INFORMATION REPORT

June 27, 2002 SECY-02-0114

For: The Commissioners

From: John W. Craig, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO

Subject: SECY-02-0114 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JUNE 21, 2002

Contents Enclosure

Nuclear Reactor Regulation A

Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards B

Nuclear Regulatory Research C

Nuclear Security and Incident Response D

General Counsel E*

Administration F*

Chief Information Officer G

Chief Financial Officer H

Human Resources I

Small Business & Civil Rights J*

Enforcement K*

State and Tribal Programs L*

Public Affairs M

International Programs N

Office of the Secretary O

Region I P

Region II P

Region III P*

Region IV P

Executive Director for Operations Q*

Congressional Affairs R

*No input this week.

/RA/

John W. Craig

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

M. Layton, OEDO
June 27, 2002 SECY-02-0114

For: The Commissioners

From: John W. Craig, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO

Subject: SECY-02-0114 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JUNE 21, 2002

Contents Enclosure

Nuclear Reactor Regulation A

Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards B

Nuclear Regulatory Research C

Nuclear Security and Incident Response D

General Counsel E*

Administration F*

Chief Information Officer G

Chief Financial Officer H

Human Resources I

Small Business & Civil Rights J*

Enforcement K*

State and Tribal Programs L*

Public Affairs M

International Programs N

Office of the Secretary O

Region I P

Region II P

Region III P*

Region IV P

Executive Director for Operations Q*

Congressional Affairs R

*No input this week.

/RA/

John W. Craig

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

M. Layton, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\WEEK621.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

MCLayton:paa JWCraig

6/27/02 6/28/02
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING JUNE 21, 2002

The Weekly Information Report is compiled by the Office of the EDO and includes highlights of

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: M. Layton, OEDO by E-mail: mcl@nrc.gov. 

Use GO TO (Ctrl+Home) to advance to the page number for a specific Office.

PgDn and PgUp can also be used to advance through the text.

OFFICE Page OFFICE Page

NRR 2 STP *

NMSS 3 OPA 11

RES 5 IP 12

NSIR 6 SECY 13

OGC * Region I 15

ADM * Region II 16

CIO 8 Region III *

CFO 9 Region IV 17

HR 10 OEDO *

SB/CR * OCA 18

OE *

*No input this week
June 21, 2002 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 21, 2002

NRC/TVA Management Meeting on the Restart of Browns Ferry Unit 1

On June 12, 2002, representatives from NRC Region II and NRC Headquarters met with

representatives from TVA regarding the restart of Browns Ferry Unit 1. During the meeting,

TVA representatives discussed the history of Unit 2 activities that led to its restart in 1991,

following a Commission briefing. Subsequently, TVA planned to restart Units 1 and 3 using the

same criteria that were applied to Unit 2. As a result, Unit 3 restarted in 1995, following a

Commission briefing; however TVA decided to delay its decision on the restart of Unit 1 based

on its analysis of the need for power. Similarly, TVA plans to implement the same programs

and criteria on Unit 1 that were applied for Unit 3 restart and to request NRC approval prior to

the restart of the unit.

In addition, TVA representatives informed the staff of the licensing actions, relief requests, and

generic communications needed for the restart of Unit 1. They also stated that the three

Browns Ferry units will be essentially identical in design and licensing basis upon completion of

Unit 1 restart activities. They intend to submit a proposed regulatory framework document by

December 31, 2002. 

Additional meetings will be held in the next several weeks to discuss license renewal, extended

power uprate and alternate source term submittals, all of which are substantive licensing

actions.

Proposed Bulletin on Interim Inspection Requirements and Supplement to Bulletin 2002-01

The NRR staff plans to issue a new Bulletin to address interim vessel head penetration

inspection methods and frequencies while the technical issues related to a long term inspection

plan are evaluated. Based on recent plant experience, current inspection programs have not

been able to reliably identify and size cracks in welds and nozzles of reactor vessel head

penetrations. The proposed bulletin will inform stakeholders that visual inspections for leaks

may need to be supplemented by volumetric methods to detect cracks in vessel head

penetration nozzles and welds that could lead to reactor vessel head degradation.

