ML20214G321

Ack Receipt of Encl Recipients Re Plant.Assures That Protection of Public Health & Safety Will Be Paramount Consideration in Decisions to Be Made on Hearing Record When Reviewing Decisions of ASLB & Aslab.Served on 870519

ML20214G321
Person / Time
Site:	Seabrook
Issue date:	05/19/1987
From:	Carr K NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
To:	Combs M, Combs P AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
References
CON-#287-3494 OL, NUDOCS 8705270020
Download: ML20214G321 (2)

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Paul and Misha Combs 423 Franklin Street Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 SERVED MAY 19190

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Combs:

Thank you for your recent letter concerning the Seabrook Nuclear Station.

Since the Seabrook Station is currently the subject of licensing hearings before the Comission, it is inappropriate for me to consnent on the merits of the issues. You may be assured, however, that protection of the public health and safety will be the paramount consideration in decisions I may make on the hearing record when reviewing decisions of the Comission's Atomic Safety and Licensing Board and Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Board.

I would note that the Comission's Atomic Safety and Licensing Board recently denied the Seabrook applicants' petition for a waiver of the Comission regulation that establishes a 10-mile radius for emergency planning zones around nuclear power plants. A copy of the Board's decision is enclosed for your information.

I appreciate and welcome your views on the Commission's responsibilities.

Sincerely, a m . nh (

Kenneth M. Carr Comissioner cc: Seabrook Service list C

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423 Franklin Street

'M 1 Cambridga, MA 02139 April 29th, 1987 Messrs Asselstine, Bernthal, Carr, Roberts and Zech Commissioners US NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 1717 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20555

Dear Sirs,

As long-time residents of the Boston-Portsmouth (NH) region, we urge you to reject categorically any effort to reduce the evacuation zone for the Seabrook nuclear reactor to anything less than the already insufficient 10 miles.

On Sunday March 8th, we were in Hampton Beach, NH, within sight of the reactor building but more than a mile away. It was the first warm day of the year.

Leaving at 5:30 PM, it took us nearly two hours to reach the Route 1 bridge between Salisbury and Newburyport (a distance of about 8 miles) because of the traffic. As you well know, the roads in this area are almost all 2-lane. At the height of the summer season we have seen 8-lane I-95 at a standstill on many more than one occasion. Furthermore, anyone who lives or has lived in the area knows that in the summer it can be almost impossible to get one person to a hospital in less than an hour.

All claims of safety features notwithstanding, we cannot forget the actual explosive potential of a nuclear reactor and the grave danger posed by its gag fallout. Recent history has shown us that it is criminally irresponsible to fail to plan for the worst possible events when dealing with such forces as those contained in a nuclear reactor. We came close to experiencing them at 9 Three Mile Island,- and we know now that the Chernobyl reactor was indeed "oro- .

tected" by a ( Mtainment structure. So much for safety features.

l Considering the hazards that are already documented, it is our conviction that I a 10-mile evacuation plan is hardly adequate. A 1-mile evacuation zone is totally unacceptable.

l l For the record, we will support any legal response to the criminally irresponsible acceptance of such a foolish proposal -- from lawsuits to lobbying for the dis-mantliag and reorganization of the NRC.

Sinc re ,

Paul and Misha Combs l

l cc:

Secretary Charles V. Barry, MA Office of Public Safety Governor Michael S. Dukakis Congressman Edward J. Markey l Congressman Nicholas Mavroules 1 Senator Edward M. Kennedy Congressman Joseph Kennedy Attorney-General James Shannon l

Senator John Kerry Congressman Gerry E. Studds l

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