ML20235A472

Forwards Geologic & Seismic Investigations of Proposed Nuclear Power Plant Site on Bodega Head,Sonoma County,Ca

ML20235A472
Person / Time
Site:	05000000, Bodega Bay
Issue date:	09/25/1963
From:	Carver J INTERIOR, DEPT. OF, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
To:	Seaborg US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
Shared Package
ML20234A767	List: IA-85-665, Discusses Seismic Design of Nuclear Power Plants,Including Const of Nuclear Plants in Seismically Active Zones ML20234A761 ML20234A769 ML20234A792 ML20234A798 ML20234A803 ML20234A812 ML20234A816 ML20234A827 ML20234A830 ML20234A838 ML20234A841 ML20234A844 ML20234A847 ML20234A851 ML20234A855 ML20234A858 ML20234A861 ML20234A864 ML20234A868 ML20234A871 ML20234A874 ML20234A893 ML20234A896 ML20234A900 ML20234A911 ML20234A922 ML20234A929 ML20234A932 ML20234A937 ML20234A944 ML20234A956 ML20234A965 ML20234A968 ML20234A976 ML20234A984 ML20234A993 ML20234A996 ML20234A999 ML20234B005 ML20234B008 ML20234B023 ML20234B032 ML20234B035 ML20234B040 ML20234B062 ML20234B066 ML20234B076 ML20234B084 ML20234B098 ... further results
References
FOIA-85-665 NUDOCS 8709230314
Download: ML20235A472 (2)

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UNITED STATES a M DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR g- a

1. . OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

.' WASHINGTON D.C. 20240 l

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.i i e-J Dear Dr. Seaborgt 4 ' 5 Mr

.'i l In response to the letter of May 23, signed by Dr. Robert E. Wilsom as Astias Chaimaan of the Atomic Energy Commission, I am new trano-mitting the enclosed report, GE0f.,0GIC AND SEISMIC INVESTIGATIONS OP A PROPOSED NUCLEAR 70*R PLANT SITE ON B00BGA HEAD, SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

The geologic phase of that investigates disclosed me positive evidense of active faults passing 'through the parts of the site estavated as of June 6, 1963.

But our seismic hasards investigator, Dr. J. P. Bates, sencludest I

"I believe that absence of demonstrably ncest fanating l in these parta of the site and Bedega Head where field relationships are reasonably clear is not sa adequate .

sriteries for establishing the safety of the site. i Though aseessary, it is met sufficient. In the asse of -

l eld fanits and fractures eutting the quarts diarite, miner recent offsets could be easily ontleeked. Da pertions of the Head where the quarts diarite=pleista=

eene sentant is bedly weathered or otherwise obscured small roesnt offsets probably could not be traeed free bedresk into the sedimentary cover. The site essavation

, itself samplas only a fraction of the region la whiah faultlag alght prove disastrous to the pisnt.

"j.

"The common oceurrones during larse earthquakes of effsets ki se a number of miner faults in sympathy with a large

,. . .j , displacement en the causative fault causot be disregarded, )

1 Displacements la bedroek eest af the San Andreas fanit en i i .the Feint Reyes Peninsula as the time of the 1906 earth- l

. quake indiente that faatting does esear susside the Sea Andreas fanit asas in sympathy with large displassments .

l  : withis the same, The ocesyresse of seah offsets se tedesa Head during flotase earthquakes is a deffaite sensibility.

, . "Beessee reliability limits en any estimate of seismia 1

( zl hasard to the proposed plant azo se breed, the statenest i

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of tolerable risk must be very genera!. . The magnitude l

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of possible human damage that would resmit -from the t j destruction of the plant by an earthquake suggests that it should be built only if there is no reasonable doubt

!' that it would survive any earthquake likely to secur en I

the nearby San Andross fault. It appears to me that the site does not meet this test and that it is set an.

, adequately safe location for a nuclear power plant.

"Few places' on the earth are esposed to' more certais earthquake risk than are these along the San Andreas

' Fault in northern and central California. The case j arguing the safety of the Sedags ilead site rests .

I largely on the confidence that ' granite' is a good foundation material and that it minimises ground shaking due te earthquakes and on the judgment, sup-perted but not proved by geologic investigations of sedega Head, that no faulting has occurred there during the past several thousaral years. The case against the site stwsses seisselegy's lack of detailed information on events and c'on'ditions in the epicentrai tract of a i usjer earthquake. secause we cannot prove that the j worst situation will not prevail et the site, we satst t

recognise that it might.

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" Acceptance of Sedega llend as a safe nector site will  ;

establish a procedent that will make it exceedingly difficult to reject any proposed future site en the grounds of extreme earthquake risk."

These findings de nothing to alley, but only reinferee, the grave

' concern expressed in my May 20 letter to you - regarding the seismic dangers of this proposed gedess Head location for a major nuclear power plant.

sincerely yours,

pg4 Johrt A. W. A i . t ,

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