Based on NRC staff review of the 60 day responses to Bulletin 2002-01, “Reactor Pressure

Vessel Head Degradation and Reactor Coolant Pressure Boundary Integrity,” some licensees

have not provided sufficient information. As a result the staff is considering supplementing the

Bulletin to request more specific information regarding the extent of boric acid inspection

programs. The supplement may request information with respect to the extent of inspections,

frequency of inspections, corrective actions in response to identified leakage, and inspection

criteria for insulated components.
June 21, 2002 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 21, 2002

USEC, Inc., and Department of Energy Sign Memorandum of Agreement

On June 17, 2002, USEC, Inc. (USEC) and the Department of Energy (DOE) signed a

Memorandum of Agreement in which both parties have made long-term commitments that are

expected to ensure stability for the domestic uranium enrichment industry. To accomplish this,

DOE commits to work with USEC in its development and deployment of an advanced centrifuge

uranium enrichment plant by the end of this decade and to support USEC as the executive

agent under the Russian highly enriched uranium agreement. USEC commits to deploy the

advanced uranium enrichment plant in the 2010-2011 timeframe at either the Paducah,

Kentucky, or Portsmouth, Ohio, facility; to operate the Paducah gaseous diffusion plant at a

minimum production level of 3.5 million separative work units annually until the new plant is

producing; and to maintain certain DOE property that could serve as a site for the advanced

plant. USEC also commits to operate a facility at the Portsmouth, Ohio, plant, for 15 months, to

clean up a portion of its inventory that is potentially contaminated with technetium. Additional

information may be obtained from the USEC internet site: www.usec.com.

Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc., Integrated Safety Analysis On-site Review

During the week of June 10-14, 2002, staff from the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and

Safeguards performed an on-site review of the Integrated Safety Analysis (ISA) for the Uranyl

Nitrate Storage Building portion of the Blended Low-Enriched Uranium (BLEU) project at

Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (NFS). The staff provided several comments and observations on

the ISA Summary that NFS submitted with the license amendment application and on the ISA

documentation that NFS maintains on-site. NFS and Framatome, partners in the BLEU project,

will revise the ISA summary to address our comments and observations and expect to resubmit

it in mid-August. Some of the issues addressed during the review included: (1) identification

and specifications of Items Relied on for Safety; (2) consequence of externally induced

multiple-tank failures; (3) shipper’s reliability with respect to material characterization; and

(4) use of standard building codes to demonstrate structural adequacy during seismic and

other external events. NFS committed to address these issues and others in the revised

ISA Summary.

National Mining Association/Nuclear Regulatory Commission Workshop in Denver, Colorado

During June 11-12, 2002, staff from the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards attended

the annual National Mining Association/Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) workshop in

Denver, Colorado. Over 100 individuals from industry, Federal agencies, and State 

governments participated in the workshop. Topics discussed included institutional controls,

alternate concentration limit amendment reviews, 0.05 weight percent source material

exemptions, standard review plan updates, standing and impact of informal hearings, and longterm stewardship. The presentations and discussions generally resulted in a productive

exchange of information and viewpoints. Feedback received from the participants indicated

that the workshop was a positive experience.
June 21, 2002 ENCLOSURE B

In addition to the workshop, NRC staff participated in separate open meetings with several

licensees to discuss significant licensing issues. Although these licensee meetings were

publicly noticed, no members of the public attended. Also, NRC staff hosted a closed meeting

with representatives from several State regulatory agencies and the Environmental Protection

Agency to discuss the elimination of duplicative regulatory requirements for in-situ leach

facilities. Each of these meetings produced positive results, including the establishment of a

"path forward" for addressing the issues raised.

