ML21062A015

Comment (30) of Claire Gervais Opposing Notice of Intent to Conduct Scoping Process and Prepare Environmental Impact Statement; NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC, Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2

ML21062A015
Person / Time
Site:	Point Beach
Issue date:	02/19/2021
From:	Gervais C - No Known Affiliation
To:	Office of Administration
References
86FR7747 00030, NRC-2020-0277
Download: ML21062A015 (2)

Text

SUNI Review Complete Template=ADM-013 E-RIDS=ADM-03 ADD: Phyllis Clark, Bill Rogers, Mary Neely Comment (30)

Publication Date:2/1/2021 Citation: 86 FR 7747 3/2/2021 blob:https://www.fdms.gov/c339fa 77-093b-49d3-8a6f-0f9706354dc9 PUBLIC SUBMISSION Docket: NRC-2020-0277 As of: 3/2/21 1:41 PM Received: February 19, 2021 Status: Pending_Post Tracking No. klc-mnco-rsew Comments Due: March 03, 2021 Submission Type: Web Notice oflntent to Conduct Scoping Process and Prepare Environmental Impact Statement NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC; Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 Comment On: NRC-2020-0277-0001 Notice oflntent To Conduct Scoping Process and Prepare Environmental Impact Statement; NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC, Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 Document: NRC-2020-0277-DRAFT-0034 Comment on FR Doc# 2021-02001 Submitter Information Name: Claire Gervais Address:

MADISON, WI, 53711 Email: cmgerva@gmail.com Phone: 16082208819 Docket ID NRC-2020-0277 General Comment My name is Claire Gervais, MD and I am a family medicine physician in Madison, Wisconsin. Thanks for taking my comments on the Point Beach Nuclear Reactor Environmental Impact Statement. As a health care professional, I have many concerns about nuclear energy and public health. This particular nuclear power plant is a concern to me as a physician caring for the people of Wisconsin.

There are significant public health and environmental risks associated with the use of nuclear fuel including those associated with extraction and processing, transportation, use in power plants, power plant failures, and waste disposal. The EIS needs to consider medical data in regard to the risk of nuclear fuel such as a study concluding that leukemia incidence and mortality rates were elevated for children living near nuclear facilities (1 ), which may result from prenatal exposures (2). These explanations on causes are speculative since these epidemiologic studies are very difficult to prove.

Additionally, disposal of radioactive waste is very dangerous, difficult, and expensive. The waste remains for tens of thousands of years, and therefore medical and environmental risks and storage costs remain for eternity.

When the power plant was built 50 years ago, we did not have renewable energy options like wind and solar. Currently these energy options are rapidly developing in Wisconsin since they are both more available and have become less expensive. When compared to nuclear fuel sources, renewable fuel sources are superior from both the environmental and public health perspective.

blob:https://www.fdms.gov/c339fa77-093b-49d3-8a6f-Of9706354dc9 1/2

3/2/2021 blob:https:l/www.fdms.gov/c339fa77-093b-49d3-8a6f-Of9706354dc9 The EIS must consider not only the public health comparison to renewables, but also the economic perspective. It has been estimated that renewable energy can generate 162,000 jobs to the state of Wisconsin (3), a significant economic boost for our state.

This is a very brief overview of the health and environmental issues that extending the life of this power plant would perpetuate. Not only should the life of the plant not be extended, Wisconsin cannot afford the public health, environmental and economic impact of this nuclear plant and should start the process to shut it down well before 2050.

1. Baker P J, Hoel DG. 2007. Meta-analysis of standardized incidence and mortality rates of childhood leukaemia in proximity to nuclear facilities. Eur. J. Cancer Care 16:355-63

2. Fairlie I. 2014. A hypothesis to explain childhood cancers near nuclear power plants. J. Environ.

Radioact. 133: 10--17

3. Abel D, Spear K. 2019. Wisconsin opportunity in domestic energy production: The economic and health benefits of 100% in-state energy production blob:https://www.fdms.gov/c339fa 77-093b-49d3-8a6f-0f9706354dc9 2/2