ML19257D194: Difference between revisions
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INTERFAITH CENTER ON CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITI | INTERFAITH CENTER ON CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITI | ||
( A Sponsored Related Movement of the National Council of Churches 475 Riverside Drrve e Room 566 e New York. NY 10027 (212) 370-2293 | ( A Sponsored Related Movement of the National Council of Churches 475 Riverside Drrve e Room 566 e New York. NY 10027 (212) 370-2293 wm _ | ||
wm _ | |||
.( | .( | ||
~ | ~ | ||
December 31, 1979 | December 31, 1979 Mr. John F. Ahearne Chairman ' ' | ||
Mr. John F. Ahearne Chairman ' | |||
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission e | U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission e | ||
-. . f, . | -. . f, . | ||
1717 H S t. , N.W. % ,/ | 1717 H S t. , N.W. % ,/ | ||
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/ _ | / _ | ||
Beth Lerch Energy Program Director ICCR | Beth Lerch Energy Program Director ICCR 1855 152 80020105 M G | ||
1855 152 80020105 M G | |||
7 1 r | 7 1 r | ||
> f, INTERFAITH CENTER ON CORPORATE BESPONSIBluT/ | > f, INTERFAITH CENTER ON CORPORATE BESPONSIBluT/ | ||
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e+ PC' ra c. fs K . 2.s Written S tatement Submitted to | e+ PC' ra c. fs K . 2.s Written S tatement Submitted to | ||
| Line 89: | Line 67: | ||
contac t: Beth Lerch Energy Program Director ICCR 870-2936 212)information Center and the Intertatth Committee on Soc:al Responsitintyin Investmen.'s w in of the Corpo(rate h | contac t: Beth Lerch Energy Program Director ICCR 870-2936 212)information Center and the Intertatth Committee on Soc:al Responsitintyin Investmen.'s w in of the Corpo(rate h | ||
As church c gani:ations concerned with corpora te and 3evern= ental respensibility, we oppcse the p cpesed export of Westinghouse reactor ecuipment and fuel to the Philippines. 12ny of our organizations have energy policies which raise sericus ques tiens The ab.out further greuth in the cc==ercial nuclear energy indus try. | As church c gani:ations concerned with corpora te and 3evern= ental respensibility, we oppcse the p cpesed export of Westinghouse reactor ecuipment and fuel to the Philippines. 12ny of our organizations have energy policies which raise sericus ques tiens The ab.out further greuth in the cc==ercial nuclear energy indus try. | ||
churches are guided in thet energy policies by values based en concepts . | churches are guided in thet energy policies by values based en concepts . | ||
of creation, stewardship and hope. In cur view, these values are useful guidelines in =aking policy decisions about hcw to =eet the c p cfound challenge of providing and sharing li=ited a cunts of energy without poisening the envizca:ent and curselves. In building our energ' syste=s , we sbculd exercise dc= inion, not do=ination over | of creation, stewardship and hope. In cur view, these values are useful guidelines in =aking policy decisions about hcw to =eet the c p cfound challenge of providing and sharing li=ited a cunts of energy without poisening the envizca:ent and curselves. In building our energ' syste=s , we sbculd exercise dc= inion, not do=ination over psople and the land. | ||
psople and the land. | |||
; As stated in the National Council of Churches policy I | ; As stated in the National Council of Churches policy I | ||
' s tatement "The Ethiest I=plications of Energy Preduction and Use," | ' s tatement "The Ethiest I=plications of Energy Preduction and Use," | ||
our criteria for =aking judge =ents en energy policy are the folicwing: | our criteria for =aking judge =ents en energy policy are the folicwing: | ||
1 | 1 i Safe: protective of the human and natural environ =ent, and not threatening ir:eversible dacage. | ||
Aceroeriate: nost nearly =atched to the scciety and the purpcses to be served. | |||
and not threatening ir:eversible dacage | |||
Aceroeriate: nost nearly =atched to the scciety and the | |||
purpcses to be served. | |||
Acerocriate to Human Nature: not requiring infallible perfor=ance frc= hu=ans or =achines. | Acerocriate to Human Nature: not requiring infallible perfor=ance frc= hu=ans or =achines. | ||
Flexible: capable of adapting to unpredictable events such r, | Flexible: capable of adapting to unpredictable events such r, | ||
| Line 115: | Line 81: | ||
1855 154 | 1855 154 | ||
2 While we recognize that the task of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission dif fers in many respects from that of the church com= unity, we suggest that the National Council of Churches' criteria for judging energy technologies could be used by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1n'its deliberations on whether to grant the license. | |||
On the basis of the biblical imperative to count the cost c,f present decisions in terms of their impact on future generations, we oppose increased reliance on commercial nuclear energy. In particular, the political, geologic, scistologic, technical and de=ographic situation regarding construction of the proposed WestinghouQreactor in the Philippines calls us to speak out against the granting [of an export license. | |||