Management and Staff Attend National Academy of Sciences Meeting on Staged

Repository Systems

On June 11, 2002, management and staff from the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and

Safeguards attended a meeting of the Committee on Principles and Operational Strategies for

Staged Repository Systems. The National Research Council appointed the Committee for the

National Academies. The Committee held the meeting to discuss approaches for finishing its

report on adaptive staging for developing high-level waste repositories. Representatives from

the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the State of Nevada, the Department of Energy

(DOE), and the Nuclear Energy Institute presented information on the Committee’s interim

report on adaptive staging and the U.S. high-level waste program. NRC staff shared its views

on the interim Committee report on adaptive staging in the context of the national program and

10 CFR Part 63. Part 63 provides for a phased regulatory approach through a stepwise

decision-making process. Also, DOE staff and contractors provided an update of DOE’s

repository design and long-term science plan for Yucca Mountain.
June 21, 2002 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 21, 2002

Completion of Joint Containment Model Testing Program

On June 20, 2002, staff from the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) and the Office

of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) participated in the 35th project meeting of the joint

containment model testing program. The principal regulatory uses of the research results are

for developing more realistic estimates of containment capacity in support of efforts to risk

inform the regulatory process. The NRC and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

(METI) of Japan jointly sponsored this program that started in 1991 and is currently being

completed. This was the last scheduled meeting to be held in the U.S. The containment

models were designed and built under the direction of the Nuclear Power Engineering

Corporation (NUPEC) of Japan. A 1/10 size model of a steel boiling water reactor containment

and a 1/4 size model of a prestressed concrete pressurized water reactor containment were

tested to failure in 1996 and 2000, respectively. The models were instrumented and tested to

failure under pressure at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Post-test

analyses are being completed and the site has been restored. A final program meeting will be

held in Japan in October 2002. Given the major Japanese investment in this program and its

success, attendance by METI officials and high level NUPEC managers is anticipated.

Research Information Letter Provides Technical Basis for Revisions to Criteria and Models for

LOCA Analysis

On June 21, 2002, RES transmitted to NRR Research Information Letter (RIL) No. 0202

providing the technical bases to support revision to the emergency core cooling systems

(ECCS) rule. One of the Agency’s most important licensing requirements addresses the

performance of ECCS that are designed to mitigate loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCAs). Criteria

and evaluation models for the analysis of these accidents are given in 10 CFR 50.46 and

Appendix K to Part 50. In recent years there has been a desire to revise these criteria and

models to accommodate new information and circumstances. The criteria, for example, are

currently limited in application to Zircaloy and ZIRLO cladding alloys, yet other zirconium-based

fuel cladding alloys have been and are being introduced. Some evaluation models, like the

1971 American Nuclear Society (ANS) decay heat standard, are now known to be unduly

conservative, while other thermal-hydraulic models, e.g., those that do not treat the effects of

steam bypass during reflood, have been found to be non-conservative. To provide a sound

technical basis for considering revisions to 10 CFR 50.46 and Appendix K, RES has evaluated

existing information to support the specific rule changes that are being considered. These

changes include providing an alternate performance-based criterion that could be used for any

zirconium-based cladding alloy instead of the prescriptive 2200o

F cladding temperature and

17% cladding oxidation limits. They also include substituting the 1994 ANS decay heat

standard for the 1971 standard and substituting the Cathcart-Pawel oxidation correlation for the

Baker-Just correlation. 
June 21, 2002 ENCLOSURE D

Nuclear Security and Incident Response

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 21, 2002

Domestic Threat Response and Incident Management PCC - June 18, 2002

On June 18, 2002, representatives of the Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response

attended the Office of Homeland Security Domestic Threat Response and Incident

Management (DTRIM) Policy Coordination Committee (PCC) meeting. Discussion topics

included a DTRIM initiative to conduct periodic threat updates, counter-terrorism activities in the

national capitol area, planning for the July 4 period and a presentation by the Environmental

Protection Agency on the National Response Team and Federal measures to respond to a

release of hazardous materials.

