ML20100K041

Submits Concerns Re Safety of Local Residents in Event of Accident & Excessively High Cost of Projected Operation of Facility

ML20100K041
Person / Time
Site:	Byron
Issue date:	11/22/1984
From:	Chakour D, Gegan B, Stark W NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIV., DE KALB, IL
To:	NRC ATOMIC SAFETY & LICENSING APPEAL PANEL (ASLAP)
Shared Package
ML20100K017	List: ML20100K015 ML20100K031 ML20100K041
References
OL, NUDOCS 8412100548
Download: ML20100K041 (2)

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Lorado Taft Field Campus Northern Illinois University P.O. Box 299 CCW

"#*C Oregon. Il. 61061 November 22, 1984

'34 MC -7 N0 :20 Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Board L Fm: ..e Sith it;.,

Washington D.C. E E N G & S O V.r3 3RA NC,H To the Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Board:

The Lorado Taft Field Campus of Northern Illinois University is a resident outdoor education center located two miles from the town of Oregon and four miles from the Byron Nuclear Power Plant. The residents of this campus include the site director, the dining hall manager and his family, 15 graduate teaching assistants, and a weekly average of 150 children and teachers from various parts of northern Illinois. In addition, the campus houses the offices of the Faculty of Outdoor Teacher Education, employs about 15 local residents as support service personnel, and hosts weekend confer-ence groups ranging in size from 20-80.

The Byron plant is visible from several places on campus and stands as a stark and foreboding sight. It has been the source of much discussion and the cause of much concern. Our concerns with the plant are as follows:

1. The Byron Nuclear Power Plant is a threat to the safety of the local residents. Nuclear power is a complex, unreliable, mistake-prone technology. Accidents have happened in the past and will continue to plague the industry. The Byron plant has already been shown to have problems with poor workmanship and faulty construction.

This, added to the potential problems caused by human error, sabotage, and terrorist attacks, makes the risks associated with the plant so great that they outweigh any possitle benefits.

2. In the event of an accident, Taft Camuus could not be quickly evacuated. Twice each week, an average of 150 children and teachers are in recidence at the campus for a three-day outdoor education experience. The busses which transport these people to the campus do not remain on site but return to the home school district located as far as 130 miles away. At the present time, there is no evacuation plan involving the use _of : local;~.bussesi, which would be in use evacuating Oregon residents, nor is there a plan for bringing in outside transporation which could delay evacuation up to three-four hours. If the warning siren which is located next to the campus should sound, the residents would be left to face radiation with no way to leave and inadequate housing to wait out the delay.

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3 The Byron clant is excessively costly and not needed. There is no shortage of energy at the present time and the added electricity which might be generated.should the plant function properly is simply not needed. Further, many experts in the field have predicted that demands for electricity will decline in the future. In li.ght l of the potential dangers from the operation of a nuclear plant in such close proximity to residential areas, the Byron plant should nct be allowed to be loaded or to begin testing until it can be shown that additional electricity is vitally needed and that nuclear energy is the only way to supply the power.

We, the residents and s'aff of Lorado Taft Field Campus, believe we would be in danger 11 the Byron Nuclear Power Plant receives a license for the production of electricity. We are appealing to you to place the safety of the public, especially the safety of our school children, above the demands of Commonwealth Edison and deny an operating license to the Byron Nuclear Power Plant.

Sincerely.

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