January 24, 2022 Scottsboro, Alabama - Flawed State of Alabama Hazard Mitigation Plan, Tornadoes and GE Mark 1 Nuclear Reactors, Reported to Emergency Management Agency, FEMA and TARCOG - UPDATE - Jan. 25, 2022 - Reply From TARCOG/FEMA

 

TVA Browns Ferry Nuclear Facility near Tanner, Alabama TVA info: Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (tva.com) Photo by TVA a US Government corporate entity. Fair Use for non-profit news reporting, education and commentary. 

13 years reporting on the GE Mark 1 Reactors, The TVA Browns Ferry Nuclear Facility saga:   https://arklite.blogspot.com/search/label/TVA%20Browns%20Ferry

FLAWED STATE OF ALABAMA HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN INVOLVING TORNADO THREATS AND THE BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR FACILITY, A 3 UNIT GE MARK 1 NUCLEAR FACILITY

REPORT TO FEMA AND TARCOG

 Reference: https://tarcog.us/2022/01/division-f-regional-hazard-mitigation-plan-final-draft-available-for-public-comment/?fbclid=IwAR2Omt9S7eCu6szZs24eUozrucbKVeWUL-H-AiOUsB1RsyW5MGxJZKhcNN4

My name is Garry L. Morgan, U.S Army Medical Department Retired, member of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, BREDL and BEST, Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team. - I am providing feedback regarding a failure to identify a specific hazard, severe tornado threat to the Browns Ferry Nuclear Facility, near Tanner, Alabama, Limestone County, in the Hazard Mitigation Plan, Division F involving North Alabama, and request this failure to identify the significant hazard be corrected. Info below.

There is a serious deficit regarding Hazard Profile Section 4, Division F in regards to Tornado Activity and the TVA's Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN). A near miss occurred on April 27, 2011 in Limestone County. The F-5 tornado took out incoming power to the nuclear reactors, there was one backup generator failure. --- BFN is a GE Mark 1 Reactor design, there are no hardened overhead secondary containments covering the 3 GE Mark 1 Reactors and fuel pools at BFN. The overhead area is sheet metal attached to steel I beams. --- The area experienced no electrical power for an extended period, some areas were without power in excess of 5 days. --- A direct hit of the reactor building by an EF4-5 tornado would likely be a catastrophic event involving all of North Alabama and portions of South Tennessee. A release of radioactive material in the immediate area and downwind would be a high probability. --- TVA's, Tennessee Valley Authority, and NRC's, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, assessment of the event was unreliable, and their reporting accuracy to the public was flawed. ( News Reports of flawed assessments, as reported by nuclear industry specialists: Browns Ferry: Shrinking the safety margin at Alabama's largest nuclear plant - al.com link: https://www.al.com/wire/2013/07/browns_ferry.html  note the sheet metal coverings over the nuclear fuel pool in the photos within the article listed;  and TVA resuming power generation at Browns Ferry nuclear plant - al.com link: https://www.al.com/breaking/2011/05/tva_to_resume_power_generation.html note-there was an emergency generator failure which TVA did not disclose to the public.) --- Failure to include tornado events and mitigation regarding BFN is an error which must be corrected.

Regards,

Garry L. Morgan, USAMEDD Retired

BREDL/BEST  

(contact info redacted, submitted in original document)

April 27, 2011 Tornado Tracks

BEST/MATRR Tornado Track Map, 4/27/2011 - Fair Use for education, news reporting and commentary. 

Link: https://bestmatrrdangers.blogspot.com/

Reply From TARCOG/FEMA

Thank you so much for providing us with this critical information.

We certainly did not intent to leave this particular event out of the regional document.

While we have noted other tornadic events throughout the region, it seems this one was not reported to NOAA as specifically having impacted the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN).

It also appears that finding this information would have been a bit difficult, as your note states that certain segments of the event were not published to the public.

Are there any additional events that we need to be made aware of regarding any other facilities?

If so, please pass along that information as well.

We thank you again for giving us this evidence and we assure you this event will be added to the regional mitigation document.