Federal Response Subcommittee Meeting

The Division of Incident Response Operations (DIRO) participated in a meeting of the Federal

Response Subcommittee (FRS), Federal Radiological Preparedness Coordinating Committee

(FRPCC), on June 20, 2002 at the Federal Emergency Management Agency Headquarters. 

Attendees included the FRPCC chairman, FRS Co-chairman, and representatives from the

FEMA, Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, and Office of Homeland

Security. The meeting focused on the following: Federal Radiological Emergency Response

Plan (FRERP) revision; Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) white paper; “One Voice” initiative

tabletop exercise; and a proposed RDD tabletop exercise. For the “One Voice” initiative,

attendees recommended integration of the planned tabletop with a scheduled FY03 multiagency exercise and that final decision be made by the full FRPCC. Conduct of a near-term

RDD tabletop was proposed; however, there was consensus that recent (e.g., Salt Lake City

Olympics) and planned (e.g., TOPOFF2) exercises involving RDDs preclude the need for

another tabletop at this time. Post-meeting action items included attendee review/comment of

the current FRERP draft revision and review/finalization of the RDD white paper. 

Materials/Transportation Exercise

The Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards (NMSS) and the Office of Nuclear

Security and Incident Response/Division of Incident Response Operations (DIRO) conducted a

materials transportation exercise on June 12, 2002. NRC Headquarters, NRC Region III, a

representative of the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety, and representatives of the

University of Missouri-Columbia (licensee) participated in response to the simulated

transportation accident involving spent reactor fuel. NRC participation included full staffing of

the Headquarters (HQ) Protective Measures Team, limited staffing of other HQ teams, and a

Region III representative. HQ exercise objectives were considered to be successfully

accomplished. DIRO and NMSS staff are coordinating development of lessons learned. 

Preliminary Notifications

1. PNO-IV-02-033, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, EARTHQUAKE REPORT.
June 21, 2002 ENCLOSURE D

2. PNO-III-02-026, Midwest Engineering, MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE REPORTED

STOLEN.

3. PNO-III-02-27, Department of the Army, RECOVERY OF SIGHTING DEVICES

CONTAINING TRITIUM (HYDROGEN-3).

4. PNO-III-02-28, Westinghouse-Hematite Uranium Fuel, FIRE AT DECOMMISSIONED

WESTINGHOUSE -HEMATITE URANIUM FUEL FABRICATION FACILITY.

5. PNO-III-02-28a,Westinghouse-Hematite Uranium Fuel, FIRE AT SHUTDOWN

HEMATITE URANIUM FUEL FABRICATION FACILITY (UPDATE).
June 21, 2002 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 21, 2002

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Requests received during the period of

June 14, 2002 through June 20, 2002:

OI Investigation 2-2000-015 (FOIA/PA-2002-0302)

Nuclear Materials Events Database (FOIA/PA-2002-0303)

Allegation RIV-94-A-0176 (FOIA/PA-2002-304)

Overdue inspections, nationally (FOIA/PA-2002-0305)

Event Reports, radioactive material lost or missing, 2000, 2001, and 2002 to present, in CA

(FOIA/PA-2002-0306)

Technical specification submittal, RC-00-0296 (FOIA/PA-2002-0307)

Radioactive material, missing or stolen, last 5 years, all records (FOIA/PA-2002-0308)
June 21, 2002 ENCLOSURE H

Chief Financial Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 21, 2002

Final FY 2002 Fee Rule

On June 13, 2002, the CFO signed the final FY 2002 fee rule. The final rule reflects the

Commission’s decisions in the June 7, 2002, SRM. The final rule is scheduled to be published

in the Federal Register on June 24, 2002, and would have an effective date of August 23, 2002.
June 21, 2002 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 21, 2002

