Chernobyl Nuclear Accident Congressional Hearings Transcript

12
U. S. Senator Howard M.
METZENBAUM
CommnuMt:
Budgei
Energv and Notural Ratoufces
Human Resoufces
Judiciarv
of Ohio 202 224 2315
STATEMENT OF SENATOR HOWARD M. METZENBAOH
SENATE ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE
JONE 19, 1986
Mr. Chairman, I want to commend you for holding these
hearings today.
There is a lot to be learned about the Chernobyl accident,
and a lot to be learned from it.
One immediate lesson is quite clear: a severe accident
resulting in massive releases of radiation, widespread
evacuations and numerous civilian deaths can indeed occur.
Americans living near nuclear facilities are rightfully
concerned that a tragedy like Chernobyl could happen to them.
They expect that everything possible will be done to prevent a
severe nuclear accident, and that effective emergency plans are
in place in case one does occur.
All of this should result in more emphasis on safety and
emergency planning in this nation, and a re-evaluation of the
current approach to risk assessment, which serves as the basis
for estimating the effectiveness of safety measures at nuclear
facil ities.
Yet, incredibly, industry and the government have responded
to the accident with a fortress-like mentality.
They tell us that the probability of a severe accident is
already so low that there is no undue level of risk and nothing
more needs to be done to make plants safe.
The Executive Director for Operations of the NRC said: "W'
see nothing coming out of this accident to suggest we need to
change."
This manifests an air of dangerous complacency.
Yet, the record does not justify this complacency.
Accidents which the NRC deems to be "incredible" - that is,
of such low probability that plants do not have to be designed
for them - keep occurring. Time after time, we have an accident
or a near miss caused or complicated by unquanti f iable factors
such as poor management, human error, regulatory violations and
poor design or construction.
These experiences argue for more aggressive, rather than more
relaxed, efforts to improve safety.
Yet, the NRC, at the urging of the nuclear industry, has
engaged in de-facto deregulation, and effectively halted all
efforts to improve safety.