Conference to Address Regional Terrorism

On May 2, the group will become much larger. The Chatham County Board of Commissioners will join the Orange County Board of Commissioners in hosting a regional terrorism planning conference at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. and end at 10:30 p.m.

At Tuesday's Orange County board meeting, County Engineer Paul Thames outlined the purpose of the conference.

"It will try to determine, given all the information that we have, if there is a technique or method or technology that would allow us to reduce the attractiveness of Shearon Harris as a target and (prepare for) the potential consequences of an attack."

The original group, which included Orange County board members Stephen Halkiotis and Margaret Brown, talked last fall about the potential threats posed by the large spent-fuel pools at the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant.

If terrorists attacked the facility, the small assemblage thought the region was woefully unprepared. No evacuation plan existed, and the health risks associated with radiation exposure had not been addressed. The discussion needed more input. "We needed greater community awareness as to what the risk factors are," Halkiotis said. "It's better to be prepared."

Shearon Harris, located about 30 miles southeast of Chapel Hill, contains four spent-fuel pools, the largest storage facility of its kind in the country. With about 2 million people living within the plant's 50-mile radius, regional officials believe Shearon Harris presents a ripe target for terrorists.

"The whole policy needs to be looked at," Brown said. "The state is not including terrorist attacks in its planning."

The board wants an extensive delegation to attend the May conference. The 1,000-name invitation list includes Gov. Mike Easley, U.S. Sens. John Edwards and Jesse Helms and officials from counties and municipalities located within the plant's 50-mile radius. UNC-system invitees include UNC-system President Molly Broad, UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor James Moeser and Student Body President Jen Daum. Representatives from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Carolina Power & Light Co., which operates Shearon Harris, also will receive invitations.

Halkiotis said well-known nuclear safety engineer David Lochbaum has pledged to speak at the conference. Other speakers had not yet committed.

In January, the FBI warned nuclear waste plants that they were possible targets of terrorist attacks. On March 12, it was revealed that federal officials knew al-Qaida operatives were planning attacks against nuclear power plants, but the officials did not inform the NRC. Other disclosures followed.

"The NRC just admitted that none of the nation's reactors could withstand a hit from a jetliner," said Jim Warren, executive director of the N.C. Waste Awareness and Reduction Network. "There's more concern all the time."

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.