Arrivals

ALVENS, Duane STUDENT ENGINEER RII

BALTAZAR, Alma STUDENT ENGINEER NRR

GALLAGHER, Kenneth SENIOR LICENSEE FINANCIAL POLICY

ADVISOR

NRR

IRVING, Kay CONSULTANT OCIO

JONES, Jamil STUDENT ENGINEER ADM

PRUETT, Timothy INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST OCIO

RODRIGUEZ CAMBERO, Rafael NUCLEAR SAFETY INTERN NMSS

RODRIGUEZ ROLON, Reinaldo NUCLEAR SAFETY INTERN RII

SANFILIPPO, Nathan NUCLEAR SAFETY INTERN NRR

SCOTT, Jeffrey SECRETARY (0A) HR

TOKUHIRO, Akira SUMMER FACULTY RES
June 21, 2002 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 21, 2002

Media Interest

There was continuing media interest in NRC’s materials licensing programs, the use of

radioactive materials by industry, and the potential threat of “dirty bombs.”

There was media interest in the fire at the Hematite, Missouri, fuel fabrication facility, which

prompted the declaration of an Alert.

Commissioner Diaz was interviewed by MS-NBC regarding security at the Turkey Point nuclear

plant.

There is continuing interest in NRC’s program for distributing potassium iodide pills to states

requesting them.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

02-074 NRC Amends Licensing, Inspection and Annual Fees Rule

02-075 NRC Orders United States Enrichment Corporation to Enhance Security

Regions:

III-02-037 NRC Cites Point Beach Nuclear Station for Violation of Low to Moderate

Safety Significance

III-02-038 NRC to Meet with Nuclear Management Co. To Discuss Safety Significance

Issue at Point Beach Plant

IV-02-029 NRC to Conduct Supplemental Inspection At Cooper Nuclear Station

IV-02-030 NRC Proposes $3,000 Fine for Avera McKennan Hospital

IV-02-031 NRC to Hold Press Conference in Brownville On Cooper Supplemental

Inspection
June 21, 2002 ENCLOSURE N

Office of International Programs

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 21, 2002

German Visit

On June 17, 2002, a delegation of officials from the Ministry of Environment and Nuclear

Safety, BMU, including the State Secretary and the Director General for Nuclear Safety and

Radiation Protection met with senior NRC officials. The purpose of the visit was to discuss

issues pertaining to energy policy, nuclear safety and the disposition of waste. During the

week, the visitors also attended meetings with the Council on Environmental Quality, DOE,

Greenpeace and the Nuclear Control Institute. Topics that were discussed at the NRC included

license renewal procedures, the U.S. system of nuclear oversight, safety management

indicators, measures against aircraft attacks on nuclear power plants, Yucca Mountain

radioactive waste deposition and the selection procedure and administrative decision making

process for the final repository. In addition, the visitors were briefed on emergency response

and they toured the Operations Center.
June 21, 2002 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 21, 2002

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SECY-02-0043 3/13/02 Proposed Rule: Geological and

Seismological Characteristics for the Siting

and Design of Dry Cask Independent Spent

Fuel Storage Installations and Monitored

Retrievable Storage Installations - 10 CFR

Part 72

SRM on 02-0043 6/18/02 (same)

Commission Voting

Record on 02-0043

6/18/02 (same)

2. COMSECY-02-0022 4/26/02 Response to Letter from American Ecology

Regarding Classification of FUSRAP

Material at Maywood, New Jersey

SRM on COMSECY-02-

0022

5/28/02 (same)

Voting Record on

COMSECY-02-0022

5/28/02 (same)

Information Papers

1. SECY-02-0099 6/3/02 Litigation Report - 2002 - 01

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Congressman Edward J. Markey, dated June 14, 2002, concerns press reports

about a possible attack by terrorists to coincide with the July 4 holiday. 

