ML20150F337

Responds to 790403 Request.Forwards Jm Hendrie to Us Comptroller General & NRC Response to Gao 790330 Rept, Areas Around Nuclear Facilities Should Be Better Prepared for Radiological Emergencies

ML20150F337
Person / Time
Site:	Shoreham File:Long Island Lighting Company icon.png
Issue date:	07/26/1979
From:	Hoefling R NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE LEGAL DIRECTOR (OELD)
To:	Shapiro R Cammer & Shapiro
References
NUDOCS 7910050775
Download: ML20150F337 (1)

Text

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[,,uh, UNITED STATES -

g $- j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 2 cgbr,q.c,c wasmcton. o. c. :osss a

, , '[, , / July 25, 1979 ,

NRC PC:.: . , n.- c- - . .

Ralph Shapiro, Esq. .

Ca:mer and Shapiro . . . . . .

i No. 9 East 40th Street New York, New York 10016

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In the Matter of Long Island Lighting Ccmpany (Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1)

Docket No. 50-327 Cear Mr. Shapiro:

Sy your letter of April 3,1979, you requested from me a copy of the NRC response to a report entitled " Areas Around Nuclear Facilities Shculd be Better Prepared for Radiological Emergencies" prepared by the General Accounting Office en March 30, 1979 (EMD-78-110). In my correspondence to you of April 13, 1979 I indicated that I would provide you with a copy of this

-response when it became available. Enclosed please find a letter of June 26, 1979 directed to the Controller General of the United States frem Joseph M.

Hendrie, Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Comission which is the NRC response to the GAO report.

I If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely, J

',  !. :Y Richard K. 4cefling cuf Counsel for NRC Staff /

Enclosure as stated cc (w/ encl.):

Elizabeth S. Sowers, Esq.

Dr. Oscar H. Paris Mr. Frederick J. Shen Edward M. Barrett, Esq.

Edward J. '4alsh, Esq.

Ralph Shapiro, Esq.

Mcward L. Blau Esq.

W. Taylor Reveley, III, Esq.

Jeffrey Cohen. Esq.

Irving Like, Esq.

Atomic Safety and Licensing Scard Atemic Safety and Li:ensing Appeal 5 card -

Occketing and Service Section

• Mr. J.P. Novarro 7910050 /7 #7 / 8 Energy Research Group, Inc.

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. C.... A June 26,1979 crei: tor wz C H:.s R M: N Mr. Elmer B. Staats Com: troller General of the United States -

General Accounting Office Washington, D. C. 20548 I Cear Mr. Staats:-

On March 30, 1979, the Comptroller General of the United States submitted a report to the Congress entitled " Areas Around Nuclear Facilicies Should Be Setter Prepared for Radiological Emergencies." The report r:ade two specific reccmendations to the Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Coc=ission, one reccmendation applicable to the Chairman and the Secretaries c,f Defense and Energy and specific recc=endations to the Secretaries of Defense and Energy.

In addition, the report =ade a reccmendation to the Director, Federal Emergency Menagement Agency that has direct implications for an interagency prc5 ram for which the Nuclear Regulatory Ccmission staff provides leadership.

I am pleased to provide you with the enclosed statement of actions the Nuclear Regulatory Cemission plans to take in addressing the reco=en:'ations directed at this agency. It also includes a reaction to the recc.mendation c:ada to the Director, Federal Emergency Management Agency.

In addition, Comissioners Gilinsky and Bradford want to make clear their view that the NRC should allcw nuclear power plants to begin operation only where

.satisf actory emergency plans covering the response of the utility and the Icca! and State authoritics :re in place and .<here arrangamants have been made for periodic exercise of these plans. They are not convinced, hcwever, that the present State emergency plans, being develo:ed ~ "rred in by

he NRC, are what is required. For the lenger term a defini-ive a::proach ill be developed through a rulemaking as described in the Cocnission respense. In he near term, they lock to the recently formed NRC Task Force on Emergency

?1anning to develop an interim a::proach in about a month.

