ML20153E761
| ML20153E761 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 08/14/1998 |
| From: | Reamer C NRC |
| To: | Mcconnell K SENATE |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20153E678 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9809280239 | |
| Download: ML20153E761 (8) | |
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Froms C. W. (Bill) Reamer To ' Keith McConnell Date 8/14/98 1:23pm Subjects bryan keith, at the bottom of page 1, it should be "will ensure a fair and
. defensible consideration of all issues relevant to repository performance."
.ishould be able to complete OGC coordination shortly.
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9909290239 990917 i PDR COPMB fetCC CORRESPONDENCE PDR ;
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l From: C. W. (Bill) Reamer j Date: /14 9 123pm l.
Subject:
bryan 1 % [ M . lAlt k c- ts \
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TEL: Hug (4 'W H :Ua Wo.uul e ve utafspsmvas g, ) NUCLEAR MEGULATOfW CogeMISSION w smnen, s.o. u The Honorable Richard H. Bryan L Unned states sonste ' /
, 't! J,.ig=., DC 20510 2804 Door Senator Bryan.
I am responding to your letter to Chainnan Jackson, dated July 21, igg 8, expressing concem about public perception in Nevade vs .Gq standards used to judge the safety of tugh4evel woube (HLW) dloposal et Yucca Mour# sin (YM). Your letter also ir*=e** that evaluations W the 'oultatulity" of the proposed repository should be fair, mdspondent, and @iective I address these concems in the context of the U.S. Nuclear Regulelory Commission's (NRC's) actMoos below, in rouponse to your concoms, the fundamental goal of NRC's HLW activities is the protection of the putse health and safety. We will accomplish this goal by conduchng a comprehensive program that includes: (1) adopting implementable performance based, sete specific reguistions that ensure that the pubis health and oefety are clearfy protected: (2) evaluating the performance of the geologic repoedory agemet those rtsuistions and ensuring the evaluenons are desensible: and (3) prwiding ample opportunity for stakeholders to participate in NRC's rc,3,,and somw process.
With roepect to developmg performance-beood regulations for YM. NRC staff continues to work with the U.S. Environmental Protecbon Agency (EPA) to strive for slandards, for the proposed repoeltory at YM, that are both implementable and adequately proteethe of public health and esfoty and the environment. Although NRC and EPA have docussed the need for pathway-specifle requirements, such as separate crtleria for ground water, NRC conhnues to believe that protechon of the public is fully efforded by an all pethways does limit. Ground weler protechen is consulareci ln such a limit, because ground-weger transport is the domment route of potentiel exposuretomembersof thepubhc Therefore, as noted in Cti . ,er. Jackson's July 30, igg 8, techmony before the Senate Subcommtlee on Cloen Air, Wetlands, Prfvete Property, and Nuclear Sofety, NRC fundamentally disagrees with the need for a sepenne grounchvetor standerd, boomune there is no public health and salsty reason to single out one pathway for a seperate dose limit.
A-a.ii:y, the Commission has directed the stoff, pendmg issuance of final EPA standards for YM, not to include a separate grounde pnnection etenderd in its & ;;+ r reguistions, whsh are currently under development and scheduled for release in Fiscal Year 199g.
NRC is also firmly committed to ensuring a fair and obgeceve evalumbon of the YM site as a i
possene i5-:?.=y. NRC believes its licensing process, which assures e thorough and independent review of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) license application, will eneum a fair and defensitne considersten of eA leeues To this end, NRC hos focused its HLW q program around resoMn2 the nine key techr.ical losues considennf to be most cribcel to 1
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g_ig.-i 99'8 Il27Pfi~' ~ ^ FRON~FETZER-KR'd~U'S'. IUC [ 205~537 Si33 i:L* HULJ A4 96 213U4 NO.VVA F.VS Senator Bryen 2 determining the repoedory's ability to protect the pub 6c heatah and safety leeue resolubon status reports (IRSRs) document NRC's views on DOE's progress toward twooMng these key issues ior the proposed repository at YM. IRSRs are provided to all interested porties, includ the State of Nevada, to prornote an open discussNW1 of the GM and a N .uq 100005 importert to protecting the public.
