News

Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board

Analysis of Cancer Risks in Populations near Nuclear Facilities: Phase 2 Pilot Planning
MEETING AGENDA DRAFT*
First Committee Meeting: December 11, 2013
National Academy of Sciences Building 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW Room 125

2:00 PM Call to order and welcome Introductions of committee and staff Jon Samet, committee chair

2:10 PM Analysis of cancer risks in populations near nuclear facilities: study background
Rania Kosti, study director

2:30 PM Planning for the pilot of analysis of cancer risks near nuclear facilities
Jon Samet, committee chair

2:40 PM Analysis of cancer risks in populations near nuclear facilities—Phase 2 Pilot Planning study request
Brian Sheron, Director, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Terry Brock, Senior Program Manager, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

3:00 PM Questions and Discussion

3:15 PM Congressional Comments (TBD)

3:30 PM Questions and Discussion

3:40 PM Public Comments

4:00 PM Adjourn Session Open to the Public

Members of the public that wish to attend the meeting should contact Erin Wingo at 202 334 3066 or crs@nas.edu. Members of the press who wish to attend the meeting should contact Lauren Rugani, media officer, at 202 334 3593 or LRugani@nas.edu. Seating is limited.

Members of the public and press unable to attend may listen to the meeting through a toll-free telephone line or view the presentations via WebEx. Members of the public interested in calling in or viewing the WebEx should contact Erin Wingo at 202 334 3066 or crs@nas.edu by December 9 for instructions.

*This draft is subject to change. For updated information please visit the National Academy of Science’s website.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Giselle Barry (Markey) 202-224-2742

Markey: New NRC Policy Restricts Congressional Oversight, Undermines Transparency

Group of Senators join in call for reversal of ill-considered policy that prevents members from receiving sensitive information related to nuclear safety and security

Washington (November 20, 2013) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) was today joined by nine other Senators in a letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) calling for it to reverse its recent policy that would bar members of Congress from receiving documents that would support its oversight authority. A September alteration in NRC policy would limit document requests to only the Chairperson or Ranking Member of one of NRC’s Congressional oversight committees or subcommittees, preventing individual Senators and members of Congress from requesting information if, for example, there is a nuclear power plant with safety issues in their states or Congressional districts. The previous policy allowed any member of committees and subcommittees with jurisdiction to receive information necessary to carry out its legislative and oversight responsibilities, while members not on those committees could get information about their states. Upon her confirmation in June, Chairman Allison MacFarlane said she would “remain committed to transparency” as the new leader of the NRC. 

“This change in policy is clearly inconsistent with your stated commitment, is contrary to principles of government accountability, and in conflict with Congress’s constitutionally-authorized oversight authorities,” write the Senators in the letter to NRC Chief Macfarlane.

A copy of the letter to NRC can be found HERE.

Other signatories on the letter include Senators Menendez, Leahy, Wyden, Sanders, Warren, Gillibrand, Blumenthal, Baldwin and Whitehouse.

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For Immediate Release                                                    Contact:  Mary Kerr or Kate Gilman: 202-224-8832
November 21, 2013                                                          mary_kerr@epw.senate.gov or kate_gilman@epw.senate.gov
                                                                       
U.S. Senate Committee on
Environment and Public Works

Senator Boxer Calls on NRC to Provide Documents Missing from Response to Committee’s Request for Information

Washington, D.C. – Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, expressed concern today that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) may have impeded or obstructed the Committee’s oversight activities by removing requested documents and materials related to the ongoing investigation of the San Onofre nuclear power plant from boxes before they were delivered to Committee offices.  Senator Boxer sent a letter to NRC Chairman, Allison Macfarlane, asking NRC to provide the missing documents by December 2nd.

The full text of the letter is below:

November 21, 2013
 
The Honorable Allison M. Macfarlane
Chairman
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Rockville, MD 20852
 
Dear Chairman Macfarlane:
 
              I write to express my serious concern that some documents provided by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC’s) Office of Investigations may have been removed from the boxes before they were delivered to my office on June 24, 2013.
 
              The documents NRC was supposed to provide me with are described in letters (attached) I sent to you on May 15, 2012, May 23, 2013, May 31, 2013 and June 19, 2013.
 
              When staff of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee reviewed the materials delivered on June 24, 2013, they located evidence suggesting that documents were removed prior to delivery. Specifically, staff found portions of a second index that lists records that do not appear in the boxes delivered to my office (attached).
 
Any effort to obstruct or impede my oversight activities is unacceptable.  Please provide, no later than December 2, 2013, copies of the following documents and materials:
 
The complete version of the second index of NRC Office of Investigations documents that were responsive to my requests,
Each document that was withheld from me that was listed on the second index of NRC Office of Investigations documents,
Any documents, memos, or emails that relate to any direction to NRC staff to withhold documents from me or describe the types of documents that should be withheld,
Any additional documents that have been withheld from me that are responsive to any of my previous requests, and
Any new materials, transcripts or other documents that have been obtained or created by the NRC since May 23, 2013.
 
