Krishna P. Singh Technology Campus, 1 Holtec Blvd., Camden, NJ 08104 Telephone (856) 797-0900 Fax (856) 797-0909 July 16, 2018 The Honorable Jeff Steinborn P.O. Box 562 Las Cruces, NM 88004 Subject: jeff.steinborn@nmlegis.gov Second Meeting of the Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee Dear Senator Steinborn: News has reached me that you are holding a hearing on July 19, 2018 on several aspects surrounding the proposed interim used fuel storage facility, called HI-STORE CISF (consolidated interim storage facility), that our company is planning to build in southeastern New Mexico. We wholeheartedly endorse public consultation on matters of regional and national interest. We also firmly believe that a dispassionate exposition of the facts and materiality of our technology will alleviate your concerns and make you an intellectual ally of our program. Here are some facts for you to ponder regarding our storage technology being proposed for New Mexico: HI-STORE will store used nuclear fuel in all-welded canisters in below ground vertical silos (or cavities) enclosed by 17.5-ton lids. The storage cavities are designed to withstand any punishment that nature can throw at them without yielding even a micro-gram of nuclear matter to the environment. Think earthquakes: the storage system is designed to shrug off the strongest earthquake ever recorded on planet earth! Think the strongest hurricanes, cyclones or typhoons ever recorded: the storage system would appreciate a debris clean-up but little else. Think of tornados strong enough to lift and hurl cars at it: again, the outcome would be ditto; the storage system will merely need some clean up to restore cosmetics. Think of any other natural catastrophe: the answer is the same. In fact, this facility will withstand nature’s wrath at a level of ferocity that will flatten virtually every above ground structure in the land. It is an impregnable fortress for holding stainless-steel canisters in unconditionally safe storage units. And the assertion of safety applies to acts of human mendacity as well: because the only access to the storage cavity is through the heavy top lid (which can be buttressed to withstand enormous loads), an aircraft crashing the facility will Krishna P. Singh Technology Campus, 1 Holtec Blvd., Camden, NJ 08104 Telephone (856) 797-0900 Fax (856) 797-0909 The Honorable Jeff Steinborn July 16, 2018 2 Page be an entirely unproductive act of sabotage for the perpetrator. A crashing aircraft would cause the plant personnel temporary inconvenience but would not result in lasting damage to the canister or release of radioactivity. Such is the inherent indestructibility built into HI-STORE! Beyond safety, I ask you to examine the HI-STORE CISF as an industrial plant: it produces no pollution, it does not need any water, nor does it excrete any water or any chemical of any kind. It does not make any noise. No aquifers or ground water will be affected. And, the radiation dose at the plant’s protected boundary will be a small fraction of the cosmic radiation that bathes the state every single day. Our core objective in establishing the HI-STORE facility is to aggregate the canisters stored at 73 different sites around the country to one location that is incomparably safe and secure and has the right climate (dry, arid and non-coastal). The new challenges of the 21st century demand that America consolidate and upgrade its used fuel storage to an unquestionably safe and impregnable configuration. It is a national imperative. Another fact that you should know is how quickly the HI-STORE facility can be dismantled. In less than one work shift, any loaded canister can be extracted and loaded on a conveyance for off-site shipment! HI-STORE is truly an at-will storage shelter for canisters; it can be de-fueled without any environmental repercussion at any time. I have learned that a tiny band of misinformed activists have descended on New Mexico to disrupt the project. This group does not have a stake in the economic well-being of the local people. They seem to be bent on spreading lies and innuendos and slaughtering the truth with impunity. Your hearing will give them a megaphone to make it into a circus. My fear is that thoughtful people armed with facts and truth will sit in stunned silence, as they have in prior meetings. I ask that you give those who are knowledgeable about the safety and economic benefits of HISTORE an opportunity to speak with you. You may consider inviting representatives from NGOs that have not been historically supportive of nuclear power, such as the Union of Concerned Scientists or the Sierra Club; to present their opinion to you. I respect their positions even when I disagree with them. You may also consider inviting university professors, researchers with expertise in the field of nuclear technology (of which New Mexico has many, thanks to the National Labs in the State) and local community leaders and municipal/county officials. Our society is rich in technically informed people. I advise you to summon them all for input. Krishna P. Singh Technology Campus, 1 Holtec Blvd., Camden, NJ 08104 Telephone (856) 797-0900 Fax (856) 797-0909 The Honorable Jeff Steinborn July 16, 2018 3 Page I have called our HI-STORE a national security imperative. It is also an economic imperative for southeast New Mexico because it will bring hundreds of millions of dollars in income to the region and create numerous well-paying jobs. The facility provides a sustainable revenue stream that is so important to the region and the state that are heavily dependent on fossil fuels for income. Those who stand in its way without credible science-based facts regarding its licensing and operation will be guilty of subverting New Mexico’s economic growth and undermining our national security. Our international