While we recognize that the task of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission dif fers in many respects from that of the church com= unity, we suggest that the National Council of Churches' criteria for judging energy technologies could be used by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1n'its deliberations on whether to grant the license. | |||
On the basis of the biblical imperative to count the cost c,f present decisions in terms of their impact on future generations, we oppose increased reliance on commercial nuclear energy. In particular, the political, geologic, scistologic, technical and de=ographic | |||
situation regarding construction of the proposed WestinghouQreactor in the Philippines calls us to speak out against the granting [of an export license. | |||
As churches, we are called to speak on behalf of voicoless neighbors who may be subject to the risks of an energy technology without being consulted. We recognize that since 1972 martial law .t.n - c- | As churches, we are called to speak on behalf of voicoless neighbors who may be subject to the risks of an energy technology without being consulted. We recognize that since 1972 martial law .t.n - c- | ||
\ | \ | ||
| Line 130: | Line 90: | ||
solar and wind. We oppose the current use of tax dollars to finance e the U.S. Export-Import bank loan of over $600 million to the Filipino e government to finance a potentially destructive nuclear power plant. | solar and wind. We oppose the current use of tax dollars to finance e the U.S. Export-Import bank loan of over $600 million to the Filipino e government to finance a potentially destructive nuclear power plant. | ||
3 We inhabit one world and are all human beings with the same requirements for survival. Accordingly, we implore the Nuclear Regulatory Cc==ission to accept the ethical imperative that in its deliberation on licensing the Wes tinghouse export it has not only the legal, Congressionally-=andated authority (as given by the Nuclear Non-Proliferatica Act of 1978), but also the obligation to examine the resulting health, safety and enviren= ental impacts on the Philippines. | |||
3 | |||
We inhabit one world and are all human beings with the same requirements for survival. Accordingly, we implore the Nuclear Regulatory Cc==ission to accept the ethical imperative that in its deliberation on licensing the Wes tinghouse export it has not only the legal, Congressionally-=andated authority (as given by the Nuclear Non-Proliferatica Act of 1978), but also the obligation to examine the resulting health, safety and enviren= ental impacts on the Philippines. | |||
We believe that ' consideration of health, safety and e | We believe that ' consideration of health, safety and e | ||
environ = ental issues ought to reflect the same concern for the Philippines and for the Filipino people as if the application were for a domes tic reactor license. For exa=ple, it is unlikely that the NRC would license a do=estic plant which would be sited near an active volcano! We believe that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission should hold open, oral hearings shortly following its receipt of written testimony, in order to encourage full participation of both proponents and opponents of the export license. | environ = ental issues ought to reflect the same concern for the Philippines and for the Filipino people as if the application were for a domes tic reactor license. For exa=ple, it is unlikely that the NRC would license a do=estic plant which would be sited near an active volcano! We believe that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission should hold open, oral hearings shortly following its receipt of written testimony, in order to encourage full participation of both proponents and opponents of the export license. | ||
| Line 140: | Line 97: | ||
The site, Napot Point, is also likely to experience | The site, Napot Point, is also likely to experience | ||
~ | ~ | ||
earthquakes = ore severe than the Westinghouse plant is designed to- | earthquakes = ore severe than the Westinghouse plant is designed to-1855 156 | ||
1855 156 | |||
4 withstand, according to an International Atomic Energy Report. In the event of an earthquake, rupture of the pipes which connect elements of the plant could result in a meltdown of the reactor core, which would kill thousands of people. | 4 withstand, according to an International Atomic Energy Report. In the event of an earthquake, rupture of the pipes which connect elements of the plant could result in a meltdown of the reactor core, which would kill thousands of people. | ||
