ML20215C491
| ML20215C491 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/08/1987 |
| From: | Murley T Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Carpenter T GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20214H042 | List: |
| References | |
| 2.206, NUDOCS 8706180139 | |
| Download: ML20215C491 (2) | |
Text
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JUN 0 81987 Mr. Thomas Carpenter Citizens Clinic Director Government Accountability Project I
1555 Connecticut Avenue, N. W.
Suite 202 Washington, D. C.
20555 1
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Dear Mr. Carpenter:
This letter acknowledges receipt of your petition dated May 1, 1987, on behalf 4
of the Government Accountability Project (GAP) and others, which you state is in response to our letter dated May 27, 1986, wherein your' petition filed May 6, i
1986, which requested an agency response to the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear i
reactor, was denied. Your petition requests that the Commission order l
implementation of the relief requested in your May 6,1986, petition, that the j
NRC suspend further licensing of nuclear facilities in the United States pending 1
a study and report of the. accident at the Chernobyl plant, and that the NRC i
review the findings and request public comments on such a report for their l
applicability to facilities licensed by the NRC.
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Your earlier petition was denied because you failed to provide specific L
information which would compel a halt to licensing of facilities in the United States. Your present petition is supported by an enclosure entitled " Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of Chernobyl Petition." This petition asserts, as a basis for your request, that there is similarity between Chernobyl and features of boiling water plants in the United States. Furthermore, the petition maintains that the Chernobyl accident provides important industry j
experience which warrants review of existing industry standards under NRC regulations. Since the petition seeks relief within 30 days of its receipt,
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the NRC staff has reviewed the petition to determine whether or not it contains 1
issues that require immediate regulatory action.
After the accident at Chernobyl, numerous analyses were undertaken and i
meetings were held internally at NRC, as well as at the international level.
These activities focused on implications for immediate actions, as well as identification of new safety issues and information that affected any ongoing assessments of previously identified generic safety concerns. An effort was undertaken promptly to integrate evolving information about the accident at Chernobyl in a reevaluation and prioritization of safety issues for U.S. light t
water reactors, such as was done following the accident at Three Mile Island.
In addition, NRC coordinated an interagency fact-finding effort. The results are contained in NUREG-1250, " Report of the Accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Station, Unit 4," published in January 1987. A draft report on the implications of the Chernobyl accident for regulation of U.S. reactors has been in prepara-l tion and is expected to be issued for public comment shortly.
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L),;A 8706180139 870608 f (/ /Q hF PDR ORG NRQCHER PDR I
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l Mr.. Thomas Carpenter 1
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Thus far, the above activities have not uncovered any information which we would
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consider to mandate immediate regulatory action or suspension of licensing acti-vities in the United States.
Hence, I do not believe that immediate implementa-tion of your requests is warranted.
Your petition has been referred to the staff for action pursuant to 10 CFR 92.206 of the Commissior,'s regulations.
i As provided by Section 2.206, action will be taken on your request within a reasonable time.
I have enclosed for your information a copy of the notice that is being filed with the Office of the Federal Register for publication.
Sincerely, Original signed by James H. Sniezek Thomas E. Murley, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation i
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Enclosure:
As stated DISTRIBUTION 1
RAB R/F W. Schwink DCS 1:Ce'atraliFileli R. Cleveland EDO 2860 PDR L. Shao EDO R/F S. Davis J. Richardson D. Hagan K. Campe A. Thadani V. Stello, EDO R. J. Barrett C. Rossi B. Clements (SEC)
F. J. Congel J. Partlow OGC R. Starostecki H. Miller ASLAB J. Sniezek M. Taylor, EDO ASLBP T. Murley S. Newberry, EDO ACRS (10)
F. Miraglia J. Blaha J. Resner (2)
G. Sege J. Funches GPA/PA i
F. Hebdon D. Mossburg (EDO 2860)
S. Chidakel, 0GC l
- PPMB D 4 h:
RSanders ek t
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- See Previous Concurrences 6/4/87
/ /87 f/ /87 0FC
. ____. _"DRPEP: RAB
- *DRPEP: RAB
- *DRPEP: RAB
- *DRPEP:D
- *AD:ITA
- 0GC NAME : SMDavis:ye
- KCampe
- RJBarrett
- FJCongel
- RStarostecki :
Schidakel DATE : 5/28/87 5/28/87
- 5/28/87
- 5/28/87 6/2/87 5/28/87