1 1 PUBLIC HEARING 2 THE NEW JERSEY RADIOLOGICAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN 3 for 4 NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS 5 6 7 8 REPORTED BY DEBRA L. PANGBURN, CCR, RPR, 9 Notary Public for the State of New Jersey, at the 10 Salem County Office of Emergency Management, 135 11 Cemetery Road, Emergency News Center, 2nd Floor, 12 Woodstown, New Jersey, on Tuesday, July 15, 2014, 13 commencing at 6:00 p.m. 14 15 16 17 18 19 GUY J. RENZI & ASSOCIATES, INC. 20 CERTIFIED COURT REPORTERS & VIDEOGRAPHERS 21 GOLDEN CREST CORPORATE CENTER 22 2277 STATE HIGHWAY #33, SUITE 410 23 TRENTON, NEW JERSEY 08690 24 TEL: (609) 989-9199 TOLL FREE: (800) 368-7652 25 www.renziassociates.com 2 1 A P P E A R A N C E S: 2 3 4 JERRY HUMPHREYS, HEARING OFFICER 5 Engineer 6 Bureau of Nuclear Engineering 7 New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection 8 9 10 ALLEN SMITH 11 Site Specialist 12 New Jersey Division of State Police 13 Office of Emergency Management, Radiological 14 Emergency Response Planning and Technical Unit 15 16 17 PATRICK MULLIGAN 18 Manager 19 DEP's Bureau of Nuclear Engineering 20 21 22 JEFFREY WINEGAR 23 Emergency Response Coordinator 24 Operations Program 25 New Jersey Department of Health 3 1 HEARING OFFICER HUMPHREYS: Good 2 evening. My name is Jerry Humphreys. I'm an 3 engineer in the Bureau of Nuclear Engineering within 4 the New Jersey Department of Environmental 5 Protection. I'll be the Hearing Officer this 6 evening. The purpose of this hearing is to receive 7 testimony, comments and questions regarding the 8 adequacy and effectiveness of the New Jersey 9 Radiological Emergency Response Plan for Nuclear 10 Power Plants. In order that this hearing may be 11 properly documented, these proceedings are being 12 recorded by a certified shorthand reporter. 13 Everyone attending this meeting is asked 14 to sign the attendance sheet before leaving. The 15 attendance sheets for these hearings are used to 16 update the Bureau of Nuclear Engineering's public 17 hearing mailing list. 18 Public notice of this hearing was 19 published in New Jersey Register on June 16th and 20 July 7th of 2014. In addition, public notice was 21 published in the South Jersey Times from June 30th 22 through July 14th, 2014. Copies of the public 23 notice for the hearings were mailed in June to all 24 persons who attended last year's hearings. 25 This hearing will proceed as follows: 4 1 I'll provide a brief background on why we are 2 conducting this hearing, then I'll introduce the 3 panel members and ask them to briefly describe the 4 role of their organization in nuclear emergency 5 preparedness and response. Finally, I'll open the 6 hearing for comments/questions from the public. 7 The New Jersey Radiation Accident 8 Response Act requires that the Department of 9 Environmental Protection, in cooperation with the 10 New Jersey Division of State Police, conduct public 11 hearings to take comment on, and to address 12 questions relevant to, the adequacy and 13 effectiveness of the New Jersey Radiological 14 Emergency Response Plan for Nuclear Power Plants. 15 These public hearings are held annually 16 in each of three counties affected by the plant. 17 Ocean County for the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating 18 Station, and Salem and Cumberland Counties for the 19 Salem Unit 1, Salem Unit 2 and Hope Creek Nuclear 20 Generating Stations. We are here tonight to listen 21 to your questions and comments on New Jersey's 22 Nuclear Emergency Response Plan. Comments on more 23 general nuclear power issues or issues that relate 24 to licensing and regulatory matters at nuclear power 25 plants are not within the purview of this meeting 5 1 and hence are not appropriate and will not be 2 addressed. 3 The purpose of the plan is to coordinate 4 and implement an immediate and comprehensive 5 response at the state, county and municipal levels 6 to a radiological emergency associated with any 7 nuclear power plant affecting the State of New 8 Jersey. Copies of the plan are available for public 9 inspection at the Salem County Emergency Management 10 Office in Mannington Township, the Cumberland County 11 Office of Emergency Management in Bridgeton, the 12 Ocean County Office of Emergency Management in 13 Berkeley Township and the New Jersey Office of 14 Emergency Management in West Trenton. 15 Now I'd like to introduce the members of 16 the panel. Mr. Allen Smith is representing the New 17 Jersey Division of State Police. Mr. Smith is a 18 Site Specialist in the Office of Emergency 19 Management, Radiological Emergency Response Planning 20 and Technical Unit. Mr. Patrick Mulligan is 21 representing the New Jersey Department of 22 Environmental Protection. Mr. Mulligan is the 23 Manager of the DEP's Bureau of Nuclear Engineering. 24 Mr. Jeffrey Winegar is representing the New Jersey 25 Department of Health. Mr. Winegar is an Emergency 6 1 Response Coordinator in the Division of Public 2 Health Infrastructure, Laboratories and Emergency 3 Preparedness. If questions arise that involve the 4 responsibilities of the Department of Health, I will 5 call on him for a response. 