2. Letter to Congress (Congressmen Tauzin and Gillmore), dated June 14, 2002, responds

to request for records related to the reactor pressure vessel head degradation at the

Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station. 

3. Letter to Theodore U. Marston, EPRI, dated June 14, 2002, acknowledges receipt of

comments regarding SECY-02-0067, “Inspection, Tests, Analyses, and Acceptance

Criteria (ITAAC) for Operational Programs (Programmatic ITAAC). 

4. Letter to J.D. Woodard, Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc., dated June 14,

2002, acknowledges receipt of comments regarding SECY-02-0067, “Inspection, Tests,
June 21, 2002 ENCLOSURE O

Analyses, and Acceptance Criteria (ITAAC) for Operational Programs (Programmatic

ITAAC)".

5. Letter to Kenneth Hughey, Entergy Nuclear, Inc., dated June 14, 2002, acknowledges

receipt of comments regarding SECY-02-0067, “Inspection, Tests, Analyses, and

Acceptance Criteria (ITAAC) for Operational Programs (Programmatic ITAAC)". 

6. Letter to Eugene S. Grecheck, Dominion Generation, dated June 14, 2002,

acknowledges receipt of comments regarding SECY-02-0067, “Inspection, Tests,

Analyses, and Acceptance Criteria (ITAAC) for Operational Programs (Programmatic

ITAAC)". 

7. Letter to Julian Fite, Esq, Cherokee Nation, dated June 14, 2002, concerns

decommissioning of the Sequoyah Fuels Corporation facility near Gore, Oklahoma. 

8. Letter to Joe F. Colvin, Nuclear Energy Institute, dated June 10, 2002, concerns SECY02-0067, “Inspection, Tests, Analyses, and Acceptance Criteria (ITAAC) for Operational

Programs (Programmatic ITAAC)". 

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Meeting Notice

2. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Subcommittee Meeting on Advanced

Reactor Designs, Notice of Meeting
June 21, 2002 ENCLOSURE P

Region I

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 21, 2002

Presentation to Maine Yankee Community Advisory Panel

On June 20, 2002, a Region I inspector made a presentation to the Maine Yankee Community

Advisory Panel (CAP) summarizing the quarterly NRC Region I inspection activities at Maine

Yankee. The inspector also provided the status of NRC Headquarters licensing activities

related to Maine Yankee; discussed coordination of NRC inspection effort of major onsite

activities, including the upcoming movement of spent fuel to the Independent Spent Fuel

Storage Installation; and removal of the reactor pressure vessel from containment. 

Approximately 20 CAP members, Maine Yankee staff, media representatives, and members of

the public were in attendance.

Haddam Neck Community Decommissioning Advisory Committee

On June 18, 2002, a Region I inspector discussed NRC activities with respect to Haddam Neck

decommissioning, and the recently completed quarterly inspection report, before the Haddam

Neck Community Decommissioning Advisory Committee (CDAC). The meeting also included a

monthly status report by the licensee, a presentation by the Connecticut Department of

Environmental Protection on the State’s site remediation standard of 19 millirem for all

pathways plus ALARA, and an information update by the Connecticut Law Foundation,

regarding the Land Preservation Project for most of the Connecticut Yankee property. The

CDAC members and the public also toured the vertical concrete cask (VCC) pad, and observed

the placement of rebar cages around the VCC liners. The NRC spokesperson addressed

questions regarding confirmatory measurements, observations of movement of soils with the

potential for contamination around the site, and inspection plans of the licensee’s evaluation of

the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation.
June 21, 2002 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 21, 2002

Florida Power and Light Company - St. Lucie Open Regulatory Conference

On June 20, 2002, the Regional Administrator and the Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor

Regulation held a regulatory conference with licensee representatives. The purpose of the

conference was to discuss the significance of the potential failure to have an adequate fire

suppression system in an Alternative Shutdown Area.

Predecisional Enforcement Conferences with Materials Licensees

On June 17, 2002, Region II held three closed Predecisional Enforcement Conferences with

C.T.I. Core Drilling Services, Inc., C.T.I. Consultants, Inc., and with an individual. The purpose

of these conferences was to discuss an apparent willful violation involving the licensee’s control

and unauthorized storage of byproduct material. 

Federal Emergency Management Agency - Regional Director, Region IV, Visits Region II Office

On June 18, 2002, the Regional Director, and Deputy Regional Director, of the Federal

Emergency Management Agency, Region IV office, were in the Region II office to meet with

Region II the Senior Managers and the Regional State Liaison Officer. Issues discussed

included actions needed by both agencies in response to hurricanes impacting nuclear power

reactor facilities in Region II. 

Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Subcommittees

On June 19, 2002, the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Subcommittees on Plant

Operations and on Fire Protection visited the Watts Bar nuclear power reactor facility in

Tennessee. On June 20, the Subcommittee members held a meeting with managers and staff

in the Region II office. The purpose of the meetings was to discuss and receive feed back from

licensee representatives and NRC inspectors and managers on such topics as the status of the

reactor oversight program, the performance of the plants in Region II, fire protection issues,

and security issues.

United Kingdom Nuclear Installations Inspectorate Visits the Region II Office

On June 21, 2002, the H. M. Chief Inspector, United Kingdom Nuclear Installations

Inspectorate, accompanied by an assistant; and a representative from the Office of

International Programs, were in the Region II office to meet with the Senior Management on

Regional Issues. On June 21, the visitors held a meeting with representatives of INPO at the

INPO facility in Marietta, Georgia to discuss topics of mutual interest. Discussions in Region II

included the reactor oversight program, Alloy 600 materiel condition issues and strategic

workforce planning.
June 21, 2002 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 21, 2002

Discussion of Environmental Scoping Process for Fort Calhoun Station

On June 18, 2002, NRC Headquarters representatives held two public meetings at the Days

Hotel in Omaha, Nebraska, to discuss the environmental scoping process for the Fort Calhoun

Station, Unit 1, License Renewal Application. The first meeting was held at 1:30 p.m., and the

second was held at 7 p.m. the same evening. Headquarters personnel facilitated the meeting

and provided presentations on the License Renewal Process. Several prepared statements

were presented from the public, including the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, Mayors from

Fort Calhoun and Blair, and a member of the Nebraska Green Party. Although a number of the

presenters were generally in favor of the license renewal effort at Fort Calhoun Station, some of

the other presenters indicated they were against it. 

Alert Declared at Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) 

On June 20, 2002, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) INEEL, declared an Alert (under

DOE classification criteria - no NRC emergency declared) at 15:08 MDT due to wild fires on

DOE-controlled properties. Located within the INEEL site is the NRC licensed ISFSI containing

the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) spent fuel. The TMI-2 ISFSI was not threatened by the fire

which was approximately 5-10 miles from the ISFSI. Fire-fighting efforts were underway to

extinguish the fires. DOE INEEL notified the state of Idaho, all surrounding communities, and

DOE headquarters. Region IV maintained an open communication line with DOE from the

initial notification and entered the monitoring phase of the normal mode at 18:57 EDT. 

Region IV monitored DOE activities until the fire was contained. The licensee exited the Alert

declaration at 18:20 MDT. The NRC exited from monitoring at 20:04 EDT.
June 21, 2002 

Office of Congressional Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 21, 2002

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 58

OCA

Contact

DATE

&

PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Keeling 06/25/02

2123 RHOB

 9:00 TBD Department of Homeland Security Reps. Gre

Oversight Energy an

Keeling 06/25/02

SD-226

10:00 TBD Department of Homeland Security Senators 

TechnoloGovernmJudiciary

Keeling 06/26/02

SD-406

10:00 TBD Department of Homeland Security Senators 

Environm

Keeling 06/26/02

SD-106

10:00 TBD Department of Homeland Security Senators 

Judiciary