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Shumlin asks for Vermont Yankee's off-site radiation calculations

Submitted by tim on

Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin sent a letter to the Department of Health today urging the immediate release of the Vermont Yankee off-site radiation calculations for 2008. In addition, the Senator sent a letter to the Public Service Board (PSB) requesting that they delay the schedule of review for docket #7530, which relates to a request by Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee to move their perimeter fence outward toward the Vernon School.
I am concerned that the Vermont Department of Health has failed to release the off-site radiological calculations for 2008, said Senator Shumlin. Vermonters are understandably anxious about the off-site dosage and have a right to know the calculations.
While in the past, the Department of Health released the dose calculations for the previous year in June, the Department has thus far failed to release the 2008 dosage. Senator Shumlin requested the Department release this information to the public immediately for the sake of transparency and in order for the Public Service Board to complete their review of docket #7350 with adequate information.
Frankly, I find it hard to understand why it would take over seven months to publish data from 2008, said Senator Shumlin.
Senator Shumlin sent a separate letter to the PSB, requesting that they postpone their review of Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee s request to move their perimeter fence outward until they receive the off-site dosage calculations from the Department of Health and allow adequate time for the public to review the information.
Without knowing what the off-site radiological dosage is, the PSB can not make an informed decision on whether or not it is in the best interests of Vermonters to move the fence line outward and closer to the Vernon School, said Senator Shumlin. The Senator continued, Vermont Yankee has had that fence line in place for thirty-seven years and I do not see the need to rush through the process of moving it.
Source: Shumlin's office. July 22, 2009