renli:e that int: hu b e:. .. - ,:, t r o v e r z i .: 1 issue, I fully understand ther the i r.:t : d i . t e c o n :e rt.. Of the c o nm i s s i c.n have to be the prnectior. of pub!:. neaIth en' .af..tv, .

I c. g s e understand that i:s t i ona l poli e, 1 *. it; ity P ,, u d r d.- i f i c a t i o n s ,

particularly .chete fission re .t> .: r . c, n . e r n . . d . is imps.-.d .

by a decisior. te :c, tart Uo: t ' . .

t'0we v e r , a- .; n . . F .: t of h- .t,.' ~. . . v i i . - C o r.. ;r ttee, I had access to Virtually all Infor~ati.!; e v a t ! . ,y l - LO aavune 1.t of:r country concerntne all aspeiis of nuclear power ! r c '. u d i r - .ur weapons progran.. b a mer.ibe t of L ..e .. :. y s . iJ 'feans Trade F u t c o".:r. i t t e e , the a s ;,e e t s e r t.u c '. r .c t. . b r, i<:r tran fer .: nad, and' problems asdr.ciated witt, : t r.4 n: ..g the e r v.1 c pr.! f r. : of 1 er in this country, were c o n r,t a r. 1 '.:i' at y d c., : . : c . , e in addition. I represente! s ng ,ssiot,al district : :;

Western Pennsylvanio .chich wa. t ne c . . t e r c, i a gr et oca!

research fer the tiucitar . ti n c t i v al.d a!se ws- . r::i. l e a t corply I also '.re* i . . t:! C or, r., s s i on a l Ta t t.

industry center.

Force which a t t erc pt ed to t ' .' e t ::, it . d t n r i n ; a t s r. to etaanup Unit II.

,Given the i n f o r m a t t or. ., v a : l a 5 '. e te t. ".,.is:3sion, including the grrat degree 'i r obi t e: w e r e r.e > 1, the gieat a m o u r. t cf time that t r. e public her ..v. ' e v : r.

m i p p . :.1 p r o c e ; ,, , !

very strong 1v . e c c.r end t!.4.  %: -

.c i t ?. c e t . .-- l i . ; .. t a e ,f vear debate an.i re.an a dtti' i n.

E

r; . ..

_w_

y

• I' e

11 deeply sh:.re, and do n .t f .e .. n in any'way (c denigrate the

, vital.and sincere concerns of :ha public, who have so consis tently ernphasi:ed the ne-d to assure that public health and 5afety will b.e p r o t e c t e d w h e n TV. ! - 1 r at s t a t t t .- However, !

sinc'erely 3elieve that consumers, t;r'U Nuclear, union groups,

employees, and government-officials, withcut exception, understand the ultimate prinacy of that ;ssue (i.e., prctecticn of'public; health and safety). Within the realm of every practical-limitation, that protection has i,een pf ven due anc' l

proper consideration by the ccomissir.n, the public, and others.

L It is time to begin the s a l e- ni po we r t o '. <..in u m e r s in the service area of TM1-1 to help with ar. ether aspect cif public-health'and safety; that being the elimination of the unfair.

financial. burden to the residential ar.d industrial custor.ers to-purchase more expensive replacement p'.ve r . Fifty eight nillion l . dollars would.be the immediate saving: annuali:ed at.present',

dollar values, to cc asumers in-Fenn3.tvania from the restart of TH1-1.

We need to constantiv n o n i t ., t the u i- operation-of nuclear.

power and 1 fully support <very effort t o e .t.u re public participation in that prore: s. Ho-e v' . i feel that there is a fundar. ental element M p roc edu ra l f a i r t.e*,5 t :- taxpayers, cc.ns' ers, and 4;; those i n v o i , :.! i r, ha pr oc es >. That fairness is te recopnt:e that we hrsve vshauet".. to the preatest e x t +: n t possiele, every censi.ieration surrcand.u; protettlon of health and safety.

!t is'tiue t n to neve f,tward; it !

• i r. < - now inr" prate ene lessons learned tie;:. t he TM! -;' f a i l u re into c.ur technolory,,

and'it is time now to look at the sii y"at put l i c r<re. t.rd a r d make a decision.

I & , ey . ,

1

.s .

i ** ,

. .. ,,is 'j l' .h ' i .11 v i

_ _ - _ _ _ - - ~