(original email document signed)

TVA Quarterly Board Meeting in Knoxville, Tn., Browns Ferry Extended Power Uprate Problems, A Compromise of Defense-in-Depth August 25, 2016

TVA President/CEO Bill Johnson provides the Presidents Report to Board Board Members and Ratepayers Thursday, August 25, 2016. TVA Board Member Lynn Evans is on Mr. Johnson's right.

Information on TVA Board Members and future board meeting dates and places may be found at https://www.tva.com/About-TVA/Our-Leadership/Board-of-Directors

Several Ratepayers and citizens expressed their concerns with the TVA Board. The Majority of the citizen input involved Floating Homes on TVA waters. Information on the TVA's Floating Homes Policy may be found at this link: https://tva.com/Environment/Shoreline-Construction/Floating-Houses

A historical listing of TVA's presentations and financial statements may be found at: http://www.snl.com/IRW/Presentations/4063363

Information on TVA's August 25th  2016 Board Meeting including the Agenda may be found at https://www.tva.com/About-TVA/Our-Leadership/Board-of-Directors/Meeting-Archive/TVA-Board-Meeting-August-25-2016

TVA on site videos of the meeting by BEST/MATRR Member Garry Morgan

President's Report

Chief Financial Officers Report



Selected Citizen Comments, Part 1
 
Selected Citizen Comments, Part 2 - People and Environmental Issues


Comments by Garry Morgan and Gretel Johnston Regarding the Extended Power Uprate at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Link to Report Discussed by Mark Leyse http://best-matrr.org/16-0803_Leyse's%20Browns%20Ferry%20Comments.pdf


Summary of the TVA Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Extended Power Uprate Problem compiled by Garry Morgan as presented to the TVA Board of Directors. 

Presented to you are comments of Mark Leyse, Nuclear Safety Advisor, for BEST/MATRR. The  information presented to you in the enclosed report to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Board and the Chief Executive Officer, indicates there is an error in the computer safety model analysis of the Extended Power Uprate (EPU) for the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN).

This error undermines the defense in depth safety requirements of the Browns Ferry Nuclear 

Facility. This same report has been presented as comments to the Nuclear Regulatory  Commission (NRC).

Non-conservative computer safety model analyses were performed in order to justify the  Extended Power Uprate (EPU) for the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN).  As explained in the  comments presented, experimental data indicates that the EPU analyses under-predict the  rates of the chemical reaction between zirconium and steam that would occur in the event of a  loss-of-coolant accident (“LOCA”).  This means that the analyses under-predicts the rates in  which energy (heat) is released, hydrogen generated, and zirconium fuel-cladding oxidized by  the zirconium-steam reaction. The computer safety model is supposed to over-predict temperatures in order to ensure an adequate margin of safety.

By overlooking the deficiencies of the computer safety models, the TVA and the NRC have  undermined defense-in-depth safety principles, requiring the application of conservative  models in the computer safety model analysis. The health and safety of citizens living in the  area surrounding the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant should not be compromised by TVA using  these non-conservative safety models to help qualify for the proposed Extended Power Uprates  at the aging Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Open house and Public Comment Session onTennessee Valley Authority's Early Site Permit Application for Small Modular Reactors at the Clinch River Site, Oak Ridge, Tennessee - April 12, 2016 (Updated Apr. 16, 2016)

Small Modular Reactor Designs - Fair Use for non-profit news reporting, graphic from http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Small-Modular-Reactor-Startup-Using-Molten-Salt-Nuclear-Design-Wins-7M-in

"TVA wants to build the small modular reactor (SMR) in an area on the Clinch River near the southwest edge of Oak Ridge.  This is the same site where TVA proposed to build the breeder reactor in the 1980s that was scrapped due to budget cuts and safety concerns." News article with video: http://www.wbir.com/news/local/tva-applying-for-permit-to-build-smaller-nuclear-reactor-in-oak-ridge/112723402

Union of Concerned Scientists - SMR's will not resolve cost, safety and security problems

WASHINGTON (September 26, 2013)—Nuclear power proponents pinning their hopes on small modular nuclear reactors to resurrect the industry’s fortunes will likely be disappointed, according to a report released today by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The report, Small Isn’t Always Beautiful, concludes it will be extremely difficult for small reactors—which are less than a third the size of a standard 1,000-megawatt nuclear reactor—to generate less expensive electricity and, at the same time, be safer than their larger cousins.

