Agenda - 10-03-2006-6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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Orange County recognizes the potential consequences of an airborne release of nuclear materials, given a combination of circumstances including existing population densities, known problems with traffic gridlock under non-emergency conditions and the lack of overall coordination in emergency management, response and evacuation planning between Progress Energy/CP&L and local law enforcement/emergency management personnel. Accordingly, Orange County has, on several occasions, tried to raise this issue and these concerns with Progress Energy/CP&L and with government officials on the national, state and local level. At a recent Assembly of Governments meeting of elected~officials from Orange County, Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough, Orange County indicated its intent to renew its efforts to convince Progress Energy/CP&L and appropriate state and federal agencies (the NC Utilities Commission, Department of Crime Control & Public Safety and others; and the US Department of Homeland Security, Environmental Protection Agency and others) to work with all of the elected, law enforcement and emergency management/ response officials within the 50 mile radius ingestion zone to develop comprehensive and effective emergency response and evacuation plans. On a separate track, the BOCC has been advised of longstanding issues with the fire protection and safety at the Shearon Harris facility. Specifically, the Board learned that the plant has experienced at least one very serious fire and has a history of prevalent non-compliance with NRC-promulgated fire safety standards and regulations. Given that approximately 50% of the risks of catastrophic nuclear plant failure are associated with fire-related accidents (as calculated by the NRC), the local governments of Orange County have expressed a high level of concern and alarm at learning of the Harris plant's shortcomings in this area. Orange County has thus indicated its willingness to support the NC Waste Awareness and Reduction Network (NCWARN), the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Nuclear Information and Research Service, NC Fair Share and Students United for a Responsible Global Environment in their emergency petition to the NRC to compel Progress Energy/CP&L to immediately correct all of the fire safety violations at the Shearon Harris facility. FINANCIAL. IMPACT: There is no direct financial implication to these resolutions, although costs associated with emergency management planning for evacuation routing, control, procedures, etc., may arise in the long term. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the BOCC review, revise as necessary and adopt the resolutions.