ML20203B839
| ML20203B839 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Claiborne |
| Issue date: | 09/17/1997 |
| From: | Breaux J SENATE |
| To: | Rathbun D NRC OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS (OCA) |
| References | |
| CON-#497-18564 ML, NUDOCS 9712150164 | |
| Download: ML20203B839 (3) | |
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Mr. Dennis K. Rathbun SERVec OCT 1 0 1997 Director Office of Congressional Affairs Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001
Dear Mr. Rathbun:
I have been sent a letter by Mr. J.T. Taylor to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regarding the Claiborne Enrichment Center.
Please investigate the enclosed information sent to me and let me know of the commission's response to Mr Taylor. Please give the views and concerns of my constituent every appropriate consideration within the commission's guidelines. Your reply may be forwarded to the attention of Sara Traigle.
Thank you for your attention and assistance.
Sincerely, JOHN BREAUX United States Senator JB/ set Enclosure
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CLAIBORNE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD 318 927-6166 HOMER. LOUISlANA 71040 P.O. BOX 270 July 25,1997 Chairman Shirley Jackson U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 97 EP -5 CiII: 03
Dear Chairman Jackson:
It appears that a great injustice possibly will be done in the guise of righting supposed environmental racism. This refers to the matter of licensing Louisiana Energy Services to construct and operate its proposed Claibome Ennchment Center in Claibome Pansh, Louisiana, to ennch uranium for conversion into nuclear fuel. This project is so important to our local area - and to the nation as a whole - that this organization and I, personally, earneWy plead that the cpancun i35u C u.J.v enia. racism tiot be allowed to kili tne project.
No doubt by this time you are familiar with this issue; with the facts of the needlessly drawn out, seven year effort to secure licensing; with LES's satisfactonly answenng all questions; with the findings by the Atornic Safety ano Licensing Board and the Environmental Protection Agency that the proposed CEC plant will be safe and environmentally sound, and with the last-ditch claim of environmental racism by Citizens Against Nuclear Trash (CANT), a local organization led by anti-nuclear activists and individuals with a political ax to gnnd. These persons have skillfully led and agitated citizens of local rural, black communities in order to gain their own ends.
Extensive investigations have revealed that the proposed CEC plant will not pose a threat to the neighbonng communities. Racial matters played no part whatsoever in selection of the plant site - the intervenors have presented no proof of this because there is none. As a matter of fact. it would be difficult to find any suitable rural tract in this part of the country that did not have homes of black citizens in the surrounding area.
It is interesting that many propenies around nearby Lake Claiborne are owned by white citizens.
Claibome Pansh is one of the poorest in Louisiana. and it is beenming more-se as younger people must settle elsewhere to find suitable employment. Chbome Ennchment Center will provide a tremendous economic boost, creating a doubted propeny tax base, $10-$12 million in use taxes for the pansh Gehool system dunng construction,400 jobs at construction peak and 180 permanent jobs (only 21 of which would require college degrees or expenence), with LES intending to hire 70% of workers locally. At the commonly accepted ratio of 1:2.5, the 180 permanent jobs also would create an additional 450 jobs.
LES has purchased 442 acres of land, but the actual plant site will cover only about 70 acres. It was selected because cf its size. Its terrain and the area's seismic stability, NOT because of racial makeup o any nearby small communities.
If licensing for CEC is rejec,ed great injustice will be done to the LES consortium wnich has spent more than $30 million ano more than seven years on the project: to the 400 N O o %D 6b Mg.
persons who would'not find work helping build it; to the 180 persons who would not find the permanent good jobs to be offered to black and white alike; to American industry which would not find an improved source of nuclear fuel; to the Amencan ecology which would be called upon for much less energy to perform the centnfuge enrichment process; and to the Unrted States government which now is operating the higher cost.
antiquated ennchment service.
l Please do not let the important msjor benefits of CEC be lost because of a trumped up charge by anti-nuclear activists. Please quickly finish approval of LES's licensing application.
