ML20215G554
| ML20215G554 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/30/1986 |
| From: | Chilk S NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| FRN-51FR35518, RULE-PRM-50-45 NUDOCS 8610210001 | |
| Download: ML20215G554 (4) | |
Text
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DOCKET NUMBER PRM Jd-=/(~
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Nuclear Regulatory Comission
'86. OCT -2 P12:39 10 CFR Part 50 Docket No. PRM-50-45 hfggf.j.j, j,q 9
BRANt8 Kenneth G. Sexton; Filing of Petition for Rulemaking AGENCY:
Nuclear Regulatory Comission.
ACTION:
Notice of Receipt of Petition for Rulemaking.
SUMMARY
- The Comission is publishing for public comment this notice of receipt of a petition for rulemaking dated August a, 1986, which was filed with the Comission by Kenneth G. Sexton. The petition was docketed by the Comissior, on August 7, 1986, and has been assigned Docket No. PRM-50 45.
The petitioner requests that the Comission amend its regulations in 10 CFR Part 50 to require that current methodologies and analytical techniques be used to reevaluate the established Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) for nuclear power plants.
DATE:
Submit comments by Dec. 5, 1986 Comments received after' this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but assurance of consideration cannot be given except as to comments received on or before this date.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments to:
Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission, Washington, DC 20555, Attention:
Docketing and Service b
Branch.
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s For a copy of the petition write: Division of Rules and Records, Office of Administration, 4000 MNBB, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Philips, Chief, Rules and Procedures Branch, Division of Rules and Records. Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Telephone:
(301) 492-7086 or Toll Free (800) 368-5642.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
I.
Petitioner's Interest The petitioner, an atmospheric chemist and computer modeler, owns property within the 10-mile EPZ of the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, which is located 15 miles southwest of Raleigh, North Carolina. The petitioner is con-cerred that emergency planning for areas within and beyond the 10-mile distance provided in the Commission's regulations is inadequate because the current 10-mile EPZ was determined with what the petitioner asserts is now considered outdated methodologies and data. The petitioner states that advanced techniques and new information obtained through resecrch in the last 10 years have produced improved calculations and estimates for determining the reasonable size of an EPZ. Consequently, petitioner believes that there is overwhelming justification to request that the size of the EPZ be reevaluated on a site-specific basis using more current risk-analysis methodologies and meterological data.
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t 3 II.
Proposed Amendment to 10 CFR Part 50 The petitioner proposes that $50.47(c)(2) be amended to read as follows:
"The plume exposure pathway EPZ for all nuclear power plants shall consist of an area to be determined by the NRC on a site-specific basis, after allowing for review of the determination report by any interested parties. The report shall list, describe, and reference all input data and methodologies used and all other factors considered. The NRC shall use methodologies and procedures which are generally accepted as reasonably current and appropriate by recognized professional groups in each supporting field (including the American Meteorology Society (AMS) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)).
Likewise, best avail-able estimates for model input (such as source terms) shall be used. This distance shall be reevaluated at least every five years, using latest techniques and information, unless petitioned earlier by the NRC, another professional group (such as the EPA or AMS), or the general public. Generally, the models shall be at least as complex and realistic as described in NUREG-0654 for Class B models. Meteorological submodels shall consider all factors which can have an effect on the impact of the release of ~ radioactive materials to the environ-ment. The exact size and configuration of the EPZ surrounding a particular nuclear' power reactor shall be determined in relation to local emergency response needs and capabilities as they are affected by such conditions as power plant specifics (type, power output, age, etc.), local meteorology (including data from both the power plant site and local national weather service), demography, topography, land characteristics, access routes, jurisdictional boundaries, and proximity of seats of local government."
4 4
III. Conclusion The petitioner concludes that the officials responsible for assuring the health and safety of the public should be aware that current techniques have not been used in establishing the EPZ and that serious questions exist regarding some of the assumptions under which it was established. The obvious implication, the petitioner further concludes, is that the calculations and the resulting 10-mile EPZ are therefore suspect and uncertain for purposes of protecting the health and safety of the public.
The petition includes additional justification and support for the requested amendment not included in this Federal Register notice. Members of the public interested in filing comments on PRM-50-45 can obtain a copy of the petition and
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supporting documentation by writing to the address noted above.
This petition is similar in the issues it raises to petition for rulemaking PRM-50-31submittedtoNRConDecember 21, 1981, by-the Citizens' Task Force of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. That petition requested that the 10-mile emergency planning zone be expanded into a 20-mile planning zone.
It was published for public comment in the Federal Register on March 24, 1982 (47 FR 12639), and 74 comments were received. That petition and comments are available at the NRC Public Document Room at 1717 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C.
Dated at Washington, D. C. this 3 0 day of do [sN 1986.
F6'r the Nucip r Regulatory Commission.
0n> o Samuel J. Ctilk, Secretary of' the Commission.