“Nuclear safety and security don’t come cheap,” said UCS Senior Scientist Edwin Lyman, the author of the report. “A utility that thinks it can have its own little nuclear reactor at a bargain-basement price may get exactly what it pays for: a plant more vulnerable to serious accidents and terrorist attacks.” http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/small-modular-nuclear-reactor-0404.html#.VxFoPZX2bIV

BREDL/BEST/MATRR

On April 12 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. members of the Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team/Mothers Against Tennessee River Radiation (BEST/MATRR), a local chapter of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL) attended the open house and information session. We conducted interviews with TVA Clinch River Project Manager, Dan Stout, and the Attorney with the Tennessee Sierra Club, Brian Paddock. The information session was held at the Pollard Center on the campus of Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge Tennessee.

SafeCast Ionizing Radiation Monitoring at Oak Ridge and Environs - 

https://api.safecast.org/en-US/bgeigie_imports/22565

High Count per Minute was 46cpm, low was 18cpm. The B-geigy Monitor was mounted on the right side of the vehicle 1 meter from ground level. Counts Per Minute (cpm) were within normal background radiation parameters for the area.

VIDEOS

Introductory Video

Interview with Dan Stout, TVA Project Manager, Clinch River SMR Site


Interview with Brian Paddock, Esq., Attorney with the Tennessee Sierra Club


NRC Explanation of Early Site Permit Process, selected segments.


Citizen Comments, Questions and Concerns, selected segments.


NRC VIDEO on SMR's - Nov 13, 2014



TVA Slide Show on SMR's http://www.slideshare.net/orau/stout-tva-day-1-panel-1


DOE on SMR's http://www.energy.gov/ne/nuclear-reactor-technologies/small-modular-nuclear-reactors

Small Modular Reactors Not Likely Before 2020  http://oakridgetoday.com/2016/04/13/small-nuclear-reactors-not-likely-before-mid-2020s/

NRC - Tennessee Valley Authority Clinch River Site Early Site Permit Application 
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) intends to submit an Early Site Permit Application (ESPA) for two or more small modular reactor (SMR) modules (up to 800 MWe, 2420 MWt) at the Clinch River Nuclear (CRN) site to the NRC for review in the second quarter of NRC fiscal year (FY) 2016 (first quarter of calendar year (CY) 2016). The application will use the Plant Parameter Envelope (PPE) approach, by which an applicant provides sufficient bounding parameters and characteristics of the reactor or reactors, and the associated facilities, so that assessments of site safety and environmental suitability can be made by NRC.

For additional information, please use the Advanced Web Search feature of our Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS), and enter PROJ0785 in the "Docket Number" field.
For additional detail, see the following topics on this page:

• Letters and Other Pre-Application Correspondence
• Regulatory Framework Development

 http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/advanced/clinch-river.html

                                BREDL FACT SHEET ON SMR's
                        Click on image for an expanded view.)

Complaint to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission OIG for violation of the Federal Sunshine in Government Act. 

The NRC held a separate meeting for public officials at 9AM on April 12, 2016. This separate meeting makes no sense, since the only information to be presented is allegedly public information. The separate meeting effectively isolates public officials from the public. The NRC General counsel has confirmed receipt of this complaint.

COMPLAINT TEXT

NRC OIG Complaint – 4-8-16 
Subject: Separate Meeting for public officials Regarding SMR Project.
From: Garry Morgan, Scottsboro, Alabama


Violation of Government in the Sunshine Act Pub.L. 94–409, 90 Stat. 1241, 5 U.S.C. § 552b - Regarding holding a separate meeting, secret meeting, with local public officials, outside of a public meetings scheduled on April 12, 2016 - Reference NRC Public Affairs Notice 16-016, regarding Small Modular Reactors at the Clinch River Site near Oak Ridge, Tn. There is no mention of the separate secret meeting in the official notice with public officials which is scheduled on 4-12-16 at 9AM, location Hilton Hotel or Pollard Auditorium, per "un-named" (names redacted, confirmed from 2 separate officials) NRC Officials.


