NRC "Openness" and Hardened Venting Systems

This blogger, Leyse, has not found the NRC to have a long history of, and commitment to, transparency, participation, and collaboration in its regulatory activities. More recently I have had no success in receiving answers to reasonable requests in the arena of of hardened venting systems such as would apply to Idaho’s neighboring Columbia Generating Station and other boiling water nuclear power reactors.

On page 33 of 36 of reference ML13143A321, I read:
1.2 The HCVS shall include the following design features:
1.2.1 The HCVS shall have the capacity to vent the steam/energy equivalent of 1 percent of licensed/rated thermal power (unless a lower value is justified by analyses), and be able to maintain containment pressure below the primary containment design pressure.

I need the list of references that document the basis for 1.2.1. This request is specific, concise and vital.

The following assertion by NRC that it is open is also at: http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML1205/ML12059A117.pdf

March 1, 2012

The Honorable James E. Risch United States Senator
1411 Falls Avenue E, Suite 2
Twin Falls, ID 83301

Dear Senator Risch:

On behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I am responding to your letter of January 30, 2012, and a subsequent email from Kari Emond of your staff, both of which forwarded correspondence from your constituent, Robert Leyse. Mr. Leyse raises additional issues on matters addressed in earlier correspondence with you or directly with the NRC in the past. Responses to Mr. Leyse’s latest inquiries are enclosed.

The NRC has a long history of, and commitment to, transparency, participation, and collaboration in our regulatory activities. As discussed with your staff, we would like to clarify and re-emphasize that your constituent and other members of the public have ample opportunity to make comments on public rulemakings and obtain technical information from the NRC’s Public Document Room. In the past, Mr. Leyse has raised issues of technical interest and issues regarding availability of information. As a result, a number of documents have been made available at his request. Mr. Leyse can fully participate in the NRC’s activities through direct contact with the agency, as he has in recent years. For example, in 2002, he submitted a Petition for Rulemaking to which the NRC responded.  All of the questions he submitted in his most recent correspondence can be accommodated in the normal manner in which the NRCdoes business.

In addition to public participation in our regulatory processes, we welcome the opportunity to respond to public concerns regarding safety or security. If he has any such concerns, Mr. Leyse can raise them directly to the NRC by contacting any NRC employee or by calling the NRC’s toll-free Safety Hotline at 1-800-695-7403. Calls to this number are answered 24 hours a day.

We appreciate you sharing this information with Mr. Leyse and urging him to contact the NRC directly in the future should he have additional questions.

Sincerely,
 /RA/ R. W. Borchardt
 Executive Director for Operations