ML101930057

G20100433/LTR-10-0316/EDATS: SECY-2010-0358 - Ltr. Scott Portzline Gulf Oil Spill and Reactor Safety

ML101930057
Person / Time
Site:	Salem, Crystal River
Issue date:	06/14/2010
From:	Cohen N, Gunter P, Portzline S D Beyond Nuclear, Three Mile Island Alert, UNPLUG Salem Campaign
To:	Vietti-Cook A L NRC/SECY
References
EDATS: SECY-2010-0353, G20100433, LTR-10-0316, SECY-2010-0353
Download: ML101930057 (7)

Text

EDO Principal Correspondence Control FROM: DUE: 08/16/10 EDO CONTROL: G20100433 DOC DT: 06/14/10 FINAL REPLY: Scott Portzline Three Mile Island Alert Paul Gunter Beyond Nuclear Norm Cohen Unplug Salem TO: Vietti-Cook, SECY FOR SIGNATURE OF :**-GRN **CRC NO: 10-0316 Leeds, NRR DESC: ROUTING: Gulf Oil Spill and Reactor Safety (EDATS: SECY-2010-0358)

DATE: 07/09/10 Borchardt Weber Virgilio Ash Mamish OGC/GC Wiggins, NSIR Collins, RIV Reyes, RII Dapas, RI Burns, OGC Kotzalas, OEDO ASSIGNED TO: NRR CONTACT: Leeds SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:\ EDO Principal Correspondence Control FROM: DUE: 08/16/10 Scott Portzline Three Mile Island Alert Paul Gunter Beyond Nuclear Norm Cohen Unplug Salem TO: I Vietti-Cook, SECY FOR SIGNATURE OF Leeds, NRR DESC: **-GRN ** Gulf Oil Spill and Reactor Safety (EDATS: SECY-2010-0358)

DATE: 07/09/10 ASSIGNED TO: CONTACT: NRR Leeds SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS: EDO CONTROL: G20100433 DOC DT: 06/14/10 FINAL REPLY: CRC NO: 10-0316 ROUTING: Borchardt Weber Virgilio Ash Mamish OGC/GC Wiggins, NSIR Collins, RIV Reyes, RII Dapas, RI Burns, OGC Kotzalas, OEDO EDATS Number: SECY-2010-0358 Source: SECY Genera Infrmaio Assigned To: NRR Other Assignees:

Subject:

Gulf Oil Spill and Reactor Safety

Description:

OEDO Due Date:

8/2/2010 11:00 PM SECY Due Date: 8/2/2010 11:00 PM CC Routing: NSIR; RegionlV; Regionll; Regionl; OGC ADAMS Accession Numbers -Incoming:

NONE Response/Package:

NONE 0 i .1 Cross Reference Number: G20100433, LTR-10-0316 Related Task: File Routing: EDATS Staff Initiated:

NO Recurring Item: NO Agency Lesson Learned: NO OEDO Monthly Report Item: NO PoesI nhiratio Action Type: Letter Signature Level: NRR Approval Level: No Approval Required OEDO Concurrence:

NO OCM Concurrence:

NO OCA Concurrence:

NO Special Instructions:

Priority:

Medium Sensitivity:

None Urgency: NO Originator Name: S. Portzline, P. Gunter, N. Cohen Date of Incoming:

6/14/2010 Originating Organization:

Three Mile Island Document Received by SECY Date: 7/9/2010 Alert,Beyond Nuclear,Unplug Salem Addressee:

Annette Vietti-Cook, SECY Date Response Requested by Originator:

NONE Incoming Task Received:

Letter Page 1 of I EDATS Number: SECY-2010-0358 Source: SECY General Information', ",' , '.," .' ' "> Assigned To: NRR Other Assignees:

Subject:

Gulf Oil Spill and Reactor Safety

Description:

CC Routing: NSIR; RegionIV; RegionII; Regionl; OGC ADAMS Accession Numbers -Incoming:

NONE OEDO Due Date: 8/2/2010 II :00 PM SECY Due Date: 8/2/2010 II :00 PM Response/Package:

NONE

..... ---.

..... ---

---

Cross Reference Number: G20 100433, L TR-I 0-0316 Related Task: File Routing: EDA TS Staff Initiated:

NO Recurring Item: NO Agency Lesson Learned: NO OEDO Monthly Report Item: NO Process,lnformation

." . t : ** " * * '.' -; * ." .... r; : .'. "--Action Type: Letter Signature Level: NRR Approval Level: No Approval Required OEDO Concurrence:

NO OCM Concurrence:

NO OCA Concurrence:

NO Special Instructions:

Priority:

Medium Sensitivity:

None Urgency: NO Docu ment Information ' " :,., " ". ',' '.' '.' . . . " .

