ML20126M138

Responds to Expressing Concerns Re Decommissioning of Plant.Decision to Decommission Will Be Predicated on Util Taking Adequate Steps to Protect Public & Environ.Des Expected by 850731 & Fes by 851031

ML20126M138
Person / Time
Site:	Humboldt Bay
Issue date:	06/10/1985
From:	Zwolinski J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Hagler A ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION INFORMATION CENTER, INC.
References
NUDOCS 8506200244
Download: ML20126M138 (3)

Text

. _ _-.

8 UNITED STATES j

} 8 - ~t NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 8

$ >j WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555

% # June 10,1985 Pr. Arlo L. Hagler, President Environmental Protection Information Center, Inc.

Post Office Box 397 Garberville, California 95440

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Dear Mr. Hagler:

In your letter of December 5,1984 to Mr. Peter Erickson of my staff you expressed your concerns about the decomissioning of the Humboldt Bay nuclear power plant. Your letter as well as letters from others in Humboldt County and elsewhere have become part of the official record of the decommissioning i of this plant.

It is the responsibility of the Fuclear Regulatory Comnission (NRC) to assure that the decommissioning of Humboldt Pay power plant is conducted in a manner that does not endanger the health and safety of the public.

In order to accomplish that, the NRC requires that Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) submit a Decorsnissioning Plan describing how the decommissioning will b conducted and an Environmental Report which describes the environmental aspects of the decommissioning. Both of these documents were submitted to the NRC on July 30, 1984 and we have completed our initial review. Questions generated during the review have been sent to PG&E on January 23 and February 14, this year and PG8E has provided responses to most of the questions. The NRC is currently evaluating those responses.

An important aspect of the decommissioning planning is the receipt of coments from the public. For the Humboldt plant, this was done through the public meetings held on September 10 and Decenber 4, 1984 in Eureka, California as well as through letters such as yours. Both PG8E and the NRC need to know what the public environmental and safety concerns are so that they may be adeouately considered during the decommissioning process. Consequently, the transcripts of the meetings as well as the letters become part of the official decommissinning record .and are reviewed to detemine if there are additional facts which should be considered. The transcripts,'the letters from the public and all correspondence from PG&E and the NRC are available in the Humboldt County Library, 421 I Street (County Courthouse), Eureka, California.

Following our review of environmental issues we will publish a " Draft Environmental Impact Statement" (Draft EIS) that will be made available to the public in the Humboldt County Library and will also be sent to

, State and Humboldt County agencies as well as other Federal agencies. This Draft EIS will present the NRC evaluation of potential environmental impacts of decommissioning the Humboldt plant. Conments on the Draft EIS from

, State, local and Federal agencies and the public will be included and evaluated in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS).

H

I . .

, Mr. Arlo Hagler  ;

After the staff reviews are complete and if it is determined that PGAE has taken the precautions necessary to assure no undue risk to the health and safety of the public and the environment, the decomissioning will be approved and the NRC will publish a Final EIS. t.~

In summary, I want to assure you that an extensive evaluation of all of the pertinent information, including coments from concerned citizens, regarding the decomissioning is undertaken before a NRC decision is made. A favorable decision will be predicated on PG&E taking adequate steps to protect the public and the environment during its activities. Our target date for completing the Draft EIS is July 31, 1985 and for completing our final action on the decomissioning plan and the Final EIS is October 31, 1985.

Sincerely RAI L.

John A. Zwolinski, Chief Operating Reactors Branch #5 Division of Licensing M

3,

F-Junn 10,1985 Mr. Arlo Hagler After the staff reviews are complete and if _ it is determined that PG&E has taken the precautions necessary to assure no undue risk to the health and safety of the public and the environment, the decommissioning will be approved and the NRC will publish a Final EIS.

In summary, I want to assure you that an extensive evaluation of all of the pertinent _ information, including comments from concerned citizens, regarding the decommissioning is undertaken before a NRC decision is made. A favorable decision will be predicated on PG&E taking adequate steps to protect the public and the environment during its activities. Our target date for completing the Draft EIS_ is July 31, 1985 and for completing our final action on the decommissioning plan and the Final EIS is October 31, 1985.

Sincerely, Original signed by John A. Zwolinski, Chief Operating Peactors Branch #5 Division of Licensing

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