ML19350D634

Responds to NRC 810310 & 17 Requests for Determination & Findings on Status of State & Local Offsite Preparedness. Post-exercise Evaluation of State of Il & Grundy & LaSalle Counties Exercise of Il Radiological Accident Plan Encl

ML19350D634
Person / Time
Site:	LaSalle
Issue date:	05/13/1981
From:	Dickey J Federal Emergency Management Agency
To:	Grimes B Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Shared Package
ML19350D635	List: ML19350D634 ML19350D636
References
NUDOCS 8105180243
Download: ML19350D634 (2)

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Mr. Brian Grimes Director, Division of Emergency Preparedness MAY 13 19 81

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Washington, DC 20555  ! y 'eer

Dear Brian:

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This responds to your memoranda of March 10 and March 17, 1981, requesting findings and detrmination on the status of State and local off-site preparedness relative to the LaSalle nuclear station in Illinois.

We have reviewed the State and local plans in draft as completed in December 1980. The State of Illinois has since, by letter dated March 31, 1981, formally submitted its radiological emergency plans to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region V af fice. It included the " State Plan for Radiological Accidents for the State of Illinois" and the local plans for LaSalle and Grundy Counties which are impacted by the plume zone.

The FEMA Region V Regional Assistance Committee (RAC) is currently reviewing the plans.

Two joint exercises have been held on the State plan; the first for the site specific Dresden plan on October 28, 1980, and the second on December 4, 1980, for the LaSalle site. The LaSalle exercise evaluation confirmed the conclusion of the earlier exercise, that the State had effectively demonstrated a capability to protect the public in the event of a plant emergency.

The two counties impacted by the plume exposure zone, LaSalle and Grundy, showed widely differing degrees of capability in the exercise. This was LaSalle County's first experience with a radiological exercise and it generally revealed lack of knowledge and familiarity of the procedures. This is minor and correctable through further training, the use of checklists and SOPS. Gt-County, however, has given a very poor performance in botn the LaSalle and c An exercises by casual indifference and lack of knowledge of its plans and pro-cedures.

There is no reference in any of the plans to meeting the requirements for alerting and notification as described in Appendix 3 of Criteria E-6 of NUREG-0654/ FEMA-REP-1, Revision 1. A public meeting was held on December 5,1980, at Ottawa, Illinois, in accordance with 44 CFR 350.10. The FEMA Region V has suomitted its recommendations resulting from the LaSalle exercise to the State, but as of this date, the State has not responded.

From the foregoing, we find that the State of Illinois per se appears adequately '

prepared to protect the public in the event of a nuclear accident at the LaSalle site. We find that while deficiencies exist in the capabilities of LaSalle County, it does have an adequate capability to respond, but conditioned upon further training of its of ficials and developing checklists and SOPS. We find that Grundy County, having performed poorly in both the Dresden and LaSalle exercises, must be judged as not having a capability to protect the public and at substantial improvements are needed to meet a level of adequrcy. Finally, we find that th  !

alerting and notification system does not meet the current criteria. M/$

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• The foregoing describes the status of the plans and preparedness for the LaS711e site at this time. At such time as we complete the formal process outined in 44 CFR 350 (proposed), we will promptly provide final findings and determination.

Sincerely yours,

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Director, Radiological Emergency

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Preparedness Division 4