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{{#Wiki_filter:THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION MEMBERS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL COURT Attorney General Maura Healey Governor Charlie Baker U.S. Senator Edward Markey U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren U.S. Representative Richard Neal 1st District U.S. Representative James McGovern 2nd District U.S. Representative Niki Tsongas 3rd District U.S. Representative Joseph Kennedy III 4th District U.S. Representative Katherine Clark 5th District U.S. Representative Seth Moulton 6th District U.S. Representative Michael Capuano 7th District U.S. Representative Stephen Lynch 8th District U.S. Representative Bill Keating 9th District Senate President Stanley Rosenberg Franklin, Hampshire and Worcester Senator Vinny deMacedo Plymouth and Barnstable District Plymouth and Norfolk State Senator Julian Cyr Cape and Islands Representative Sarah Peake Fourth Barnstable District Representative James M. Cantwell Fourth Plymouth District Representative Randy Hunt Fifth Barnstable District Representative Matt Muratore First Plymouth District Representative Thomas J. Calter Twelfth Plymouth District Representative Davis T. Vieira Third Barnstable District Representative Josh S. Cutler Sixth Plymouth District Representative Timothy R. Whelan First Barnstable District Representative Dylan Fernandes Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket January 4, 2017 VIA FIRST CLASS MAIL The Honorable Stephen G. Burns Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop O-16G4 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Re: Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station | |||
==Dear Chairman Burns:== | |||
We write to request that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) convene a public meeting in Massachusetts as soon as possible to special inspection team in a December 6, 2016 e-mail have raised legitimate concerns among the public about their safety and raised serious questions e the plant safely. While the NRC undoubtedly regrets the inadvertent disclosure of the preliminary thoughts expressed in the December 6 e-mail, the disclosure happened, and the NRC now has the obligation to address questions raised by that e-mail to help assuage growing public safety concerns. A public meeting also will allow the NRC to outline for the public the steps the NRC may take in light of the inspection process, and when the official results of the inspection will be released to the public. As you know, the NRC is currently conducting a three-phased supplemental inspection process at Pilgrim. This process was triggered when the NRC determined that recurring safety issues at the aging plant required the NRC to place the plant into the Repetitive Degraded Cornerstone Column, or Column 4, which is the least safe category in which an operating reactor can be t the 1 1 Press Release, Region I NRC, NRC to Increase Oversight at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant Based on New Inspection Finding (Sept. 2, 2015). | |||
Recently, an Entergy spokesperson stated that the inspection s 2 While the spokesperson further claimed that 3 the Company is quite clearly not working hard enough. In fact, Entergy was forced to shut the plant down again on December 15, 2016, when it discovered leaks in three of the eight main steam isolation valves, which are used to prevent radioactivity from leaking into the environment during a nuclear accident.4 These events A public meeting also would allow the NRC to inform members of the community about how these leaks were discovered, the process and timeline associated with their repair, and how the public can be assured that they will not recur. At the same time that the plant continues to experience safety-related problems, Entergy has asked the NRC to effectively exempt the company from Commission requirements to make plant modifications based on lessons learned from the March 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi accident.5,6 While Entergy has proposed alternative approaches for meeting some of the requirements, in light of the concerns raised in the December 6, 2016 e-mail and the on-going operational issues at Pilgrim, the NRC should not exempt Entergy from any safety-related requirements. We understand that the NRC does not typically conduct public hearings during a pending inspection and do not ask that the NRC compromise its investigation by disclosing any confidential or privileged information. However, we respectfully submit that the unique circumstances arising from the public disclosure of the December 6 e-mail and the most recent Sincerely, Attorney General Maura Healey Governor Charlie Baker U.S. Senator Edward Markey 2 Travis Anderson, lmedhttps://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/12/07/internal-nrc-memo-outlines-concerns-pilgrim-nuclear-plant/GFRYcbdBRgwo4PulROZBYN/story.html. 3 Id. 4 Christine Legere, Pilgrim remains shut down, Cape Cod Times, Dec. 17, 2016, http://www.capecodtimes.com/news/20161217/pilgrim-remains-shut-down. 5 Ltr. from John A. Dent, Jr., Entergy, to NRC, re Request for Extension to Comply with NRC Order 13-109, Order to Modify Licenses with Regard to Reliable Hardened Containment Vents Capable of Operation Under Severe Accident Conditions (June 24, 2016) (ADAMS Accession No. ML16187A325). 6 All Operating Boiling Water Reactor Licensees with Mark I and Mark II Containments, Order Modifying Licenses with Regard to Reliable Hardened Containment Vents. EA-13-109 (Effective Immediately) (June 6, 2013). | |||
