Letter sent to the Environment and Public Works Committee
WASHINGTON, DC- Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) today sent a letter to the Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) requesting the committee hold a field hearing in Pennsylvania to examine the security lapses at Peach Bottom Atomic Power station in York County.
“We respectfully request that you hold a field hearing in Pennsylvania so that the Senate can better understand what happened at Peach Bottom and the lessons to be learned,” the members wrote.
The members went on to write, “we believe that Committee field hearings could be beneficial in laying out the facts about current nuclear security and determining any potential improvements that could be made.”
The letter was sent to Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairwoman of the Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW); James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member of EPW; Tom Carper (D-DE), Chairman of the EPW Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety; and George Voinovich (R-OH), Ranking Member on the EPW Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee.
Full text of the letter is below.
Dear Chairmen Boxer and Carper and Ranking Members Inhofe and Voinovich:
For the past several months we have closely monitored and worked to address the security lapses at Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station in York County, Pennsylvania. We appreciate the continued interest of the full Committee and the Subcommittee in nuclear safety and urge you to hold field hearings to allow a closer look at the security requirements and procedures for our country’s nuclear energy infrastructure.
Specifically, we respectfully request that you hold a field hearing in Pennsylvania so that the Senate can better understand what happened at Peach Bottom and the lessons to be learned. Although neither of us are Committee members, we hope that you will be able to accommodate this request in the interest of applying knowledge from Pennsylvania’s recent troubles to improve nuclear security nationally.
Enhanced attention to the safety of our nation’s nuclear fleet was prompted by a group of security guards at Peach Bottom being filmed sleeping while on duty in the ready room. We are relieved that investigations conducted by both the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the licensee, Exelon Nuclear, determined there were no immediate security threats to the plant or its surrounding communities. Additionally, the investigations resulted in corrective actions by Exelon and enhanced resident inspector oversight by the NRC. However, the safety and security of our constituents remains our top priority and we want to ensure that licensees and regulators alike are pursuing all possible measures to achieve maximum security at our nation’s nuclear plants.
Additionally, we believe that Committee field hearings could be beneficial in laying out the facts about current nuclear security and determining any potential improvements that could be made. In light of the fact that the NRC will be considering increasing numbers of applications for nuclear reactor licenses, a full investigation into nuclear plant security will ensure they receive full and fair scrutiny and consideration.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of our request. We appreciate your continued leadership and attention to this important matter. Our offices stand by to assist you in any way possible.
Sincerely,
Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA)
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