ML022270364
| ML022270364 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Peach Bottom  |
| Issue date: | 07/31/2002 |
| From: | Cuthbert D Alliance For A Clean Environment |
| To: | NRC/NRR/DRIP/RLEP |
| Wheeler LL, NRR/DRIP/RLEP, 415-1444 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML022310317 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML022270364 (3) | |
Text
Public Hearing Testimony - July 31, 2002 To: Nuclear Regulatory Commission Re: Peach Bottom Operating License Renewal - 2014 to 2034 From: The Alliance For A Clean Environment P.O. Box 3063 Stowe, PA 19464 Presented by Donna Cuthbert, ACE Vice President The Alliance For A Clean Environment (ACE) is a group founded in the Greater Pottstown Area, which is focused on harmful environmental health impacts in our region. Based on Peach Bottom's enormous radioactive threat to human health and safety, as well as long lasting destruction of our environment, we URGE the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to DENY the License Renewal for Peach Bottom.
Closing Peach Bottom, instead of renewing its license, is clearly in the best interest of health and safety of all residents in this region and the best economic interests of the public in general. The President keeps reminding us that our war on terrorism is not likely to end in the near future, IF ever.
- 1. Why would the NRC renew the license for such a major target for terrorists? The potential to destroy so much, and harm or kill so many people must be ended, not renewed.
- a. Even people in the Greater Pottstown area could have their health adversely impacted by a terrorist attack, or accidental disaster at Peach Bottom. Pottstown is only about 50 to 55 miles northeast of Peach Bottom.
- b. If prevailing winds blow at about 10 miles per hour, harmful radiation would arrive in Pottstown in as little as 5 hours5.787037e-5 days <br />0.00139 hours <br />8.267196e-6 weeks <br />1.9025e-6 months <br /> after an accident.
- 2. Why would the NRC renew the license for any nuclear plant, when it costs the public so much money to protect these facilities from terrorism?
- a. How long can we afford to absorb the cost?
- b. What kind of debt would we be planning to leave for our children and their children just for the constant surveillance of nuclear plants?
- 3. Why would the NRC renew the license for any nuclear plant, when there is NO SAFE WAY TO DISPOSE of the radioactive wastes these facilities produce?
- a. Spent fuel rods present ENORMOUS RISKS to public health and safety, TO STORE "OR" TRANSPORT. When spent fuel rods can't be disposed safely, why would the NRC allow the process to continue which produces more of them?
- b. Transporting spent fuel rods from nuclear plants, such as Peach Bottom in PA, across the nation to Yucca Mountain, opens the door for all kinds of natural and terrorist catastrophes along the way.
- c. Leaving the nuclear waste on site presents additional risks to the surrounding populations. Spent fuel rods are potentially more harmful than the radiation escaping from nuclear power plants on a regular basis.
- d. We face far too much risk from nuclear waste already? Why would the NRC extend the life of Peach Bottom or any other nuclear power plant?
- 4. Common sense tells us the older nuclear plants get, the more chance there will be for accidental disasters. Why would the NRC permit this increased risk?
- 5. Why would the NRC allow nuclear plants to have 20 years of extended life knowing the following:
- a. In 1990, the National Academy of Science report, called The Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BIER), stated that even quick decaying radiation is not necessarily safe. There is no safe level of radiation.
- b. Nuclear Power plants contain a toxic soup of extremely carcinogenic radiation.
- c. There is no way to protect people from the on-going radiation releases at a nuclear facility.
- d. There is no way to protect people from exposure as a result of a nuclear accident.
- e. Some kinds of radiation from nuclear power plants remain In the human body forever. Example - 1 atom of Strontium 90 sits in the body for life.
In the past 60 years, nuclear technology has created an array of problems that now rank among the most difficult, dangerous, and long lived that the world has ever faced. These problems keep growing larger. Despite all the problems the nuclear industry has already created, it is redoubling its efforts to expand. How can the NRC permit this? It is time to close nuclear plants when permits end, not renew their threat to human health for another 20 years.
PeaNuBotom Remord Up to 1993, Peach Bottom 2 and 3 released 2.21 curies of long-lived radioactivity into the air (19"h highest of 72 U.S. plants). The total of liquid mixed fission products ranked 14' according to the NRC, in Radioactive Materials Released from Nuclear Power plants annual reports.
Peach Bottom has the potential to be an enormous health risk to over a million residents in the surrounding region. In fact, Pottstown, already hard-hit by high rates of diseases like cancer, is located about 50-55 miles northeast (downwind from Peach Bottom).
"* Pottstown residents could ingest airborne particulates routinely escaping from Peach Bottom.
"* The Pottstown area gets much of its milk from dairies located in Lancaster and York Counties, near Peach Bottom. Residents, both near Peach Bottom and elsewhere like Pottstown, ingest Peach Bottom fallout in milk.
It is irresponsible and illogical to extend the life of Peach Bottom from 2014 to 2034. ACE urges you to protect the enormous population which can be adversely affected by what happens at Peach Bottom, including all those in the Greater Pottstown Area, already facing a health crisis.
PLEASE VALUE HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
PLEASE DENY EXELON'S APPLICATION TO EXTEND THE PEACH BOTTOM LICENSES FROM 2014 TO 2034!