HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 11-21-2000-8ls~ ' ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: November 21, 2000
Action Agend
item No.
SUBJECT: Coo erative A regiment with NC WARN for Foundation Solicitation
DEPARTMENT: Economic Development PUBLIC HEARING; (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Agreement by and between Orange Dianne Reid , ext 2325
.County and NC WARN
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 336-227-2031
PURPOSE: To consider the attached agreement which would formalize the working
relationship between Orange County and NC WARN and' permit NC WARN, as a 501(c)(3)
corporation, to solicit foundation grants for activities to seek a full, objective public review
regarding Carolina Power & Light Company's (CP&L) radioactive waste storage plans.
BACKGROUND: Since the 1980s, Carolina Power & Light Company has been storing high
level radioactive wastes from its three nuclear plants in North and South Carolina on-site at its
Shearon Harris facility. With the capacity of its two operational starage pools nearly exhausted,
CP&L applied to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in late 1998 to expand storage capacity
by activating two partially constructed and unused spent fuel pools and by re-racking existing
stored waste into a more densely packed storage configuration. Orange County and North
Carolina WARN (Waste Awareness and Reduction Network) have been working together to
open to public scrutiny Carolina Power & Light's application to expand the permitted storage
capacity for spent nuclear fuel at the Shearon Harris power plant in Wake County.
Many of those who have evaluated the CPS~L plan are concerned that by densely packing large
quantities of spent fuel in the Harris pools, CP8~L is raising the risk of a severe accident.
Orange County, with the cooperation and support of NC WARN, has brought legal action
against CP&L, seeking a full, objective public review.
The process of addressing and educating the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the nuclear
industry is formidable, and Orange County has employed some of the most experienced people
in the country to assist in this effort. The proposed agreement would enable NC WARN to seek
foundation funding to cover the expenses of the legal and technical team of Dr. Gordon
Thompson and Diane Curran.
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FINANCIAL IMPACT: Since most foundations limit their giving to 501(c)(3) organizations,
partnering with NC WARN will permit the seeking of funds from numerous sources that would
otherwise not be available to help offset the cost of the technical experts.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board authorize the Chair to
sign the coalition agreement.
_~f+ ,.
AGREEMENT BY AND BET1NEEN ORANGE COUNTY AND NC WARN IN SUPPORT
OF THEIR COALITION FOR AN OPEN HEARING ON SPENT FUEL STORAGE
Orange County, a political subdivision of the State of North Carolina, and North Carolina
WARN (Waste Awareness and Reduction Network), a 501(c)(3) corporation based in
Durham, North Carolina have formed a coalition to open to public scrutiny the application
by Carolina Power ~ Light to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to expand the
permitted storage capacity for spent nuclear fuel at the Shearon Harris power plant in
Wake County, North Carolina.
The two entities have agreed to solicit funds from foundations to cover the services of an
expert in nuclear power and spent fuel storage and legal counsel experienced in the
procedures for intervening in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission permitting process.
Further, the entities have agreed that, for purposes of this effort, NC WARN will be the
recipient of funds for this purpose. Orange County has or will employ the experts and
the special counsel with the objective of promoting an open and full public review of
Carolina Power and Light's proposed activities. The attorney client privilege established
in the employment of the special counsel will pertain solely to Orange County. The work
of the experts will be done as directed by Orange County and the special counsel.
Moses Carey, Jr.
Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners
Carol Childs
Chair
NC WARN (Waste Awareness and
Reduction Network)
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