i trust this reply responds to your conarns NRC appreciates and welcomes your comments as weg as comments from others in the State W Nevada on the eWoctrveness W these activities sincerely, L Joseph Collan Execubve Director for Operabons 9
itt: Hug.14 VW 11 :US fic .UU1 P.U4 1
l senew aryan 2 determming the repoedory's abdity to protect the public heetm and safety. leeue twoolution status reports (IRSRs) document NRC's views on DOE's proGross toward resolving these key '
mauss for the proposed reposrtory at YM. IR$Rs are proinded to all interested paties. Indueng '
the State of Nevada, to promote an open discussion of the scientific and ,;c 1r., issues importantto protectmg the pubic.
I trust this reply responds to your concems. NRC appmelees and welcomes your commente as well as comments from othws in the State of Nevada on the emeCWyoness of these actkities.
Sincerapy, L Joseph Callan Executmp Dirscear Woperamons ec- SECY OGC OCA OPA CFO CIO This coneapondonoe adergeses po6cy issues previovely resolved by :he Commission, transmRs factual Wormation, or rootstes Commission poiW.
DISTRIBUTDN' CentralFileOnly PAHLr# NMSSr# EDO r# NM88 Dir r#
DNM r# CPoland PTresoler HT1umpson M W eDor RJohnson K$tuhlein JHickey JHolomch WTravers PNorry JBisha SSums EMerschuff, RIV T1CHEL EDO G900481 SkCY CRC NO. 96 0729, 9G 0736 DocmaENT NAPGE: S:UWMPAHLWiM\ BRYAN.VR1 "5EE PREYlOUS CONCURRENCE _.
CPC PAHL' PAHL* Togh Ed* PAHL* OGC NAME TMcCanrVlog KMcConnell by FAX M8 ell BReemer DATE 8/12/98 W12/96 I W12/96 W 195 mmunau mummuu munimunmassemummunnemnu OFC DWM fel88 Dt:DR EDO ___
DATE 8/ 19 s al 19e 8/ /se - 8/ /96 / /96 OrrwiAL RECORD COPY
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M. AC?l0N l
! EDO Principal Correspondence Control ;
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, FROMi . DUE: 08/19/98
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EDO CONTROL: G980481~
DOC DT: 07/21/98 FINAL REPLY:
S;nator Richard H. Bryan
. TO L i i
Chairman Jackson I FOR. SIGNATURE OF : ** GRN ** CRC NO: 98-0729 98-0736 .!
Callan,.EDO I DESC: ROUTING:
PROPOSED HIGH LEVEL NUCLEAR-WASTE REPOSITORY AT Callan YUCCA MOUNTAIN' Trayers Thompson Norry Blaha Burns DATE:-08/06/98 Merschoff, RIV ASSIGNED'tO:. CONTACT:
NMSS Paperiello_
SPECIAL ' INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:
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.z
.; .h' OFFICE'OF THE SECRETARY
, CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET PAPER NUMBER: CRC-98-0729 LOGGING DATE: Aug 3 98 ACTION OFFICE: EDO AUTHOR: SEN. RICHARD BRYAN AFFILIATION: U.S. SENATE ADDRESSEE: CHAIRMAN JACKSON
-LETTER DATE: Jul 21 98 FILE CODE: MAT. 20
SUBJECT:
EDITORIAL ARTICLE " NEVADA' REGARDING THE DOE'S ACTION RE'3ARDING THE PROPOSED HIGH-LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE RE90SITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN ACTION: Appropriate DISTRIBUTION: CHAIRMAN, RF SPECIAL HANDLING: NONE l
CONSTITUENT: l NOTES: THE JULY 8TH LET_ER IS CRC 98-0736 l DATE DUE:
SIGNATURE: .
DATE SIGNED:
AFFILIATION:
EDO -- G980481
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