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren U.S. Representative Richard Neal 1st District U.S. Representative James McGovern U.S. Representative Niki Tsongas 2nd District 3rd District U.S. Representative Joseph Kennedy III U.S. Representative Katherine Clark 4th District 5th District U.S. Representative Seth Moulton U.S. Representative Michael Capuano 6th District 7th District U.S. Representative Stephen Lynch U.S. Representative Bill Keating 8th District 9th District Senate President Stanley Rosenberg Senator Vinny deMacedo Franklin, Hampshire and Worcester Plymouth and Barnstable District Senator Julian Cyr Plymouth and Norfolk Cape and Islands Representative Sarah Peake Representative James M. Cantwell Fourth Barnstable District Fourth Plymouth District Representative Randy Hunt Representative Matt Muratore Fifth Barnstable District First Plymouth District Representative Thomas J. Calter Representative Davis T. Vieira Twelfth Plymouth District Third Barnstable District Representative Josh S. Cutler Representative Timothy R. Whelan Sixth Plymouth District First Barnstable District Representative Dylan Fernandes Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket Cc: Commissioner Kristine L. Svinicki Commissioner Jeff Baran Mccloskey, Bridin | |||
==Subject:== | |||
Attachments: FW: Mass. AG press release on Pilgrim 17.01.04 -NRC Letter.pdf From: Castelveter, David Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2017 5:27 PM To: Zorn, Jason <Jason.Zorn@nrc.gov>; McCree, Victor <Victor.McCree@nrc.gov>; Dacus, Eugene <Eugene.Dacus@nrc.gov>; Calgary, James <James.Colgary@nrc.gov>; Wylie, Maureen <Maureen.Wylie@nrc.gov>; Vietti-Cook, Annette <Annette.Vietti-Cook@nrc.gov>; Habighorst, Peter <Peter.Habighorst@nrc.gov>; Doane, Margaret <Margaret.Doane@nrc.gov>; Weber, Michael <Michael.Weber@nrc.gov>; Johnson, Michael <Michael.Johnson@nrc.gov> Cc: Harrington, Holly <Holly.Harrington@nrc.gov> | |||
==Subject:== | |||
RE: Mass. AG press release on Pilgrim Adding the accompanying letter David A. Castelveter Office Director U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Public Affairs (Mail Stop 0-16D3} 11555 Rockville Pike, MD 20852 301-415-8200 (O) 240-393-9563 (C) david.castelveter@nrc.gov www.nrc.gov From: Castelveter, David Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2017 5:25 PM To: Zorn, Jason <Jason.Zorn@nrc.gov>; McCree, Victor <Victor.McCree@nrc.gov>; Dacus, Eugene <Eugene.Dacus@nrc.gov>; Calgary, James <James.Colgary@nrc.gov>; Wylie, Maureen <Maureen.Wylie@nrc.gov>; Vietti-Cook, Annette <Annette.Vietti-Cook@nrc.gov>; Habighorst, Peter <Peter.Habighorst@nrc.gov>; Doane, Margaret <Margaret.Doane@nrc.gov>; Weber, Michael <Michael.Weber@nrc.gov>; Johnson, Michael <Michael.Johnson@nrc.gov>; Fragoyannis, Nancy <Nancy.Fragoyannis@nrc.gov> Cc: Harrington, Holly <Holly.Harrington@nrc.gov> | |||
==Subject:== | |||
Mass. AG press release on Pilgrim fyi 1 | |||
}} | }} | ||
Revision as of 18:52, 30 April 2018
| ML17005A361 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Pilgrim |
| Issue date: | 01/04/2017 |
| From: | Baker C, Calter T J, Cantwell J M, Capuano M E, Clark K M, DeMacedo V, Healy M, Hunt R, Keating B, Kennedy J, Steven Lynch, Markey E J, McGovern J, Moulton S, Muratore M J, Neal R, O'Connor P, Peake S, Rosenberg S, Tsongas N, Warren E, Whelan T Commonwealth Of Massachusetts, Office of the Attorney General, State of MA, Governor, State of MA, House of Representatives, State of MA, Senate, US Congress |
| To: | Burns S G NRC/Chairman |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17005A362 | List: |
| References | |
| LTR-17-0004 | |
| Download: ML17005A361 (4) | |
Text
