ML22056A354
| ML22056A354 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Pilgrim |
| Issue date: | 02/04/2022 |
| From: | Cannon G Town of Bourne, MA |
| To: | Christopher Hanson, Suuberg M NRC/Chairman, Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel (NDCAP), State of MA, Dept of Environmental Protection, US Environmental Protection Agency, NRC Region 1 |
| Cannon G | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML22056A355 | List: |
| References | |
| LTR-22-0054 | |
| Download: ML22056A354 (4) | |
Text
TOWN OF BOURNE Glenn Cannon, Acting Town Administrator Email: ecannon@townotbourne.com February 4, 2022 Town Administrator
-24 Perry A venue ¥ Room 101 Buzzards Bay, MA 02532 www.townotbourne.com 508.759.0600, Ext. 1308 Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Ad:visory Panel (NDCAP)
Via email NDCAP,,l'state.ma.us Martin Suuberg, Commissioner Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection 1 Winter St.
Boston, MA 02108 Deborah Szaro, Acting Region 1 Administrator 1U:S. Ertviforlrtietatal Protection Agency, Region 1
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- r The Bourne Board of Selectmen read news reports in late November about Holtec International's plan to remove water from the spent fuel pool and discharge the radioactive water into Cape Cod Bay.
The Bourne Board of Selectmen voted on December 14, 2021, to go on record opposing any plan to discharge radioactive water from the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station's reactor x~sseJ.and: spent fuel pool into Cape Cod Bay.
J1f additi~ the 1Bb.ard *tequesJs thatthat*the -'F omt of *Bourne: ~nll the1 Bo-urne &ard of Selectmen be notified by MassDEP, EPA, the Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Pan~i:(NDCAR), ana-:the.Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of any proposed use or act_ual use of ttnNPDES permitJot:the discharge of radioactive water in the waters of the Ca~Cod CanaJ,ottCapeiCad Bay.
As121/ Cape;Go'd.:COtnrilurnt:y, we are very concerned about the potential adverse* impacts any dischm-geof1:aofoactiv~watet:.would have on our region's public health, the environment, and the,loc.al--eGOtiom.¥.'£"!! J,., *;;,:.r *:i :,r*,f}~ ::: *:;' v,:/\\i:J '
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Designated as a State Ocean Sanctuary in 1970, Cape Cod Bay is recognized for its ecological diversity and significance. Its marine and coastal habitats support many commercially important fish and shellfish species, as well as state and federally listed birds and marine mammal species.
In late winter and spring, the bay serves as a rich feeding ground for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.
Yet Cape Cod Bay's ecological bounty also underscores its environmental fragility. Cape Cod Bay is unique in that it is a semi-enclosed embayment that is not conducive to dilution and disbursement of pollutants. The cumulative effects of radiation combined with the enclosed nature of the bay translate into too many unknown risks to make the proposed discharge acceptable. From a human health perspective, the potential for bioaccumulation of radiation in shellfish and finfish that are used as food sources is of great concern to us. These health concerns also translate into potential threats to our coastal economy, with ramifications for our commercial fisheries as well as the many businesses that rely on tourism dollars.
Discharging the contaminated water into Cape Cod Bay is not the only option available to Holtec. Instead of releasing the water into the bay, the company has other alternative actions to take that include storing the water at the site, employing evaporation, or trucking the water to another location. There is too much at stake to gamble with the health of the region's environment and its residents by permitting Holtec to use Cape Cod Bay as its dumping ground simply b,ecause it is cheaper for the company to do so.
We therefore state our strong opposition to any plans to discharge water containing radiation or other contaminants into Cape Cod Bay.
Sincerely, Acting Town Administrator Cc:
Governor Charlie Baker Office of the Governor Massachusetts State House 24 Beacon St.
Boston, MA 02133 Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey Attorney General's Office 1 Ashburton Place, 20th Floor Boston, MA 02108 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren 309 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 U.S. Senator Edward Markey 255 Dirksen Seriate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510 U.S. Representative William Keating 2351 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 State Senator Julian Cyr State House, 24 Beacon St. Room 312-E Boston, MA, 02133 State Senator Susan Moran State House, 24 Beacon St. Room 506 Boston, MA, 0213 3 State Representative David Vieira State House, 24 Beacon St. Room 167 Boston, MA, 0213 3 State Representative Steven Xiarhos State House 24 Beacon St.
Boston, MA, 02133 Christopher T. Hanson, Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 Michael S. Regan, Administrator U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of the Administrator, 1101A 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20460
TOWN OF BOURNE Town Administrator 24 Perry Avenue Buzzards Bay, MA 02532 FIRST-CLASS MAIL
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