HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES-2006-086 Coordinated EMS & Evac 50 Mile Radius Nuclear Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant~~~s~~~~a~~~ ~~
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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
A Resolution
Calling for Coordinated Emergency Management and Evacuation
Planning Within the 50-Mile Radius Ingestion Pathway for Potential
Discharge of Airborne Nuclear Waste Material from the Shearon
Harris Nuclear Power Plant
WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners has a long and well-
established practice of advocating for any and all activities that would
promote the public health, safety and welfare, particularly in regard to
feasible threats to that health, safety and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners has a long and well-
established record of concern and activism related to the potential
magnitude and catastrophic consequences of an airborne release of
nuclear waste materials from the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant; and
WHEREAS, information developed within the least eight years has demonstrated the
vulnerability of spent nuclear fuel to combustion with ensuing airborne
release and dispersion of extremely harmful and dangerous nuclear waste
material as a consequence of accident or sabotage/ terrorism; and
WHEREAS, there .exists an area of a ten-mile radius around the Shearon Harris nuclear
power plant for which there are in place emergency management and
evacuation plans of debatable efficacy in case of a catastrophic accident
and airborne release of nuclear waste material from the plant; and
WHEREAS, an airborne release of nuclear material may stem from an uncontrollable
.event of several days or greater duration that would affect at least all of the
fifty-mile radius ingestion pathway area; and
WHEREAS, the fifty-mile radius ingestion pathway around the Shearon Harris plant
contains approximately two million persons, the state capital, Fort Bragg,
the Research Triangle, four major universities and a number of smaller
universities, hundreds of public and private schools, thousands of
businesses, dozens of local government jurisdictions; millions of pets, and
a rich natural environment; and
WHEREAS, there is no coordinated emergency management and evacuation planning
for the portion of the ingestion pathway beyond the area defined by the
ten-mile radius around Shearon Harris; and
WHEREAS, fairly recent. ice and snow storm events of a far less catastrophic level of
severity. have proven capable of reducing Research Triangle area traffic to
a state of extended gridlock; and
WHEREAS, orderly or effective evacuation of the fifty-mile radius ingestion pathway
under current emergency management and evacuation planning and
coordination conditions would be fraught with difficulties, if not impossible;
and
WHEREAS, protection of public health, safety and welfare in regard to the atmospheric
release of nuclear waste material is a responsibility that must be shared by
Progress Energy/CP&L; local law enforcement and emergency
management/ response agencies and others; the NC Utilities Commission;
the N.C. Department of Crime Control & Public Safety and others; and the
US Department of Homeland Security, Environmental Protection Agency
and others; as well as the public;
NOW, THEREFORE, do we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, hereby
resolve to request and recommend that Progress Energy/CP&L; the NC Utilities
Commission, Department of Crime Control & Public Safety and others; and the US
Department of Homeland Security, Environmental Protection Agency work with the
appropriate local, state and federal government transportation planning, law
enforcement and emergency management/response agencies and personnel to
develop and coordinate emergency management, response and evacuation plans for
the entire fifty-mile radius surrounding its Shearon Harris nuclear power plant.
This is the 3rd day of October, 2006
Barry Jacobs, air
Orange Count oard o mmiss Hers