Letter to Nils Diaz, Chairmain of Nuclear Regulatory Commission

June 2, 2003
Nils. J. Diaz
Chairman
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Mail Stop TA-13
Washington, DC 20555

Dear Chairman Diaz:

I am writing to respectfully urge you to have representatives of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) meet with local officials and residents of Orange County to discuss evacuation plans and accident scenarios for the Indian Point nuclear plant. I was discouraged to learn that no representatives from both NRC and the Federal Emergency Management Agency attended a recent meeting held by the County to serve this purpose.

On May 13, local officials from neighboring Orange Country held a meeting at which disaster plans and evacuation procedures for Indian Point were to be discussed by federal representatives and area residents. Unfortunately, your agency chose not to be represented, citing scheduling conflicts.

Given the integral role that the FEMA plays in developing and certifying disaster plans for Indian Point, it is essential that local officials and residents have access to agency officials, both to voice their concerns and to be reassured about plans already in place during these tense times. In your capacity as Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, I am sure you appreciate the need for federal officials to be present at local meetings on subjects of such national importance.

Now more than ever communication between federal and local entities is vital when it comes to security. We have just come off of a heightened terror alert, and with an air of uncertainty surrounding Indian Point, NRC and FEMA not attending the meeting sends the wrong message to Orange County. I urge the federal agencies to schedule a new meeting where they can discuss with local representatives the power plant's accident scenarios.

Sincerely,
Charles Schumer
U.S. Senator