League of Women Voters opposes NRC decision

The League of Women Voters reaffirms its position against the license renewal of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station in Lacey Township and takes issue with a draft report released by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) stating the Oyster Creek Nuclear Plant is safe to run for an additional 20 years provided that concerns associated with "a key radiation barrier" are resolved by its operator AmerGen.

The health, safety and well-being of Ocean County's residents demand that the question of the health of "a key radiation barrier" should be determined by an outside agency - not AmerGen. AmerGen has consistently refused to test this "key radiation barrier" until forced to do so by the NRC, which also refused to pursue this requirement until forced to by citizen activists.

The NRC proposed decision does not address the concerns of New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection which are: 1. The prospect of severe accidents, including terrorist attack by air; 2. Permission for AmerGen to use a more lenient standard than is defined in current regulations, which will allow lowering the margin of safety for metal fatigue in critical reactor coolant locations and 3. The lack of assurance that sufficient backup power is available in the event of station blackout.

Corporate scandals across the country and the recent and criminal actions of a public utility right here in Ocean County contribute to the understandable reluctance of citizens to accept the statements of profit-making organizations as to the safety of anything but their pocketbooks.

The League asks our federal and state officials as well as Gov. Jon S. Corzine, who has already expressed concerned for a 20-year license renewal, to call for increased congressional oversight of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and a re-evaluation of its guidelines.

Gail Marsh Saxer

Toms River

president

League of Women Voters

of Ocean County