Orange County NC Website
Town of Chapel Hill Fax :919- 967 =8406 Jan 13 '99 12 :31 P.03E04 <br />A RESOLUTION REQUESTING PUBLIC COMMENT AND OPPOSING ANY <br />TROPOSED EXPANSION OF HIGH LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE <br />FACILITIES E • O POWER <br />(99-1-II/R-6) <br />WHEREAS, the Co- uicil understands that Carolina Power & Light has plans for the expansion of <br />the high level radioactive waste storage facilities at the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant in <br />Wake County; and <br />WHEREAS, the Council understands that there are risks inherent with the doubling of the <br />storage capacity of the temporary storage pools for the high level radioactive waste for the <br />purpose of long term storage of high :level radioactive waste, not only from the Shearon Hams <br />plant, but also from two other nuclear. power plants from elsewhere in North and South Carolina.; <br />and <br />WHEREAS, the Council has concerns about the plans to expand the waste storage capacity at the <br />Shearon Harris facility and the lack of public input into the approval process for those; and <br />WHEREAS, the Council believes that communities should consider alternative forms of energy <br />production that are safer for the environment; <br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the <br />Council requests that the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources and <br />the Nuclear Regulatory Commission conduct public hearings in which Carolina Power & Light <br />and appropriate regulatory staff <br />1) explain the plans to expand the- storage facilities for high level radioactive waste at the <br />Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant; <br />2) outline the risks, or lack thereof, and explain the risk assessment methodology employed to <br />develop risk projections related to the use of facilities designed for short term storage of high <br />level radioactive wastes for long term storage; <br />3) outline the risks, or lack thereof, and explain -the risk assessment methodology employed to <br />develop risk projections associated with the transportation and handling of materials from <br />other distant nuclear power generating facilities; <br />4) accept and consider public comments relative to support for or opposition to operating or <br />examining such a facility in this area; <br />5) explain why transporting spent fuel rods - is * safer than a semi permanent storage (that is, <br />"swimming pool" storage) onto their site of use, as transporting them increases risks; <br />6) explain why transporting spent fuel rods from two regions of relatively low population <br />density (South Carolina and Brunswick County, NC) to an area of much higher population <br />density (Wake County) minimizes the overall risk to people; and <br />7) requests that the Chapel Hill Town Council be included in discussions with Carolina Power <br />and Light and the - Orange County Commissioners, and that these questions be answered in a <br />public forum.' <br />