Chernobyl Nuclear Accident Congressional Hearings Transcript

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We find
that as a glimmer that there is a problem and jump on it.
them, we take enforcement action.
So I think these issues get a lot more attention now than they
did pre-TMI. It does not mean that the safety record was worse; I
would like to think it means that we are getting on problems
before they turn into real problems.
Senator Domenici. I thank the Senator.
Senator Bumpers. Thank you, Senator. In the same article, Mr.
Denton, it says that two declarations by the five-member panel,
last year, sum up what critics consider to be a laissez faire regulatory
philosophy. Four months after the Commission projected a 45
percent probability of a severe reactor core meltdown within the
next 20 years—45, that is almost a 50 percent probability—the
Commission concluded that today's plants pose no undue level of
risk to the public.
That seems to me a contradiction, is it not?
Mr. Denton. That I think is the issue which has bedeviled the
Commission with regard to how safe is safe enough? We have, as
the staff of the Commission, estimates on what the probability is of
TMI-type accidents occurring again in this country, or worse accidents
occurring in this country.
We can give them probability and consequences. They make the
judgments on what is safe enough in terms of the level of safety. I
think safety in some sense can be judged by the individual who
asks "safe compared to what?" They made the statement and I
would prefer that they give you their basis for having said that.
Senator Bumpers. Mr. Denton, I am going to introduce a bill
today calling for the President and others, and I won't go into
detail on the legislation, to appoint a 12-person commission to get
deeply involved in the study of nuclear safety issues.
you feel about that?
How would
The reason I did this is because I remember when the shuttle exploded
and people were calling and saying, if the appoint a blue
ribbon panel to study this, I would certainly like to be on it. I was
saying, listen, nobody has the integrity that NASA has. I am sure
there will be an in-house study here that will be great, and clarify
this whole thing. I know they have done everything they can possibly
do.
It never occurred to me what was going to come out of the blue
ribbon panel's investigation of the shuttle accident. I
am not suggesting
the NRC is in the same boat, but I think just for my own
feelings about it, and the feelings of the American people, who
have a right to be assured that we are doing all we can—and I am
not just suggesting a one-shot deal. Independent safety reviews
ought to be done periodically.
Do you have any objection to that?
Mr. Denton. Senator, my own personal opinion, having worked
in this agency for 20 years, is I would stay with the single administrator
approach that is pending before Congress. I think by having
five commissioners we have not clearly selected a course of action
all of the time. I would prefer a single administrator that you could
hold accountable, that would give the staff marching orders and it
would be clear that we are carrying out the mandate of Congress.