INFORMATION REPORT

September 11, 2002 SECY-02-0165

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-02-0165 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING SEPTEMBER 6, 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
September 11, 2002 SECY-02-0165

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-02-0165 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING SEPTEMBER 6, 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\WEEK906.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

MLayton:paa JWCraig

09/11/02 09/11/02
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 6, 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 4 OPA 17

RES 8 IP 18

NSIR 9 SECY 19

OGC * Region I 20

ADM 10 Region II 21

CIO 11 Region III *

CFO * Region IV 23

HR 15 OEDO *

SB/CR * OCA 24

OE *

*No input this week
September 6, 2002 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending September 6, 2002

NEI Fire Protection Information Forum

On August 27-30, 2002, representatives of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Regions I

and IV, and the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research made presentations at the Nuclear

Energy Institute (NEI) Fire Protection Information Forum in Seattle, Washington. Some of the

topics covered included NRC Management Overview of Fire Protection Issues, Manual Actions,

NFPA 805 Rulemaking, SDP Improvement, Circuit Analysis Resolution Plans, Hemyc and MT3

FireTesting, Regional Perspectives, and Risk Requantification.

NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 2002-15, NRC Approval of Commercial Data Encryption

Systems For the Electronic Transmission Of Safeguards Information dated August 28, 2002

The NRC is issuing this regulatory issue summary (RIS) to provide guidance to addressees on

obtaining NRC approval of commercial data encryption systems for the electronic transmission

of safeguards information (SGI). This RIS requires no action or written response on the part of

addressees.
September 6, 2002 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending September 6, 2002

International Conference on Occupational Radiation Protection

On August 26-30, 2002, a member of the Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety

management attended, and presented a paper at, the International Conference on

Occupational Radiation Protection, held in Geneva, Switzerland. Approximately 450 individuals,

representing nearly 80 countries and 12 organizations, attended the conference. The United

Nations’ International Labor Organization, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the

European Commission sponsored this conference. The conference considered issues related

to radiation risks in the workplace; monitoring of occupational exposure; occupational radiation

protection programs in medicine; natural radiation exposure in the workplace; radiation

protection programs in industrial and research facilities, nuclear power plants, and other fuel

cycle facilities; and the probability of causation of occupational harm.

Environmental Council of the States Subcommittee on Long-Term Stewardship Workshop

The Division of Waste Management staff attended a workshop conducted by the Environmental

Council of the States (ECOS) Subcommittee on Long-Term Stewardship in Washington, DC, on

August 28-29, 2002. The Subcommittee was recently established to enhance coordination and

exchange of information among Federal agencies, States, and Tribes involved with long-term

stewardship. The purpose of this workshop was to allow attendees to provide a status of their

long-term stewardship programs and to discuss final comments on a draft agreement on longterm stewardship principles. Other attendees, aside from NRC, were the Department of

Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Defense, the Department of

the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the General Services Administration, and numerous

representatives from States and Tribes. The ECOS Subcommittee has invited NRC to

participate, regularly, in its Subcommittee meetings. The staff will monitor future Subcommittee

meetings, to determine the potential benefits of NRC participation, and its future level of

participation with ECOS. 

Technical Project Planning Workshop on the Shallow Land Disposal Area

On August 26-27, 2002, Division of Waste Management staff attended a Technical Project

Planning workshop on the Shallow Land Disposal Area (SLDA) in Parks Township,

Pennsylvania, that was sponsored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The

SLDA is a NRC licensed site, and it is also designated as a Formerly Utilized Remedial Action

Program site. Congress has directed USACE to clean up radioactive waste at SLDA,

consistent with the Memorandum of Understanding between NRC and USACE. During this

workshop, USACE provided information regarding the site history, past site characterizations,

information on the waste in the trenches, field investigations, and previous remediation. At the

start of the workshop, USACE also led a site tour for attendees, including the licensee (BWXT);

the site’s previous owner (ARCO); the Township Supervisor; and the NRC staff member. At the

workshop, USACE provided a tentative schedule for issuance of a Record of Decision by mid2005, a year earlier than previously scheduled. Key issues discussed at the workshop were the

limited waste characterization information for the material buried in the waste trenches, and
September 6, 2002 ENCLOSURE B

planning for safe disposal of the material. USACE will continue its coordination with the

participants as it completes its SLDA study phase, preceding a Record of Decision.

