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Tritium detected at high levels in two aquifers
State Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin Tuesday expressed disappointment with Exelon Nuclear's response to a state order requiring the company to take more proactive steps to protect the public from a 2009 leak of radioactive tritium into drinking water beneath the Oyster Creek nuclear plant in Lacey, Ocean County.
A letter issued Friday by Exelon downplays the DEP's concerns about the issue and contends the DEP order created public alarm, while also suggesting the DEP does not have authority over issues at Oyster Creek.
"Exelon needs to stop making legal arguments about this issue and spend its time ensuring that tritium does not further contaminate New Jersey's drinking water supply,'' Martin said. "The DEP is in charge of protecting drinking water in the state of New Jersey. Anything that would endanger a New Jersey aquifer is of great concern to us and demands an aggressive DEP response.
"My concerns grow daily as new information about yet another leak has emerged,'' Martin said. "Debating whether contamination has spread 'off site' is irrelevant. Tritium exists at high levels in two of our aquifers.''The DEP believes more proactive action is warranted because the contamination reached the Cohansey aquifer, a public water resource held in trust by the state. A DEP Spill Act directive issued on May 7 requires Exelon to install additional and deeper monitoring wells to provide a better understanding of the underground migration route the contamination is taking, and to take steps to prevent it from ever reaching public drinking water supplies.
Exelon's letter contends the DEP did not provide sufficient advance notice before issuing the directive and that the DEP failed to respond to proposed work plans.
In fact, Martin said, the DEP has on numerous occasions raised red flags about the quality of the analytical work Exelon has provided in connection with its site investigation reports and work plans, including data errors and missing data.
The commissioner said the DEP, in a Feb. 22 meeting, expressed to Exelon officials doubts about the company's ability to understand the movement of tritium in the aquifer as well as concerns with overall quality control.
"I am not satisfied that monitoring systems Exelon has put in place are enough,'' Martin said. ‘‘Exelon must cooperate with a broader investigation and take action to prevent tritium from reaching the region's drinking water supplies. Exelon has said they will cooperate completely with the DEP and we fully expect they will.''
Jeff Tittel, New Jersey Sierra Club director, said the DEP should take strong action against Exelon.
"This shows why DEP and an outside lab should take charge of the investigation,'' Tittle said. "Exelon is either negligent or incompetent and may be both.''
Richard Webster of the Eastern Environmental Law Clinic said, "DEP is fully justified in asserting state jurisdiction over radiation releases that NRC has claimed do not present nuclear safety issue. Because the NRC has said that these releases did not violate its regulations, DEP is the last line of defense for local residents and their drinking water. Good for DEP for not being kow-towed by bogus legal claims that it cannot protect the New jersey's water from pollution."
"Exelon appears more interested in cover up than clean up at Oyster Creek,'' David Pringle of the New Jersey Environmental Federation said. "Rather than hiding behind legalese and public relations, they should follow the advice that every 3 year old knows: 'you make the mess, you clean it up.'"
To see a copy of the Exelon letter to DEP, click HERE
— TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
