ML20235H511

Partial Response to Appeal Re Denial of FOIA Request for Documents Re Dismissal of Health Physicist at Plant for Whistleblowing on Mar 1985 Incident of Equipment Malfunction.Documents Withheld (Ref FOIA Exemption 5)

ML20235H511
Person / Time
Site:	Peach Bottom
Issue date:	09/28/1987
From:	Stello V NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:	Bauman L GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT
References
FOIA-87-228, FOIA-87-A-58 NUDOCS 8710010081
Download: ML20235H511 (1)

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SEP 2 81987 Ms. Linda Bauman Government Accountability Project Midwest Office IN RESPONSE REFER 104 E. Wisconsin Avenue TO F01A-87-A-58 Appleton, WI 54911 (F01A-87-228)

Dear Ms. Bauman:

This is in partial response to your letter dated August 2,1987, in which you appealed Mr. Donnie H. Grimsley's response dated July 15, 1987.

Mr. Grimsley's response denied eight documents in whole or in part which were subject to your Freedom of Information Act (F0IA) request for documents concerning the dismissal of a health physicist at the Peach Bottom plant for whistleblowing on a March 1985 incident of equipment malfunction. This response will address the three documents listed on the enclosed appendix. Mr. Chilk will respond separately concerning the other five documents.

Acting on your appeal, I have carefully reviewed the record in this case and have determined that the previously withheld infonnation will continue to be withheld from public disclosure pursuant to Exemption (5) of the F0IA (5 U.S.C. 552(b)(5)) and 10 CFR 9.5(a)(5) of the Commission's regulations. Your appeal is, therefore, denied.

Documents one and two listed on the enclosed appendix are drafts which are clearly predecisional because they were prepared prior to and in the course of reaching a final agency decision. These documents describe the preliminary staff thinking and, therefore, contain preliminary .

advice, opinions, and recommendations of the staff. Exemption (5) was I intended to permit the agency's withholding of such documents to preserve j the free and candid internal dialogue necessary for the careful  ;

formulation of agency decisions. 4 Document three listed on the enclosed appendix contains the advice, opinions, and reconinendations of the staff. Exemption (5) shields from mandatory disclosure information generated in the deliberative process that precedes most decisions of government agencies.

, This ic a final agency action on the three documents. As set forth in l the F0IA (5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4)(B)), judicial review of this decision is available in a district court of the United States in the district in which you reside or have your principal place of business or in the District of Columbia.

l Sincerely, 8710010081 870920 PDR FOIA #

BAUMANB7-A-58 PDR V ctor Stell , Jr.

xecutive Director for Operations

Enclosure:

As stated

- GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTADILir( PROJECT 1555 Ccivecticut Avenue. N.W. Suite 202 WosNngton, D.C. 20036 (202) 232 E -

MIDWEST OFFICE 104 E. WISCONSIN AVENUE APPLETON, WISCONSIN 54915-8605 April 15, 1987 FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST Direetor IREDOM OF INFORMATION of fice of Administration I

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20210 gOM

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TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN t

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Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552, the Government Accountability Project (GAP) requests copies of any and all agency records and information, including but not limited to notes, letters, memoranda, draf ts, minutes, diaries, logs, calanders, tapes, transcripts, summaries, interview reports, procedures, instructions, engineering analyses, drawings, files, graphs, charts, maps, photographs, agreements, hadnwritten notes, studies, data sheets, notebooks, books, telephones messages, computations, voice recordings, computer runoffs, '

and any other data compilations, interim and/or final reports, status reports, and any and all other records relevant to and/or generated in connection with the dismissal of a health physicist for "whistleblowing" at the Beach Bottom nuclear plant as reported by the Associated Press on December 30, 1986 (see enclosed). This request covers records generated bot h before and af ter the release of the report, as well as any records gencr; -

in connection with this request.

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1 This request includes all agency records as defined in 10 C.F.R. 9.3a b. f and the NRC Manual, Appendix 0211, Parts 1.A.2 and A.3 (approved ,

October 8, 1980) whether they currently exist in the NRC offical, "w o:7.C n.3 '  !

investigative or other files, or at any other location, including privtze )

residences. j If any records as defined in 10 C.F.R. 9.3a(b) and the NRC Manual, s u ; . :: , _f and covered by this request have been destroyed and/or removed after Es l request, please provide all surrounding records, including but not lirited to a list of all records w hich have been or are destroyed and/or re:ncved, ,

l a description of the action (s) taken relevant to, generated in connection w J ~ l I

and/or issued in order to implement the action (s ) . i 1

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i CAP requests that fees be waived, becausa " finding the information can be considered as primarily benefiting the general public," 5 U.S.C. 552 (a) (4) (a). GAP is a non profit, non-partisan j pubile interest organization concerned with honest and cpen governmen ,

Through public outreach, the Project promotes whistleblowers as agents of government accountability. Through it Environmental Whistleblower Clinic, GAP of fers assistance to local public interest and citizens j groups and interveners in the concern for saf ety at nue, lear power plants.

