ALERT - NRC Meeting on Limerick's Environmental Harms and Threats 9-22-11

ACTION ALERT!

Received via email:


There's An Opportunity For You To Speak Out To Help Stop Limerick Nuclear Plant's
Unprecedented Environmental Harms And Health Threats



After 11 years of collecting a body of evidence of extraordinary harms and threats associated with Limerick Nuclear Plant's routine operations, it's clear to ACE that Limerick must be closed, not relicensed.



For Issue Summaries and Viewing Latest ACE Report TV Shows: www.acereport.org
For Fact Sheets Call ACE (610) 326-2387



The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will be making a decision that will greatly impact the health and safety of your family and future generations. There is an opportunity for the public to weigh in on issues the Nuclear Regulatory Commission should evaluate as potential Environmental Impacts of an extension of Limerick Nuclear Plant's Operating License.



NRC Will Hold Two Meetings and On-The-Record Public Hearings

Date: Thursday, September 22, 2011

Time: 2:00 P.M. and/or 7:00 P.M.

Location: Sunnybrook Ballroom, Pottstown

50 N. Sunnybrook Road in Pottstown



ACE will have an information table from 1 to 2 and 6 to 7.





Limerick's Environmental Threats and Harms

Impact Families From Pottstown to Philadelphia



Take This Opportunity To Object

To Being Continuously Poisoned By Limerick Nuclear Plant's Radiation and Other Dangerous Toxics.



NRC won't protect you because it's the ethical and moral thing to do. Your voice is needed now!

NRC previously weakened regulations and safeguards, jeopardizing your future to accommodate Exelon profits.

NRC's Denial, Weakened Regulations, and Negligence Can Lead To Disaster!



Tell NRC: Limerick Must Be Closed, NOT Relicensed!



Evidence shows Limerick's electric can be replaced with energy that won't poison you and your environment with radiation and other dangerous toxics every day, or threaten to turn you into a nuclear refugee losing everything you own. FACT: Limerick can close and the lights won't go out!



Major Threats Will Continue As Long As Limerick Operates.

Serious Harms Will Increase If Limerick Is Relicensed.





Detailed Information On Limerick's Threats and Harms Were Compiled By ACE

For More Information Call (610) 326-2387



1. Routine Radiation Releases

Every day Limerick operates you and your environment will be poisoned with a broad range of radionuclides,

including two you heard about associated with Fukushima - Iodine-131 and Cesium-137.

Radionuclides associated with Limerick's operations are already confirmed in our region's air, water, vegetation, soil, milk, fish, and children.



2. Unprecedented Threats To Drinking Water

Detailed Information Available On Each Issue Below:



A. Continued Radioactive Contamination of the Schuylkill River, 24 Hours A Day, 365 Days A Year, With More Radiation Showing Up At Water Treatment Plants From Limerick to Philadelphia, without being continuously monitored or filtered out. (Phoenixville Water Works, American Water Works, Aqua PA, and Philadelphia Water Department).



B. Schuylkill River Depletion By Over 12 Billion of Gallons Each Year Due To Cooling Towers



C. Pumping of Contaminated Unfiltered Mine Water Into the Schuylkill River to Operate Limerick.



D. Huge Increases In Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Discharges From Limerick Into The River. TDS can transport a broad range of radionuclides and other toxics used at Limerick into the river. TDS increases can cost water treatment companies more for treatment and equipment, cost the public more for drinking water, and increase a broad range of serious health problems.



E. Radioactive Leaks and Spills Contaminated Groundwater. Exelon's limited and questionable self-monitoring doesn't guarantee radioactive contamination hasn't already spread. Earthquakes could be shaking and breaking buried pipes carrying radioactive water. Deterioration and corrosion could also cause leaking. Radioactive leaks could go undetected for long periods and spread into hundreds of residential wells.



3. Huge Increases In Major Air Pollution From Limerick's Cooling Towers and Other Limerick Air Pollution Sources

Detailed summary available.



4. Cancer Increases, Especially in Children.

After Limerick started operating in 1985, there were shocking cancer increases far above the national average,especially in children. Detailed summaries are available.

