ML20234D250
Text
{{#Wiki_filter:.... ~ .r> t ); 2 .g,a.: ~'~""LW.,,, L _ ,2 0b .l -- 7 = y,,,: =':!:r.::t., ,.:. :=::: u ;;: y,, g 7Cnidsb 4fa4 Senals 4 Ae
==: = - =::,:=:.. -,m.- - 3;.'.::=.%
- "~"* &
af. ::r E'.g_ May 31, 1963
- 't~::' t I Honorable Glenn T. Seaborg Shairman, Atomic Energy' Commission Washington 25, D.:C.
Dear Chairman Seaborg:
Por many months I have been ' receiving assorted protests and apprehensive expressions prompted by plans for the Bodega Head nuclear generating plant being per-fected with cooperation of your Commission. There ia. widespread' uneasiness about the dangers which may attend this project. I know that your Commission is aware of the. hazards involved and ha s been madr. aware of public uneasiness, to say the least, abcet poss191e conse-quences of some accident as well as of adversw effect (on marine life from nomal operations. I have engaged in some correspondence with a ~ constituent who is a respected scientist with grave doubts 8 about the. wisdom of proceeding. I have advised him to register his views at the hearing I was notified your Commission intends to hold at Santa Rosa on the application for a license. Nevertheless, he has taken the trouble of i 5 writing me at length and has made some challengiro state-ments which'I deem worthy of thorough evaluation. Because I want to see that the fullest consideration is given every-earnest expression of doubt, I am sending you a copy of this individual's most recent letter, which I trust will be reviewed carefully. I.would welcome coms.ent 'on the challenging points ar.de therein. ~ 3,),. t I m# p With kind regards, I am,' / ~ / ,., i.'# 9 G ' gp.g g Sincerely yours, a ./ y. t ., s
- h
. )$ s *. .i k ./C y THOM/.S H. KUCHEL s .+ u , /' Q-'.;; y 3 . United States Senator n
- Pm N$.... F Enc 1:
'6- ~ g' % - Y ^' 8709220025 051217 Ya PDR FDIA \\ G-FIRESTOB5-665 PDR i l ~ t
.(f.. .j ,y. %._f%. .~ y. gaj y :.= fy. j 'Q.;.. &, 3L ' fW.Q Q &__.g?M (- c g, .g, g vp t, .. n'. %...y-Q.x ~ q,. e=yp . & ( y f..' . y 20, 1963 M una u.To ? %a ). y '. Ma tyi t i u 1 .l c 6 ci JUN121963 > t i c Sonatcr Thc=s H. Kuchel. D 9-- t -4 i [-(/ U i '.Sanate C fica B'mies . '\\,. 'e 'y ' ~Q-tQ cc::.: cid Uachingtcn 25, D. c. /, / l > Daar Sonatar Kuchols D / W,g 7: Thank you for yot2r latter,of May 23, in reference.to the affair or Extega Hond. [4 I heps yca vill, bear with me at least enae more on this problem. At the octect, 'j i sin:s ycu co=n'to bolieve that there 1.2 no. danger of 'advarso effects on m:rino life ]j and 1 ply, parte.po unintention:lly, that I sug possib2y be opposing procre:s out of ,2 fear end/dr doubt, I should explain that I sra director of the mrir.e statica main-Q' tatrad by the University of ths Pacific, W4*tely downwind of DodoCa Ec:d, and g @y ') .th:t I enjy a modost international reputatior in the field of marina biolcy. Your frtwd :: 2.S Chenboro c-n' perhaps enlighton you further., Anyhow,.as a persan of. c;:: cc 1,0:n.co in marina hiolo;y, I c2n=ot make agr vr4ualified predictics that thsre je i un1 d.a no cdveres effects en mwins life, as.I do not balists na (inc3niing tha EC) "S I havo ths infomstica on which to b :s the prediction. In large'part as tho stre:W j of ::y testinany.at the Pablic Utilities Cassissien hearings Inst year, the Cd:icn crd:r:d the Pacific Gas and Electric Campany to tMcrtake study of the hydrogr:phic g-cr.1 tr.rina biolocical aspects to determine the pocoibility of such effects. As it is ,.g a rm.latory body ca: posed mostly of lawycrs, I doubt that the 'Ccurtiscian really knew jy just Uhttit was asking fer., At the prosant time, the Nationsi Science Foundations sy l is d:hting thother or not to Ernnt 1.5 millian (or thereabouts) to the University of, .!y Dwercia to build a marica 1 baratory near the reactor site.~ AlthouCh I cm fro, 4 , q.t ntly cann11tod by.the Matienzl Science Foundation on' matters of, this 'nsture, I , j F4 fcit t:s p: rec.233y involved to be objective about this one ard d41 not participate p:t 1:2 ths & 11tsr:tiens. I don't know what they will finally decido, but I know they y c::c V:ry ud.cppy about being p1W in a se.swhat sukward situation by ths Uninrcity ig of C:lifcrnia. lj l
