I am exploring the question of when one
crosses the line from normal building materials to NORM building materials and
am looking for references/information on the distribution of naturally
occurring radioactive materials in commonly used building materials, (e.g.,
concrete, bricks, wallboard, etc.) I have been able to identify resources
which provide average values but am also interested in information on observed
statistical distribution.
Any assistance you can provide will be
appreciated.
Bob Shannon
Time Solutions Corp.
Tel: 303-432-1137
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, December 06, 2002 12:43
PM
Subject: editorial no excuses for DB or
NRC
Paul Blanch wrote:
> (lead) Editorial
December 4, 2002
> The Plain Dealer
>
>
> The big
picture
>
> FirstEnergy's failure to ensure that NRC saw reactor
photo cannot be
> explained away by the current crop of
excuses
>
>
>
> For months now, FirstEnergy Corp.
officials have clung to the tale that
> they never sought to mislead the
Nuclear Regulatory Commission about the
> problem of boric acid slowly
eating a hole in the lid of the Davis-Besse
> nuclear power plant's
reactor.
>
> They would admit to being inept, but not
criminal.
>
> Now, that story has been dashed by a picture of the
damaged,
> rust-stained lid that the company had in its possession, but
failed to
> include in a packet it sent to the NRC last November, when
it was
> lobbying to postpone the plant's inspection.
>
>
That picture points to more than cosmetic trouble with the
lid.
>
> FirstEnergy also told the NRC the lid had been thoroughly
cleaned,
> although it had not.
>
> FirstEnergy got the
delay it wanted. The inspection didn't take place
> until March. The
photo didn't surface until April.
>
> The timing stinks, and the
NRC's investigation of a possibility cover-up
> is perfectly
just.
>
> FirstEnergy, of course, denies that. The photograph was
"there for the
> asking," said Todd Schneider, company
spokesman.
>
> He blamed the company's mistakes on poor internal
communication about
> the photo and ignorance of boric acid's
dangers.
>
> But as an NRC official pointed out, the agency had
asked the company for
> all information that would help decide whether
the lid inspection should
> be delayed. Obviously, that significant
photo should have been included.
>
>
> This entire episode
raises disturbing questions about the NRC's
> regulation
system.
>
> The agency has been too trusting of its licensees to
be honest about
> safety. And companies will always be tempted to put
production above
> safety and maintenance.
>
> How could
this situation get worse? Congressman Dennis Kucinich has a
>
suggestion.
>
> He points out that the Homeland Security bill
exempts utility and
> chemical companies from the Freedom of Information
Act if they
> voluntarily relate information about infrastructure to the
Department of
> Homeland Security.
>
> The administration
fears that terrorists could use the information to
> attack such
plants.
>
> The exemption from FOIA inquiry does not apply if the
information in
> question is supposed to be shared with other government
agencies. But
> critics fear that companies might try to seal off what
should be public
> information by shunting it off to Homeland Security.
Besides, they say,
> the FOIA already includes national security
provisions.
>
> Why should the public believe that a nuclear
plant, for example, might
> send a particularly ugly photo of its
reactor lid off to Homeland
> Security's very tight vault? The short
answer is, the public
shouldn't.
>
>
>
>
>
> Paul M.
Blanch
> 135 Hyde Rd.
> West Hartford, CT 06117
> Pager
800-539-1786
>
>
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this
group, send an email to:
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>
>
>
>
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--
Coalition
for Peace and Justice and the UNPLUG Salem Campaign; 321 Barr
Ave.,
Linwood, NJ 08221; 609-601-8583 or 609-601-8537; ncohen12@comcast.net
UNPLUG SALEM
WEBSITE: http://www.unplugsalem.org/
COALITION FOR PEACE AND
JUSTICE WEBSITE: http://www.coalitionforpeaceandjustice.org
The Coalition
for Peace and Justice is a chapter of Peace Action.
"First
they ignore you; Then they laugh at you; Then they fight you; Then you
win.
(Gandhi) "Why walk when you can fly?" (Mary Chapin
Carpenter)
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