ML21067A657
| ML21067A657 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades, Big Rock Point File:Consumers Energy icon.png |
| Issue date: | 03/08/2021 |
| From: | Schneekloth L Western New York Environmental Alliance |
| To: | |
| SECY/RAS | |
| References | |
| 86FR8225, NRC-2021-0036 | |
| Download: ML21067A657 (2) | |
Text
From:
Schneekloth, Lynda To:
Docket, Hearing Cc:
jay burney; Jessica Gilbert; Brian Smith (bsmith@citizenscampaign.org)
Subject:
[External_Sender] Docket ID NRC-2-21-0036 Date:
Monday, March 08, 2021 11:46:17 AM Attachments:
Comments NRC Palisades Lake Michigan 3.8.21.docx TO: NRC Docket ID NRS-2021-0036 FROM: Western New York Environmental Alliance RE: Request Extension for comments and opposition of transfer to Holtec for Palisades and Big Rock Point nuclear power plant sites.
DATE: March 8, 2021 The Western New York Environmental Alliance is a network of environmental organizations in WNY with a mission to protect, conserve, manage and restore healthy, resilient, thriving ecosystems and communities in Western New York through collective action, collaboration and campaigns. Given our location on the Great Lakes we are mindful of all actions related to the connected largest body of surface water on earth. This water is priceless and should be protected at all costs and each decision regarding use, law, regulation and/or practice must be considered in light of its impact -
now and in the future - on the Lakes.
We also live within 30 miles of the West Valley Nuclear Waste Facility that continues to endanger our community leading to our campaign to begin the process of decommissioning all nuclear energy plants. So we are pleased to hear that after May 31, 2022, the Palisades plant will be closed and no more high level radioactive waste will be generated there.
However, the radioactive risks will continue, even after reactor shutdown, at both sites, as we know from the 70 year clean up at West Valley. There is significant contamination of the entire Palisades site, with hazardous radioactivity and toxic chemicals. There is also a vast amount of high-level radioactive waste stored on-site, where it will almost certainly remain not for years, but for decades to come. Thus, the decommissioning (facility dismantlement and radiological cleanup) phase at Palisades still portends very significant radioactive (as well as other hazardous) risks.
Because of the untrustworthy reputation of the proposed new owner, Holtec, and the ongoing danger of this site, we oppose the transfer of licenses and ownership, from current owner Entergy Nuclear to proposed new owner Holtec International, for the Palisades and Big Rock Point sites, located in Covert Township, Van Buren County, near South Haven, and in Hayes Township, Charlevoix County, near Charlevoix and Petoskey, respectively.
And given the complexity of this situation, we strongly urge more time for making comments so that groups can be more clearly understand all of the variables.
TO:
NRCDocketIDNRS20210036 FROM:
WesternNewYorkEnvironmentalAlliance RE:
RequestExtensionforcommentsandoppositionoftransfertoHoltecforPalisades andBigRockPointnuclearpowerplantsites.
DATE:
March8,2021 TheWesternNewYorkEnvironmentalAllianceisanetworkofenvironmentalorganizationsinWNYwith amissiontoprotect,conserve,manageandrestorehealthy,resilient,thrivingecosystemsand communitiesinWesternNewYorkthroughcollectiveaction,collaborationandcampaigns.Givenour locationontheGreatLakeswearemindfulofallactionsrelatedtotheconnectedlargestbodyof surfacewateronearth.Thiswaterispricelessandshouldbeprotectedatallcostsandeachdecision regardinguse,law,regulationand/orpracticemustbeconsideredinlightofitsimpact-nowandinthe future-ontheLakes.
Wealsolivewithin30milesoftheWestValleyNuclearWasteFacilitythatcontinuestoendangerour communityleadingtoourcampaigntobegintheprocessofdecommissioningallnuclearenergyplants.
SowearepleasedtohearthatafterMay31,2022,thePalisadesplantwillbeclosedandnomorehigh levelradioactivewastewillbegeneratedthere.
However,theradioactiveriskswillcontinue,evenafterreactorshutdown,atbothsites,asweknow fromthe70yearcleanupatWestValley.ThereissignificantcontaminationoftheentirePalisadessite, withhazardousradioactivityandtoxicchemicals.Thereisalsoavastamountofhighlevelradioactive wastestoredonsite,whereitwillalmostcertainlyremainnotforyears,butfordecadestocome.Thus, thedecommissioning(facilitydismantlementandradiologicalcleanup)phaseatPalisadesstillportends verysignificantradioactive(aswellasotherhazardous)risks.
Becauseoftheuntrustworthyreputationoftheproposednewowner,Holtec,andtheongoingdangerof thissite,weopposethetransferoflicensesandownership,fromcurrentownerEntergyNuclearto proposednewownerHoltecInternational,forthePalisadesandBigRockPointsites,locatedinCovert Township,VanBurenCounty,nearSouthHaven,andinHayesTownship,CharlevoixCounty,near CharlevoixandPetoskey,respectively.
Andgiventhecomplexityofthissituation,westronglyurgemoretimeformakingcommentssothat groupscanbemoreclearlyunderstandallofthevariables.