,',. ,I, .' J ,. J , ., (t ' Originator Name: S. Portzline, P. Gunter, N. Cohen Originating Organization:

Three Mile Island Alert,Beyond Nuclear,Unplug Salem Addressee:

Annette Vietti-Cook, SECY Incoming Task Received:

Letter Date of Incoming:

6114/20 I 0 Document Received by SECY Date: 7/9/20 10 Date Response Requested by Originator:

NONE Page 1 of 1 OFFICE OF THE SECRETARYCORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed: Jul 09, 2010 12:18 PAPER NUMBER: ACTION OFFICE: LTR- 10-0316 EDO LOGGING DATE: 07/09/2010 AUTHOR: AFFILIATION:

ADDRESSEE:Scott Portzline PAAnnette Vietti-Cook

SUBJECT:

Gulf oil spill and reactor safety ACTION: DISTRIBUTION:

LETTER DATE: ACKNOWLEDGED SPECIAL HANDLING: Direct Reply RF... SECY to Ack 06/14/2010 No Made publicly available in ADAMS via EDO/DPC NOTES: FILE LOCATION: ADAMS DATE DUE: 08/02/2010 DATE SIGNED: EDO --G2ninnAii PAPER NUMBER: ACTION OFFICE: AUTHOR: AFFILIATION:

ADDRESSEE:

SUBJECT:

ACTION: DISTRIBUTION:

LETTER DATE: ACKNOWLEDGED SPECIAL HANDLING:

NOTES: FILE LOCATION:

DATE DUE: OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed: Jui 09, 2010 12:18 LTR-IO-0316 EDO LOGGING DATE: 07/09/2010 Scott Portzline PA Annette Vietti-Cook Gulf oil spill and reactor safety Direct Reply RF ... SECY to Ack 06114/2010 No Made publicly available in ADAMS via EDO/DPC ADAMS . 08/02/2010*

DATE SIGNED: EDO --G? 01 II n LI. "l "l June 14, 2010 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission One White Flint North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852-2738 Re: Gulf oil spill and reactor safety Dear Secretary of the NRC, We are looking for assurances that the proper federal and state agencies are working in a coordinated and comprehensive effort to prevent safety problems at coastal nuclear plants which could be caused by the Gulf oil spill. Thus far, there has been no guidance from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to its reactor licensees.

The NRC has not yet designated an officer or a task force to handle a response plan for this event. Therefore, as concerned citizens we would like to know what is being done. The process should be made publicly transparent to allay concerns.Additionally, we want to be assured that surface and submerged oil plumes are being monitored before they near a reactor site. If oil contaminated water were to infiltrate the water intake system, serious damage to safety systems could result.Nuclear plants have procedures to shut down in advance of water contamination events to prevent such damage. Of course this relies upon proper tracking of the plumes.Such a shut-down event did happen on the Delaware River in November 2004 when an oil tanker spilled 265,000 gallons of crude oil near Philadelphia PA. The Salem NJ nuclear plant shutdown its reactors for nearly two weeks as a precaution against the submerged oil.In that event, the Coast Guard did not have the phone number for the nuclear plant and instead mistakenly called the Unplug Salem nuclear watchdog chairman at his home in the middle of the night.We would like to be certain that no one is caught off guard.u.s. Nuclear Regulatory Commission One White Flint North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852-2738 Re: Gulf oil spill and reactor safety Dear Secretary of the NRC, June 14, 2010 We are looking for assurances that the proper federal and state agencies are working in a coordinated and comprehensive effort to prevent safety problems at coastal nuclear plants which could be caused by the Gulf oil spill. Thus far, there has been no guidance from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to its reg,etor licensees.

The NRC has not yet designated an officer or a task force to handle a response plan for this event. Therefore, as concerned citizens we would like to know what is being done. The process should be made publicly transparent to allay concerns.

Additionally, we want to be assured that surface and submerged oil plumes are being monitored before they near a reactor site. If oil contaminated water were to infiltrate the water intake system, serious damage to safety systems could result. Nuclear plants have procedures to shut down in advance of water contamination events to prevent such damage. Of course this relies upon proper tracking of the plumes. Such a shut-down event did happen on the Delaware River in November 2004 when an oil tanker spilled 265,000 gallons of crude oil near Philadelphia PA. The Salem NJ nuclear plant shutdown its reactors for nearly two weeks as a precaution against the submerged oil. In that event, the Coast Guard did not have the phone number for the nuclear plant and instead mistakenly called the Unplug Salem nuclear watchdog chairman at his home in the middle of the night. We would like to be certain that no one is caught off guard.