Sincerejly, Joseph M. Hencrie Chairman Incicsure:

es::nse to GAO Re:cr e'

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- NRC ACTIONS ON GA0 RECCP/.ENDATIONS TO CF.AIFM , NRC 320 Recomendation

1. "The Chairman, Nuclear Regulat:ry Cc. mission shculd allcw nuclea: pcwur plants to begin operation only wnere State and local __ ergency response plans contain all the Comission's essential planning cle.ments. In additien, the Coccission should require license a;plicar::s to make agree-ments with State and local agencies assuring their full participation in annual emergency drills over the life of t."a facility."

NRC Resocnse In carrying out its mandate to protect the public health and safety, the NRC

' has, to date, focused its primary attention on the site characteristics and design features of nuclear facilities which are preposed by license appli-cants. Our licensing process has been structured accordibigly, with a view

ward ensuring substantial conservatisms in the design a=1d cperational safety margins of nuclear p0wer plants. In addition :: ensuring that the Or: posed facility site and design meet cur licensing sta=dards and criteria, we review the applicant's emergency plans, which are desijned to provide an a:ditional margin of protection for the public living in :ne near vicinity cf the proposed facility. ,

T,e NRC's licensing requirements related to an a: licant's e.mergency plans are set forth in Appendix to 10 CFR Part 50, " Emergency Plans for- Pro-cu:tien and Utilization Facilities." Additional guidance is provided in Regulatcry Guide 1.101, "~.nergency Planning for Nuclear i cwer Plants." In 2:dition to establishing plans and procedures for coping with emergencies within the boundary of the nuclear pcwer plant site, a:piicants are required

• make certain emergency readiness arrangements with Stre and local

gani:ations to ecce with plan:-related emergencies cuts-ice :ne site bound ary,

' :n : articular emphasis on the low population ::ne. In this context, we ace egarde: off-site emer;ency ::ans :: be reia ed i: 5 e nu:'. ear licensing

::ess.

Tr.e NRC, witn the cc::eraticn of seven c:ner Federal age :cies, has had s c:r.e su::ess in assisting State and local governments in :ne := eoaratien and evalua .icn of their radiolcgical emergency resocase Ola.._. ~

and in other a::ivities to im: rove State and 1ccal preparecness. efforts. This activity d:es not rest on any specific statu :ry authority, howeve , and has been 3::cmolisned en a cooperative and voluntary basis. Such plans are necessary s:n:e -hey de pr: vide an added assurance to the State and local officials and :: :ne general public in the vicini: cf nu: lear : wer pi ants that a: Pro-

-ia:e :r::e :ive measures are availacie i : the even Of an accident with

1. 1. -i' e ::Usequences.

t N; nas fermulated :asic guidan:a dccuments :: usis: Sta:e and iccal g c v e r r.-

l i-:: :: i=3r:ve their 02:20:lities :o es:On0 .: :ne Of ~-si'.e ef #ec s of a

. .-: ear ::wer plan adici:gica: 2::: der. . Howeve , e have nc :cnsice e:

re:essary to eccire :na- 5 2 e anc 10:21 201,1091:a1 emerger.cy res nse

ans :On ain all ne Comi5si n's eS5ential:: era.ing license.

lanning elemen  : as a ccnc i-i .-

re:e:en:-:: issuing a .uclear : wer plan ee

2-In the past, NRC has enc:uraged the licensee to make ar: angements for er.er-

ency drills by State and Iccal governments. This participaticn has been enc. uraged by the NRC in-two ways

on the licensee side through the 1anguage in 10 C.:R 50 Appendix E, paragra:n IV.I; and on the State side by making a

es: of a S:ste plan a precondition to NRC c:ncurrence. 'a'e ex:ect :ne State

ians to be updated and tested annually thereafter.

The Tnree Mile Island ac:ident has raised a number of questions ateut the adequacy of emergency radiological response plans and the legal requirements for such plans. The GAO recomendation that the NRC should not license additional nuclear power plants for cperation unless thma associated State and local emergency respense plans have been centurred in by the NRC has been viewed by many as the answer to these questions. This proposed licensing requirement will be the subject of an upccming, expeditcsi NEC rulemaking

recedure. Within the next two weeks we anticipate issuance. of an advance notice of proposed rulemaking. This rulemaking will inn'lude consideration f

ne follcwing issues, as a minimum:

a. What shculd be the everali cbjectives and s:ecific goals fer State and ic al emergency plans, and for licensee ;lans?