- a t.s fcr opposing
- progress, I do not claim to know much if anything about ::u,-
!l e cic: pc;=. and rc ctors, but I darosay that you are a:ssre that neither ths seicnti. j j fi: nt: c:enetic cc:::unitics are unaninous concerning the need far a reactor at Bef::d Prc:ident that the Bodeca Head project is being presoted far reasc=2 of pres. - },_j 3 E::d end, ind:od, it muld appear fra what I have sean of Scabarges ropc=t to t' tics c;:d cn:curacc=ont of the privaie pcuer program far atmia energy, samsubat. i ch:d of the real economia justificatim. p Qat I do ' object to is the fact that a vary large reactor canplex, amounting "i ulti rtoly to fcur largo reactors, i's proposed for a site known to be seL*11y - activo,.ncnoly rath:r close to the San Androas fault, and'that whild a great ds 1 h:a b,cn : id abcut the oc=parative' safety with which reactors can now bo'operat:d, tha dcaccre:s cad ha:hrdous business of openinc up the reactor to replace the fuel
- ds, and the pw11-4=y treatment of this matorial at the site before it een be r.c7ed'sny has been very soft,Wa1% The release of radioactivity duries this
, proc 0:s is four or five/, times as great as during " normal operatim". Should this I fA;MN h.:.m [ 4 24 4 N [/ h s.w k MSTdWqJW.j 4N.g.24 ,WJM G m me m G m i.s _1 m., a - L_ _. n .T . O -
l ~ - -ca W" ~ "~ " ~' ' ' ~ hayTo* Is63 .( "U n '. prc:e:r coincids with a major 'carthqu ke,' W rolacso o ides. .crs. d sling withea cource of pollutim to dich.ths ststute o bd cpplied. This' priraiple app ars to hnvo bnen established in England, end I c: en:1:9.~ a copy of. a book review fraa l'cture for J.pril 27, ocaccrning. this po
- o 6 ihat c=o'is:ue is a genarel articis' on radiatica damago, and a pa?acrc*5 f.cn the.t articlo concerr.ing an ireident at 02k Ridge is italuded.
thing vet 04 auggest that the potentini dangsr frcn a reactor on Bodoga Ecad is This scrt of I g re.th;r hich= th:n at other places, and I undorotend that Psoitic Cas and Electric Cecp:::7 is alco cencidering a. site at Collinrrillo ter another recctor. I = cencorn:d, th:y vcald to bcttor off to go thero new. As f 2 as In c v event I vich to reit:rt.to that thip is too serious a m:ttar to be left up to ths decisi,ns cf pecp2a
- in 15 preneting r. gor.ny (A,LC ) rad the egreting e;ccey (P.04 E.)
e ? tolicva thic pecific probleg of Bodes Head.should bo. looked into thorc' chly b Th?.2 i: vty I 1 i b::t co2 atisic minda we have avehh d ./ n: Ycu havo mentiorad ths retics cf the Ccrys ef Enciraers. Shisbringsupa cen:::1 probica concerning. in c.: n:vi bla waters. charco'undar which the Cafpo of Incinoc:s:cpar tes 2 C upcn tho effect 'of.the project onIt, naches all ita dcoisions, and voichs etidenec, en2y g.tir.a or prc= ices not to interfor,navication. If ths project has no effet en n271- _j o with h usintenance of dredged cha..323, c:: 4 the 11':33 tha Engineers hero no reccars: but to approve its cried if it Aculd con-
- dp1 1
flict with 1cc:11=s or equitics. br2;:.,It vc Id ba quito possibleThis they havs mado plain acsin ard zgni:i et 9 fall ender their jurisdictics) to cppr,ove h dredging of the cand bars out:ido
- 3 1=nti :o Esy for fill and building material,.ovon if same very cohpetent c:00rtsj predist:d that this could cer.n the subcoquant 12.ek of nourishment to the besch:s en
,i . the ha !btoo chcro. In fact, Dr4 In=an cf Scripps. Institution of Oceanocr ph7 hns predict d tbt, as a result of jetties and harbar imprarements in acuthern Cnlifer-{Q ^ nic3 I:4 prc:=t c:.ni vill bs c:.wici'a=y 1tha 13fo (:7 :t=cy of scuthern Colitetmi { 3 ,8. 7 shore currents and its npisecnint vill net ~ , { _;3 h p:: bib. 'Leccrdingly, I beliers Wt Conc;.tes vill soonar o 4 A alts.u. tics of ths c:rrire=:st. I boliovs that r.ng'peopla.within the Cens v=1d L_.i, volec: :2ch a chance. In any event I thick the decisions of the Corps in rQr= j$l cnc3 ts cctiviLion at Sodega Eay enn,not.to cited as gproral in av way of tha pec.