We would like to know:* Who is monitoring the sub-surface oil plumes?Can special monitoring resources be set up at the Crystal River nuclear plant, and potentially reactors on the Atlantic Coast of Florida?* How are nuclear plants protecting themselves from the oil, chemical dispersants and dissolved methane now in the sea water?* What guidance is the NRC providing?

• Has the NRC-asked for assistance from NOAA's National Ocean Service to specifically monitor the behavior and movement of the oil, chemicals and methane near the nuclear plants?* What federal and state agencies are involved in a coordinated effort?Scott Portzline -Three Mile Island Alert, Harrisburg PA Paul Gunter -Beyond Nuclear, Takoma Park MD Norm Cohen -Unplug Salem, NJ Scott .Portzline, Security Paul Gunter, Director Norm Cohen Coordinator, Consultant to TMI Alert, Reactor Oversight Project UNPLUG Salem Campaign, 3715 N 3 rd Street Beyond Nuclear, 321 Bar Avenue, Harrisburg PA 17110 6930 Carroll Avenue Suite 400 Linwood NJ 08221 Tel. 717 232-8863 Takoma Park, MD 20912 Tel. 609-601-8583 Tel. 301 270 2209 Cc: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission National Oceanic and Atmospheric One White Flint North Administration 11555 Rockville Pike Office of Response and Restoration Rockville, MD 20852-2738 1305 East-West Highway Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 U.S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters U.S. Department of Homeland Security Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, Washington, DC 20528 2100 Second Street, SW Stop 7101 Washington, Dc 20593-7 101 We would like to know:

• Who is monitoring the sub-surface oil plumes?

• Can special monitoring resources be set up at the Crystal River nuclear plant, and potentially reactors on the Atlantic Coast of Florida?

• How are nuclear plants protecting themselves from the oil, chemical dispersants and dissolved methane now in the sea water?

• What guidance is the NRC providing?

• Has the NRC-asked for assistance from NOAA's National Ocean Service to specifically monitor the behavior and movement of the oil, chemicals and methane near the nuclear plants?

• What federal and state agencies are involved in a coordinated effort? Scott Portzline, Security Consultant to TMI Alert, 3715 N 3'd Street Harrisburg PA 17110 Tel. 717 232-8863 Cc: Scott Portzline -Three Mile Island Alert, Harrisburg PA Paul Gunter -Beyond Nuclear, Takoma Park MD Norm Cohen -Unplug Salem, NJ Paul Gunter, Director Norm Cohen Coordinator, Reactor Oversight Project UNPLUG Salem Campaign, Beyond Nuclear, 321 Bar Avenue, 6930 Carroll Avenue Suite 400. Linwood NJ 08221 Takoma Park, MD 20912 Tel. 609-601-8583 Tel. 301 2702209 u.s. Nuclear Regulatory Commission National Oceanic and Atmospheric One White Flint North Administration I 1555 Rockville Pike Office of Response and Restoration Rockville, MD 20852-2738 1305 East-West Highway Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 u.s. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters U.S. Department of Homeland Security Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, Washington, DC 20528 2 I 00 Second Street, SW Stop 7 I 0 I Washington, Dc 20593-710 I For Immediate Release: June 14, 2010 " Contact: Scott Portzline, Three Mile Island Alert, 717-232-8863 Paul Gunter, Beyond Nuclear, 301-523-0201, 301-455-5655Norm Cohen, Unplug Salem Campaign, 609-335-8176Nuclear Watchdog Groups Raise Reactor Safety Concerns over the Gulf Oil Spill Nuclear power watchdog groups are calling for an across-the-board and transparent analysis of all critical actions which will be necessary to prevent damage to coastal reactors posed by the threat of contaminated water. In a letter to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the US Coast Guard, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Homeland Security, the watchdog groups ask for assurances that comprehensive guidance from federal agencies is being provided to reactor licensees.

They are also calling for the constant monitoring of the oil plumes.If surface or submerged oil contaminated water were to infiltrate the water intake system serious damage to safety systems could result. Nuclear plants have procedures to shut down. in advance of water contamination events to prevent such damage. Such a shut-down event did happen on the Delaware River in November 2004 when an oil tanker spilled 265,000 gallons of crude oil near Philadelphia PA. The Salem NJ nuclear plant shutdown its reactors for nearly two weeks as a precaution against the submerged oil.The unprecedented nature of this problem is especially-concerning because there are now"thousands of smaller spills"' which must be accounted for. The ever-changing currents in the Gulf create a very difficult situation for the tracking of the plumes compared to the Delaware River spill.Furthermore, BP states that the underwater oil plumes don't exist, contrary to independent scientists' analysis.