. What constitutes an effective emergency res;cnse :ica f:r State and 10:11 agencies, as well as for licensees (i.e., wnat are 'the cri-ical elements that must be included in an effective pia-M

. Should pericdic joint drills Or exercises involving the nuclear f acil-ities and the States and local governments be a spec-ific recuirement for initial and continued NRC :encurrence in emergency -esponse plans ?

. Should prior NRC cen:urrence in the ass ciated Stata and letal emergency rescense plan be a recuirement for the issuance of any new coerating license for a nuclear : wer cian:? If se, -nan sn c7d this ceneral ecuirement bec:me effective? -

i. Snoui: NRC ::ncurrence in :ne asso tate: State and 70:ai emergency res::n e

lan be a re:uiremen for c:ntinued ::eratien cf any nu: lear :cwer c l ar.:

with an existing Operating license? If v, =nen snould this general ecuirement bec me effective?

. Wna: should be the criteria for judging acce:tability of the ir.terf ace between, and coordinaticn ef, on-site 1;censee emergency plant and of f-site State and local plans?

. Wna 2

icns shcuid :e .2 ken in es::nse :: the e =endati:n: cf t. e j:in: NRC/E?A Task .::r:2 Re:cr-:'

. ":< shecid 1 :a; :12nrin; te 'eced, :arti:: a-iy in :ne fir:: -ve ar ( s )

nen mes: cf :ne :asi: .crk mus: :e :ene?

e :::-ission ec:;ni:ss :ne neec #:r e::e:::e: a::i:r. w::n et:e:- .o : ::

uiemac.ng.

% 3nning hasts for Ceveic: men: Of 5:2:e and L:ca! Goverr.mer.: R ad ic iegi c a l I. t-cen:v Res:ense Pians f:r Se:::cr: :f Lign: wa:er Nucie2r ?:-er Pien:; ,-

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3 The current objective of the 'iRC in this regard extends beycnd the questien Of re::uirements associated with the granting of licenses f:r cperatien is our g:al to ensure that effe::ive, tested State and . It

lans are established, as well as li:ensee plans, wherever needed and en anlocal e 2::elerated schedule.

-nere we already have nuclear N:wnereocwer is thisclantsneedinm:re evident than in States-coeration. To this end, we are new engaged in a comprehensive re-evaluation of NRC's approach to radio-legical emergency response plannin 1 in this regard are outlined belcw:g and preparedness. Our current ef forts

. As an interim measure and in preparatien for the rule::aking, ws are re.

examining our program in the emergency respense area with respect to tne

• responsibilities related Federal agencies. of NRC, licensees, State and local gpvernm. ants, and .

We will review cur guice ant. checklist of essential elements in State and ic:al :lans in :he licht of lessons -

learned at Three Mile Islanc, and we will examine new to review previousiv

ncurred.in

-iate. plans sneuld revisi:ns in the guice and checklist seem ap:ro'-

'ae will investiga:e ways in *nich NRC can Oro.- id e additional te:nr.ical assistance :: 5:ste and lccal agencies ente their plan has been a::r:ved, m...

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e.g., by :r:vi:ing rea'istic s:enaries f:r use in test and We

lansare domoving not presently ra: idly exis:. to assis: States in wnich NRC :orr. urred-in State We have already written to the Governor of ea:n 3: ate with a nuclear cwer ::lant in c erati:n (and to these States

n-iguous to those with ::erating reactors) where NRC has not concurred in the State's emergen:y clans, : urge nis im.ediate attentien to this 5in:cr:3:e'sant area andres:::nse emergency to offer :lan. NRC's assistance in the cevelc;=ent of the In accition, we nave recently transtni::ed

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to the Gover  ::rs :f ::cse States in wnich nuclear pcwer

-e .ase soli:itec :c=en:s fr:- : e 5:2:es :n GM's ; e -i fic - recc--.en-

a: :n, an: we will.consicer :ne:r sugges:icns in :ne re-exarninaticn of

.r :r: gram and in :ne u;c:=:ng rulemacing.