6 Now I ask Mr. Smith to briefly describe 7 the role of the State Police in the plan. 8 MR. SMITH: Good evening. As Mr. 9 Humphreys said, my name is Allen Smith. I work for 10 the State Police, also emergency management in the 11 RERP Unit. 12 Give you some background on this hearing 13 statement. In accordance with N.J.S.A. 26:2D-37, 14 Radiation Response Act, the State of New Jersey 15 Radiological Emergency Response Plan for Nuclear 16 Power Plants was developed and has been maintained 17 as a joint effort by the New Jersey Division of 18 State Police and the New Jersey Department of 19 Environmental Protection. 20 New Jersey Radiological Emergency 21 Response Plan is based on NUREG-0654/FEMA-REP-1 and 22 provides onsite and offsite planning guidance to 23 protect the safety and health of the public in the 24 event of an incident at a nuclear power plant. The 25 New Jersey Radiological Emergency Response Plan 7 1 includes 16 Planning Standards and associated 2 Evaluation Criteria for assessing whether the 3 licensee and the affected Offsite Response 4 Organizations have plans and procedures in place 5 that provide a reasonable assurance that adequate 6 protective measures can and will be taken. 7 The Plan itself is presented in three 8 sections: Basic Plan, 16 Planning Sections and the 9 Attachments. The Basic Plan provides a general 10 background and basis for the Jersey planning effort. 11 Key elements include: Legislative authorities for 12 NJSP and DEP to develop plans for the nuclear power 13 plants, to coordinate state, county and municipal 14 emergency operations and to initiate Memoranda of 15 Understanding, a Concept of Operations for 16 radiological emergency response, description of 17 Federal Planning Basis, a description of the two 18 Nuclear Power Plants in New Jersey, a listing of 19 planning assumptions and a listing of state, federal 20 and private agencies with their assigned emergency 21 functions and missions. 22 And the 16 Planning Standards are listed 23 in the hearing statement. I'm not going to read 24 them at this time, but they are there for the 25 record. That's the end of my hearing statement. 8 1 HEARING OFFICER HUMPHREYS: Thank you. 2 Now I'll ask Mr. Mulligan to briefly describe the 3 role of the Department of Environmental Protection 4 in the plan. 5 MR. MULLIGAN: Thank you, Jerry. Good 6 evening. My name is Patrick Mulligan. I am the 7 Manager of the Bureau of Nuclear Engineering. I 8 will briefly discuss the role of the Department of 9 Environmental Protection in New Jersey's 10 Radiological Emergency Response Plan. 11 The New Jersey Radiological Emergency 12 Response Plan identifies all responsible state 13 agencies and outlines their specific roles in the 14 event of a nuclear emergency. The Plan includes 15 Standard Operating Procedures which contain detailed 16 instructions and guidelines used by each agency when 17 performing their specific duties. The Standard 18 Operating Procedures are reviewed and tested 19 annually through drills and exercises. The 20 procedures are then revised, as necessary, in order 21 to enhance emergency response. 22 Under the New Jersey Radiation Accident 23 Response Act, the Department of Environmental 24 Protection has the lead role in accident assessment 25 and control of food, water and milk following an 9 1 incident. Accident assessment involves two separate 2 analyses, an engineering analysis of the event at 3 the plant as it unfolds and an analysis of the 4 amount of radiation to which the public may be 5 exposed in the event of a release. 6 Depending upon the severity of the 7 event, the Department provides Protective Action 8 Recommendations to the Governor who will make a 9 final decision on actions to be implemented to 10 protect public health and safety. Protective Action 11 Recommendations for the public may include 12 administration of potassium iodide, evacuation, 13 sheltering and access control within the affected or 14 potentially affected areas. 15 The Act also specifies that the 16 Department develop and implement a comprehensive 17 monitoring strategy that includes the daily 18 monitoring of levels of radioactivity in the 19 environment. The Department provides public health, 20 safety and technical guidance with respect to 21 preparation and implementation of the Plan. The 22 Department's final responsibility under the Act is 23 to conduct, in cooperation with State Police, public 24 hearings annually in each designated county to 25 determine the adequacy and effectiveness of the 10 1 Plan. Thank you. 2 HEARING OFFICER HUMPHREYS: Now I'll ask 3 Mr. Winegar to briefly describe the role of the 4 Department of Health. 5 MR. WINEGAR: Thank you, Jerry. Good 6 evening. My name is Jeff Winegar. I'm here today 7 at the Salem County Public Hearing representing the 8 New Jersey Department of Health. In the event of a 9 radiological incident at a nuclear power plant, the 10 New Jersey Department of Health functions in a 11 supportive role to the New Jersey State Police 12 regarding protective actions for the general public. 