 
Sincerely,
 
 
Barbara Boxer
Chairman
 
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Nathan McCray
Majority Staff
U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
410 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
 

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Release of Fairewinds’ latest Film “Remove TEPCO Before Removing Fuel” Narrated by Arnie Gundersen.

http://fairewinds.org/podcast/remove-­‐tepco-­‐removing-­‐fuel

Fairewinds’ Film details the removal of the fuel rods at Fukushima Daiichi Reactor 4,

calling into question TEPCO’s competence.

TEPCO is in the process of removing the fuel rods from reactor 4 at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear site. TEPCO’s abysmal engineering track record has led Fairewinds’ Chief Engineer Arnie Gundersen to call for the replacement of TEPCO management.

Download PDF

Act 129 Stakeholders,

At its Public Meeting this morning, the Commission approved a Tentative Order soliciting comments regarding potential models for a possible future demand response program.  With the Tentative Order, the Commission also released an amended version of the Statewide Evaluator’s Demand Response Study Final Report (originally released in May 2013).  I have included links to both documents below.  Comments will be due 30 days following the publishing of these documents in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, with reply comments due 45 days after the publishing date.

Peak Demand Cost Effectiveness Determination Tentative Order

Act 129 SWE Demand Response Study Final Report - Amended November 1, 2013

Questions regarding the technical aspects of these documents should be directed to me via email or by phone at 717-425-7583.  Questions regarding the legal aspects or regarding process issues should be directed to Kriss Brown at kribrown@pa.gov or 717-787-4518.

Thanks!
Megan
 
Megan G. Good
PA Public Utility Commission
Bureau of Technical Utility Services
Policy & Planning

Act 129 Stakeholders,

At its Public Meeting this morning, the Commission approved a Tentative Order soliciting comments regarding potential models for a possible future demand response program.  With the Tentative Order, the Commission also released an amended version of the Statewide Evaluator’s Demand Response Study Final Report (originally released in May 2013).  I have included links to both documents below.  Comments will be due 30 days following the publishing of these documents in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, with reply comments due 45 days after the publishing date.

Peak Demand Cost Effectiveness Determination Tentative Order

Act 129 SWE Demand Response Study Final Report - Amended November 1, 2013

Questions regarding the technical aspects of these documents should be directed to me via email or by phone at 717-425-7583.  Questions regarding the legal aspects or regarding process issues should be directed to Kriss Brown at kribrown@pa.gov or 717-787-4518.

Thanks!
Megan
 
Megan G. Good
PA Public Utility Commission
Bureau of Technical Utility Services
Policy & Planning

Act 129 Stakeholders,

At its Public Meeting this morning, the Commission approved a Tentative Order soliciting comments regarding potential models for a possible future demand response program.  With the Tentative Order, the Commission also released an amended version of the Statewide Evaluator’s Demand Response Study Final Report (originally released in May 2013).  I have included links to both documents below.  Comments will be due 30 days following the publishing of these documents in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, with reply comments due 45 days after the publishing date.

Peak Demand Cost Effectiveness Determination Tentative Order

Act 129 SWE Demand Response Study Final Report - Amended November 1, 2013

Questions regarding the technical aspects of these documents should be directed to me via email or by phone at 717-425-7583.  Questions regarding the legal aspects or regarding process issues should be directed to Kriss Brown at kribrown@pa.gov or 717-787-4518.

Thanks!
Megan
 
Megan G. Good
PA Public Utility Commission
Bureau of Technical Utility Services
Policy & Planning

Act 129 Stakeholders,

At its Public Meeting this morning, the Commission approved a Tentative Order soliciting comments regarding potential models for a possible future demand response program.  With the Tentative Order, the Commission also released an amended version of the Statewide Evaluator’s Demand Response Study Final Report (originally released in May 2013).  I have included links to both documents below.  Comments will be due 30 days following the publishing of these documents in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, with reply comments due 45 days after the publishing date.

Peak Demand Cost Effectiveness Determination Tentative Order

Act 129 SWE Demand Response Study Final Report - Amended November 1, 2013

Questions regarding the technical aspects of these documents should be directed to me via email or by phone at 717-425-7583.  Questions regarding the legal aspects or regarding process issues should be directed to Kriss Brown at kribrown@pa.gov or 717-787-4518.

Thanks!
Megan
 
Megan G. Good
PA Public Utility Commission
Bureau of Technical Utility Services
Policy & Planning

SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 - INTERIM STAFF EVALUATION AND REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE OVERALL INTEGRATED PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF ORDER EA-12-051, RELIABLE SPENT FUEL POOL INSTRUMENTATION {TAC NOS. MF0890 AND MF0891)

Download ML13295A606

Request for Withholding Information From Public Disclosure for Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Unit Nos. 2 and 3 (TAC Nos. ME9631 and ME9632)

Download ML13291A122