- su :.ary, SRC is ::=i::ed : -eeting :ne 0::jective cf having effective,

3s:30 is ::s sible. emergency resocnse plans in place, wnerever they are needed, ac early To this end we will re:r: gram ;)reser.: resources and seek 3:ditional rescurces as ne,cessary.

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.m. nescense The EPA /NRC Task Force re: Ort entitled " Planning Basis for the Oevelep<nent

( State and Local Govern. ment Radiol:gical E.tergency nes:cnse Plans in Sep.

r Of Light Water Nuclear Power ?lants," NUP.EG-0396/ EPA-520/1-73-C16, re : me .ds the establish =ent of about a 10 mile emergency planning done f:r

ne plume exposure pathway and another z ne cf ateut 50 miles for the ingestion exposure pathway. The report was publisned for c: men

• and we exte.1ded the public ccament period from March 30 to May 15,1979. Tne Co. mission will give careful consideration to the ree r:nendations of the Task Force, the public cementers, the NRC staff, c her Federal agencies, and the GA0 on the matter of establishing er.ergency plar.ning zones around nuclear power plants in the context of the t orthccming rulemaking on emer-gency planning. (See item 9 of the ruiemaking issues to be considered, in response to GAO rec =endatien fl.)

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.:RC Resocnse Jhe NRC in this believes that FEMA should have an active ;olicy and coordinating role area. Hcwever, because ?:f.A is newly establishec and has not yet -had an evocrtunity to develop inhouse excertise in raciolcgical emerger:cy response planning, it would be premature for it to assume the lead rcle new. At least

-nile F:3.A is gaining that expertise, it will be necessary for the agencies already involved, such as NRC, E?A, 00E, and HEW, to continue providing assistance to State and local governments in emergency planning and prepared-ness.

its In this regard the NRC is prepared to retain the functions essencial to role as nuclear regulater (e.g., for en-site conitoring and overseeing radiological training) is fully organized andfor the interim and to re-evaluate our role when FEM.A staffed.

'a'e welcome the establishment of FDtA and look forward to werking with that agency in cocrdinatinge r deral, State and local visnning a

and creparedness to i:nprove proteccion of the public in the event of adioicgical emergency.

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Rabh Shapiro. Esq. '

b,. .-V Cacrer and Shapiro  :

Mo. 9 East 40th Street New Ycrk, New York 10016 'C)M, s... N s In the Matter of Long Island Lighting Ccmpany (Shoreham Nuclear Fewer Station, Unit 1)

Occket W3. CC-322 Tear Mr. Shapiro:

By ycur letter of April 3,1979, ycu requested frca me a ce;y cf :t:e NRC response to a report entitled Areas Arcund Nuclear Facilities Shculd be Setter Prepared for Radiological E ergencies" prepared by the Gen'eral Acc:unting Office on March 30, 1979 (EMD-78-110). In my corr-s endence :s yw cf April 13, 1979 I ir.dicated that I wculd provide ycu with a ccoy of this response when it beca=e available. Enclosed please find a letter of June 25, 1979 directed to the Cencroller General of the United Statas fr:n Joseph N.

Fendrie, Chairsan of the Xuclear Requiatory Ccenissicn which is the NRC rescense to the GAO report.

If-ycu have any questiens, plea *.e do not hesitate to contact Te.

Sincaryy,

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Richard K. Mcefling c

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Counsel for NRC Staff Encicsure as stated c: (w/ encl.):

Eii:abeth S. Scwers, Esq.

Dr. Oscar H. Paris Mr. Frederick J. Shon Edward M. Barrett, Esq.

Ecward J. Walsh, Esq.

Raich Shapiro, Esq.

Mcward L. Biau, Esq.

W. Taylcr Reveley, III, Esq.

Jeffrey Cohen, Esq.

Irving Like, Esq.

At:mic Safety and Licensing 3 card 1.t mic Safety and Licensing 1:ceal Ecarc Docketing and Service Secticn .

Mr. J.P. Ncvarro Energy Research Grouo, Inc.

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