ML20151G961

Responds to Re Public Participation in Commission Decision Concerning Restart of Plant.Results of Ongoing Gao Study Will Be Considered in Restart Decision

ML20151G961
Person / Time
Site:	Peach Bottom
Issue date:	07/19/1988
From:	Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
To:	Mikulski B, Sarbanes P SENATE
Shared Package
ML20151G963	List: ML20151G961 ML20151G982 ML20151H002
References
NUDOCS 8808010074
Download: ML20151G961 (2)

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1 Jiaylor PDR 1 8 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION e Local PD4 w Assiworow, o. c. rows

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! TJohnson SVarga The Honorable Paul S. Sarbanes BBoger United States Senate WButler Washington, D.C. 20510 RMartin

Dear Senator Sarbanes:

I am responding to your letter of June 7, 1988, in which you and Senator Mikulskt expressed continuing concerns regarding public participation in the Coemission's decision concerning restart of Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station. I want to assure you that the Commission it making every effort to facilitate wide public partie.ipation in the restart process.

With respect to NRC's formal recognition of the State of Maryland's role in a restart decision, enclosed is a copy of the staff's June 16, 1988 letter to Governor William Donald Schaefer.

The letter indicates the staf f's inter tion to f actor the Governor's comments into cur review of the Philadelphia Electric i Company (PEco) plan. However, as the Governor indicated through discussions between his staff and the NRC staff on March 22, 1988, as long as the informal process is effective in addressing the State's concerns, the State prefers that approach to the more formal approach which you suggest.

You also expressed concern regarding public access to and comments on the review of the status of the Peach Bottom plant by the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) and the NRC's ,

Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS). With respect to the January 11, 1988 INPO review, that letter has been made pubite by PECo and the staf f has asked PECo to make public any responses  ;

to the INPO letter. The NRC staff has provided opportunity for '

the State. Harford County, and interested members of the public to l provfde comments on all issues relevant to the Peach Bottom i restart, including the IMPO letter. In addition, the NRC staff '

I has indicated its willingness to continue to accept further l written comments on all restart issues. Prior to any restart l l decision by the Commission, the staff will issue a safety evalua- l l tion report documenting the basis for its recommendation. NRC l l staff response to all corrents received relevant to such a l

l decisicn will be evaluated and docut:ented in the safety evaluation l report.

1 Identical ltr to: The Honorable Barbara A. Mikulski j l Originated: RI:Linville g , /M i l

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d i The ACRS will review activities related to Peach Bottom restart L and its meetings will be open to the public. The opportunity for l

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i public comment and other aspects of the conduct of these meetings i 1

will be provided in the Federal Reg ~ister Notice announcing the ~

l time and dates of such meetings".~ '

State of Maryland re resentatives have routinel attended NRC's l Peach Bottom Review anel meetings and have co- osted meetings to l

{ receive public corments on the Peach Bottom restart plan. In  !

j addition, the NRC staff has already invited the participation of a  ;

representative of the State of Maryland as an observer during the  :

lI NRC's Integrated Performance Assessment Team inspection. That l inspection will be used by the staff to assess the readiness of  :

PEco to restart Peach Bottom. This inspection will be scheduled i

, following NRC's acceptance of the restart plan and PEco's certifi- l l cation for restart. J

! f 1 Finally, in response to your request that the NRC consider the l j results of the ongoing General Accounting Office (GAO) study of i i the Peach Bottom case, the staff will consider all information i i relevant to a Peach Bottom restart decision, including information  !

i provided by cAO, r that is available at the time such a decision is l j made.

l Please be assured that we will continue to take into account the j

, concerns of the State of Maryland with respect to the restart i i process at Peach Bottom. l l  !

Commissioner Rogers did not participate in this response.  ;

I Sincerely, i

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Londo W. Zechp Jr j

Enclosures:

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1. Letter to Governor Schaefer ,

dated June 16, 1988. l

2. Letter to William Russell

, from Governor Schaefer dated May 26, 198E.

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