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PREFACE

THE CHARGE TO THE COMMISSION

On March 28, 1979, the United States experienced the worst accident in the history of commercial nuclear power generation. Two weeks later, the President of the United States established a Presidential Commission. The President charged the 12-member Commission as follows:

"The purpose of the Commission is to conduct a comprehensive study and investigation of the recent accident involving the nuclear power facility on Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania. The Commission's study and investigation shall include:

(a) a technical assessment of the events and their causes; this assessment shall include, but shall not be limited to, an evaluation of the actual and potential impact of the events on the public health and safety and on the health and safety of workers;

(b) an analysis of the role of the managing utility;

(c) an assessment of the emergency preparedness and response of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other federal, state, and local authorities;

(d) an evaluation of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's licensing, inspection, operation, and enforcement procedures as applied to this facility;

(e) an assessment of how the public's right to information concerning the events at TMI was served and of the steps which should be taken during similar emergencies to provide the public with accurate, comprehensible, and timely information; and

(f) appropriate recommendations based upon the Commission's findings."