ML20134F675

Forwards Copies of J Calhoun Ltr & Copy of Ltr J Calhoun Wrote to Keene Sentinel,Which Was Published on 960701

ML20134F675
Person / Time
Site:	Millstone
Issue date:	09/18/1996
From:	Bass C HOUSE OF REP.
To:	Rathbun D NRC OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS (OCA)
Shared Package
ML20134F674	List: ML20134F671 ML20134F675
References
NUDOCS 9611070124
Download: ML20134F675 (3)

Text

_ ._ . ._ _ _ -. _ _ - ._ _ _. .

. CHARLES F. BASS. M.C. COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET 20 f}f.Tnc, Nrw HAuesnm REFORM AND OVERSIGHT 1728 LONGWORTH ButLDING VtCE CHAM.

WASHINGTON. DC 205W2902 (2n> 22ss20e Cottgregg of ({je %]Ilitch fpfates " " " * " " ~ ~ "a"'

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l September 18,1996 Mr. Dennis Rathbun, Director of Congressional Affairs l Nuclear Regulatory Commission i 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville,MD 20852

Dear Mr. Rathbun:

l I am writing on behalf of John C. Calhoun, Jr. who has concerns about safety issues at l nuclear power plants.

Enclosed is a copy of his letter to me dated March 19,1996 and a copy of a letter he

^

wrote to the Keene Sentinel, a newspaper located in Keene, New IIampshire, which was published on July 1,1996. He has also given me copies of magazine and newspaper 4

articles relating to this issue.

4 It would be appreciated if you could provide me with information to answer his concerns.

I will await your prompt response.

1 Sincerely, f/>

1 Charles F. Bass Member of Congress J

j CFB/jpl

]

i Enclosures l

~

9611070124 961104 PDR ADOCK 05000245 H PDR 142 NORTH MAIN STRE f T 170 MAIN STREET t19 MAIN STREET ONE WEST STREET CONCORD. NH 03301 NASHUA. NH 03060 UTTLETON. NH 03661 SUITE 208 (6C3) 226-0249 16031889 8772 1603)444-1271

• • KE:ENE, NH 03431 (6031 358-4094

a , a i. .e . n . w. i JollN CAII/OUN & ASSOCIA'l%9

• FolllWIEllS l COMi*lE1E 191RF31R l' SER t 'ICIS A NI) lA NI) SA IJE March 19,1996

.lollN G. f:Al.HrIf W. Hl.

Congressman Charles Bass IU I"#'Y #' UN' '"'"'

1728 t.ongworth House Office Bldg. NI## "I'7##" N"## # '

Wnshington, D.C. 201515, Dent Chntley:

I hope that you hnd a chance to rend the very henvy March 4,1996. Tltne mngnzine nrticle regarding the whistle blowing engineers working for Northeast Utilities wlio enlled attention to shocking snfely neglect nnd collrrsion wills the Nucient itegulntory Commission to inIsify records in order to snve money for NU during refueling procedures. T his rnises grave questions as to who is looking out for the safely of the public living Innocently down wind of these pinnts whose systems and procedures have been so compromised.

Yesteninys Keene Sentinel entried the enclosed milcle willien by n whistle blower who usert to l be an engineer at the Vernont Yankee in Vernon,20-odd miles from my door and the doors of l my grandchildren.

Let me ask, you, both In your role as a public servant and as one concemed about your family as well, living ns you do between Vernon nnd Senbrook, is nnyone in offielnl enpacity in these mallers, rently lookinD out for us and our fnmilies, nnd for tim public? If the NFtc nppents to be more concemed with the economic survival of Northenst Utilities and PSNH. to the point that they will admit Ihnt they have fnisifled their own snfely codes nnd procedpres. and the NftC Commissioners are only appololed if they are known to be enthusinstic nucient advocntes, who ,

is qunilfled to judge the safety of nll of the Nucient Nnnis in the Northeast, or elsewhere, for that t runtler? -

1 l

Chnricy, is lhls n valid concem, or nie nll tliese ntnimists, nnd lime, needlessly feeding our collective nnxielles? I have recently raised these issues with the N.ll. Public Utilities Commission and Governor Menill, but so Inr, they hnve not replied-and I am not holding my inenth. "Ihnnk you for any light ihnt you can shed here.

Most sincerely yours, John C. Calhoun, Jr.

l

1 What will it take?

To The Sentinch r Energy Commission was certainly i To the president of the United charged to promote. The record States, N.ll. congressional delega- shows that nominees to the com-tion, and thone seeking to repre. mission by the president must he sent me in those ofUcen: approved by "the industry" to be Now that there han been a nominated. This may be why at trngic nccident, killing dozens of present there nre only two out of passengers nn ValuJet,it has oc- five members seated it is no acci-curred to tho:e involved with the dent that a former NRC commis-F tirrai tr9nsportation ngency that, stoner now sita on the Northeast ia view of the safety innues that Utilitien' board of directors.

Q

%d been ignored at ValuJet, by What will it tnke for the nu.

the FAA, that it was most impor- clear industry to get proper over-tant in future that the FAA con- sight, to correct the problems iden.

N N centrate its responsibility solely on lified by Time, that very well may the safety issues involved with fly- exist nationwide? llave we, as a

\

ing, and leave the promotion of air nation, and have you, as our lead- h travel as an industry to other enti- ers, forgotten the major alarming ties. questions raised by the Kemeny Everything that has been in fa. Report and the report prepared by vor of that narrowing of mission Rogovin after Three Mile Island?

for the FAA in the cane of air llow clone are we to having our safety could, and should, be ap- own Chernobyl? Do the inspector g  ;

plied to the Nuclear Regulatory general's critical reports on the ,m Comminnion and the nuclear NRC and similarly toned congres- 1 power industry. In the case of the sional reports mean nothing, as , i many nuclear power plants scale. they also gather dust on the ,

I tered throughout the country, shelves? Ali of those documents there has been only one major ac- enlied for sweeping and fundamen- ,

cident, at Three Mile Island, tal changes in the nuclear industry l though there have been numerous and its watchdog, the NRC. And '

other " incidents." Will it take a nothing fundamental has been I major accident, on the Chernobyl done.

scale, to bring similar pressure on The ultimate answer to the the Nuclear Regulatory Commis- question may lie in the ValuJet sion to sharpen up its mission and syndrome. But a nuclear accident concentrate only on safety? will involve not a hundred or no That should certainly end the deaths; it will involve thousands, promotion, or at least the coddling, even tens of thousands. Perhaps of the industry, as was described our government leaders will have in the April 4,1996, article in to have as intimate contact with a Time magazine, wherein severn! nuclear plant as they do with the instances of violations of safety plane from D.C., on the flight back rules regarding speeding up of re- home, to force them to give this fueling of several of Northeast matter the serious and sober at-iUtilitien' Connecticut nuclear tention that I, at least, think it de- .

planta were reported and docu- serves. I

.mented. Such shortcuts, in clear As you all line up to urge me to I

violation of the NRC's rules, were vote for you, here in one issue for i

.nllowed to nave NU fuel. purchase which I want to hear your clenr

conta during " extra" shutdown response, and the sooner the bet-t time-

' ter.

It may be that the NRC mission '

statement does not call for netiver JOllNCALI,IOUN promotion of the nuclear power in. P.O. Box 8 dustry, but the original Atomic Gilsum