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APPROVED 10119199 <br />MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />SPECIAL MEETING <br />APRIL 7, 1999 <br />The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a special meeting on Wednesday, April 7, <br />1999 at 7:00 p.m. at the Chapel Hill Town Council Chambers, Chapel Hill, N.C. <br />COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Alice M. Gordon, and Commissioners <br />Margaret W. Brown and Barry Jacobs <br />COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Commissioners Moses Carey, Jr. and Stephen <br />H. Halkiotis <br />1. Special Meeting of Orange County Board of Commissioners to Hear a Report on the <br />Risks and Alternative Options Associated with Spent Fuel Storage at the Shearon Harris Nuclear <br />Power Plant <br />a. Purpose of Meeting <br />Chair Gordon explained that this meeting will be a two part meeting. The first part is a <br />Special Meeting of the Orange County Board of County Commissioners. The second part is a meeting of <br />concerned citizens and interested parties. The purpose of this public intervention forum is to hear and <br />discuss a report on the risks and alternative options associated with spent fuel storage at the Shearon <br />Harris Nuclear Power Plant. <br />Carolina Power and Light Company has filed an application with the U. S. Nuclear <br />Regulatory Commission, proposing expansion of its spent nuclear fuel rod storage capacity at the <br />Shearon Harris plant. In response, Orange County has petitioned the Nuclear Regulator Commission <br />(NRC) to hold a public hearing to evaluate the merits and risks of this proposal. This process is known as <br />intervention. A number of local jurisdictions have supported Orange County's efforts, and that support is <br />very much appreciated. To date, the towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Garner, and Hillsborough, the cities <br />of Mebane and Sanford, Durham and Lee Counties, and Chapel Hill/Carrboro and Orange County school <br />boards have passed resolutions calling for a process open to public scrutiny. Also, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, <br />and Durham County have provided funding for this intervention process. Chatham County has provided <br />technical assistance. In addition, the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environment and <br />Natural Resources has written to the NRC, requesting that the NRC hold public hearings on this issue. <br />The County Commissioners would like to share the information they have obtained from the technical <br />consultants as part of the intervention process. <br />David Lockbaum, a noted nuclear safety engineer, representing the Union of Concerned <br />Scientists (UCS), will discuss the fuel storage expansion issues. Dr. Gordon Thompson, an expert on <br />nuclear power generation issues, will project his findings relative to Shearon Harris fuel storage capacity <br />and expansion safety issues. <br />Chair Gordon encouraged anyone who had specific concerns to fill out the questionnaire <br />so the Board would have a record of it, and so the concerns can be appropriately addressed at a later <br />time if they are not addressed tonight. <br />b. Introduction of Elected Officials and Special Guests <br />Chair Gordon introduced some of the elected officials, including the County <br />Commissioners. She had all the elected officials stand and introduce themselves. <br />Ellie Kinnaird, North Carolina Senator <br />Michael Nelson, Mayor, Town of Carrboro <br />Kevin Foy, Council member, Town of Chapel Hill <br />Joe Capowski, Council member, Town of Chapel Hill <br />Doug Meckes, Town of Apex <br />Allen Spalt, Carrboro Board of Aldermen