[NukeNet] Nuclear Regulatory Commission Ignores Public Demands to Stop Water Contamination

[MJ]

http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/nuclear-regulatory-commission.html
July 20, 2006

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Ignores Public Demands to Stop Water
Contamination
Backroom Deal with Industry Group Alleged 

WASHINGTON, DC, July 20—The Union of Concerned Scientists today filed
formal opposition to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's decision to
ignore the growing problem of radioactive tritium leaks from nuclear power
plants into water sources. The appeal was made after learning the NRC
based its decision on an industry "promise" to monitor the leaks
voluntarily. Today's opposition was filed on behalf of the 25 national,
state, and local organizations that petitioned the NRC in January 2006 to
address the leaks.

"It is outrageous that the NRC would shirk its duties to protect public
safety and rely—sight unseen—on an undocumented promise from an industry
with a long track record of broken promises," said David Lochbaum,
Director of the Nuclear Safety Project at the Union of Concerned
Scientists and lead author of the coalition's petition and appeal. "The
NRC should reverse this bad decision."

Last fall, it was revealed that millions of gallons of tritium-laden water
had leaked from the Braidwood nuclear plant in Illinois into nearby water
sources. Smaller leaks have been reported at nuclear facilities in New
York, New Jersey, Missouri, Connecticut, and Virginia. On June 28 of this
year, the NRC proposed denying the coalition's petition based on a promise
allegedly made by a nuclear industry lobbyist to provide information on
tritium leaks on a voluntary basis. The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), a
lobby group that only promotes industry interests, presented a sketchy
outline of this voluntary initiative to the NRC on July 12—two weeks after
the NRC proposed denying the petition. 

"How can industry be trusted to monitor itself when many of the leaks
occurred for months, perhaps even years, before finally being found?"
asked Lochbaum. "Most NRC-licensed facilities haven't looked to see if
they also have ongoing leaks, so an already serious problem will only get
worse."

In its proposal to deny the petition, the NRC pointed out that nuclear
plant owners had a contractual obligation to NEI to provide the
information as promised. In today's appeal, the coalition provided the NRC
with an abridged list of 10 times over the past decade where nuclear plant
owners were sanctioned by the NRC for violating federal regulations by
providing incomplete and/or inaccurate information to the NRC. The
coalition questioned whether information provided to the NRC by the
industry under a contractual obligation to its own trade group will be
likely to be more complete and accurate than this proven track record
strongly suggests.

"Apparently, the NRC can't spare the time to worry itself about a public
health matter," said Lochbaum. "Move over FEMA, the NRC is about to join
you in the penalty box."

 
 


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"I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we're really talking about peace."
Bush, June 18, 2002 

"War is Peace"
Big Brother in George Orwell's 1984

Molly Johnson 
6290 Hawk Ridge Place
San Miguel, CA  93451
Cell: 805 296-0524

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