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION MEMBERS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL COURT Attorney General Maura Healey Governor Charlie Baker U.S. Senator Edward Markey U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren U.S. Representative Richard Neal 1st District U.S. Representative James McGovern 2nd District U.S. Representative Niki Tsongas 3rd District U.S. Representative Joseph Kennedy III 4th District U.S. Representative Katherine Clark 5th District U.S. Representative Seth Moulton 6th District U.S. Representative Michael Capuano 7th District U.S. Representative Stephen Lynch 8th District U.S. Representative Bill Keating 9th District Senate President Stanley Rosenberg Franklin, Hampshire and Worcester Senator Vinny deMacedo Plymouth and Barnstable District Plymouth and Norfolk State Senator Julian Cyr Cape and Islands Representative Sarah Peake Fourth Barnstable District Representative James M. Cantwell Fourth Plymouth District Representative Randy Hunt Fifth Barnstable District Representative Matt Muratore First Plymouth District Representative Thomas J. Calter Twelfth Plymouth District Representative Davis T. Vieira Third Barnstable District Representative Josh S. Cutler Sixth Plymouth District Representative Timothy R. Whelan First Barnstable District Representative Dylan Fernandes Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket January 4, 2017 VIA FIRST CLASS MAIL The Honorable Stephen G. Burns Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop O-16G4 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Re: Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station
Dear Chairman Burns:
We write to request that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) convene a public meeting in Massachusetts as soon as possible to special inspection team in a December 6, 2016 e-mail have raised legitimate concerns among the public about their safety and raised serious questions e the plant safely. While the NRC undoubtedly regrets the inadvertent disclosure of the preliminary thoughts expressed in the December 6 e-mail, the disclosure happened, and the NRC now has the obligation to address questions raised by that e-mail to help assuage growing public safety concerns. A public meeting also will allow the NRC to outline for the public the steps the NRC may take in light of the inspection process, and when the official results of the inspection will be released to the public. As you know, the NRC is currently conducting a three-phased supplemental inspection process at Pilgrim. This process was triggered when the NRC determined that recurring safety issues at the aging plant required the NRC to place the plant into the Repetitive Degraded Cornerstone Column, or Column 4, which is the least safe category in which an operating reactor can be t the 1 1 Press Release, Region I NRC, NRC to Increase Oversight at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant Based on New Inspection Finding (Sept. 2, 2015).
Recently, an Entergy spokesperson stated that the inspection s 2 While the spokesperson further claimed that 3 the Company is quite clearly not working hard enough. In fact, Entergy was forced to shut the plant down again on December 15, 2016, when it discovered leaks in three of the eight main steam isolation valves, which are used to prevent radioactivity from leaking into the environment during a nuclear accident.4 These events A public meeting also would allow the NRC to inform members of the community about how these leaks were discovered, the process and timeline associated with their repair, and how the public can be assured that they will not recur. At the same time that the plant continues to experience safety-related problems, Entergy has asked the NRC to effectively exempt the company from Commission requirements to make plant modifications based on lessons learned from the March 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi accident.5,6 While Entergy has proposed alternative approaches for meeting some of the requirements, in light of the concerns raised in the December 6, 2016 e-mail and the on-going operational issues at Pilgrim, the NRC should not exempt Entergy from any safety-related requirements. We understand that the NRC does not typically conduct public hearings during a pending inspection and do not ask that the NRC compromise its investigation by disclosing any confidential or privileged information. However, we respectfully submit that the unique circumstances arising from the public disclosure of the December 6 e-mail and the most recent Sincerely, Attorney General Maura Healey Governor Charlie Baker U.S. Senator Edward Markey 2 Travis Anderson, lmedhttps://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/12/07/internal-nrc-memo-outlines-concerns-pilgrim-nuclear-plant/GFRYcbdBRgwo4PulROZBYN/story.html. 3 Id. 4 Christine Legere, Pilgrim remains shut down, Cape Cod Times, Dec. 17, 2016, http://www.capecodtimes.com/news/20161217/pilgrim-remains-shut-down. 5 Ltr. from John A. Dent, Jr., Entergy, to NRC, re Request for Extension to Comply with NRC Order 13-109, Order to Modify Licenses with Regard to Reliable Hardened Containment Vents Capable of Operation Under Severe Accident Conditions (June 24, 2016) (ADAMS Accession No. ML16187A325). 6 All Operating Boiling Water Reactor Licensees with Mark I and Mark II Containments, Order Modifying Licenses with Regard to Reliable Hardened Containment Vents. EA-13-109 (Effective Immediately) (June 6, 2013).
