ML20214Q087

Requests Any Info Necessary for Satisfactory Response to Encl Constituent Ltr.Investigation of Statements Requested. Newspaper Article & Correspondence Control Sheets Also Encl

ML20214Q087
Person / Time
Site:	Peach Bottom
Issue date:	10/17/1986
From:	Walker R HOUSE OF REP.
To:	Kammerer C NRC OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS (OCA)
Shared Package
ML20214Q054	List: ML20214Q052 ML20214Q081 ML20214Q087
References
NUDOCS 8612040514
Download: ML20214Q087 (8)

Text

F T e-BOBER . WALKER. , . , swa a cuanca

. 1ITw DesinCT. Ps=Nsnwma JOHN W. HOWARD WASMeNGTON OFFCE MARC T. PHILUPS GOVERNMENT OPERATeONS DeSTRCT OFFCES SC:7.NCE AND TECHNOLOGY house of Representatibes Masfjington, B.C. 20515 October 17, 1986 Mr. Carlton Kammerer Director, Congressional Affairs Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1717 H Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear Mr. Kammerer:

The attached communication is sent for your consideration. Your investigation of.the statements contained therein would be help-ful. In addition, I would greatly appreciate any information necessary to make a satisfactory reply to my constituent, as well as the return of the enclosed correspondence.

Thank you for your cooperation in this regard. I will look forward to hearing from you at your earliest opportunity, dially, Robert S. Walker am U D P

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I IPe'ach Bottom: A~ dishster on the.' doorstep?[

8F Wh ar accident in the US. within the .

l amaday h Staimsha' next 20 years is as high as 45 oer- ' i I *

' . . Sometimes people are so busy cent. By includ Feach 110tlom '

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lookmg over their shoulders they ' on a list of " m plants." the - -- - - -

i don't ney attention to what hes at NRC appears to be placmg its .

their feel. bets.

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.' j .* $ i Take "Three Mile Island And the NRC isn't the oni

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4 (TMD and Peach Bottorn nuclear one betting on trouble at Peacg .~,.,s .

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T the site in 1979 of the e're particularty troubled + ,

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j 4 utrut commercial nuclear acci- about Peacti Bottom.', said Ken

' dont in US. history and cleanup is Mabe of the Union of Concerned p *' *\ . . 4- g 4 , .-

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i i stillfarfromeomplete. Scientists (UCS) in Washington. . '

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I' But just a few miles down the D.C. Mahe sums up the plant's

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I~_. '--- River Peach Bot. problems in two areas - human N',"M)* ?q 'Y lylh *' .

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tem suffers from a lack of atten- error and design failurt - the a J eum 1 ' , i .M . $* *

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. tien - on the part of its operator same two areas "that brought us Philadelphia Electric Co. Chernobyl." , . , , , , , , , , . . . . ~ O g,",

• y'Z,*j,7 . ; Q .p My (PECol the Nuclear Regulatory UCS s concern is supported '

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' sh==* tNRC) and the pul> by a recent study by Public Citi- ',

lic. sen's Critical ass Energy , , , , , , ,,m . _, u. . ,4.,,...,,,,- .. . . . .y ,

my - f .w ,w . ... w l that the chance of a major e- %M-M pe.ch 3.,,em, es seen from the lancaster County side el the '-- ;-

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e A4 WihAT IsrW5.Osember 12,19e6 useful? Spackman said.

ments are truly"NRC,the federal Yet the TMI accident now OWhpthe Plant -

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• w hee "u'"bmerm industry.

tem so strongly?

Peach Bot- another eemanraa cdsens' group. Pea.

BottomtoAHiance w.

duashamedIsomiPese One Maise says two serious formed focus on tPBA)lety the sa Itse seest Davis- Peach Bottom plant.

'rohet, a W . D.C accidents last year, at aded Domes Besse plant in Ohio and the Ran- PBA menibers met week insed talpb Naganization r. Peach - cho Seco Cahforr.la. &

for more than two yg 4l> on the NRC. E A subcomittee of the House shared i mation on energy i icized t i finding D Energy Committee requested the ternatives, oppnsed further devi dant:mergency shutdowns,which Cenesings y NRC undertake an internalinves- opment of nuclear power a iring plant operations to a rapW m tigation to determine to what ex- helped persuade the ,Maryla halt are risky business because tent its " failure to correct knowti legislature to resist dum mg he/ place tremendous strains on ent weaknesses and de- radioactive water from ir

'pment and operators, Public ysignects" m responsible for the Susquehanna Rmr, neau tiaen hterature en laina.1he e # the Davis-Besse accident. ' The the former president. Stan Kolle UtC estimated in leefthat a fifth h subcommittee said, in eNect, that a b6 ologist who lived in Card, if all component malfunctions NRC wasnt paymg attendon Md.