We are requesting this information as part of an ongoing monitoring j l project of the NRC's efforts to protect public health and safety at

' and near nuclear processing plants and radioactive waste f acilities.

I For any documents or portions that you deny due to a specific FOIA exemption, please provide an index itemizing and describing the documents or portions of documents withheld. The index should provide a detailed justification of your grounds for claiming each exemption, explaining why each exemtion is relevant to the document or portion of the document withheld. This index is required under Vaughn h Rosen (1), 484 F2d 820 (D.C. Cir. 1973), cert. denied, 415 U.S. 977 Il9 N ).-

We look forward to your response to this request within ten (10) working days.

Sincerely, c / 4 / )

David S. Rubinton, Coordir ator l FOII. Litigation Clinic, G1 P l t .

Responses to thiE, request should be mailed to  !

104 E. Nisconsin Avenue Appleton, Wisconsin 54915 8605

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8 4 Th0 Asicciated Press 11 . f.aterials-in the AP file werE CC'.;11ed. by I.i2 As3;;isteG Preis. Ihti:

9 3. t r ial*3 riay not be republish?d without the exp.rE.s written consent of ~ .

Ash:itted Preis. '.

December 30, 1986, T.se d::y, PP. :/cle .

SECTICH: . Domestic News p- ]

LENGTH: 287 words ,

HEADLINEt NRC: Peach Bottom Fired Whistle-Blower f<-

t 'v DATE'.!NE : PHI'_ADELPHI A KEYWORD: Nuke Whistle-Blower-BODY:

f A ruc. Lear power plant employee exposed .to radiation at the Peach Bottt;-

nuclear plant was laid off 'JeCause he notified the Nuclear' Regulatory Cor.02.

of the incident, an NRC spokesman says.

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The Associated Press, December .30,1986 /~ )

Hcwever, Philadelphia Electric Company, which owns 42.5 percent of the. 41.: ..

30ttcm plant, said the employee, a health physicist,' was dismissed in a ci.;;IT'.: '

Bt thE plant that reduced the Work force from 130 employees to 90. I,

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The federal regulatory agency will review the case and release its fint: .;.s  ;

i by the end of next month at the earliest, according-to' Bob Gallo, NRC sect;;r. .i-chief responsible for the Peach Botton plant, Which is located near the M;rjl2.n D border.

"This has a chilling ef fect on employees at all nuclear power plants," W1: '

i said Monday. <-

"If they feel they will lose their jobs if they spea?. tc the NRC, ennicIliv there could be potential problems at the plant that we wouldn't find out B::..:,

. he said. ,

A 1974 federal law prohibits employees at nuclear power plants f rom beir.;

fited for " whistle-blowino. Ralln Anitt -

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f , RESPONSE TO FREEDOM OF Id DQ *ana INFORMATION ACT (FOlA) REQUEST (e..e e JUL15 37 socast asuwetts: w e%

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%G. naat J. W PART 4.-RICORDS RELEAMD OR NOT LOCATED (See checess e--s f

No agency recorde sub,ect to the seguest he=e been located.

l No addluonal agency recore outect to 9's suckset have heen located 1/ Agency ,eco , set to ine ,s ussi e. are areed

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f717 H Street, N.W., Washeigion, DC N - *eedy evea.tas for - en.ec.on .nd cot,,,ng et she NRe m Documere am g

Agency escords subtect to the request that ero eterered e Appenda iI d d are tong made evenetas terseesc mopecton ard cepeng a the NRC Pulse Decenwre

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Room,1717 H Street, N.W,, Westengeon, DC. m 8 folder under the FOIA rasviher and requester name.

l The nonproprwtary wormon of the proposeMel Wiet you agreed to accept m a toisphone conversenon wrth a member er usy sesff a now tising meds evenstdo for public trapecean l end coytng et the NRC Putec Documer* Room,1717 H Street, N W , Washeignan, DC, in a folder under the FOLA aseer and rary== name.

