ML060450725

LTR-06-0057-Letter from New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Acting Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson Supporting the Oyster Creek License Renewal Hearing

ML060450725
Person / Time
Site:	Oyster Creek
Issue date:	02/01/2006
From:	Jackson L State of NJ, Dept of Environmental Protection
To:	Diaz N NRC/Chairman
Julian E
References
%dam200602, LTR-06-0057
Download: ML060450725 (3)

Text

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed: Feb 02,2006 17:II PAPER NUMBER:

ACTION OFFICE:

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LETTER DATE:

ACKNOWLEDGED SPECIAL HANDLING:

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LTR-06-0057 SECY LOGGING DATE: 02/02/2006 Llisa Jackson NJ Nils Diaz Support of ASLB hearing for Oyster Creek license renewal contentions Signature of Secretary RF 02/01/2006 No OCM #8356 Prepare an Exparte response for Secretary's signature ADAMS DATE SIGNED:

C1l;lilI;IOt IEF? ' S OFFICE PAEE 62/03 February I, 2006 The Honorable Nils J. Dizz Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulato~y Commission Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 Re:

Support of Atomic Safety Licensing Board Hexrings for Oyster Greek License Renaval Contentions

Dear Chairman Diaz:

I arm writi~g to express my disappointncnt that the staff of the Nuciear Regulatory Co~nrnission (NRC) has recommended against holding henrings on contentions that New Jersey stakeholders have raised in the context of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station license renewal.

As you may know, Oyster Creek is the oldest nuclear power plant currehlfly operating in thc United States. In waluating whetha the plant can continue that operation for mother twenty years bepnd the expiration of the surrent licmse in 2009, I Rope that the Commissior! will conduct an open, public process, with the fill partkipation ofthe people who live near the plant and in consultation with the state and IocaI gsvmrnents that have direct knowledge of the plant 2nd the surroundiq community.

Several serious concms need to be aird in public. First of all. the NRC, Amergen, state md Ioal govrzmments, and the public need to discuss plant-specific alternatives for managing severe accidenfs. The plant's -mhaability to m aaifcrafl attack, especially m attack targeting the plant's spent fie1 pool has been the subject of extensive Eosd debate which will not md if the XRC chooses to deny a public hearmg. Equdly public has been the discwsi~n of metal h t i p e in key mmponents of the plant. There is wbstmtiaE w n c m over Amergen's use ofnon-conservative xsumptions regarding mekd h t $ p c fix the additienai P ~ m t y yezr-rs [hat the piapt would be L-, senice In addi-tioi;, fhc ??ant r e k s on a combustion mbine, owned and O D ~ T Z ~ I ~.

by a sqaraec mmj?any. for bachp puwm Clan the plant truly rely or, that turbine: without kfll~ence over !he tur$kek aaa.aWdity7 maintenance. md aging mnagerne~t. to provide the power needed to shut dsqm the reactor safely Lnj czse ofik power is lost.'?

Public hearings befbt-P the krornic Saki> =d L i c ~ s k g B e d (ASLB) will allnw 6 r an open exchange of informarion, an iindersimdirag of bqes for the x ~ m z n t s on either side o f the issues! and a chance to resolve the opera issues that concern thc citizens of New Jersey. I sincerely hope that the NRC will provide this opportunity, not~xiithstmding the commendations of the agency's staff The Depxtrnent of Environmental Protection could certainly conduct its own public meeting in ordo b allow stakeholders the sppartunity to voice their concerns and present reasonable contentions. We cmprovde transcripts of the proceedings h m this meeting to the NRC for your response. However, that meeting would at best be a supplement to, and not a substitute for, an open and transpxent decision-making process by the NRC.

I look forward to y o u response.

Sincerely yours, v

Lisa P. Jackson

.Antkg Commissioner