Certificate of Compliance for the FuelSolutionsTM TS125 Transportation Package.

On August 28, 2002, NRC staff issued BNFL Fuel Solutions a Certificate of Compliance No.

9276, Revision No. 0, for the FuelSolutionsTM TS125 Transportation Package. This package

consists of a TS125 transportation cask and impact limiters, together with a FuelSolutionsTM

W21 or W74 canister with its payload. The allowable contents of the W21 canister are

pressurized-water-reactor spent nuclear fuel assemblies. The allowable contents of the W74

canister are Big Rock Point spent nuclear fuel assemblies. This certificate makes the

FuelSolutionsTM spent fuel management system a dual- purpose system, certified for both

storage and transportation of spent nuclear fuel.
September 6, 2002 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Items of Interest

Week Ending September 6, 2002

Agreement on Thermal-Hydraulic Code Applications and Maintenance Between the United

States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEA)

On September 6, 2002, the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research forwarded an Agreement to

Turkey for signature between the NRC and the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEA)

relating to cooperation in the Thermal-Hydraulic Code Applications and Maintenance Program.

This Agreement defines the terms and conditions by which the NRC and the TAEA of Turkey 

will continue cooperation in the thermal-hydraulic code applications and maintenance program

(CAMP) on the basis of mutual benefit and reasonable equity and reciprocity. This Agreement

will remain in force for a period of five years.

Milestone Reached in Cooperative Research on Analysis of High-Burnup Fuel

A milestone involving international cooperative use of reactor fuel performance codes has

recently been reached by NRC and the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK). 

Two computer codes were involved. One is NRC’s FRAPTRAN transient fuel rod behavior

code, which was developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The other is

the Technical Research Center of Finland’s (VTT’s) GENFLO fast-running thermal-hydraulic

code, from which a FRAPTRAN-specific version has been developed with support from STUK. 

Recently, staff from VTT and PNNL successfully ran these codes in a coupled manner. The

goal of this effort is to analyze fuel rod behavior during boiling water reactor (BWR) power

oscillations related to a postulated anticipated transients without scram (ATWS) and other

transients. Such power oscillations were identified as an issue in a July 6, 1998, Commission

memorandum on the NRC program plan for high-burnup fuel. Previously, neither the thermalhydraulic models in FRAPTRAN nor the fuel behavior models in NRC’s thermal-hydraulic codes

were adequate to analyze this complicated transient. A combination of advanced models for

fuel behavior and thermal hydraulics was needed for the analyses that can now be done by

NRC staff and contractors with the FRAPTRAN-GENFLO coupled codes.
September 6, 2002 ENCLOSURE D

Nuclear Security and Incident Response

Items of Interest

Week Ending September 6, 2002

Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Drug Testing Advisory Board (DTAB)

Meeting

On September 4, 2002, a representative of the Reactor Safeguards Policy Section, Division of

Nuclear Security, participated in the quarterly DTAB meeting held in Washington, DC. The

meeting focused on validity testing guidelines that are being finalized by HHS for urine

specimens.

Preliminary Notifications

1. PNO-II-02-033, Alco Corporation, ACCIDENT INVOLVING DAMAGE TO A

MOISTURE/DENSITY GAUGE.

2. PNO-III-02-034, Duane Arnold Energy Center, SHUTDOWN TO INVESTIGATE AND

REPAIR DRYWELL LEAKAGE.

3. PNO-IV-02-025C, Schlumberger Technology Corporation, LOSS OF CONTROL OF A 

WELL LOGGING SOURCE RESULTING IN EXPOSURES TO INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS 

OF THE PUBLIC - INITIATION OF AUGMENTED INSPECTION TEAM.

