15- 214 C.M.R. ch. 1, § 1
The primary EPZ is a generic area around a commercial nuclear power plant which is used to assist in off-site emergency planning and the development of a significant response base. Within this zone specific and unique emergency plans will be required for each city/town located in the EPZ. Each plan will contain recommended protective actions and will address those actions deemed necessary to either shelter in place, partially or totally evacuate a portion or the entire zone. This geographic area will be about a ten (10) mile radius around any nuclear power plant recognizing existing natural boundaries and/or geopolitical boundaries.
The secondary EPZ will be defined as those cities/towns beyond the primary EPZ where protective actions may be required if an accident occurs at a nuclear power plant. These unique plans will contain specific information as to alert and warning, sources of additional information, recommended drills, tests and exercises for local officials. This area will be defined using appropriate natural boundaries and existing geopolitical boundaries and will approximate a 20 mile radius. A secondary EPZ will be defined for all nuclear power plants in this state or in adjacent states or provinces.
The Ingestion Pathway Zone is defined as an area commencing at a nuclear power plant site and extending in a radius of fifty (50) miles from the plant site in this state, adjacent state or province. This area is further defined as that area where an individual may incur exposure caused by ingestion of radiologically contaminated water or foods such as milk and fresh vegetables. One unique plan will be required for each zone. The State of Maine could be affected by three (3) nuclear power plants.
An Ingestion Pathway Plan will be developed for the Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Plant, Wiscasset, Maine; Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant, Seabrook, New Hampshire; and, Point Lepreau, Pt. Lepreau, New Brunswick, Canada,
As a minimum these plans will contain the following topics: purpose, basis, emergency planning zones, protective action guides, concept of operations, description, agency roles and responsibilities, protective response, milk control, water control, food control, decision process for selection of protective actions for ingestion pathway exposures, protective actions, public information facilities, authorities, emergency response support, glossary and references, New England Compact, New England Interstate Radiation Assistance Plan, and standard procedures for field operations, land use data, emergency response team members, farmer notification personnel procedures and other topics considered essential. Elected and appointed county officials as well as county emergency managers, first responders and public safety officials will participate in all MEMA sponsored briefings, tests, drills and exercises.
Primary EPZ For the Maine Yankee Nuclear Generating Plant will consist of the following cities and towns: Alna, Arrowsic, Bath, Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Dresden, Edgecomb, Georgetown, Newcastle, Phippsburg, South Bristol, Southport, West Bath, Westport, Wiscasset and Woolwich. Detailed protective action plans will be developed, promulgated, updated and maintained an file for each community by elected and appointed officials plus public safety officials and Emergency Management Agency personnel. These organizations will participate in all state sponsored radiological briefings, tests, drills and exercises.
The secondary EPZ for the Maine Yankee Nuclear Generating Plant will consist of the Following cities and towns: Bowdoinham, Bristol, Brunswick, Damariscotta, Harpswell, Jefferson, Nobleboro, Pittston, Perkins Township, Topsham, Richmond, and Whitefield. The secondary EPZ for Maine cities and towns that could be affected by an accident at Seabrook, N.H., Nuclear Power Plant are: Elliot, Kittery and York. A secondary EPZ is not required in Washington County, Maine, because Eastport, Maine, is twenty-seven (27) miles from the Pt. Lepreau Nuclear Power Plant located in New Brunswick, Canada. Radiological plans for these "Informational Zone(s)" will be developed, promulgated, updated and maintained by MEMA and maintained on file by concerned public officials. At a minimum these unique plans will address the following topics: purpose, authority, planning basis, concept of operations, emergency action levels, implementation, resource data, area maps and glossary of terms.
Concerned elected and appointed officials and Emergency Management Agency personnel will participate in all MEMA sponsored radiological briefings, tests, drills and exercises.
An Ingestion Pathway Zone will be a circle of a radius not less than fifty (50) miles centered on any nuclear power plant located in this state, adjacent state or province. Unique contingency plans will be developed and will specify where and when protective actions are required in connection with food production, distribution, storage and consumption due to the potential release of radiation from a nuclear power plant. Unique plans will be required for Maine Yankee, Wiscasset, Maine, Seabrook, N.H., and Pt. Lepreau, New Brunswick, Canada.
Subsequent to the accident at Three Mile Island, the federal government convened several task forces and committees to study the potential threat of nuclear power plants to the residents living in relative close proximity to nuclear plant sites.
Specifically, emergency plans, protective actions, sources of emergency information and the need to evacuate were all issues which were extensively analyzed.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concluded that the planning basis for the development of state and local government radiological emergency response plans should recognize two planning standards. These standards are described in the following federal documents.
The first planning standard is the EPZ, which is an area about ten (10) miles around any nuclear power plant. This area must recognize the existence of natural boundaries and geopolitical boundaries. This area requires very detailed plans which describe specific actions based on an ever increasing threat to the population at risk. This area is frequently referred to as "the plume exposure pathway".
The second planning standard is the Ingestion Zone. This is generally accepted as an area commencing at the nuclear power plant site and extending in a radius of Fifty (50) miles from the plant site. The population in this area could receive exposure from the ingestion of contaminated water or foods such as milk or fresh vegetables. The possible duration of exposure risk could last several weeks. Each area requires a unique plan which relates primarily to protective actions relating to food consumption. One plan is acceptable for many cities and towns.
Federal guidance also addresses the need to expand state level emergency planning beyond the primary EPZ in the event that off-site radiation is carried a considerable distance down wind.
Based an the testimony received at the public hearing held on August 18, 1987, it was indicated that Maine state government will be the principal coordinator in the event any nuclear power plant in this state, in an adjacent state or province experiences a serious accident, and off-site radiation occurs.
Most of the cities/towns in the State of Maine have limited resources and generally do not have highly trained individuals who thoroughly understand all aspects of nuclear power or the consequences of off-site radiation on people, animals or food products.
Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that an additional response base should be established some finite distance beyond the primary EPZ. This will provide an extra margin of safety to all citizens and all levels of government which may be called upon to maintain the public health on extremely short notice.
Consequently, MEMA has established by rule a secondary or "Informational Planning Zone" which can be activated in the event off-site radiation occurs at a nuclear power plant. Therefore, a secondary EPZ has been established For Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Plant and Seabrook, New Hampshire.
A secondary EPZ is not needed for Washington County, Maine, because Eastport, Maine, is twenty-seven (27) miles from the Point Lepreau plant site.
An Ingestion Pathway Planning Zone and Plan is considered necessary for both Maine Yankee and the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant.
Director, MEMA, will ensure that all federal, state, county, local, elected and appointed officials receive a copy of these emergency plans.
The Director of MEMA will ensure that all Radiological Emergency Operations Plans in the primary EPZ, secondary EPZ and the Ingestion Pathway Zone are reviewed and updated every two years and changes issued whenever it is apparent that improvement in procedures or data is necessary. This action will be reviewed and approved by the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Committee.
The EPZ's were developed and defined by MEMA to ensure that state, county and local governments develop, attain and maintain a satisfactory level of radiological preparedness. These unique activities will help ensure that the safety and needs of Maine citizens are maintained in the event a nuclear power plant accident occurs in this state, adjacent state or province.
15- 214 C.M.R. ch. 1, § 1