- 3 pc::C rn:ter project at Bodecs Bay.,
l.g j4 I certainly p2cn to register my views ~at the preposed A.E.C. hearing, altho vs h:vo b::n intc:=d by our State Coordinator of Atenia Energy.the,t an27 c: pert a j ' t : tin:'ry ralstus'to the cpora$1on of the reactor will be accepted as ro1cust b th1% h:.~pi:g bc:rd. 'd. 4 .h .. ', Tory tru27 yours, - '.'? ' + ) h.'ti,N .$ ', T ,,,1 y, 3,,,,s,[ l. i a ces Senatcr Clair Eng1s . 's ( en:1. 1 5 s,'. h . I.b g L.
- ' n,.lc
).,. l.: 4241 ~ f p. +..~ 4 d.5. f M m. d m, e k. d....4:1 & JN'"",1-n. s... j i -~ 4
JD
- FrSm'"NAT UREF No. ' 4 878, ' April 27, 1963
)' / I . \\./m -w W. gile _C,opZ y- , c :, >' NUCLEAR LIABILITY'- '0 ' Law and Administration '*.. o.. u' .I Vol. 3: Nuc1 car tiability. ' Edited, y 'Jerr' y' L'. WeizisteiE,"(P[o'gress in Nuclear 'i Energy, Series.10. ) Pp.xicxiv+4 83.r1r.{. r:(Lo,ndon and New York: f. Pe'rgamon Press, i: 1962. ) 14 0s. n. Let' ".;;, i-0;- .s .fl f V-r. ,,, c,,, g,,, 3,. .The operation of a miclea'r reactor or plant in which there is a critic 411ty hazard raises safety and 1,egal pioblems hich,.ar's entirely nev'v. Unless the dose
- .j -
is high, radiation injuries do not normally become evident for som, e time', possibly J4 as much as 20 years.a/ter'the event,so In this field the"fi'mita't'lon period within ' Iq which legal claims can be made must be extended far beyond the usual three years. If a major, accident occurs, r'adioactive contamination can take place over.a wide q T area, possibly even outside'the, national Soundary, resulting(in restriction'i'n the ,J J use of foodstuffs., These are but two of many problems which nations, ha'vi'ng'such' ') M ~ d plants have tried to meet with new legisla[ tion,.which although.it may differ in 7 detait shows good agreement in' ernationally on all major, points. ~ t =; The normal concept of liability by fault is repla[ced by abslolute liability,' in [., which the operator of the plant is wholly liable for the consequences of an accident. g.~,7 The amount of money which must be available is clearly very large; under British ll law, the sum is 5 million pohnds, beyond which the Government undertakes td i $pf provide anything further. Other countries.have similar. amounts and i egulations' - .ej k;j written into their legislation. Except where the Government is the operatoi, it is rarely possible to carry this risk, and it is normal, therefore, to cover it by' [M 1{3] insurance; even here, the amount is high, and special consortia of ins' rers u have had to be set up.in various countries. ev Interesting points arise if an, accident can be ' proved to be.cause,d by a
- . j ~ t faulty part st plied, for example, by a small firm. Ea'ch sub-contractor is.not, t.
however, ree;uired to cover himself,'since the operator is wholly liable',' though .j '~ this does not exclude the possibility of his being sue'd by the ' operator. .l[ The transport of nuclear ' fuel and waste. materials.is not an everpday IO occur.rence, but an accident could have,very serious consequences. In such a'n e ve nt, Who is responsible,'the carrier,Ithe sliipp'er or the consignee? This is - 1 fairly cle'ar at international 1evel for sea and air transport, but not necessarily' ', 'p 1 for land transport, hj , r ', :g . ' 1;.i '.'. ' E t y .,7 ., n. L,. N/-: 4, ' :.u ? : n. k'. . l '. ~,j,.i.6l.. f l k: i W
- ...a. -
u . :.w :. t . } ?.>,h!
