ML20209G740

Provides Info Re Aamodt Petition.Environ Concentrations of Assumed Release of I-129 Would Fall Below Lower Limit of Detectability for Existing Analytical Techniques

ML20209G740
Person / Time
Site:	Three Mile Island
Issue date:	04/26/1985
From:	Travers B Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Finkelstein L NRC
Shared Package
ML20209G708	List: ML20209G703 ML20209G710 ML20209G715 ML20209G740 ML20209G746
References
FOIA-85-428 NUDOCS 8509190675
Download: ML20209G740 (3)

Text

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April 26, 1985 NOTE T0: Lois Finkelstein FROM: Bill Travers

SUBJECT:

INFORMATION REGARDING AAMODT PETITION Points

1. (p.13) The NRC staff (TMI Program Office), after reading a transcript of the Commission's August 15, 1984 meeting, contacted the Aamodts and volt.nteered to assist the Aamodts in confirming or not their claim of high radiation readings somewhere in the vicinity of the Three Mile Island site. Dr. Travers offered NRC assistance and did not " request" (p.13) anything of the Aamodts. Dr. Travers offered to coordinate this effort with both EPA and the PA Department of Environmental Resources (DER). Dr. Travers, not the Aamodts, arranged for NRC, EPA and PA DER to accompany the Aamodts to some undisclosed locations (the Aamodts refused to identify in advance).

2. The NRC staff performed an instrument check on the Newberry Township survey meter (Victoreen Instrument Corporation CDV-700, Serial 12681, Model 6B, thin sidewall 6M tube meter - note Aamodts spelling (Victorinne" is incorrect). This meter was used by the Aamodts to check the accuracy of the meter (also stated to be a Victoreen) used to make their readings. The instrument was determined to be inaccurate when ccmpared against known radiation sources (National Bureau of Standards traceablesources). This was particularly true for low radiation fields (e.g. in the range of less than 1.0 mr gamma). Erratic readings on this monitor were speculated as being attributable to a faulty cable. This information was conveyed to the Aamodts and Newberry Township.

More importantly the locations visited and monitored by NRC and EPA were checked with equipment much more sensitive to low levels of radiation (e.g. Ludlum Measurements, Inc., Model 19, Micro-R Scintillation Detector) - and known to be in good working order (i.e. calibrated).

3. The NRC, when contacted by the Aamodts to request the status of EPA analysis of samples did not indicate (p.13) that EPA was making revisions to the data. The NRC indicated that EPA had informed the staff that, due to an error on the part of a technician, some samples had not been analyzed correctly. EPA infomed the staff that this technical error had been identified and that the samples involved were being reanalyzed utilizing correct procedures, hD 9 0 i KUCHENB85-428 PDR

-Lois Finkelstein -

2 April 26, 1985

4. ,(see p. 15) EPA, PA DER and NRC, when asked by the Aamodts to analyze for I-129.in collected samples provided a technical rationale for not doing

50. Based on the pre-accident inventory of I-129 in the TMI-2 core, this radionuclide would not be detectable by known analytical techniques.

This is true even if it is assumed that all of the I-129 available in the core was released during the accident. This assumption is highly conservative. The environmental concentrations of an assumed release of all 1-129 would fall below the lower limit of detectability for existing analytical techniques. The Aamodts'were also informed that tests for I-129 in environmental samples are extremely complex and relatively expensive.

bM Bill Travers Deputy Program Director TMI Program Office NOTE:

1) Ed Brannigan, RAB, will provide you with the 2/25/85 EPA report referenced by the Aamodts.

2) I will fax Monday a response the last issue on Mary Wagner's list (i.e.

significance of 51000F).

AFFIRMATION RESPONSE SHFFT T0: SAMUEL J. CHILK, SECRETARY OF THE COMMISSION FROM:

COMMISSIONER ASSELSTINE SU2 JECT:

SECY-85-74A - TMI-1 -- AAMODT MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION AND REOPENING OF THE RECORD APPROVED DISAPPROVFD NOT PARTICIPATI REQUEST DISCUSSION

, ENTS:

I concur in the result reached by the Commission, but not in the substance of the order. My separate .

views are attached.  ;

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S'/$- W UAlt SECRETARIAT NOTE:

PLEASE ALSO RESPOND TO AND/OR COMMENT ON OGC MEMORANDUM IF ONE HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THIS PAPER.

NRC-SECY FORM DEC. 80 bi7