PHILADELPHIA – The Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will evaluate a Biennial Emergency Preparedness Exercise at the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station. The exercise will occur during the week of March 1, 2021 to assess the ability of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to respond to an emergency at the nuclear facility.
“These drills are held every other year to evaluate government’s ability to protect public health and safety,” said Janice Barlow, Acting Regional Administrator for FEMA Region 3. “We assess state and local government emergency response capabilities within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”
Within 90 days, FEMA will send its evaluation to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for use in licensing decisions. The final report will be available to the public approximately 120 days after the exercise.
FEMA will present preliminary findings of the exercise during a public meeting at 10:00 a.m. on March 5, 2021. Due to the Public Health Emergency the meeting will be conducted in a virtual format via Zoom. Planned speakers include representatives from FEMA.
Access to the public meeting is provided below:
Launch Meeting - Zoom (zoomgov.com)
Passcode – 858248
Meeting ID - 161 693 9695
At the public meeting, FEMA may request that questions or comments be submitted in writing for review and response. Written comments may also be submitted after the meeting by emailing FEMAR3NewsDesk@fema.dhs.gov or by mail to:
Janice P. Barlow
Acting Regional Administrator
FEMA Region III
615 Chestnut Street, 6th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19106
FEMA created the Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Program to (1) ensure the health and safety of citizens living around commercial nuclear power plants would be adequately protected in the event of a nuclear power plant accident and (2) inform and educate the public about radiological emergency preparedness.
REP Program responsibilities cover only “offsite” activities, that is, state and local government emergency planning and preparedness activities that take place beyond the nuclear power plant boundaries. Onsite activities continue to be the responsibility of the NRC.
Additional information on FEMA’s REP Program is available online at FEMA.gov/Radiological-Emergency-Preparedness-Program.
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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. FEMA Region 3’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion3 and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/femaregion3