Independent Commission to Investigate the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

WHEREAS we the people of the United States have an obligation to ourselves and to future generations to uphold the democratic process and to challenge federal policies when they endanger us and our fellow citizens; and

WHEREAS current NRC plans call for the construction of at least fifty more nuclear plants in order to reduce our nations dependency on foreign oil; and

WHEREAS the NRC and the Government Accounting Office have found that more than 70 existing US nuclear plants contain counterfeit and substandard defective parts; and

WHEREAS recent NRC rules streamline the nuclear plant licensing and re-licensing process by limiting public participation, lowering safety inspection and quality assurance standards applicable to nuclear components in existing and new facilities to reduce construction costs; and

WHEREAS nuclear power plants and their surrounding communities do not have emergency evacuation plans to protect people who would be at risk when a nuclear accident occurs

WHEREAS recent experience has shown our governments inability to respond to short and long term needs of our citizens whose lives are disrupted by unforeseen disasters; and

WHEREAS current emergency plans propose that senior citizens and other special needs persons who cannot immediately evacuate be left behind in the event of a nuclear accident be given potassium iodide which only protects the thyroid against radioactive iodine, leaving them susceptible to contamination by other dangerous radioactive products released during an accident or act of sabotage; and such plans assume these valuable members of our communities are expendable, a discriminatory policy which violates their civil rights: and

WHEREAS building more nuclear power plants will result in increased amounts of hazardous radioactive nuclear wastes for which there is no site storage available for the foreseeable future and if not properly transported, stored or disposed of will be potentially dangerous to many future generations; and

WHEREAS the NRC is the federal agency primarily responsible for regulating the nuclear power industry consistent with public safety, health and welfare; and

WHEREAS the NRC Office of the Inspector General has released a report titled "NRC Failure to Adequately Regulate" confirming the agency falls short in its efforts to regulate the nuclear industry in a manner that assures public safety ; and

WHEREAS the NRC has previously interfered with efforts of its employees and other concerned persons who have disclosed serious problems with the nuclear power industry.

THEREFORE we the undersigned people of: We The People Inc., hereby petition to establish an independent and bi-partisan Commission (similar to the 911 Commission) comprised of elected officials and other qualified experts to fully investigate the Nuclear Regulatory Commissions regulation of the nuclear power industry including the manner in which it has acted and adequacy of current safeguards to assure that it continues to protect the American public from dangers posed from the design, construction and operation of existing and future nuclear power plants.

The commission shall have at least fifteen (15) members, be staffed and funded by Congress and shall hold extensive public hearings. No later than two (2) years after its first meeting, the commission shall issue a report that contains specific findings and recommendations regarding the manner in which the NRC has acted to protect the public from dangers associated with the nuclear power industry including, but limited to, the following topics:
1. Plant location, design and construction;
2. Evacuation plans and other proposed public responses to short and long-term effects of nuclear accidents;
3. Safety Inspections and Quality Assurance including, but not limited to, the use of substandard and counterfeit parts existing and future nuclear power facilities and effectiveness of recent NRC rules relaxing standards for safety inspections of plant components and inspection documentation requirements.
4. Integrity and independence of NRC staff and management including whether NRC decisions are improperly influenced by the nuclear industry or other interest groups, opportunities for employees to express concerns about public safety issues and effectiveness of the NRC Office of Inspector Generals Office.

By signing below, I assert and affirm my belief that it is in the best interests of the United States to conduct an investigation to assure that our government is doing everything possible to protect America against the dangerous perils caused by nuclear accidents on the devastating scale of Chernobyl.