adversaries would be delighted to see the world’s most technically advanced country unable to get its act together on a matter of great societal interest. Sincerely, _________________________________ Dr. Kris P. Singh Attachment: Short bio of Dr. Kris Singh cc: See List Attached Document ID: 5025-017 Krishna P. Singh Technology Campus, 1 Holtec Blvd., Camden, NJ 08104 Telephone (856) 797-0900 Fax (856) 797-0909 The Honorable Jeff Steinborn July 16, 2018 4 Page CC: Chairman Kristine L. Svinicki U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop O-16B33 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Email: Chairman@nrc.gov Commissioner Jeff Baran U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop O-4F00 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Email: CMRBARAN@nrc.gov Commissioner Stephen G. Burns U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop O-4F00 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Email: CMRBURNS@nrc.gov Commissioner Annie Caputo U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop O16-B33 Washington DC 20555-0001 Email: CMRCaputo@nrc.gov Commissioner David Wright U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop O-4F00 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Email: CMRWright@nrc.gov Margaret Doane, Executive Director for Operations U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop O16-E15 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Email: Margaret.doane@nrc.gov Marc Dapas Director of the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop T4-A12 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Email: marc.dapas@nrc.gov Michael Layton Director of the Division of Spent Fuel Management U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop T4-B34 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Email: Michael.Layton@nrc.gov Jose Cuadrado DSFM Project Manager – Licensing Branch U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop T4-B34 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Email: jose.cuadrado-caraballo@nrc.gov The Honorable Susana Martinez Governor of New Mexico Office of the Governor 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Suite 400 Santa Fe, NM 87501 susana.m@susanapac.com Keith Gardner, Chief of Staff Office of the Governor 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Room 400 Santa Fe, NM 87501 kjgatc@gmail.com Krishna P. Singh Technology Campus, 1 Holtec Blvd., Camden, NJ 08104 Telephone (856) 797-0900 Fax (856) 797-0909 The Honorable Jeff Steinborn July 16, 2018 5 Page The Honorable Hector Balderas Attorney General of the State of NM P.O. Drawer 1508 Santa Fe, NM 87504-1508 hbalderas@nmag.gov New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Tom Church, Cabinet Secretary PO Box 1149 Santa Fe, NM 87504-1149 tom.church@state.nm.us New Mexico Adjutant General, Department of Military Affairs Major General Kenneth A. Nava, Cabinet Secretary 47 Baton Boulevard Santa Fe, NM 87508 Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Ken McQueen, Cabinet Secretary 1220 South St. Francis Drive Santa Fe, NM 87505 ken.mcqueen@state.nm.us New Mexico Environment Department Butch Tongate, Cabinet Secretary Harold Runnels Building 1190 St. Francis Dr. Suite N4050 Santa Fe, NM 87505 butch.tongate@state.nm.us New Mexico Department of Transportation M. Jay Mitchell, Cabinet Secretary PO Box 27111 Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502 jay.mitchell@state.nm.us John Franchini, Superintendent of Insurance Office of Superintendent of Insurance P.O. Box 1689 Santa Fe, NM 87504-1689 Media Contact for John Franchini: heather.widler@state.nm.us Representative Cathrynn N. Brown 1814 North Guadalupe Carlsbad, NM 88220 c.brown.nm55@gmail.com Representative David M. Gallegos PO Box 998 Eunice, NM 88231 david.rsi@hotmail.com Senator Ron Griggs 2704 Birdie Loop Alamogordo, NM 88310 griggsholdings2@gmail.com Senator Gay G. Kernan PO Box 598 Hobbs, NM 88241 ggkern@valornet.com Senator Carroll H. Leavell PO Drawer D Jal, NM 88252 leavell4@leaco.net Senator Richard Martinez Box 762 Espanola, NM 87532 richardcmartinez@mail.com Krishna P. Singh Technology Campus, 1 Holtec Blvd., Camden, NJ 08104 Telephone (856) 797-0900 Fax (856) 797-0909 The Honorable Jeff Steinborn July 16, 2018 6 Page Representative Angelica Rubio P.O. Box 2155 Las Cruces, NM 88004 angelica.rubio@nmlegis.gov Representative Debra M. Sariñana 825 Claudine Street NE Albuquerque, NM 87123 debbie.sarinana@nmlegis.gov Representative Larry Scott P.O. Box 1708 Hobbs, NM 88241 larry.scott@nmlegis.gov Representative Carl Trujillo Committee Vice-Chair 1 Jerry Hatchet Lane Santa Fe, NM 87506 carl.trujillo@nmlegis.gov Mayor Sam Cobb Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance, Chairman 200 E. Broadway St. Hobbs, NM 88240 scobb@hobbsnm.org Mr. John Heaton Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance, Vice-Chairman 102 South Canyon Carlsbad, NM 88220 jaheaton1@gmail.com Commissioner. Rebecca Long Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance, Treasurer Lea County Commissioners 100 N. Main Avenue, Suite 4 Lovington, NM 88260 rlong@leacounty.net Commissioner. Susan Crockett Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance, Secretary Eddy County Commissioners, Chairman 101 W Greene Street Carlsbad, NM 88220 scrockett@co.eddy.nm.us Commissioner Ronald Black Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance Member Lea County Commissioners, Chairman 100 N. Main Avenue, Suite 4 Lovington, NM 88260 ronrblack@leacounty.net Mr. Jack Volpato Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance Member & Eddy County Commissioner 1526 Muscatel Avenue Carlsbad, NM 88220 jackvolpato@hotmail.com Mr. Garry Buie Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance Member & President & CEO of PEMCO PO Box 428 Hobbs, NM 88241 gabuie52@hotmail.com