13 In addition, the Department of Health 14 will support the New Jersey State Police in the area 15 of evacuation and sheltering operations of the 16 public, as well as public health and sanitation 17 issues. The New Jersey Department of Health will 18 coordinate with the State EOC to lead state-level 19 emergency medical service operations. The New 20 Jersey Department of Health will also coordinate 21 hospital and nursing home preparations and transfers 22 as requested by the county medical and health 23 coordinators. 24 The New Jersey Department of Health will 25 function in a supportive role to the New Jersey 11 1 Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of 2 Nuclear Engineering, or BNE, for technical counsel 3 and guidance on public health and medical 4 implications of radiation exposures. 5 Upon the declaration of a general 6 emergency, the New Jersey Department of Health has 7 in place a standing order that authorizes the 8 voluntary use of potassium iodide, or KI, by 9 emergency workers and the general public. KI has 10 been distributed to local health and emergency 11 agencies in Ocean, Cumberland and Salem Counties. 12 In addition, KI is in the possession of the New 13 Jersey State Police. The remaining supply resides 14 with the State Strategic Stockpile in Trenton. 15 The New Jersey Department of Health 16 serves as the lead agency for personal monitoring 17 and recordkeeping of emergency worker radiation 18 dosimetry results. The monitoring of emergency 19 workers is critical in ensuring that radiation 20 exposure levels are kept as low as reasonably 21 achievable. 22 Once the emergency phase of a 23 radiological incident is under control, for example, 24 that they're no longer releasing ionizing radiation, 25 the New Jersey Department of Health will assist with 12 1 the recovery phase. Representatives of the New 2 Jersey Department of Health Consumer and 3 Environmental Health Services, Food and Drug Safety 4 Program may, for example, be deployed with the BNE 5 for field activities involving the collection of 6 milk and other food samples for radiological 7 analysis. Thank you. 8 HEARING OFFICER HUMPHREYS: Thank you. 9 We'll now proceed with the public's questions and 10 comments. Those individuals who wish to speak 11 should complete a speaker registration card and hand 12 it to one of the staff. I'll call the speakers' 13 names in the same order as I receive the 14 registration cards. Please be certain to clearly 15 print your name and address on the registration card 16 so that we may contact you if we need to respond to 17 your comments/questions more fully in writing. When 18 I call your name, come forward to the microphone -- 19 although we don't have one today -- just come 20 forward, face the panel and make yourself 21 comfortable. 22 Before you begin your comments, please 23 state and spell your name for the reporter. The 24 speakers will be limited to five minutes each. If 25 time still remains after everyone has had a chance 13 1 to speak, I'll invite additional comments from those 2 individuals who have already spoken. In fairness to 3 the speaker and in order that we all can make the 4 best use of this time, I will ask the cooperation of 5 the audience in refraining from calling out. 6 Comments from the audience will only delay the 7 proceedings and will disrupt our ability to hear and 8 accurately record the speakers' statements. 9 Again, I'd like to emphasize that we're 10 here tonight to listen to your comments and 11 questions on New Jersey's Nuclear Emergency Response 12 Plan. Comments on more general nuclear power issues 13 or issues that relate to licensing and regulatory 14 matters at nuclear power plants are not within the 15 purview of this meeting and hence are not 16 appropriate and will not be answered. 17 Do we have anyone who cares at this time 18 to make a comment? 19 Okay. What I'd like to do is go off the 20 record until 6:30 to allow any members of the public 21 who might be held up in traffic due to the weather, 22 give them a chance to speak if they arrive here and 23 then at 6:30 we'll go back on the record. 24 (Whereupon, a brief recess was hereby 25 taken.) 14 1 HEARING OFFICER HUMPHREYS: Let's 2 reconvene the hearing. I didn't see anyone come in. 3 One last chance: Does anybody have any 4 comments/questions? 5 I see no hands; I hear no comments, hear 6 no questions, so we will end the hearing at this 7 point. Hearing's over. 8 (Whereupon, the proceedings concluded 9 at 6:30 p.m.) 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 15 1 2 C E R T I F I C A T I O N 3 4 I, DEBRA L. PANGBURN, a Certified Court 5 Reporter of the State of New Jersey, do hereby 6 certify that the foregoing is a true and accurate 7 transcript of the proceeding taken by me in the 8 above-captioned matter. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 ____________________________ 16 DEBRA L. PANGBURN, RPR 17 CCR Certificate No. XI01947 18 19 20 21 22 Dated: July 29, 2014 23 24 25