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County Officials Urge Security Review Of Oyster Creek
TOMS RIVER - Continuing to cite the need to consider security in the license renewal review process at Oyster Creek, Ocean County Freeholder Director John P. Kelly said he is pleased that a federal court appears to have validated that position.
"By not hearing an appeal by a California utility company, the U.S. Supreme Court this week appears to
support what this board has maintained all along," said
Kelly, who serves as director of law and public safety. "The Nuclear Regulatory Commission needs to evaluate
security, especially as it relates to terrorism, as part of the re-licensing process at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station in Lacey Township."
"The safety and security of a plant as it affects the workers and public needs to play a significant part in the relicensing review process," Kelly said. "The Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station began operation in 1969 and is the oldest operating nuclear plant in the country."
Kelly, who expressed his concerns to the NRC during a meeting with agency representatives, said that he is aware that renewal reviews do not currently include terrorism because according to the NRC, that threat is evaluated regularly through drills and inspections.
"However, security as it relates to terrorism, has been a concern raised by our residents," Kelly said. "And, this board has maintained there is a need to evaluate security as it relates to terrorism, not only through drills but as part of the re-licensing."
Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear an appeal by California Utility PG&E, which argued that regulators should not have to evaluate the possible impact of an attack before approving a storage site for radioactive waste.
In June, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said such an evaluation should have occurred and the Supreme Court let the decision stand.
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