Senator Christopher Connors

August 17, 2009   

Contact: Jason Smith / (609) 693-6700
Assemblyman Brian Rumpf, Senator Christopher J. Connors

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has responded to correspondence sent by Senator Christopher J. Connors and Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf in which the 9th District Legislators urged the NRC to make public specific documents pertaining to the tritium release at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station on April 15 of this year. Senator Connors and Assemblyman Rumpf stressed to the NRC the need for transparency in this process, if nothing else, to reassure residents living in proximity to the facility that there is no risk posed to the public.

Click here to view the NRC’s letter to Senator Connors and Assemblyman Rumpf.

In its response, the NRC stated it would soon make publicly available detailed information in its inspection report. The NRC also stated the detailed summary of the root cause analysis published by Exelon accurately conveys the findings of that report. Representatives of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) have accompanied NRC inspectors during the onsite portion of its follow-up inspections.

The NRC’s letter to Senator Connors and Assemblyman Rumpf goes on to state:

“NRC inspection reports do not include copies of the licensee-controlled documentation, such as Exelon’s root cause analysis report, since the documents are licensee property and part of their record system.

“The NRC received a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request on the tritium leakage at Oyster Creek that encompasses the Exelon root cause analysis report. The NRC was informed by Exelon that it considers the root cause analysis report to contain proprietary information, and requested that it be withheld from disclosure in accordance with 10 CFR 2.390. FOIA and the Uniform Trade Secrets Acts, and our regulations and procedures implementing these laws, require us to evaluate licensee requests for withholding and, where appropriate, withhold such documents. Accordingly, the NRC’s final decision regarding the release of Exelon’s root cause analysis report is dependent on the agency’s ongoing evaluation of the validity of Exelon’s bases for its request.”

Senator Connors and Assemblyman Rumpf made the following remarks regarding the NRC’s response:

“Like many of our constituents, we sincerely hope the NRC fully recognizes the critical need for transparency in deciding what documents and information are released to the public. We feel it is important for the public to not only be informed as to the extent of the NRC’s inspection, but also be provided an explanation, in layman’s terms, of its findings. If nothing else, the release of this information will substantiate that no risk was posed to the public as a result of the tritium leak and that all corrective measures are being taken by Exelon, the NRC and the DEP necessary to prevent such an incident from recurring.”

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has responded to correspondence sent by Senator Christopher J. Connors and Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf in which the 9th District Legislators urged the NRC to make public specific documents pertaining to the tritium release at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating [...]