Meeting Minutes



		MEETING MINUTES Yankee Rowe Community Advisory Board August 18, 1999 The eighth meeting of the Yankee Rowe Community Advisory Board(CAB) was held at the Greenfield Community Downtown Center on Wednesday, August 18, 1999. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Brad Councilman, at 7:05 PM with 10 members present. CAB ATTENDEES Carol Angelo Brad Councilman Robert Gallaghar Doris Lewis Lenny Laffond Nina Newington Bruce Lessels Allan Twitchell Rick Williams Robert Hayward (for MEMA) Brad Councilman introduced Michael Vito and Betsy McEvoy ,representatives from Senator Kerry's office, and Matt Barron from Congressman Olver's office. Brad Councilman read the purpose of the CAB from the CAB Charter and then had the CAB members introduce themselves. Brad informed the CAB there was no available representative from Senator Kennedy's office to come to the meeting. Brad shared with the committee his frustration over trying to get,Secretary of Energy, Bill Richardson, or someone from his Department to meet with the CAB. After several phone calls he was told that because Yankee is in litigation directed at the DOE they did not think they should send someone to a CAB meeting. PRESENTATIONS The attached statements were read giving a perspective on the meeting topic, When Will Used Nuclear Fuel Be Removed From Rowe? Michael Vito read a joint statement from Senators Kennedy and Kerry. In part, the statement said that if and when the DOE begins to move nuclear fuel, the Senators believe that closed nuclear plants, such as Yankee, should be given priority acceptance. Matt Barron, from Congressman John olver's office, read a statement from John Olver saying "he would like to see the high-level nuclear waste out of Massachusetts." Brad Councilman read a statement from Representative Shaun Kelley who feels the DOE's lack of responsiveness concerning the fuel places "both an obstacle before the decommissioning of the plant,as well as a burden upon the area. Don Davis, Chairman, President and CEO of Yankee Atomic Electric Company, gave Yankee's perspective on the issue expressing frustration over DOE's failure to remove the fuel, the DOE's need to provide the Western Mass. community with a reliable start and finish date for removing the fuel, and the need for a DOE contingency plan for removing fuel if Yucca Mountain is delayed or abandoned. CAB member Lenny Laffond read a statement from the selectman of Rowe asking for a contingency plan for the fuel. Several CAB members raised issues such as does Yankee Rowe have a contingency plan for the fuel if Yucca Mountain is not a success, and what is the cost of keeping the fuel in the spent fuel pool compared to putting it in dry cask storage. Several CAB members attended the meeting and asked questions concerning the transportation of fuel, and Yankee's intention to store the fuel dry in steel and concrete aboveground casks. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES The minutes of the last meeting were accepted and seconded. CAB members were offered an opportunity to visit Palisades Dry Cask Storage Facility in Michigan next month with a choice of three dates. The CAB decided to meet again on October 13, 1999, at City Hall in North Adams, MA. More information will be sent as it becomes available. The meeting was adjourned by Chairman Councilman at 8:52 PM. A video tape of the meeting is available for viewing by contacting Mandy Comai at 413-424-5498. Respectfully Submitted, Doris Lewis, Secretary