Although this is not a deliberation of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission it is a Public Meeting as scheduled and there will be many different public officials from various public entities attending this secret meeting for public officials which is allegedly to discuss the same information to be presented at the afternoon and evening public meetings in the described NRC meeting announcement. 


Why a secret meeting prior to the regularly scheduled meeting? Could it be there are site problems or other problems which the DOE, NRC, TVA does not want the public to know about? Are there secret site plans which federal and local officials will consider which the various federal agencies involved do not want the public atlarge to be aware? Surely all involved want to hear public comments - why would a federal agency move to isolate public officials from the public? Is there a need for secrecy involving what should be public information? 


The legislative intent of the Sunshine Act is as follows: "The basic premise of the sunshine legislation is that, in the words of federalist No. 49, 'the people are the only legitimate foundation of power, and it is from them that the constitutional charter ... is derived.' Government is and should be the servant of the people, and it should be fully accountable to them for the actions which it supposedly takes on their behalf." (U.S.C.C.A.N. 2183, 2186).


The NRC's intentional isolation of various government officials from the public in a separate meeting violates the very spirit and intent of the United States of America's Federal Sunshine in Government Act. Many items discussed in these public meetings will be deliberated on at a later date in various governmental entities. 


It is vitally important that all government officials hear all public input, not just the input from federal officials and contractors connected with the Small Modular Reactor Projects. Holding a separate public officials meeting isolates public officials from the electorate, taxpayers and ratepayers, the stakeholders which the NRC are supposed to protect. 


Isolation of public officials from the public in a separate secret meeting for public officials does not facilitate open government as described in the Federal Sunshine Act and does not display
your role as the regulator in a positive light, the isolation of public officials by holding a separate meeting for public officials violates the intent of the Federal Sunshine Act.


I am asking the NRC OIG to initiate action to stop any separate meeting which isolates public officials from the public in NRC Public Meetings.

TVA 1st Quarter 2015 Board of Directors Meeting February 12, 2015

"As provided by the TVA Act and the TVA Bylaws, the principal responsibilities of the Board are to establish the broad strategies, goals, and objectives, long-range plans, and policies of TVA and to ensure that those are achieved by the TVA staff led by the Chief Executive Officer. Each Director takes an oath to faithfully and impartially perform the duties of office. Directors serve part-time."

http://www.tva.com/abouttva/board/index.htm

TVA Meeting & Video Presentation

Video
Presentation (PDF)
News release

See the full Board Meeting archive.

SPECIAL VIDEO PRESENTATIONS

February 12, 2015, TVA Board of Directors Meeting at Chattanooga, Tn. Listening session presentations by BREDL/BEST/MATRR members Sandy Kurtz and Garry Morgan.

February 12, 2015, TVA Board of Directors 1st Quarter 2015 Meeting at Chattanooga, Tn. Finance Report by CFO John Thomas,



February 12, 2015, TVA Board of Directors 1st Quarter 2015 Meeting at Chattanooga, Tn. Presidents Report by Bill Johnson. Engineer of the Year Award - Jeff Phillips.


NEWS ITEMS
Jeff Phillips, a principal engineer for the Tennessee Valley Authority, was recognized today as TVA's Engineer of the Year for 2015. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/business/aroundregion/

TVA is moving to buy more natural gas and solar power generation as the federal utility continues to move away from coal-fired generation.  http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/business/aroundregion/story/2015/feb/12/tva-buy-gas-plant-mississippi-solar-power-alabama/288039/

The Tennessee Valley Authority voted Thursday to enter a power purchase agreement with NextEra for a planned 80-megawatt solar farm in the Shoals.   http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2015/02/tva_approves_agreement_to_buil.html

