The UNPLUG Salem Campaign has released a report from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) that details the vulnerabilities of New Jersey's nuclear plants to radiological sabotage. This report is being released as part of UNPLUG Salem's petition to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the shutdown of New Jersey's four nuclear plants until security upgrades and changes in spent fuel storage are in place. 

The report, written by David Lochbaum, Nuclear Safety Engineer > for UCS, focuses on two areas: spent fuel pools and fire protection. According to Lochbaum, the four New Jersey plants are "vulnerable to radiological sabotage. The spent fuel pools at Oyster Creek and Hope Creek are located above-ground." This makes the pools vulnerable to an air or ground attack that would lead to loss of cooling water, and a radioactive release. 

In addition, Lochbaum states that the four NJ plants are "not adequately protected against radiological sabotage from the air or ground involving a fire in more than one room or area or a fire in one room with the concurrent disabling of emergency equipment." 

Originally, the UNPLUG Salem Campaign sent a letter on September 17th 2001 to NRC Chairman Meserve requesting the following: That NRC close all 4 NJ Nuke plants; that there be an immediate security upgrade at all 4 nukes; that the 4 plants' defenses be upgraded to withstand a jet crash similar to the 911 events; that all spent fuel pools be brought into containment or that a containment be built for them; that NRC triple the number of OSRE force-on-force security inspections; and that NRC cancel proposals to allow nuclear plants to conduct their own security inspections. 

The letter of September 17th was prompted by the receipt of information that none of NJ's nukes could withstand a jet crash. In fact, Salem 1 and 2 would not withstand even a crash of a heavily loaded small plane. 

The NRC responded on 12/20/01 by saying that they had granted one request, that security be immediately upgraded. They said that there was an ongoing "top to bottom" review of security at NRC, and that they were treating the letter of Sept 17th as an official 10CFR2.206 petition. > 10CFR2.206 petitions are the only way that citizens and watchdog groups can ask the NRC to implement rule changes at nuclear plants. 

Commented Norm Cohen, Coordinator of the UNPLUG Salem Campaign, "We have many additional security concerns at Salem and Hope Creek besides the two issues mentioned by UCS. Salem Units 1 and 2 are vulnerable to having their water intakes destroyed, which could lead to a loss of cooling accident." 

"All four NJ nukes could easily have their electric supply cut off. Combine that with a terrorist force or an insider who destroys the back-up diesel generator, and again you have a scenario of disaster." 

Cohen continued, "Oyster Creek recently failed a force-on-force security test. Salem hasn't been tested in a number of years. When one adds the vulnerability of nuclear terror attacks to all the other problems our four NJ nukes have, the only logical response is to make a plan to start shutting our nukes down. The safety of New Jersey citizens should be more important than the profits of nuclear corporations

CONTACT: NORM COHEN 609-601-8583 
DAVE LOCHBAUM: 202-223-6133