Given the strong possibility of earthquakes and volcanic eruption which could damage the plant and cause loss of control over operation of the reactor, explosion, and/or releases of radiation, the Philippines reactor would be sited under some of the worst possible conditions. There would be an ever-present threat of such accidents for 8 million Filipinos living in Manila (only 45 miles west of the site) and for the 261,000 Filipinos living in the Bataan peninsula, and for the 27,000 American service personnel living on Subic Naval Base and Clark Air Force Base. Now that the President's Commission on Three Mile Island is telling us that no reactor can be guaranteed safe, we should take heed of the possible catastrophe which could result from approving the export of the Westinghouse nuclear reactor and materials to the Philippines. We should be moved by a sense of reverence for life to reject the application for an export license. | Given the strong possibility of earthquakes and volcanic eruption which could damage the plant and cause loss of control over operation of the reactor, explosion, and/or releases of radiation, the Philippines reactor would be sited under some of the worst possible conditions. There would be an ever-present threat of such accidents for 8 million Filipinos living in Manila (only 45 miles west of the site) and for the 261,000 Filipinos living in the Bataan peninsula, and for the 27,000 American service personnel living on Subic Naval Base and Clark Air Force Base. Now that the President's Commission on Three Mile Island is telling us that no reactor can be guaranteed safe, we should take heed of the possible catastrophe which could result from approving the export of the Westinghouse nuclear reactor and materials to the Philippines. We should be moved by a sense of reverence for life to reject the application for an export license. | ||
| Line 150: | Line 104: | ||
We see a number of questionable political practices that have led to the situation where serious consideration is being given to approval to esport of a reactor to be built near several active 1855 157 | We see a number of questionable political practices that have led to the situation where serious consideration is being given to approval to esport of a reactor to be built near several active 1855 157 | ||
5 volcanos. One is simply the opportunism of Westinghouse in proceeding with the project thanks to the f act that the Marcos government favors the project and since 1972 has withheld from Filipinos the freedom of speech, press, right of assembly and other de=ccratic rights. , | |||
5 | |||
volcanos. One is simply the opportunism of Westinghouse in proceeding with the project thanks to the f act that the Marcos government favors the project and since 1972 has withheld from Filipinos the freedom of speech, press, right of assembly and other de=ccratic rights. , | |||
Westinghouse has received only one order for a detes tic reactor since 1976, making the Filipino carket crucial. Such disregard for human life for the sake of =aking a profit in a country which has no public forum for opposition to nuclear energy is deplorable. | Westinghouse has received only one order for a detes tic reactor since 1976, making the Filipino carket crucial. Such disregard for human life for the sake of =aking a profit in a country which has no public forum for opposition to nuclear energy is deplorable. | ||
While the S tate Depart =ent approved the export on prolifer-ation grounds, it nonetheless outlined the serious safety and environ-mental dangers. The Nuclear Regulatory Coasission is the appropriate agency to evaluate those health and safety risks. The NRC was created to exercise independent judgement. | While the S tate Depart =ent approved the export on prolifer-ation grounds, it nonetheless outlined the serious safety and environ-mental dangers. The Nuclear Regulatory Coasission is the appropriate agency to evaluate those health and safety risks. The NRC was created to exercise independent judgement. | ||
We urge you to consider those risks and reject the Westinghouse application for a nuclear reactor and caterials export license, in the name of respect for the lives of millions of Filipinos. | We urge you to consider those risks and reject the Westinghouse application for a nuclear reactor and caterials export license, in the name of respect for the lives of millions of Filipinos. | ||
We look forward to presenting our views to the public in an open, oral hearing. | We look forward to presenting our views to the public in an open, oral hearing. | ||
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Revision as of 23:31, 1 February 2020
| ML19257D194 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000574 |
| Issue date: | 12/31/1979 |
| From: | Lerch B INTERFAITH CENTER ON CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY |
| To: | Ahearne J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19257D195 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8002010516 | |
| Download: ML19257D194 (8) | |
Text
{{#Wiki_filter:. . ( 4 i
+
INTERFAITH CENTER ON CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITI ( A Sponsored Related Movement of the National Council of Churches 475 Riverside Drrve e Room 566 e New York. NY 10027 (212) 370-2293 wm _
.(
~
December 31, 1979 Mr. John F. Ahearne Chairman ' ' U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission e
-. . f, .