After revamping its pricing structure four years ago for the first time in two decades, the Tennessee Valley Authority is again preparing to alter the way it prices the electricity it produces.  http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/business/aroundregion/story/2015/feb/11/tvplans-change-way-it-prices-electricity/287725/

Nuclear Regulatory Commission(NRC) - Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Public Hearing - Concerning TVA's Sequoyah Nuclear Facility (NNSA Public Hearing Links on TVA Tritium Production)

(photo - wikipedia, Fair Usage rights for non-profit news reporting)

4 part video presentation, Generic Environmental Impact Statement for license extension-

The Sequoyah Nuclear Plant is a nuclear power plant located on 525 acres (212 ha) located 7 miles (11 km) east of Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, and 20 miles (32 km) north of Chattanooga, abutting Chickamauga Lake, on the Tennessee River. The facility is owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

The plant has two Westinghouse pressurized water reactors. Sequoyah units 1 & 2, as well as their sister plant at Watts Bar, both have ice condenser containment systems. In case of a large loss-of-coolant accident, steam generated by the leak is directed toward borated ice which helps condense the steam creating a lower pressure, allowing for a smaller containment building.

The operating license of Sequoyah's Unit 1 expires in 2020. Unit 2's operating license expires in 2021.^[2]

TVA's Sequoyah operating license was modified in September 2002 to allow TVA to irradiate tritium-producing burnable absorber rods at Sequoyah for the U.S. Department of Energy. The process of irradiating tritium-producing rods produces tritium, which is used in nuclear weapons and for various forms of research into nuclear fusion for commercial power production. Wiki article:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoyah_Nuclear_Generating_Station

NRC information on the License Extension - http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/applications/sequoyah.html  It is remarkable that there is no date on the cover or other substantial documents listed on the NRC site references listed on the link referenced.

The Sequoyah plant has two pressurized water reactors. The current operating licenses are due to expire Sept. 17, 2020, for Unit 1 and Sept. 15, 2021, for Unit 2. The operator, Tennessee Valley Authority, submitted its renewal application Jan. 15, 2013.  

The NRC’s review of the application consists of a technical safety review and an environmental review. The draft supplemental environmental impact statement is Supplement 53 to NUREG-1437, Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants. It is now available on the NRC’s electronic document database, ADAMS http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/ adams.html. under accession number ML14211A454.

In a related Federal Register notice, the NRC provided detailed instructions on how to submit written comments on the draft supplemental environmental impact statement. Comments will be accepted through Sept. 29, 2014 .Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2013–0037   Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey; Office of Administration, Mail Stop: 3WFN–06–A44M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Drucker, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, telephone: 301–415–6223, email to David.Drucker@nrc.gov ; U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
0001.  GPO Federal Notice Record link:  http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-08-11/pdf/2014-18966.pdf

NRC Aug 12, 2014 · Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants: Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2  http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr1437/supplement53/

TVA's home page on Sequoyah: http://www.tva.gov/power/nuclear/sequoyah.htm  No indications on  Sequoyah's home page concerning any documents relating to a license extension.
TVA  info on license renewal and environmental impacts
https://www.tva.gov/environment/reports/sqn-renewal/index.htm

Videos, NRC EIS Public Hearing  regarding a 20 year license extension of TVA Sequoyah Nuclear Facility, 4 part video presentation with  Citizen Input Regrding the EIS on September 15, 2014 at Soddy Daisy, Tn. Municipal Complex.

VIDEOS
NRC EIS Public Hearing Pt.1-TVA Sequoyah Nuclear 9-15-14 

NRC EIS Public Hearing Pt.2 TVA Sequoyah Nuclear 8-15-14 

NRC EIS Public Hearing Pt.3 TVA Sequoyah Nuclear 9-15-14 

NRC EIS Public Hearing Pt.4-TVA Sequoyah Nuclear 9-15-14 

BEST-MATRR's investigations into health, cancer and radiation in the Tennessee River Valley current summary:  Government health statistics and scientific investigations point toward this fact - radiation from man made ionizing radiation sources such as nuclear power plants, nuclear fuel facilities, nuclear weapons facilities and nuclear experimental facilities have increased ionizing radiation levels in the environment within the Tennessee River Basin area. Since the addition of nuclear facilities in the Tennessee River Valley, the cancer incident rates and mortality rates have steadily increased.  (National Cancer Institute statistics and maps http://seer.cancer.gov/statistics/scp.html  and BEST/MATRR Report: http://best-matrr.org/pdfs/AL_BFN_Report_2013-final-dig2.pdf  )" BEST-MATRR's investigations are ongoing in East Tennessee and North Alabama.

