ML20127G507

Responds to to Ray Re a Smaby Ltr Concerning Public Hearings to Be Held in Connection W/Operation of Prairie Island Station

ML20127G507
Person / Time
Site:	Monticello, Prairie Island
Issue date:	07/09/1973
From:	Shapar H US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
To:	Fraser D HOUSE OF REP.
Shared Package
ML20127G511	List: ML20127G507 ML20127G513
References
NUDOCS 9211170320
Download: ML20127G507 (4)

Text

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Cha1 man 0GC Files Reg Central Files PDR (50-263; 50-282; 50-306)

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JUL t 1973 LPDR i

Shapar Engelhardt

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Gallo Fomal Files' Chron r Honorable Donald M. Fraser Gossick c.

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Dear Mr. Fraser:

w We are pleased to respond to your letter to Dr. Ray d$ted June 7. -

1973, regarding the letter from Ms. Alpha Insby concerning DeM Ms. Saaby raises

' Prairie Lsland Nuclear Generating Station.

certain questions in her letter concerning public hearings to be held in connection with the operation of the Prairie Island Station.

Hs. Smaby appears particularly concerned with what she sees as

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a conflict in the scheduling of the AEC's public hearings on the Prairie Island and Monticello Plants. The regulatory staff of the AEC has also been concerned with this potential problem As and has been active in assuring that such would not occur.

a consequence agreement has been reached by the participants in these hearings, including the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Environmental Control Citizens Association.

Mr. Steve Gadler, and the applicant for the license involved, the Northem States Power Company, that establishes a schedule of hearings which will not result in a conflict. The present schedule calls for the hearing on the Prairie Island Plant to begin in September.1973, and the hearing on the Monticello Plant in April,1974.

Such a schedule will permit full partici-pation in these hearings by all concerned.

It would appear from Ms. Saaby's letter that she is also concerned about the issuance of a license permitting fuel loading and testing of the prairie Island Station prior to.

public hearings, Under AEC regulations provision is made for the issanace of such a license but only after.as_apper yg a, tunity to request a hearing is provided to the parties whe ~

are participating in the full. power operating license-proceed ing.

a hearing on the fuel-loading and testing. license was made.O Accordingly, the presiding Atomic Safety and Licensing Board authorized the issuance of such,a license. Of course issuance J.

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2-Honorable Donald H. Fraser of such a license would not be supported or pemitted by the regulatory staff until it was satisfied that the health and safety of the public would not be endangered by the action f

and that appropriate consideration was given to environmental

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We will be pleased to furnish ary additional infomation you may desire.

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Sincerely, vrapin1 n o -

by 11. K. Slmpu Howard K. Shapar Assistant General Counsel Licensing and Regulation Cy incoming ltr. fm.

Ms. Alpha Smaby 4

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Logging date:

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_ Atomic Energy Commission OFFICC OF Tile CilAIRMAN l

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June 15, 1973 h

TO-JLequ la to ry thro cencral M a n a g e r /' C INCOMING i

FROM Cong. Donald Fraser 6/7/73 (Date)

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SUBJECT:

Letter from constituent, Alpha Smaby, l

concerning scheduling public hearings on Northern States Power Co. Monticellt and Prairie Island plants in Minnesota Prepare reply for signature of:

a Chairman Commissioner Cf t, DR, GC, P5, IS Signature Block Omitted e

Please return original with response

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x For Direct Reply Send Copy of. Reply to:

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Chairman x

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Secretary

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l For Appropriate Action For Information For Recommendation REMARKS :

No acknowledgement sent.

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'For the Chairman:

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' When separated from enclosures. handle this document as

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nym Tne llenorable Donald M. Fraser 1111 1.ongworth Of fice Evilding

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Dear Congressman Fraser:

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• 1te Citirens of Minneseta have been placed in a dire predicament. We are faced with the operation of an unlicensed, untested nucicar power plant, Prairic Island.

and with a Pollution Centrol Agency (PCA) that has been rendered helpless by the Atomic Energy Cemis sica (/$EC). The PCA. With Minnesota Environntntal Control Citizens Associaticn (MECCA), is an intervenor in an ACC Environmental Revieu Ilearing for the Monticello plant. The PCA and Steve Gadler, a private citizen, are intervenors in the licensing hearings on Prairic Island.

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1 The AEC is now threatening to schedule the Monticello and Prairic Island Hearings concurrently, tihich has forced the PCA, for lack of staff and money, to sign an i

agreement with l'SP *nd the AEC that,(1) it will stop all discovery on Prairie Island after August 15, (2) t:SP will be allowed to fuel the plant, and (3) NSP vill begin test operation of the plant.

Steve Gadler has refused to enter into th'is agreement because he feels that ques-j tions cencerning fuel densification and the emergency core cooling system should I

have full public hearing before the plant if fueled and operated.

The PCA has de-cided not to raise these questions because it does not have the staff to handle simultaneous hearingt.

I The questien of scheduling overlapping hearings is appalling to me for two reasons.

It is appalling that the AEC can schedule hearings in such a way as to render the MFCA povericss.

It is also distressing that we pay three agencies which t'ake de-cisions about the Prairic Island plan't yet we will be slenied a public hearing be-fore that plant is fueled and operated. Our state taxes pay for the PCA co protect the quality of air and voter for the peopic of Minnesota.

Our federal taxes pay the AEC to encourage the use of nucicar energy and our rate monies finance the building and operation of Prairic Island and Monticello by NSP, When questions about the operation and safety of those two plants are raised, it seems on}y proper j

that full public hearings be held so that these questions c*an be completely explored.

Federal agencies must not be alloacd to jeopardize the integrity of state agencies by placing them in sie ations where they lack the staff and the budget to do their i

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Uculd you denand the AEC to schedule the two hearings in such a way as to I

allow the PCA to cover both hearings adequately and urge the AEC to uithhold per-cits to fuel and operate the Prairic Island plant until a full public hearing ic held?

S i,nce rely,

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