1717 H S t. , N.W. % ,/ Washington, D.C. 20006
Dear Mr. Ahearne:
As mentioned in our celegram of December 27, attached for your information is a written statement regarding the proposed export of the Wes tinghcuse reactor to the Philippines , submitted in cooperation with the Interf aith Center en Corporate Responsibility. The statement supports application of U.S. safety and environmental criteria in evaluating proposed exports , and opposes granting an export license for the Wes tinghouse reactor and materials. We urge you to hold open, oral hearings on this matter. In any case, we urge you to reject the Wes tinghouse applica tion for an export license. Sincerely, s ~/
,;_i %
/
/ _
Beth Lerch Energy Program Director ICCR 1855 152 80020105 M G
7 1 r
> f, INTERFAITH CENTER ON CORPORATE BESPONSIBluT/
A Sponsored Related Movement of the National Council of Churches (((l 475 Riverside Drive . Room 566 . New York, NY 10027.l212M70 2293
? '-
f.kjm y ' .* N, , lV A. t _-
.;
15- %_...,w. e+ PC' ra c. fs K . 2.s Written S tatement Submitted to
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The Nuclear Regulatory Co:::nssion '. ,/ g. ,
- s. - f .g , p-Regarding ~ - /
Safety and Environmental Factors Related to Proposed Export License for the Wes tinghouse Reac tor and Materials on November 19, 1979 by Barbara H. Collins , Regina Murphy, SC World Division 3isters of Charity of New York Board of Global Minis tries United Methodis t Church Lin Neumann United Methodis t Church Office Chris Cowap for the United Nations Economic Jus tice-Division of Chu. ch & Society Rev. S. Garry Oniki National Council of Churches Office for Church in Society United Church of Chris t Rev. Kim Jefferson National Division Sr. Arlene Woelfel Board of Global Minis tries Eighth Day Center f or Jus tice United Methodis t Church (A coalition of ten Roman Catholic religious orders located in Chicago)
>brtha Lindley .
Social & Ethical Responsibility Sr. Pa tricia Wolf, RSM in Inves tment Program Ne2 York Coalition for Responsible American Baptis t Churches Investment Mary Ann McGivern, SL Richard I. Ullrich Midwes t Coalition for Responsible Office of Justice and Peace Invest =ent The Marianises William Millerd, SJ }8hh } h) Interfaith Coalition on Energ'/ contac t: Beth Lerch Energy Program Director ICCR 870-2936 212)information Center and the Intertatth Committee on Soc:al Responsitintyin Investmen.'s w in of the Corpo(rate h
As church c gani:ations concerned with corpora te and 3evern= ental respensibility, we oppcse the p cpesed export of Westinghouse reactor ecuipment and fuel to the Philippines. 12ny of our organizations have energy policies which raise sericus ques tiens The ab.out further greuth in the cc==ercial nuclear energy indus try. churches are guided in thet energy policies by values based en concepts . of creation, stewardship and hope. In cur view, these values are useful guidelines in =aking policy decisions about hcw to =eet the c p cfound challenge of providing and sharing li=ited a cunts of energy without poisening the envizca:ent and curselves. In building our energ' syste=s , we sbculd exercise dc= inion, not do=ination over psople and the land.
; As stated in the National Council of Churches policy I
' s tatement "The Ethiest I=plications of Energy Preduction and Use,"
our criteria for =aking judge =ents en energy policy are the folicwing: 1 i Safe: protective of the human and natural environ =ent, and not threatening ir:eversible dacage. Aceroeriate: nost nearly =atched to the scciety and the purpcses to be served. Acerocriate to Human Nature: not requiring infallible perfor=ance frc= hu=ans or =achines. Flexible: capable of adapting to unpredictable events such r, as an earthquake or volcanic eruption. Ncn ,'[iolent: difficult to use indirectly as a weapon; for instance, not able to be =rde into a bomb. 1855 154
2 While we recognize that the task of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission dif fers in many respects from that of the church com= unity, we suggest that the National Council of Churches' criteria for judging energy technologies could be used by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1n'its deliberations on whether to grant the license. On the basis of the biblical imperative to count the cost c,f present decisions in terms of their impact on future generations, we oppose increased reliance on commercial nuclear energy. In particular, the political, geologic, scistologic, technical and de=ographic situation regarding construction of the proposed WestinghouQreactor in the Philippines calls us to speak out against the granting [of an export license. As churches, we are called to speak on behalf of voicoless neighbors who may be subject to the risks of an energy technology without being consulted. We recognize that since 1972 martial law .t.n - c-
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the Phiippines has effectively silenced public participation in fot u-f lation of energy policies. The majority of Filipinos are indeta voiceless. / We support U.S. policy which seeks to share energy technologies with the Philippines, but without promoting capital-intensive, potentially harmful technologies such as coacercial nuclear reactors. We support U.S. cooperation and aid in Filipino ef forts to develop and use appropriate energy technologies based on renewable resources such as methanol from sugar cane, geothermal, ocean, low-head hydroelectric, D solar and wind. We oppose the current use of tax dollars to finance e the U.S. Export-Import bank loan of over $600 million to the Filipino e government to finance a potentially destructive nuclear power plant.