NNSA Public Hearing - The public comment period ends on September 22, 2014. 
http://nnsa.energy.gov/aboutus/ouroperations/generalcounsel/nepaoverview/nepa/tritiumseis
Videos in Chattanooga, Links:
NNSA introduction - Public Hearing, NNSA, Tritium Production 9-10-14 

Public comments, part 1:  NNSA-SEIS, 9-10-14 Public Hearing Chattanooga, Tn. Part 1 

Public comments, part 2:  NNSA-SEIS, 9-10-14 Public Hearing Chattanooga, Tn. Part 2 

Public comments, part 3   NNSA-SEIS 9-10-14 Public Hearing Chattanooga, Tn. Part 3 

WAFF-TV Investigative Report on Browns Ferry Relating to the Radioactive Emissions and Health Hazards Surrounding the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in Alabama

Update: Dec 7. 2013 - The videos have been removed from the WAFF site. The WAFF link below remains active. TVA's 2012 radiation report is active at this link -  TVA's latest radiological report (pdf) It is interesting to note that current radiation levels are reported on charts to be lower than pre-operational levels. TVA attributes this to a lack of nuclear weapons testing. However, there have been two(2) nuclear reactor accidents which have contributed massive amounts of radiation contamination worldwide. This fact and subsequent radiation measurements as a result of the nuclear accidents are omitted. For this reason the report from the TVA is suspect. TVA radiological measurements are from 2012; unfortunately the TVA and the NRC fails to report their findings to the public in a timely fashion.

WAFF Investigates: Health concerns at Browns Ferry
HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) - By Margo Gray 
A local citizens' advocacy group is calling out the nuclear industry and taking on Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant.
http://www.waff.com/story/24036660/waff-investigates-health-concerns-at-browns-ferry
 The members of BREDL/BEST/MATRR appreciate WAFF and Ms. Gray for the opportunity to inform the public about nuclear power health risks and specifically about our concerns with the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant  - Garry Morgan, Project Director-BEST/MATRR Community Radiation Monitoring Project. 

WAFF Investigates: Health concerns at Browns Ferry
WAFF-TV: News, Weather and Sports for Huntsville, AL  (deactivated by source - WAFF)

Featured in the video is a nuclear industry mouthpiece - "The American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) is an organization that exists to debunk what they call junk science, and Doctor Josh Bloom says that's exactly what this report is. "They are using selective data and they are picking out the numbers that supports their case and they are ignoring the others and trying to bury them," said Bloom." One of several ad hominem attacks.  Update- May 12, 2015: American Council on Science & Health has been identified as an anti-environmental group submitting bogus reports to support various corporate interests including the nuclear industry. http://www.polluterwatch.com/anti-environmental-archives

The data in the Browns Ferry Report is from the National Cancer Institute and the Center for Disease Control, and compiled by an Epidemiologist. https://bredl.org/pdf4/AL_BFN_Report_2013-final-digit.pdf

ACSH is a member of CASE, a Nuclear Energy Institute, NEI, entity, fully funded by the NEI.
http://casenergy.org/2009/09/the-american-council-on-science-and-health-acsh/
ACSH falsely claims that nuclear energy is sustainable, clean energy in this handout - http://www.acsh.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/20080911_nuclear_energyfinal.pdf 

"The ACSH is known as an "industry-friendly" group according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)...2013, Mother Jones magazine received leaked internal financial documents from ACSH, which revealed that 58% of the organization's donations in the period from July 1, 2012, to December 20, 2012 came from corporations and large private foundations, many of which themselves had close ties to industries with financial stakes in the specific issues on which ACSH issues industry-favorable opinions."^[32]   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Council_on_Science_and_Health

Source Watch's file on ACSH - Alar, Death Panels and  Michael Crichton   http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Council_on_Science_and_Health

BEST/MATRR Video of Interview with cancer maps as posted below.

