Editor, New Era:

Thanks for publishing news relating to the National Academy of Sciences declassified study on security and spent-fuel pools at nuclear power plants. The NAS study found that highly radioactive waste stored at the nations nuclear power plants is vulnerable to terrorist attack.

Congress commissioned the study over a year ago, but its release has been held up since last summer by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The Nuclear Security Coalition, a national group of 47 public- interest organizations advocating for improved security at nuclear power plants, had pressed for the release of the report. Three Mile Island Alert, Inc., a safe-energy group based in Harrisburg and founded in 1977, is a member of the Coalition.

The release of Academy's study puts to rest any doubts about the danger we all face: Nuclear waste at our nations nuclear power plants is vulnerable to attack. We applaud the NAS for its scientific integrity and its perseverance in seeing to it that these important findings are made public.

However, on March 31, Exelon's chief executive, John Rowe, said his company, the largest operator of nuclear plants in North America, does not intend to empty its numerous spent-fuel pools and transfer the radioactive waste to dry casks. "There is not such a plan at the moment," Rowe said.

We hope Exelon will reconsider its position.

In the interim, it is imperative that Pennsylvania's congressional delegation compel Exelon, FirstEnergy and PPL to move thousands of tons of highly radioactive waste to secure and hardened facilities.

Eric J. Epstein Chairman Three Mile Island Alert, Inc.

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