Other serious health problems far above state averages, associated with Limerick's radiation releases and other dangerous toxics include:

Infant and neonatal mortality

Lower Respiratory Diseases

Cerebrovascular Diseases



Exelon Has Pending and Recently Approved Permit Requests for Limerick Nuclear Plant that Will Significantly Increase Environmental and Health Harms, as well as Financial Costs to the Entire Region.



Limerick's License Doesn't Expire for 18 More Years. Relicensing Would Result In Operating Limerick 20 More Years (After 2029).



Everyday Limerick Operates Our Risks Increase:



· Every day for 20 more years, more radiation would be released into our air, water, food, soil, vegetation, and fish, poisoning us, our children, and future generations with additive and synergistic radiation doses from many routes of exposure.



· Risks of more radioactive leaks and spills into groundwater from miles of buried deteriorating, corroding pipes, as well as increasing and more dangerous earthquakes.



· Drinking water from the Schuylkill River will be further at risk, both from depletion and concentrations of synergistic combinations of Limerick's radiation releases with other dangerous toxics, and mine water pumping.



· As a major polluter under health based standards of the Clean Air Act, Limerick's dangerous air pollution toxics will continue, and include harmful permitted increases.



Schuylkill River -Exelon Asked To:



· Increase Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) discharges from Limerick, to limits four times "Safe Drinking Water Standards".



· Eliminate temperature restrictions, lower flow restrictions, reduce monitoring, and eliminate future public participation.



· Pump more contaminated mine pit water (adding more mines) into the river (UNFILTERED) to supplement the river flow for Limerick operations.



Air Pollution From Cooling Towers:



· Limerick was granted the permit conditions in 2009 that allow an 8-fold increase in dangerous Particulate Matter (PM-10) from the cooling towers.



Uprates - Exelon Asked To:



· Run Limerick harder, causing more air pollution, more water contamination and water use, as well as increased risk of disaster.



· Exelon was already allowed to have small uprates for Limerick, but in addition wants even larger Uprates.



Public Costs For Approvals Of Exelon's Relicensing and Increased Pollution Have Been Ignored.



· Public's Costs Associated With Limerick's Pollution Are Obviously Astronomical! PUBLIC COSTS For Relicensing Would Dwarf Any Benefits Claimed By Exelon.



Increased Costs For Additional Harms and Threats Need To Be Evaluated and Include:



Cancer Increases Above The National Average. For Example:

One Child Tracked in 2009 (From Age 6 Months to 2 Years) - Expenses Over $2.2 Million

Childhood Cancer Rates Skyrocketed to 92.5% (1995 to 1999) Higher Than The National Average In Six Communities Close to Limerick. The upward trend shows a link to Limerick. Limerick started operating in 1985. Rates rose to 30% higher by late 1980s, 60% higher in early 1990s, then 92.5% higher by late 1990s.



Thyroid Cancers Increased Above The National Average. For Example:

Thyroid Cancer Rates Increased by 128% in Montgomery County, Home of Limerick, from 1985 when Limerick started to 1997. The 1998, 1999, 2000 rates were 75% higher than the national average.

Limerick links are clear:

- We know Limerick's radiation releases impact the thyroid

That's why potassium iodide pills are distributed for an accident.

- Thyroid Cancer Rates for Counties Downwind and Closest to Limerick

Montgomery County - 56.2% higher than U.S. average - mid 2000s

Chester County - 53.9% higher than U.S. average - mid 2000s

Berks County - 14% higher than U.S., but upwind - mid 2000s



Infant and Neonatal Mortality Far Higher Than The State Average Previously.



Increased Emergency Room Visits and Hospitalizations From Increased Asthma Attacks, Other Serious Respiratory Disease and Disabilities, Including Heart Attacks and Strokes - From Increased PM-10 and other Toxics Emitted From Limerick's Cooling Towers.



Increased Costs to Water Systems and Their Water Customers (Pottstown to Philadelphia) From More Mine Water Pumping That Includes: TDS, Manganese, and Iron - Far Higher Than Standards.



Increased Costs for Public Water Systems and Their Customers Due To Limerick's Toxic Packed TDS Discharges Four Times Higher Than Safe Drinking Water Standards from Phoenixville to Philadelphia.



NOTE: Exelon, makes billions in profits each year. Its CEO makes millions, yet Exelon has failed to install the kinds of filtration that could effectively reduce contamination into the river from mine water pumping, its own wastewater discharges, and our air.