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~~ <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />A RESOLUTION REGARDING PROPOSED EXPANSION OF HIGH LEVEL <br />RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE FACILITIES <br />AT CP&L'S SHEARON HARRIS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT <br />WHEREAS, on September 15, 1998, the Orange County Board of Commissioners were advised as to <br />plans for the expansion of the high level radioactive waste storage facilities at Carolina Power & <br />Light's Shearon Harris nuclear power plant in Wake County; and <br />WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners have been apprised of the potential risks inherent <br />with the doubling of the storage capacity of the temporary storage pools for high level radioactive <br />waste for the purpose of long term storage of high level radioactive waste, not only from the Shearon <br />Harris plant, but also from two other nuclear power plants from elsewhere in North and South <br />Carolina; and <br />WHEREAS, citizens of Orange County who are alarmed about the plans to expand the waste storage <br />capacity at the Shearon Harris facility and the lack of public input into the approval process for those <br />plans have requested that the Board of County Commissioners intervene in the plan approval process <br />on behalf of the citizens of Orange County to ensure that no such expansion occurs without the <br />public's knowledge and consent; and <br />WHEREAS, on November 9, 1998, the Orange County Commission for the Environment passed a <br />resolution asking that Board of County Commissioners request that an appropriate entity hold public <br />hearings in which Carolina Power and Light will provide additional information about its plans to <br />expand its storage capacity at Shearon Harris and respond to questions about long term storage of high <br />level radioactive wastes: <br />NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />requests that the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Nuclear <br />Regulatory Commission conduct public hearings in which Carolina Power & Light and appropriate <br />regulatory staff: 1) explain the plans to expand the storage facilities for high level radioactive waste at <br />the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant; 2) outline the risks or lack thereof and explain the risk <br />assessment methodology employed to develop risk projections related to the use of facilities designed <br />for short term storage of high level radioactive wastes for long term storage; 3) outline the risks or lack <br />thereof and explain the risk assessment methodology employed to develop risk projections associated <br />with the transportation and handling of materials from other distant nuclear power generating facilities; <br />and 4) accept and consider public comments relative to support for or opposition to operating or <br />expanding such a facility in this area. <br />This, the 17"' day of November, 1998 <br />' e .Brown, Chair <br />