accur anu such emwgency abut. But gradually the gro With the~finner pointing at the Iowns. NRC, the NRC 6egan pouq_the " burned out " Kollar said. Voh a1he NRC, in its latest Sys-

• fin er. Malze says the NItC teers. scrardbh'r.g to find the tir ematic Ammenment of IJcensee %h

• ked some of the weak sisters and the money b ,

'erformance (SALP) report, crit. w sla around." fight, confronted the utsh. ps ; o cized the Peach Bottom operator Verk Co.

or "inattendon to detail,' ' tom- believes that publiciz- employees at every pubbe me

" and ' oversight." . PEACH ing the dangers of the worst ing. " Eventually you get 0; ala plants and aEministering "a slap gunned,"Kollar said.

years Peach in last BOTT004 lottom, which sits in southern on the wrist"in the form of a fine .But thm m anothn reas (ork Q>unty, south of the Norman will take the heat off the NRC if nuclear afba ,a wi wha ir a eil or xc ing pow teatup rates and pressure limits; Map loceke Pooch.Benem, ny allowing these plants to contin- * *nand %wm boreceivmg N lara al west some modifications or Taize the NRC should radiatie doses at work, cc dupp r na sitI erdin o ts, such as Maninf be shutting down plants like vinced a number of PBA me.

I sprays inside the 8=nWatr to Peach Bottom. "In this regulato- bers to moveout of the area.

nosN' eve 2ifem'rabeestounremaanaNe-tion. In addition cool gases, backup power environment the only way Xollar himself " thought to keep cochng pumps somg a ts get shut down isif the utih-his year: .

voluntary shuts down or was the next ' cal candidate i e 1he NRC levied a $300.000 blackout and vents.

1he reactor that melted down blow up and shut ves a major ace' ." He took Ine againd PECo for control red -at Gernobyl was not i==ad in a down " Maize said.

emovat mistah*= made by four leave of absence from his test 1he only protection is in pub- ing job at Harford Commun icensed reactor operators during concrete acd steel marnament he Un$ 3 startup m March. building as is at Ameri licvigilance Maizesaid. -

Daniel ford, USC's former CollUe fala n but andhasmoved since to the Controt rod removal resultsin can commerical anta. wasAtspread Ger- executive director, puts it this hve in Norrisville.

r.tensification of the nuclear fis. sebyl, redsoacti *Everyone is concerned.

sion reaction and producuon of over a earea. , Soviet citizens have no eini most move, way: say in "t heir country's nuck v pro- stops there " said Kollar. T wat. Untimelv removal could to a gram. American citize:s, if plant is generally perceived as sllow the reaclion to get out of the NRC added Peach

'nand. I list of " problem niants" submit. enough of them exercise their good neignbor who7vides nor income to the area e Barold Denico, the NRC of. tad to the House toergy Commit- rights.can have the finalword? After PBA dishandad, fortr 5cial who presided over the TMI tee's subcommittee on energy a1he NRC has charged the accident, cr:Ucized Peach Bot. conservation and power in July, plant rators with complacen- members like John S. "K-Am's ytanagement before an au. citing "sporadae mnhapa." relat- cy. A the onal NRCsubcommit-its beenAdams of Airville %m caster-based j*oined==the Val;14 Sience.of l ancaster Rotarians in ed to " poor actices and ald- tee has in its oversight duties. Alliance (SVAWhile Carol Ni derelict tudes"at the ant.

fune, occusing PEco of being In the of Neil McDer- But the public also seems to share aan of Delta went to a few Yt preoccupied" with its new Lim. esman for PECo, the the penc-hant forlooking the other Enviornmental Alliance (YE track auclear plant to the detri. mott, a few areas we way. meetm' gs.

ment of the Peach Bottom plant. NRC*-

IJnkin Peach Bottom with need to improve upon and that's Before the TMI accident, a SVA, formed b

, he said the exactly what we're to do." citizens' , Save Solanco En- the TMI accident hady eitsent some to af FMI and vironmen successfully opposed *mitment to Peach Bottom ora biggest threat om nuclear He predicted a ' NRC PECo's to build another nally. "It is in our objective power is by poor manage. ment in . reports (from ment, not nuclear technology. about the planD and the public's reactor ce the Lancaster County watch Peach Bottom," si eThe RC ordered a special confidence should be raised,that side of the river in Fulton Town- Frances Skolnick SVA spok inspection team to undertake Philadelphia Electric is runmng a stup. George Boomsma and Tom woman. Yet with the batue os round4beclock monitert'ng of the quality operation at Peach Bot- Spackman, both of Peach Bottom, what to do with TMI radioact-plant in June because os its re. tom." wem active until the group won waste McDermott said while the its Dght and disbanded. way,"I water cant see just getting that tuu, we ever.

