Agenda - 04-02-2002-10a - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 1 Many elected officials, policy makers and citizens within the designated "ingestion pathway" (the area within a fifty mile radius of the Shearon Harris power plant) have expressed serious concerns about the threat of terrorist acts to the Harris facility and the potential consequences of a successful attack. Specifically, individuals and organizations have expressed concern that the Harris facility may be a priority target for terrorist attack because of: 1) potential for widespread and lethal consequences resulting from an airborne release of the tremendous quantity of radioactive material available from the spent fuel stored in Harris pools (ultimately the largest such facility in the US); 2) its proximity to a large densely populated area and important governmental, military, industrial and education facilities (approximately 2,000,000 individuals, the state capital, Fort Bragg, the Research Triangle, three major universities and a number of smaller universities and colleges)within the 50 mile radius ingestion pathway; and 3) the vulnerability of the spent fuel facility to an airborne attack such as that of 9/11/2001 (within minutes of RDU, a large international airport). Furthermore, most policy makers, citizens, and emergency management/law enforcement personnel fear that any large scale evacuation process within such a densely populated area would prove to be an exceedingly difficult undertaking. Elected officials of the Orange and Chatham Counties and a number of other area local government officials and citizen groups have called for a public discussion of the concerns outlined above. It has been proposed that these concerns, as well as strategies for reducing both the risk and consequence of terrorist attack on the Harris fuel storage facilities, be addressed in a symposium (open to the public with formal invitations to elected officials and critical staff of federal state and local governments within the 50-mile ingestion pathway)to be co-hosted by Orange and Chatham Counties. This symposium could consist of presentations by experts in the fields of nuclear power plant/spent fuel storage vulnerability and safety, emergency management, issues related to the threat and acts of terrorism, potential public health effects associated with short and long term exposure to radioactive pollutants and by CP&L. At the conclusion of the presentations, the floor could be opened for questions and comment by elected officials, policy makers, citizens and media. Co-hosting a symposium along the lines of those proposed above is generally consistent with previously stated concerns and goals of the BOCC with regard to the Harris facility spent fuel storage issue and with previous BOCC-directed activities of Orange County in that regard. Commissioners Halkiotis and Brown, County staff and others have been discussing and evaluating potential topics, times, speakers, etc., for a symposium dealing with terrorism and the Harris facility. They have determined that: 1) the BOCC has a open date available for meetings on the evening of May 2; 2)the Grumman Auditorium at the Friday Center is available for County use on May 2; and 3) nationally recognized experts on nuclear power safety issues, public health, terrorism, and emergency management are available at that time as well. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Approximately $2000 in direct cash support to be expended on rental costs for the auditorium at the Friday Center, postage for mailing invitations, etc. and approximately $5000 in costs for staff time involved in planning and administrative activities related to organizing the symposium. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the BOCC agree to: a) co-host the symposium; b) allocate $2000 in direct funding support; c)direct staff to proceed with the planning and administrative activities necessary to provide for the symposium; and d) provide notice to the press and public that the BOCC will be meeting between 7:30 and 10:30 PM on Thursday, May 2 at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill.