North Carolina Now; Episode from 1999-06-07

It's Monday, June 7th, tonight, a controversy rages over the storage of nuclear waste in North Carolina now. Hello, I'm Marita Matray. Welcome to this Monday edition of North Carolina now. We have two very important and highly charged stories to share with you tonight. Later in the program, we'll trouble with a pair of technicians and explore the high stress and high intensity job of an EMS worker. But at first tonight, I'll look at the issue of nuclear waste storage in our state. If you buy your electricity from Carolina power and light, there's a good chance you're using nuclear energy. Nearly half of the electricity, CP&L generation, comes from one of its three nuclear power plants. But once nuclear fuel is used up, it produces nuclear waste, which remains toxic for centuries. As John Arnold reports, what to do with the

waste is become the center of a raging controversy in central North Carolina. Our plants have been storing high-level nuclear waste, known as spent fuel rods, temporarily in pools of water like this one. With the understanding that the federal government would eventually take it off their hands and ship it to a national waste disposal facility in Nevada. In fact, the government was supposed to take possession of the waste last year. But political and environmental concerns have held the Nevada project up. Now federal regulators say the national disposal site may not be ready until 2010. Meanwhile, the temporary storage facilities that individual plants are filling up. Unfortunately, every utility in the country is running out of storage space, and so they're having to pursue another option or an option to expand their spent fuel storage capacity. The option for Carolina power and light seemed obvious. The company has a total of four storage pools at its Wake County Sharon Harris plant, of which just two are being used.

The company simply wants to open the two unused pools for additional waste storage. We're using the same technology, the same techniques to handle, the same processes, same procedures, same personnel, and the same level of training. So the only thing that's changing is that we're asking for permission to expand into the two pools that are currently not in service. I think it goes without stating that... So CP&L applied to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for an expansion license, viewing the request as routine. It's turned out to be anything but. This is the kind of project that the public has a right to be involved in and to have a voice in the decision, and that's why we've been very determined that there be greater awareness around the area. Awareness, says Jim Warn, of the potential for a catastrophic nuclear disaster. Jim is director of the North Carolina Waste Awareness and Reduction Network, better known as NC Warn.

It's a Durham-based environmental group that's heading up opposition against CP&L's plans. Warn says opening up two additional pools would make Sharon Harris one of the largest commercial storage facilities in the country. In fact, it's been calculated that there would be about 29 times more cesium-137 in these pools as was released at Chernobyl. So in the worst-case scenario, a very devastating accident could occur. That's the message Warn and other activists have been taking to communities throughout central North Carolina, and many of those communities have been responding. Several city and county governments passed resolutions asking for a more open review of the process, and some of those governments hired a nuclear expert to review the proposal. That expert, Dr. Gordon Thompson, compiled a report outlining potential risks for a severe accident.

The main concern is that the plans cooling and electrical systems won't be able to handle the additional pools. Thompson suggests using a different kind of storage system, one that holds the waste above ground in dry concrete vaults. NC Warn contends this system would be safer and would cost the company about $30 million over 15 years. We are very hopeful that that CP&L will hear the call and realize that there is broad and increasing public opposition for what they're proposing to do, and especially because of the fact that there is a safer option, it's available, it's only a little bit of extra money for the company. But CP&L refutes, Gordon Thompson's findings, and so does this man. It sounds like fiction to me, quite frankly. Nuclear scientist, Dr. Donald DuJack, has more than 40 years of experience in nuclear engineering and development, and has currently had events he states nuclear engineering program.

He says nationwide, there's never been an accident involving storage pools, and that the threat of one is more a perception than reality. A perception, I think, is a psychological one, and I think we discussed this earlier. It's going back to an initial familiarity that people had was nuclear, happened to be in the weapons area, and I think that psychologically has affected the public, it's affected the industry, for sense, and its perception rather than reality. Executives at CP&L agree. They say their systems are built to withstand even the worst, natural and man-made disasters. And it's a proven technology that we've used in the nuclear industry since 1957. There's never been a mishap and spent fuel storage that resulted in any off-site impact. But opponents say there's always the threat of a first time, especially with the high

concentration of waste that would be stored in the pools here. The Orange County Commission filed a request with the NRC for a public hearing on the issue, a request that CP&L opposes. In May, a three-judge panel from the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board heard arguments from both sides to decide if there should indeed be a public hearing. Meanwhile, outside the hearing room, NC Warns Awareness War raged on as a lone CP&L supporter looked on. And again, folks, this is about a little bit of reduced profit for a huge and wealthy corporation to avoid the potential for a true disaster. If it came to it, would I march down Franklin Street with a sign that said, don't waste North Carolina, you bet I would. I've heard it all before. And what the other side, the anti-nuclear people, is just junk signs. This is a perfectly safe technology. It appears the Nuclear Regulatory Commission agrees. In documents filed for this hearing, the NRC said Orange County has not adequately proven

that its citizens would be endangered. A three-judge panel has not yet decided whether there should be a public hearing, a ruling is expected by the end of June. And getting a public hearing on this issue won't be easy for Orange County or NC Warn. Over the past 25 years, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board is rarely ruled against Nuclear Regulatory Commission recommendations. And Congressman David Pratt, this issue, he has sent a letter to the NRC, urging that a public hearing be held. While coming up on the program, a conversation with a brighter of a magazine with a decidedly southern flare. But first, let's check in with Shannon Vickery, who's sitting in for Mitchell Lewis. Hello, Shannon. Thanks, Maria. Good evening, everyone. Topping the news, the State House Committee has reorganized to discuss the revision of a National Tobacco Settlement Bill. The settlement is expected to yield nearly four and a half million dollars over a 25-year period for North Carolina.

Under the current proposal, the proceeds would be divided into trust funds. Tobacco growers, health programs, and an economic development program for tobacco-dependent communities. Some lawmakers now want the total amount allocated to the farmers to be paid within the first half of the 25-year period, arguing that farmers need the money now to compensate for lower tobacco quotas. While lawmakers debate over changing a tobacco settlement bill, some North Carolina-based tobacco companies are having their own debate. RJ Reynolds, Lorelard, and Brown and Williamson Tobacco have filed an antitrust lawsuit against industry leader Philip Morris. The companies contend that Philip Morris is asking retailers to limit placement of competing brands in their advertisements. They also claim that companies which go along with Philip Morris get extra cigarette promotions and payments. Philip Morris denies it is doing anything the other companies are not. As the K-Patterist Lighthouse stands poised to make the move to its new home, residents and business owners near the structure's current location, are concerned about the fate of their land.

There's a fair sphere that the groins, which were built years ago to protect the area from erosion, will be allowed to disintegrate. The National Park Service has been maintaining the groins, but now says it has no interest in continuing the upkeep since the lighthouse is moving. The groins are only expected to last another 10 years before beginning to decay. Taking a stroll down North Carolina's coast, maybe this can certain areas, if some property owners have their way, a group of out-of-state property owners has filed a lawsuit to prohibit public access to beaches in front of their homes. However, the State Attorney General's office has filed a request to dismiss that suit. North Carolina law gives the public a right to use the beach past the Dune mine. And now for a look at tomorrow's weather, highs across the state will range from the mid-80s to mid-90s. Most areas can't expect mostly sunny skies. In business news, a psychiatric facility in Charlotte will close its doors in April of next year. Charter Pines Hospital is one of 89 facilities owned by Charter Behavioral Health Systems. The company was a focus of 60 minutes to hidden camera investigation, which alleges that

patients were endangered and medical records falsified. Charter will not say whether the television report prompted the decision to close Charter Pines. The facility will accept patients through mid-June, then close after remaining patients are discharged or placed elsewhere. The closing of two plants that manufactured apple products and rising competition from importers are leading the tough times for North Carolina apple growers. Now farmers are hoping a new product called apple chips will help their business. The chips are being made from dried apples and come in three flavors. The Henderson County Agricultural Extension Service is hoping to test market the chips. The Dow Jones closed up nearly 110 points today. Now here's a look at the rest of what happened on Wall Street. The Dow Jones County Agricultural Extension Service is hoping to test market the chips.

Tonight's interview is the story of one writer's quest to help other writers gain literary credit. Recently, Barclay Todd sat down with Betsy Goury to discuss her serious publication with the curious name. Betsy Goury, thank you for joining us. Let's first of all start off by talking about the title for this literary magazine, Long G's Fried Chicken. Where did you come up with this name? Well, Long G was a family, is a family friend of ours.

She worked for my family as I was growing up and had a great influence on me when I was a child. And we're still friends. We've stayed friends through the years and Long G was 84 recently and I called to wish her a happy birthday. She's just doing great. How does she feel about the literary magazine actually being named after her and more significantly showing the impact that her existence in your childhood had on you? How does she feel about that? Well, I think it pleases her. She's a very quiet person. She's not really demonstrative. She is with her words though. She's very pleased about the magazine and has been really happy to see it. I was really happy when I could take her the first issue and put it in her hands. I tied it up with a gold ribbon and took it over to her house and I put it in her lap and she just laughed. She thought it was great. Let's talk about, though, I guess the significance of the Fried Chicken. That was a ritual in your childhood, wasn't it? Well, it was on Thursdays. When I would come home from school on Thursdays, the house smelled wonderful and there was usually

a plate of fried chicken and something else cooking on the stove and you could reach out and get a piece of the crust if Long G wasn't looking. Take a bite of that and it was always satisfying, just wonderful to come home, too. What prompted you to start this literary magazine and how has the response been? The response has been overwhelming. We started, I started the magazine after kicking it around for several years. I'm a writer and it's very difficult to be published. It's kind of a catch-22. If you've not been published, it's very difficult to be published. And I wanted to give new writers a chance. And we've had, as we were saying before, we had about 20 percent of the writers who sent work in were accepted for the first issue. And then it's been cut back from that because we get more and more submissions and I have several waiting for issue number four now at home. You talked about the first issue.

How many other issues have there been and when can we expect the next one? Well, we will release our third issue in July and issue two came out in late February. So that will, it'll be out in July. Let's talk about some of the poetry and stories that are in the magazine. It must be an awesome task for you to sit down and decide what's going to actually go into this magazine. What can you tell us about those selections? They're, most of them are wonderful and it's very hard to send work back whenever I do. I try and include a note and encourage the writer. They're just, most of them are southern pieces, just about family and home and a lot about the beach and things like that. Early you are a native North Carolinian and you said a lot of these pieces that are in the literary magazine are southern pieces. Is there a theme that kind of runs through the issues? Yes, there is. It has, the work has to be southern and it has to be what we call accessible fiction and poetry, meaning it's not highbrow, it's not ultra literary, it's not something you're

going to find in plough shares or one of the other literary magazines. This is just something that's, that's accessible and satisfying, just like Lonzie's fried chicken, basically, that you can pick it up and enjoy it for the moment. Now as we were talking about this, the success of the magazine, you're already on issue number three and waiting for issue number four. This obviously shows that there is really a need out there for this type of a form for writers and portrait writers. I believe you're right, I'm always astounded by the response that we have. We've done several readings now, we did one at Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh in one at Barnes and Noble in Pineville and I really do think there's a need for the writers and the poets as well as for the readers. Now we're talking about the woman who kind of inspired the title of the magazine, any indication that she might want to enter something herself or put any pieces in it? Well, I don't know, I haven't talked to her about that, that's a really, that's a really good question.

We talked about, you had mentioned earlier, that there hasn't been a form for this type of thing for, for writers in the, in the past. Let's talk about what do you think will happen as your magazine becomes more popular and these writers are able to have a form for their works. You think that more people like myself will get to enjoy them. I believe you're right, I'm trying to understand the, if you can, the magazine has made this type of work very accessible to a lot of people who may not have read this type of work before. And I guess when you started this, was that your initial idea? Well, it was because I wanted something that was enjoyable for the readers as well as, you know, a way for the work out there. We can't go without asking you, how can readers get a copy of the magazine if they would like to take part of this wonderful Southern experience? Well, I have a list of bookstores, there's the, the closest two are probably the regulator in Durham and Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, or you can write to us in Lynn, North Carolina, and you can order directly from the publisher.