neated. violadons of NRC proce. NRC may seem critical of Peach noomsma, a former sales- have the time, energy or mone) ilures.. On the other side of the riv-e pather NRC ofDelal said Bottom management, the NRC's man who describes himsar as in Juiv that General Electric latest SALP rqort gave manafe- ** sidelined" by a 1982 struke, said YEA has also focused on D Mark.1 containment buildings, ment high marzs in matar*naw it wasn't easy to rally support in though the Peach Bottom p; ant r

like the two at Peach Bottom. and refueling the his small ru al communi . withm its borders. Spokeswom

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would failin nine out of10 serious utahty .was an==== on for "There was a great dealof apa Jean Fiz said YEA "could nes much of the period- then and that continues " he sai . - any interest down there,"

accidents. area surroundmg theplant.

director of Wayne Houston sne Bot'h~ng deputy 1he dihty will use that argument Eemema said be found

%ater tne NRC were more concerned abou w t le-

" People in Delta dos. 6 waat of Reacter Division was referring to intolower the bogbe. .000 finen they mistakenly thought were know, don't want to hear it."M a neu* study under way that re. PECo has made nochangesin more important issues, une mak- Nilsson said about the NRC's I vivedb' anfety debate going on """"'ement in response to NRC ing a hving. estalarmsconcerningPeach ;

since etman, who is reUred, re- tom.

Peseti Bottom, like Cherno. critietsm. McDermott said, and he denied Denton's charge that he had powerful motivation As a PBA member who cirt is a boihng-water reactor ed Peact Bot 40getinvolvedinthat f!ght.PECo lated petitions, Mrs. Nilsson "3 '

with d pressure-subression PEco byl.

tainmknt system. steam re. tom to boost con. , which would have taken his 30 acre a lot of flak," from ant peol she sa went on line in Febmary. " Opera- starsi. a- e and from towns leased during an accident is sup. tors at Peach Bottom have a tre . Spackman a id he has rea'd 5he had her b business posedto be condensedin a poolof mendas amount of experience about the recent fine and the think alaut. Then she receis ;

water to hmit the pressure inside the containment buddmg' and,really are doing a Arst-rate been strong criticism the NRC has threatsMrs.

cashing out to Peach Bottom of physicalharm.

Nilsson is no longer a i on lower job.

t He called an Enkage of minarement. It-doesn't surprise tive in any anti-nuclear group. * '

the ch Bottom yl "ri- him. And after J4 years of resi- got too scary for all or us. T i buil h'ghter and Peach Bottom and dency near the plant, it doesn't best thing to do is foren it.1 l cost e is smaller money to t $uild than the diculas."

McDermott said a nuclear in- even alarm him. le arent going Io chan con t buildings at TMI dustry group is working with the "We recognise the, dangers s. There's no sense losi wtuch'do not rely on pressuresup' NRC t, assure that their sugges- and so forth. It's something we re- Efe or upsettmg your far pressionto assist containment. -*==nt improm ally cant & anything about," , y, y"shedecidd 1)e NRC is currently consid. tions for j -. . _ . . . . . . . - . - . .

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UNITED STATES EI n NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION k,  :$

WASHINGTON,0. C. 20555 E- ;IQ i

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EDO PRINCIPAL CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL

/

FROM: DUE: 11 N /86 EDO CONTROL: 002247 DOC DT: 10/17/86 REP. ROBERT S. WALKER FINAL REPLY:

TO:

KAMMERER FOR SIGNATURE OF: ** GREEN ** SECY NO: 86-1128 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DESC: ROUTING:

ENCLOSES LETTER FROM LESTER M. BROWN CONCERNING MURLEY PEACH BOTTOM DATE: 10/22/86 Q ASSIGNED TO: -NRW CONTACT: OFNTfnf Mb[

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

RETURN INCOMING WITH REPLY.

NRR RECElVED: G . 23, 986 g ACTION: ~. DBL: BE ERO l'^

NRR ROUTING: DENTO OLLMER PPA M0 BURG f

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET PAPER NUMBER: CRC-86-ll28 LOGGING DATE: Oct 21 86 ACTION OFFICE: EDO AUTHOR: R.W. Walker AFFILIATION: U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES LETTER DATE: Oct 17 86 FILE CODE: ID&R-5 Peach Bottom

SUBJECT:

Maintenance and management problems at the Peach Bottom facility ACTION: Direct Reply DISTRIBUTION: OCA to Ack SPECIAL HANDLING: None NOTES: Lester Brown DATE DUE: Nov 5 86 SIGNATURE: . DATE SIGNED:

AFFILIATION:

I Rec'd Off EDO Date l0 *M %

Time ;2 , ,

1 -

EDO --- 002247 l