This type of confusion must be resolved with an accountable federal agency and a notification process for the encroachment of underwater and surface oil plumes to coastal waters, especially near nuclear power plants."BP is disputing that underwater oil plumes are spreading throughout the Gulf region," said Paul Gunter, Director of the Reactor Oversight Project for the Takoma Park, MD based organization Beyond Nuclear. "It is vital that an NRC safety analysis be madepublic before coastal reactors take in billions of gallons of oil-contaminated water." I As described by Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen in a June 7th 2010 press conference., ". For Immediate Release: June 14,2010 . Contact: Scott Portzline, Three Mile Island Alert, 717-232-8863 Paul Gunter, Beyond Nuclear, 301-523-0201, 301-455-5655 Norm Cohen, Unplug Salem Campaign, 609-335-8176 Nuclear Watchdog Groups Raise Reactor Safety Concerns over the Gulf Oil Spill Nuclear power watchdog groups are calling for an across-the-board and transparent analysis of all critical actions which will be necessary to prevent damage to coastal reactors posed by the threat of contaminated water. In a letter to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the US Coast Guard, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Homeland Security, the watchdog groups ask for assurances that comprehensive guidance from federal agencies is being provided to reactor licensees.

They are also calling for the constant mon,itoring of the oil plumes. If surface or submerged oil contaminated water were to infiltrate the water intake system serious damage to safety systems could result. Nuclear plants have procedures to shut down, in advance of water contamination events to prevent such damage. Such a down event did happen on the Delaware River in November 2004 when an oil tanker spilled 265,000 gallons of crude oil near Philadelphia PA. The Salem NJ nuclear plant shutdown its reactors for nearly two weeks as a precaution against the submerged oil. The unprecedented nature of this problem is especially-concerning because there are now "thousands of sma!ler spills,,1 which must be accounted for. The ever-changing currents in the Gulf create a very difficult situation for the tracking of the plumes compared to the Delaware River spill. Furthermore, BP states that the underwater oil plumes don't ex'ist, contrary to independent scientists' analysis.

This type of confusion must be resolved with an accountable federal agency and a notification process for the encroachment of underwater and surface oil plumes to coastal waters, especially near nuclear power plants. "BP is disputing that underwater oil plumes are spreading throughout the Gulf region," said Paul Gunter, Director of the Reactor Oversight Project for the Takoma Park, MD based organization Beyond Nuclear. "It is vital that an NRC safety analysis be made public before coastal reactors take in billions of gallons of oil-contaminated water." 1 As described by Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen in a June 7th 20 I 0 press conference, Scott Portzline of Three Mile Island Alert, Harrisburg PA said, "I have not seen any communiques or guidance from the NRC alerting the plants to the unprecedented nature of the threat posed by the multiple sub-surface oil plumes. Therefore, reactor operators might be caught off guard if they are relying on their prior limited experience with oil slicks." An additional concern is that chemical dispersants and elevated methane gas levels in the Gulf sea water might cause problems with reactor safety systems. Consequently, a full and transparent accounting of all factors must be acted upon.Norm Cohen, Coordinator for the Unplug Salem Campaign said, "We are urging the NRC to clearly document what actions and contingency plans it will employ in response to this crisis. We want to know how the various response agencies are interacting right now." The letter containing the concerns and questions for the federal agencies is attached.Note: link

-Overhead photo of Crvstal River nuclear nower pla11t intake canals.In September 2009 the plant was temporarily shutdown to replace aging steamgenerators. During the repairs, workers discovered a crack in the concrete containment building.

The reactor remains shutdown. " ;. Scott Portzline of Three Mile Island Alert, Harrisburg P A said, "I have not seen any communiques or guidance from the NRC alerting the plants to the unprecedented nature of the threat posed by the multiple sub-surface oil plumes. Therefore, reactor operators might be caught off guard if they are relying on their prior limited experience with oil slicks. " An additional concern is that chemical dispersants and elevated methane gas levels in the Gulf sea water might cause problems with reactor safety systems. Consequently, a full and transparent accounting of all factors must be acted upon. Norm Cohen, Coordinator for the Unplug Salem Campaign said, "We are urging the NRC to clearly document what actions and contingency plans it will employ in response to this crisis. We want to know how the various response agencies are interacting right now." The letter containing the concerns and questions for the federal agencies is attached.

In September 2009 the plant was temporarily shutdown to replace aging steam generators.

During the repairs, workers discovered a crack in the concrete containment building.

The reactor remains shutdown.