TVA Spokesman Jim Hopson on Browns Ferry WAFF-TV: News, Weather and Sports for Huntsville, AL  (deactivated by source WAFF)
Note - quote in the Jim Hopson video near the end: "..according to the World Health Organization there have been no deaths from nuclear radiation." Department of Labor's EEOICP statistics dispute that claim - http://www.dol.gov/owcp/energy/regs/compliance/weeklystats.htm
Near 100,000 workers costing tax payers near $10 billion dollars due to nuclear energy industry workers sickness and death. This does not include all nuclear facilities. These statistics have only been compiled since 2001 upon passage of the law authorizing compensation for nuclear energy workers. Prior to 2001 data/statistics on nuclear energy worker related sickness and deaths were classified.

Concerning Mr. Hopson's ad hominem fallacy: He says, we have made "unsubstantiated claims" against workers. Our report does not in any way form or fashion make any unsubstantiated claims against the rank and file workers at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant. Our group has expressed our thanks to the TVA Board and the NRC for the hard work of TVA's rank and file workers. The reliability of TVA's Management Culture relating to the management of TVA's nuclear program is an entirely different matter. Hopson also wrongfully stated in the WAFF interview, "They (referring to our report) are saying the dedicated Browns Ferry workers are baby killers..." This ridiculousness is typical TVA deceit, these type of attacks have been seen on other occasions and are reflections on the TVA's deceitful corporate culture.

The TVA has demonstrated management negligence in their nuclear power operations which jeopardizes the health and welfare of the valley's citizens. This is documented in BEST/MATRR's report, reference Appendix 4 - "Request to the NRC to Suspend the Operating License of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Reactors" by the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, BREDL. BEST/MATRR is part of the BREDL group. The report may be viewed on our web site at http://www.matrr.org

As in this case, TVA's public relations personnel and TVA's Management do not always describe situations accurately and are deceitful in their presentations concerning the risks (including health risks) and cost of nuclear power. Mr. Hopson is the one making the unsubstantiated claim. The report speaks for itself.

TVA nor the State of Alabama will agree with the report. If they did they would have to increase the warning zones concerning nuclear power to 100 miles and install radiation sensors at downwind locations up to 100 miles. No governmental or non-profit organizations interviewed which attacked our report explained the high cancer incidence and mortality rates. All had financial connections to the nuclear industry while denying facts about nuclear power hazards and risks.
BREDL/BEST/MATRR states radiation may be a contributing factor to high cancer rates and suggested the government perform further testing. They can not prove that an inaccurate statement but yet they wage an aggressive series of false attacks.

Director, Alabama Office of Radiation Control WAFF-TV: News, Weather and Sports for Huntsville, AL  (deactivated by source WAFF)

The State of Alabama does not test downwind environs more than 10 miles away from Browns Ferry. The majority of our test data reflected background radiation readings. However, during rain events downwind from the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant the radiation counts per minute were greatly increased as reflected in our report.

If the state of Alabama has consistent real time monitoring surrounding Browns Ferry, why are they not publishing the data on a daily basis or displaying the counter display via a web site?

It is important to point out that the State of Alabama Governor sits on a board which supports nuclear power. The Retirement System of Alabama also has input to this board. What is this board? The Southern States Nuclear Compact, also known as the Southern States Energy Board, Codified into Alabama Law under Conservation and Natural Resources - http://www.sseb.org/files/legislation-alabama.pdf   also  http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/alcode/9#sthash.4P4Sv5E2.dpuf 

The Southern States Energy Board (SSEB), of which Alabama Governor Robert Bentley is the Chairperson, supports nuclear power as a means to further development in the South and Alabama. http://www.sseb.org/reference/policy-positions/    The SSEB also calls the EPA's efforts to improve our water and air quality a "Train Wreck."  “Train Wreck”-SSEB Resolution

The SSEB receives advice and support from many lobbyists and corporations including most of the U.S. nuclear energy industry and the nuclear energy industry lobbyist, the NEI. http://www.sseb.org/members/industry-partnership/

The bottom line -  The State of Alabama via the SSEB is in bed with the nuclear power industry. The health and welfare of the public takes a back seat to the financial incentives provided to the state and its politicians by the nuclear power industry and supporting organizations.

