Citizens Petition to Halt Flawed U.S. Nuclear Plant Relicensing

[jpak]

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jan2008/2008-01-03-01.asp

WASHINGTON, DC, January 3, 2008 (ENS) - Nine citizens' groups today petitioned the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NRC, to suspend all license renewals for the country's aging nuclear power plants in view of a federal audit showing that NRC staff often did not verify the authenticity of technical safety information submitted by nuclear power plant operators.

Riverkeeper, Pilgrim Watch and the New England Coalition have joined with a coalition of six environmental and citizen's groups known as Stop the Relicensing of Oyster Creek, STROC, in petitioning the federal agency responsible for oversight of U.S. civilian nuclear facilities.

The petition is presented in response to the NRC Office of Inspector General's audit of the agency's license renewal program dated September 6, 2007.

During the audit, inspectors found that in 76 percent of the audited plant renewals, NRC staff did not check the authenticity of technical safety information offered by nuclear power plant operators.

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