Well, listen, it has been a delight for you to come by and talk to us about this little magazine. We hope that you'll be a regular visitor here at North Carolina now as you come out with more issues. Thank you for coming to the program. Thank you so much for. And if you would like more information on Betsy's publication, you can write her at Post Office Box 189 Lynn, North Carolina, 28750, or you can visit her website at www.lonsysfriedchicken. Saw one word, dot com. Emergency medical technicians face a daily task of preserving life sometimes under the threat of danger to themselves.

Reporter Mitchell Lewis and photographer Doug Wilson followed a team of Durham County EMTs on the night shift to find out firsthand the situations they encounter and how they deal with them. There are some scenes in the story that some may consider to be graphic in nature. It's 6.30 Friday evening. Emergency medical technicians Rodney Witherspoon and Gary Witherspoon are in route to a rest home where a man is complaining of chest pains. For these two emergency medical technicians, it's just another day at the office. They are cousins and collectively have nearly 45 years of emergency medical experience.

Tonight shift begins at a station house in southern Durham County where the action is fast and furious. It's approximately 7.45 pm and the duo are on their way to examine a pregnant woman complaining of pain. Rodney Witherspoon became interested in the medical field during the late 50s early 60s while tagging along with his father, a mortician, on emergency runs and a combination

ambulance hers. Gary Witherspoon was inspired by his cousin's work and has been involved in emergency management services since 1980. Gary says being related to Rodney doesn't bring him any preferential treatment. Emergency medical technicians can go through three major levels of training. The first is the basic level in which one can perform basic first aid more than the standard

red cross procedures. Gary Witherspoon is an intermediate EMT, which is the second level. Rodney Witherspoon is a paramedic, which is the highest EMT level. Mickey Teeson, director of Durham County Emergency Medical Services Sass, EMTs are required to take additional training each year to keep them up to date on the latest techniques, but there are other attributes EMTs must possess. We look for people with good communication skills, we look for people who are people persons, people who have outgoing personalities, we look for aggressive people, and people who are not timid, not afraid to get their hands dirty. Teeson says EMTs also have to deal with safety issues that the public sometimes takes for granted. Gary We're talking about a 10,000 gross vehicle weight vehicle that you have to operate under less than ideal circumstances, through less than optimal traffic conditions, weather, against all odds you've got to get that thing from this place to that place without hitting

somebody. There are certain circumstances where we are put on the defensive, we are actually physically attacked, we've been shot at, we've been assaulted both verbally and physically, part of our standard uniform issue is ballistic vest. Meanwhile Gary and Rodney are back at the station, filling out detailed reports of each run. But at approximately 11.30 pm, under a full moon, the two are back on the road again, responding to a call of a man running a high-temperature. As the witherspoon team was leaving the scene, they receive an urgent call. When they arrive, it's discovered that not one, but two people have been shot. When they arrive, it's discovered that not one, but two people have been shot.

The day-to-day encounters with traumatic medical emergencies can take a toll on EMTs. Gary and Rodney say talking through a situation and having a good sense of humor helps. Rodney witherspoon talks about the reality of the job versus public expectations. What people have to understand is that we cannot get there as soon as you hang up the phone

from talking to 911 communications. They think they hang up the phone and open the door and they're going to pull up. And another thing that they really really need to try to concentrate on is getting some type of training. The first day with this basic EMT CPR already crossed anything to do some type of treatment before EMS or fire risk you get there. Mickey Teesaw says EMTs are dedicated to serving the public, but the public must allow the EMTs to perform their services. Call us when you need to sleep us along when we get there. We'll take care of everything. And we'll let you know what we're doing. There are nearly 50,000 certified emergency medical technicians in North Carolina, but only half of them are utilizing their training in the medical field. Despite those figures, officials with the state emergency management services say the number of people testing for EMT certification continues to rise. And that's all we've got time for tonight. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you tomorrow.

Bye.