3 We inhabit one world and are all human beings with the same requirements for survival. Accordingly, we implore the Nuclear Regulatory Cc==ission to accept the ethical imperative that in its deliberation on licensing the Wes tinghouse export it has not only the legal, Congressionally-=andated authority (as given by the Nuclear Non-Proliferatica Act of 1978), but also the obligation to examine the resulting health, safety and enviren= ental impacts on the Philippines. We believe that ' consideration of health, safety and e environ = ental issues ought to reflect the same concern for the Philippines and for the Filipino people as if the application were for a domes tic reactor license. For exa=ple, it is unlikely that the NRC would license a do=estic plant which would be sited near an active volcano! We believe that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission should hold open, oral hearings shortly following its receipt of written testimony, in order to encourage full participation of both proponents and opponents of the export license. The following factors argue undeniably against granting of the license: The Recort of the President's Co==ission on Three Mile asserts that it is impossible to guarantee the safe operation of nuclear reactors. The Philippines reactor would be sited on the slope of Mount Natib, a Philippine volcano (only 6 miles fro = that active volcano) and within 90 miles of three other active volcanos (Washington Pos t article, Cetober 2,1979) . The site, Napot Point, is also likely to experience
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earthquakes = ore severe than the Westinghouse plant is designed to-1855 156
4 withstand, according to an International Atomic Energy Report. In the event of an earthquake, rupture of the pipes which connect elements of the plant could result in a meltdown of the reactor core, which would kill thousands of people. Given the strong possibility of earthquakes and volcanic eruption which could damage the plant and cause loss of control over operation of the reactor, explosion, and/or releases of radiation, the Philippines reactor would be sited under some of the worst possible conditions. There would be an ever-present threat of such accidents for 8 million Filipinos living in Manila (only 45 miles west of the site) and for the 261,000 Filipinos living in the Bataan peninsula, and for the 27,000 American service personnel living on Subic Naval Base and Clark Air Force Base. Now that the President's Commission on Three Mile Island is telling us that no reactor can be guaranteed safe, we should take heed of the possible catastrophe which could result from approving the export of the Westinghouse nuclear reactor and materials to the Philippines. We should be moved by a sense of reverence for life to reject the application for an export license. Nuclear reactor technology is also inappropriate in light of the problem of nuclear was te storage. Even assuming the eventual discovery of a means to dispose permanently of nuclear waste, spent reactor fuel rods still could not be permanently stored in the Philippines since the country is located in an active volcano and earthquake belt. We see a number of questionable political practices that have led to the situation where serious consideration is being given to approval to esport of a reactor to be built near several active 1855 157
5 volcanos. One is simply the opportunism of Westinghouse in proceeding with the project thanks to the f act that the Marcos government favors the project and since 1972 has withheld from Filipinos the freedom of speech, press, right of assembly and other de=ccratic rights. , Westinghouse has received only one order for a detes tic reactor since 1976, making the Filipino carket crucial. Such disregard for human life for the sake of =aking a profit in a country which has no public forum for opposition to nuclear energy is deplorable. While the S tate Depart =ent approved the export on prolifer-ation grounds, it nonetheless outlined the serious safety and environ-mental dangers. The Nuclear Regulatory Coasission is the appropriate agency to evaluate those health and safety risks. The NRC was created to exercise independent judgement. We urge you to consider those risks and reject the Westinghouse application for a nuclear reactor and caterials export license, in the name of respect for the lives of millions of Filipinos. We look forward to presenting our views to the public in an open, oral hearing. 1855 158
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