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren U.S. Representative Richard Neal 1st District U.S. Representative James McGovern U.S. Representative Niki Tsongas 2nd District 3rd District U.S. Representative Joseph Kennedy III U.S. Representative Katherine Clark 4th District 5th District U.S. Representative Seth Moulton U.S. Representative Michael Capuano 6th District 7th District U.S. Representative Stephen Lynch U.S. Representative Bill Keating 8th District 9th District Senate President Stanley Rosenberg Senator Vinny deMacedo Franklin, Hampshire and Worcester Plymouth and Barnstable District Senator Julian Cyr Plymouth and Norfolk Cape and Islands Representative Sarah Peake Representative James M. Cantwell Fourth Barnstable District Fourth Plymouth District Representative Randy Hunt Representative Matt Muratore Fifth Barnstable District First Plymouth District Representative Thomas J. Calter Representative Davis T. Vieira Twelfth Plymouth District Third Barnstable District Representative Josh S. Cutler Representative Timothy R. Whelan Sixth Plymouth District First Barnstable District Representative Dylan Fernandes Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket Cc: Commissioner Kristine L. Svinicki Commissioner Jeff Baran Mccloskey, Bridin
Subject:
Attachments: FW: Mass. AG press release on Pilgrim 17.01.04 -NRC Letter.pdf From: Castelveter, David Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2017 5:27 PM To: Zorn, Jason <Jason.Zorn@nrc.gov>; McCree, Victor <Victor.McCree@nrc.gov>; Dacus, Eugene <Eugene.Dacus@nrc.gov>; Calgary, James <James.Colgary@nrc.gov>; Wylie, Maureen <Maureen.Wylie@nrc.gov>; Vietti-Cook, Annette <Annette.Vietti-Cook@nrc.gov>; Habighorst, Peter <Peter.Habighorst@nrc.gov>; Doane, Margaret <Margaret.Doane@nrc.gov>; Weber, Michael <Michael.Weber@nrc.gov>; Johnson, Michael <Michael.Johnson@nrc.gov> Cc: Harrington, Holly <Holly.Harrington@nrc.gov>
Subject:
RE: Mass. AG press release on Pilgrim Adding the accompanying letter David A. Castelveter Office Director U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Public Affairs (Mail Stop 0-16D3} 11555 Rockville Pike, MD 20852 301-415-8200 (O) 240-393-9563 (C) david.castelveter@nrc.gov www.nrc.gov From: Castelveter, David Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2017 5:25 PM To: Zorn, Jason <Jason.Zorn@nrc.gov>; McCree, Victor <Victor.McCree@nrc.gov>; Dacus, Eugene <Eugene.Dacus@nrc.gov>; Calgary, James <James.Colgary@nrc.gov>; Wylie, Maureen <Maureen.Wylie@nrc.gov>; Vietti-Cook, Annette <Annette.Vietti-Cook@nrc.gov>; Habighorst, Peter <Peter.Habighorst@nrc.gov>; Doane, Margaret <Margaret.Doane@nrc.gov>; Weber, Michael <Michael.Weber@nrc.gov>; Johnson, Michael <Michael.Johnson@nrc.gov>; Fragoyannis, Nancy <Nancy.Fragoyannis@nrc.gov> Cc: Harrington, Holly <Holly.Harrington@nrc.gov>
Subject:
Mass. AG press release on Pilgrim fyi 1