l Enriamarile adormation on how you mey otnain access to and the charges for copymg recorde pieced an the NRC Putdc Ducarnent Room,1717 H Street, N W., Washmge l

Agency records .Apoct to the reW are enct*.eed Any apodicable charge for copues of the recorde provided and permanns procedures are noted in De commente som Recorde subpect to the request have been redened to another Feders agerWnal for revww and dweet response to ymm

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PART ll.A-INFORMAT10N WrrHHELD FROM PUBLIC DISCLOeum e

Certem bformetbn b the requested records ' berg wrthhe6d f'om pubic diectomuro pursuant to the FOIA exempaore esecreied in and for the reasono sieted in Part II, asc-more 9, C, and D. Any ro6eemed portions of the ecumente for whn:h onfy part of the record a bemg wethheld are bass mado eve 4eble for putsc inspechon arv.f she NRC Putsc Document Room,1717 H Street, N W., Washington, DC, e a folder under the FOIA number end reoimoser name.

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Re: F01A-87-A-58 3 (F01A-87-228) l APPENDIX

1. Undated Draft letter from Thomas Murley to Philadelphia Electric, re: Notice of Violation and proposed Civil Penalty w/ enclosure (6pages).

2. Undated Memo from Thomas Murley to James Taylor, re: Proposed Civil Penalty (2 pages)

3. 1/28/87 Memo from Gary M. Holahan for Jane Axelrad, re:

Enforcement Action 87-05, Peach Bottom Unit 3 (1 page).

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Re: F0!A-87-228 i

APPENDIX H RECORDS MAINTAINED AMONG PDR FILES

1. 12/16/86 Ltr from J.W. Gallagher, Philadelphia Electric Co. to Thomas T. Martin, Region I, NRC Accession No. 8612230385.

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Re: F01A-87-228 APPENDIX I j RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE PDR UNDER THE ABOVE REQUEST NtN ER j

1. Undated Draft Synopsis of Case No. 1-85-019(5pages).  ;

2. Undated Investigator's handwritten notes (13 pages).

3. Undated Comparison of Manpower and Delays (1 page).  !

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4. 8/26/85 Various Organizational Charts (8 pages).

5. 11/21/85' Handwritten ltr to Carol Gibbs from Mr..Matakas (1 page). i

6. 5/8/86 Memo from Ben B., Hayes to Thomas E. Murley, re: Peach 4

Bottom Atomic Power Station (PBAPS); Alleged Threats to i Employees to Prevent Disclosure of Possible Overexposure to NRC (1-85-019) (1 page).

7. 6/25/86 Memo from Chester W. White to Thomas E. Murley, re:

Release of ' Office of Investigations Report No. 1-85-019:

Peach Bottom Atomic Station / Alleged Threats to Employees to Prevent Disclosure to NRC (1 page).

8. 7/9/86 Memo from Ben B. Hayes to Thomas E. Murley, re: Office of l

Investigation Report No. 1-85-019, Alleged Threats to Employees to Prevent Disclosure of Possible Overexposure 1 to NRC, Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station (1 page).

9. 8/28/86 Memo from Chester W. White to Thomas E.~ Murley, re:

Report of Investigation No.1-35-01g (1 page).

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10. Undated Bartlett Nuclear, Inc. Personnel Policy (6 pages).

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Re: F01A-87-228 APPENDIX J-RECORDS PARTIALLY WITHHELD l 1

1. Various Investigation Status Record (4 pages) Ex. 7d,4 $ iC. .

2. 9/20/85 Chronological Record (1 page) Ex. 7c. l

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t Re: F01A-87-228 APPENDIX X l RECORDS TOTALLY WITHHELD

1. Undated Draft letter from Thomas Murley to Philadelphia Electric, re: Notice of Violation and proposed Civil Penalty w/ enclosure (6 pages) (Exemption 5).

1 2.

Undated Memo from Thomas Murley to James Taylor, re: Proposed Civil Penalty (2 pages) (Exemption 5).

3. 10/17/86 Investigative Work Plan (4 pages) (Exemption 5).

4. Various Investigator's notes on various interviewees (167 pages). I (Exemption 70)

5. Various Report of Interview / Statement / Interview notes of confidential source (58 pages) (Exemption 70).

6. 1/28/87 Memo from Gary M. Holahan for Jane Axelrad, re:

Enforcement Action 87-05, Peach Bottos Unit 3 (1 page).

(Exemption 5) 1 1

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