ML20151P250

Clarifies Statements Made to J Pierobon Re Gap Allegations in Houston Chronicle Rept on Safety Issues About Facility. Misunderstanding Could Have Been Avoided If Garde Had Returned 871214 Call

ML20151P250
Person / Time
Site:	South Texas
Issue date:	12/14/1987
From:	Ingram F NRC OFFICE OF GOVERNMENTAL & PUBLIC AFFAIRS (GPA)
To:	NRC OFFICE OF GOVERNMENTAL & PUBLIC AFFAIRS (GPA)
Shared Package
ML20151N771	List: ML20151N768 ML20151N890 ML20151P250 ML20151P275
References
FOIA-88-107 NUDOCS 8804260120
Download: ML20151P250 (2)

Text

~ 'g-UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION a

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December 14, 1987 MEMORANDUM FOR:

Files FROM:

Frank m

Assistant to the Director Public Affairs, GPA

SUBJECT:

HOUSTON CHRONICLE REPORT ON GAP ALLEGATIONS RELATED TO SOUTH TEXAS On Thursday, December 3, Jim Pierobon of the suston Chronicle called to ask about the status of negotiations with the Government Accountability Project to obtain safety-related allegations related to the South Texas nuclear power plant.

I discussed the matter with Xarla Smith, OGC, and Tom Rehm, EDO, then used Rehm's November 24 letter to Ms. Billie Gar * (copy attached) to respond to Pierobon's questions.

On Friday, December 4, I receive'd a telephone call from Garde to advise me that a report in that morning's edition of the Houston Chronicle (copy also enclosed), and attributed to me, misrepresented the facts of the situation--particularly the statement in the first paragraph that Garde

"...has given the Nuclear Regulatory Commission her files on allegations of safety defects..." and the one in paragraph nine that "Ingram said the commission has not agreed nor does it have any intention of agreeing to create a special task force..."

While I had not seen the article, I did tell Garde that those statements did not factually represent what I had told Pierobon and agreed to at least bring the matter to his attention which I'did later on December 4.

I reminded him that I had said that GAP had agreed to make its files available to the staff and that the staff was reviewing them, not that GAP had given the files to the staff.

I also pointed out, as we had discussed, that the staff would decide, after completing its review of the files, what kind of follow up would be required.

I agreed that I had told him that there had not been a decision to create a special task force to investigate the allegations but certainly had not said that there was no intention to do so.

Pierobon neither agreed or disagreed with my views and only suggested that, if Garde had returned his telephone calls of the previous day, a misunderstanding, if any, could have been avoided.

O M 1 6-/07 cc:

T. Rehm, EDO w/ attachments p riggs, 0GC w/ attachments eso4260120 000418 PDR FOIA PDR DAY 88-107

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Dear Ms. Garde:

This will confinn the results of our meeting of. Thursday, November 19,' 1987, at which we discussed certain alletat. ions GAP'has developed concerningithe South Texas nuclear power. plant.

The!r. eating began.by your tabling a seriesief talkingtpoints concerning your view of the objectives of the meeting, as well as a sum.ary of how GAP ~ handles allegations received. We found.the distussion tiseful; but neither 6 greed nor disagreed to the points you raised.

You retained allicopies of the' briefing notes,. You then proceeded to table a tabulation of allegations in sumary,

format (all copies of which you. retained) which we revie;ad on the spot. -

Cur conclusion was that insufficient data was available in the sur.asries to allow for a deliberate and reasoned evaluation of the tilegations.

In furtherr discussion you agread to suke your files on these allegations available to us.

Subsequent to the r.aeting staff has made a. preliminary visit to GAP: Headquarters and rade arrange:nents to bagin detailed; review of the: process on Novc=ber 30, 1987 We will:accora confidantial treatrnt.to the identity of cny allegers whose nn.'nes may surface during this review.

Follouing our revic s, tra will advise you of the. allegations which wo feel are appropriate to roview further. '

You agreed to provide us data on which such follow up can proceed, cubject, in sece cases, to your contacting allegers'to assure that they will' agree to be contacted by the NRC.

. You al'so indicated that one set of allegat. ions was in process in Wisconsin.

We assume that you will simply provide us that infon:ation during the time we are revicWing the other files at GAP Keadquarters.

Separately, I also uncorstand you passed som allegations on trrongdoing directly to the office of Investigations which is dualing directly with you on tho:e matters..

The necting was quito satisfsctory from our point of vic s.

We appraciate your confidence and. cooperation and that of the allegers you repre:Ont.

Uith your continuod cooperation we chould be able to give a proper review of the allagations GAP has acquired.

Needless' to say, obtaining Eny inforaation which ycp r.ay have on alleged defects in the South Texas nuclear p:7for plant util' assist us in assuring that the pu'elic haalth and cif aty is protacted ct that fc cility.

Sin'cerely,,

signed) T. A, Rafx.

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'd[/ 7. 'A. Reh:n,' Assistant for Operations >

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December 23, 1987 NOTE TO FILES Jin Pierobon of the Houston Chronicle called on December 29 asking about the status of the stai'l"ToTfo7ts to assess the GAP allegations

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regarding the South Texas nuclear power plant. After checking with Tom Rein, I told him that the staff had conspleted its review of the GAP files aM now was assessing the information available to it and how and where to go frun here.

He wanted to know if any special groups had been formd or if a decision on a special investigation would be :sade by mid-January.

I reiterated that the staff was in the process of detemining how aM where it would go fran here.

/N Frank Ingran cc: Briggs, DGC X. Smith. 03C T. Rehn, EDO l

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