- 8p. p D..,.'.**s
.,. 5, U .. s 1 j g, e n, .. y. g, 4
- 2. -
. _( y y-These arc all problems which are discussed in co,nsiderable detail in the volume under review. Appropriately enough, the contributors are. truly international, and even if some of the cha'pters are speculative, they are none the worse for that. One most valuable chapter is a review of .' i 384 nucicar accidents, ranging from those causing death o'r widespread ) contamination, to relatively minor spills of radioactive materials; though J not a co,mprehensive list, it is international in scope. It'shows cle.arly
- j. -
how few serious iccidentai have. occurred, and how difficult it is, therefore, (j to assess the probability of a nuclear accid'ent; this in turn makes,it very
- i. j difficult to assess insurance rates, which are almost certainly,too high at j,
y the present time. I',7 s l 3 This book may not have a general appeal to the legal pr'pfession, since ' !.. _i the. subject is so specialized, but it is 'an important a'ddition to any library- {- 9 s on nuclear matters. It is to be hoped that further s. volumes 'of similar l Mj stapdard eavering generallegislation on. radioactivity vrill follow. '[ y,3 i , a....... y ~. _ e y ,j, -7 s,.., ,. g[. a. 'I k . ' ' ;..., :,%,. g, g i Ev2.ns . :.;, 5 J. .,*f.,, .. g., 0 ',.. c.. 1. -.,, i .i ' t 'lm':,. '.,a' ' lf,' ' ; _ e a (,w.-j i p:'q, c m.... :.y.. * ' M n.- v..n * '11 lJ , o,. W,
- ..c.
, { { 1,. i. (: f. ,s . t. ".. 4 ,4 c,a .;.c., t. 4 ,. t. *. y.fl+, t M.. 4 I.y lL, i. .. -Q. , * $ '$ b,., f[d'
- l?
d' a h is +, . /,.. g.., ,c. fg 4 y'
- f.,
..W.. .. % ~. i. s . y;. .- <<n... Vtv ,.., ab,. ..o;*-,. ,,e l 4 J \\'.' d ..,E! ', / 3 f. 4, .. ~ ' .~.., ; ;,.. , _... { o,,.... ... ~.,.......i... .a .i u N.[;'.L., c . [..:l. l,'[ { S,'";.5'31. " '. )i .~ , +w -t 9.,v. ., i. ,..i ', *...., ~ ll ~ - '; e.. < :.,..<.t.,, ,:, s., .- a + .,3'S&f.~%' ~3,.. :a,, n,., '7,
- f. P ' '. \\
j - --.e
- q.
, y
- *.: u ~. * <.
r N. u,.i p,, a r ...x: .;; ~ (.. x. .y < ~ j / ? '* I y~. . a, \\ y l .s y - p ;n y as 1 t. e.. t e:* A. 1. t y. t. t .,s. .r. ..(, . ",, r ?: ?.' t r. ..r. ,( h., p) i. 4 iq; q., t 2 . i. .n e. .'grf.*;,'.'g.j!',,jff,p.j,[h.... ',....,f. i.,. , y, g. J l. i e... 7.- .4 .o., ',s. m '. 3,y.4i s. f (j,, ;*w*,.,,',,,...e.. _. A m.I.m' k,.m},#f4,... b' ,3 . N ,e c '. f 3 .,, ' 'u s,i.) j ,,8., . f ' _' ' 8 '. l 6 g .c. ._..m__. Y
v = w c_.. 1. ^. (J .l 4 ~, i W ##** ' 3 N Eilo 27FECIS T ATECC BDIATIQI v-by C. Ate:Sach, ~. XATURE, April 27, p. 3h3 4. r. s Savaral -abe accidents an discusa:Hl. The IF fer hu===s c.T. osed t 50 to short4cra wholo-body radiatics is estimated to 11a botuaan 300 ont 500 rada. H 22 the Osk Ridge accident in 1955, fivs p'ersons received 'deses meu the 2cice + '*-'t of thia ' range. All af them recovered without M d;::=sge; To thic, ..f