Neither the Alabama State Department of Health, the TVA or nuclear power's mouth piece - ACSH could explain why the cancer rate for north Alabama is high. But yet, these groups emphatically state nuclear power is not a cause, ignoring facts presented in federal CDC and NCI statistical reports. Our data and studies demonstrate the nuclear industry in the Tennessee River Valley appears to be a contributing factor.

                ALABAMA CANCER MAPS - National Cancer Institute

The second highest killer other than cigarette smoking for lung cancer is radon. Get you homes checked for radon contamination, it is dangerously high in this area. http://www.adph.org/cancercontrol/

Alabama Brain Cancer Incidence Rates

Ionizing radiation is the only established environmental cause of brain tumors (Preston-Martin 1996). Occupational exposure to radiation has been consistently linked to adult brain tumors (Alexander and DiMarco 2002), and has also been linked to childhood brain tumors in the offspring of people exposed to radiation at work. One study looking at geographic and time-related patterns of brain tumors in children found that rates of the disease significantly decreased in downwind communities when nuclear power plants ceased their operations (Mangano et al. 2002).  More information: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/brain_cancer

NRC DOSE LIMITS CHART

Ionizing Radiation is cumulative. All ionizing radiation has the potential to cause cellular mutations.

http://radioactivepoison.blogspot.com/ 

“There is no safe level of exposure and there is no dose of (ionizing) radiation so low that the risk of a malignancy is zero”--Dr. Karl Morgan, the father of Health Physics"

The nuclear power industry and government organizations such as the TVA and Department of Energy like to boast that there have been no deaths as a result of civilian nuclear power in the U.S. Facts found in statistical analysis of U.S. cancer incidence and death rates point toward another conclusion - nuclear power is killing people. http://www.acereport.org/downloads/Download_02_attachment_02.pdf

TVA Regional Energy Resource Advisory Council (RERC) Inaugural Meeting in Hollywood, Al. and Citizen Presentations to the Council

On Wednesday, October the 23rd the inaugural meeting of the TVA Regional Energy Resource Advisory Council (RERC) took place at TVA's Hollywood, Al. Training Facility. More about this advisory council. http://www.tva.com/rerc/index.htm 


RERC Charter: http://www.tva.gov/rerc/charter.htm

News articles: Chattanooga Times Free Press - "TVA is creating a new 19-member panel known as the Regional Energy Resource Council to offer ongoing input into how TVA balances the need for reliable power and low-cost electricity with energy efficiency, cleaner energy and transmission requirements." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/sep/17/tva-forms-advisory-energy-panels/
al-com - "Scottsboro resident Goodrich "Dus" Rogers, President and [CEO] of the Jackson County Economic Development Authority, is the new chairman of the recently-formed Regional Energy Resource Council for the Tennessee Valley Authority."   http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2013/09/scottsboro_man_jackson_county.html

The Press is Coming - "They may ask some questions...questions...questions."


From TVA: "The Council consists of up to 20 members. They are chosen to ensure objectivity and balance in representing a broad range of views and interests, including environmental, industrial, business, consumer, educational, and community leadership interests. All members of the Council are persons possessing demonstrated professional or personal qualifications relevant to TVA's energy resource activities. Meet the Council members here. "

FACA by Ms. Love, TVA Office of General Council
Info link: FACA Overview

VIDEO


RERC INFO & WHO IS TVA by Dr. Joe Hoagland, http://www.tva.gov/rerc/members/hoagland.html
Info links:    RERC Overview  Introduction to TVA

VIDEO


VIDEO Citizen Presentations to the RERC


TVA-RERC Part 3, Wrap-up