Yours very truly, e 'U
&&y r
J. T. Taylor President JTT.km
J CLAlBORNE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD 318 927 2222
+
HOMER. LOUISI AN A 7104O P.O. Box 270
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Broad Based Claiborne Parish Group Urges NRC Licensing of Uranium Enrichment Project HOMER, LA - A biracial group of more than 300 Claibnrne Pansh residents has sent a letter to the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) urging approval of Louisiana Energy Services' reque.a for a ;;censc to build end Operate the Claibome Ennchment Center (CEC) near Homer. The propcsed multi-million dollar plant would ennch uranium as a step in the process of producing nuclear fuel.
The letter is sponsored by Claiborne Economic Development Board, which earlier cited the " needlessly drawn-out, seven-year effoN to secure licensirrg" and the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board's findings that the proposed CEC "will be safe and environmentally sound." It claims that " national anti-nuclear activists and individuals with a political ax to gnnd" have led the effort to deny licensing "in order to gain their own ends?
The letter forwarding the hundreds of supporting signatures said,"Many persons have indicated their distress that this great opportunity for our parish might be lost because of a spunous claim of environmental racism. Because of this, Claiborne Economic Development Board has made available to them this means of submitting their signatures to indicate their confidence in the proposed plant and their desire to see Louisiana Energy Services' appeal approved and licensing issued."
Persons who signed the letter are residents of the Towns of Haynesville and Homer, Villages of Athens, Lisbon and Summerneld, and communities of Arizona, Antioch, Aycock, Blackburn, Center Spnngs, Colquitt, Forest Grove, Gordon, Humcane, Marsalis, Pine Hill, Ruple, Sharon, Standpipe, Weldon and White Oak, allin Claiborne Pansh. Both black and white persons are included.
The letter closed by stating, If denial of licensing for Claibome Ennchment Center bece"se of the unsupported claim of environmental racism is allowed to stand.
incalculable harm will be done to future efforts toward economic development in our parish, throughout Louisiana, and possibly anywhere there is an appreciable number of
African Amencan c:tizens. We plead for real justice through approval of Louisiana Energy Services' appeat."
Contact:
James T. Taylor or A. D. Williams (318) 92 T-6333 (316) e24-127 2
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4 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of LOUISIANA ENERGY SERV!rES, L.P.
Docket No.(s) 70-3076-ML (Claiborne Enrichment Center SNM License)
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that copies of the foregoing BREAUX LETTER DATED 9/17/97 have teen served t son the following persons by U.S. mail, first class, except as otherwise noted and in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR Sec. 2.712.
Administrative Judge Office of Commission Appellate Thomas S. Moore, Chairman Adjudication Atomic Safety and Licensing Board U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Mail Stop - T-3 F23 Washington, DC 20555 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Washington, DC 70555 Administrative Judge Administrative Judge Richard F. Cole Frederick J. Shon Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Mail Stop - T-3 F23 Mail Stop - T-3 F23 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Washington, DC 20555 Washington, DC 20555 Janice E. Moore, Esq.
Richard G. Bachmann, Esq.
Diane Curran, Esq.
Office of the General Counsel Harmon, Curran & Spielberg Mail Stop 15 B18 2001 S Street, N.W., Suite 430 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Washington, DC 20009 Washington, DC 20555 Jay E. Silberg, Esq.
Roland J. Jensen Counsel for NEI President Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge Lousiana Energy Services, L.P.
2300 N Street, N.W.
2600 Virginia Avenue, N.W., Suite 608 Washington, DC 20037 Washington, DC 20037
O Docket No.(s)70-3070-ML BREAUX LETTER DATED 9/17/97 Robert G. Morgan Licensing Manager J. Michael McGarry, III, Esq.
LES - c/o Duke Enginearing and Counsel for LES Services, Inc.
Winston & Strawn PO Box 1004 1400 L Street, N.W.
Charlotte, NC 28201 Washington, DC 20005 konald Wascom Nathalie M. Walker, Esq.
Deputy A:,sistant Secretary Robert B. Wiygul, Esq.
Office of Air Quality & Rad. Protection Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund Dept. of Environmental Quality 400 Magazine Street, Suite 401 P.O. Box 82135 New Orleans, LA 70130 Baton Rouge, LA 70884 Dated at Rockville, Md. this 10 day of October 1997
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