p.. he:.nrst, s:2st nur be added the r.on recent cyM-4a=' f4*dia 3 4 that in 2S62 j ths blocd af all theco persecs shined,a high,.vgidan'of abnon:a1 chrw .s c;3 l cc=s cousto and of chtmosome ahormlities. A. smaller p.wtion af si=ilar M 64 ct,==: :211 tina was found ingthe blood of persons who,.in the sses cecid f-i ~ be=1 c=pered to louer doces. After the Windscale. sooident,.the' I ccc:t=t of 131 -%q r411h 15 r.:Ichbaring farts was maro than 1 po./1., a dose that is co:siL-".cd r . g, L. 3 egiv:lant to 130 radsj that is, to move than half the does (200 r.) that, given ..q L 3 es x-rw to tho acks or eas childran, pr-e cancer of the te rada in about b r nq r 3 p r ecst of th m. Althe=sh this hicur contamina.ted milk =s.sithec== aca.p' am ~ tha e-mot, there resins the diaturbing fast that the ocatrols,. that is, 3:11k i
==:ces seca. in this a=s=== wf th. a=ta=t,. taimd a v.m. w-M.. g 232/1. as oempand with 5 6 in the united ringda as a whalai. .ii s ,T F r_.N' . 14 .c S. h. s. 0Q.Nb.@kgv a gr \\ + e n o T p c b... p s. 1 3 .s. t n a d::r, n. A., and o ach, p. c.,. and. nos.16, ble (1962) b v e, h,, )k; 1 .[ 4241
- o
.N { c ;.. ge,4 { ..i. P. .-ll. si*,* 1
- m... e n
..N ~ d.h M.IdidS; I$~$k { ' ~ 4 n = 4 % 3%,..w+ ve. v.*-**.* ][]^ __ _ [ _.,,,;,L .-,=me'*** . :_- !_?""
85*.M5 N 11,%D em FATE OF D CUM NT: Oggg EECEIVED l N2 5 Nw.*,g Med',g f f UNg $AM&y &j ff 'Y wEuos gp c' f9s M $N neQ Qh CC:
- ogngy, ACTION NECESSARY C
CONCURRENCE O o^TE AaswEaEo- _CLAE88FJ NO ACTION NECESSARY O couuCNT O a vi POST OFFICE PsLE CODE P REO. Nor 50 -2 of Df5CRIPTION: (kust Se uncessifaed) REFERRED to O^TE i Ese em - RECElVED Sy
- "a* *
- e-zt. e4d %d3 7%@.dQ Q]Qgg DATE Et W Te B'M w,tu n g g m
M RAUTil LW AE*n? ),1:fy N ENCLO60AE4 I kNd M M 4 j 2 l .t j a l 5:, i i ..~.:. AL M AR A3: I l = i 1 / 1 c s ew ~ $ 1 - 7 y.. as. me nnar como,,2o= MAIL cowraoL Fodronx uc... ) _...., 9 ~ ~. ;, x -- ~ m a..Dh---854 q ,, W g.n G, '888 d6, g. "{ ._M
- 3_n, r,,,
e t==* ..L. ~
- , o h,
_f* N-- , ', _,.er**.* u_ _ '.;..J. l i., .---,.. ~. e . ~,.. e
- =
_..m ,.m , ' ^ " n. 3.& ' :*- = ~.j n D %-~.. ~~~^~=w-- ~.T~**.T'-**'^ ~4 - ~ .,.~ ~, R, e' ,;, p. L,~, ** T, .T T ,f,l " [g' '**e- ~.* w & * ' & T'.-*$ ^ .....'.'s
- w..,* ;",,"~f 1
. a;*." ~,'-- y?. %~. w...e s'.'*"*-,'---,~'*.'* -#' h. ~ MI'
==E* ,.4..,,...+* e d e,34 T 7 i .."..w ,f om -.:;. M :.**c*r',*~ce
- 2 ~~ #_
2 g r*, a l..:, 1-s-7.m r 'M
- r ~~a
- ~.
= ,,s.- ,s ~, ' * ;" ~ .5 ' w.m_, w ; "..e. :c. =~.3 T-..' Z.J ~- T J* "****~'* - N"- w;. s_._.m.' &~;, ~~**l*,,*f *.- 6 ,a.,, ~. -u n p; zg'~~ [;+.: ~* ^ p,, h*
- A
[.,. _ z.. gy---- y ~,.m v- ~. - -~ l m ~ ~ -* -%,e. N=
- '*was,.
y
- s.
.s,, m. -.,, 7. 'n . m '*4Pd gg. --', se, .p,.-ee.et ' - * ' = * ~, ' ~,, ' ,4e e.ee,. +J , &ess '- Y ~E "h*** '4,8 'W + 4 w .-w j .i Y a+ n sw..~e -e - - - - - - - - - 4}}