4. PNO-IV-02-047, Southern California Edison Co. and San Diego Gas & Electric Co., 

EARTHQUAKE OF A MAGNITUDE OF 4.6 APPROXIMATELY 40.0 MILES

NORTHEAST FROM SAN ONOFRE NUCLEAR PLANT.
September 6, 2002 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration 

Items of Interest 

Week Ending September 6, 2002

Geological and Seismological Characteristics for Siting and Design of Dry Cask Independent

Spent Fuel Storage Installations and Monitored Retrievable Storage Installations; Extension of

Comment Period (Part 72)

A document extending the comment period for a proposed rule that would amend the licensing

requirements for dry cask modes of storage of spent nuclear fuel, high-level radioactive waste,

and power reactor-related Greater than Class C waste on an independent spent fuel storage

installation or in a monitored retrievable storage installation was published in the Federal

Register on September 5, 2002 (67 FR 56876). The proposed amendments would update the

seismic siting and design criteria including geologic, seismic, and earthquake considerations. 

The comment period on this action has been extended to October 22, 2002. 

Electronic Maintenance and Submission of Information (10 CFR Chapter I)

A direct final rule that amends NRC’s regulations to clarify when and how licensees and other

members of the public may use electronic means to communicate with the agency was

published on September 6, 2002 (67 FR 57803). The amendments are necessary to implement

the Government Paperwork Elimination Act. The NRC is also updating its guidance on how to

submit documents to the agency electronically. The direct final rule becomes effective

December 5, 2002.

The companion proposed rule for this direct final rule was published on September 6, 2002 (67

FR 57119). The comment period closes October 21, 2002.

General Accounting Office (GAO) Protest

We received a GAO protest on August 30, 2002, under RFQ ADM-02-162 for the installation of

a turn-key Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) with one UPS unit. The protester asserts that

the award was made to a bidder whose product was $27,000 higher in price but not technically

superior. NRC is preparing a response to GAO which is due September 30, 2002.

General Services Administration (GSA) SmartPay Conference

The Agency Program Coordinator for the Purchase Card Program, a member of the Division of

Contracts staff, attended the fourth annual GSA SmartPay Conference on innovative,

technologically advanced and proven best practices for managing the Federal government's

card programs on August 27-29, 2002, in San Francisco. Sessions attended focused on fraud

prevention, management of charge card infrastructures, and payment improvements. 
September 6, 2002 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending September 6, 2002

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

August 30, 2002 through September 5, 2002:

Davis Besse nuclear power plant, communications between NRC offices from 9-1-01 and 6-1-

02 re: Bulletin 2001-02 and between NRC and stakeholders, FirstEnergy, etc. (FOIA/PA-2002-

0395)

First Alert Inc., (now BRK Brands, Inc.) all records, permits, licenses, inspections, reports,

violations (FOIA/PA-2002-0396)

Job performance documentation on named individual (FOIA/PA-2002-0397)

Material License Tracking System (MLTS) (FOIA/PA-2002-0398)

Hicksville NY research and production facility, owned and operated by Sylvania Corning

Nuclear Corp., all documents; FOIA requests pertaining to this facility (FOIA/PA-2002-0399)

All facilities having applied for licenses for gama cameras used in single-photon emission

computer tomography (FOIA/PA-2002-0400)

Implementation of U.S. Attorney General John Ascroft’s 10/12/01 memorandum on Freedom of

Information Act, all records (FOIA/PA-2002-0401)

South Texas Project and Comanche Peak, Event Notification Reports prior to 1999 (FOIA/PA2002-0402)

Table C-7 in NUREG/BR-0150 (FOIA/PA-2002-0403)
September 6, 2002 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending September 6, 2002

Arrivals

ABANKWAH, Dora OFFICE AUTOMATION ASSISTANT NRR

GREEN, Stephen REACTOR ENGINEER RIV

KUNDRAT, Christine OFFICE AUTOMATION ASSISTANT NRR

LEWIS, Shani NUCLEAR SAFETY INTERN RI

O’SHAUGHNESSY, Michele EMERGENCY RESPONSE COORDINATOR NSIR

PRESCOTT, Paul* OPERATIONS ENGINEER NRR

RAMIREZ, Frances NUCLEAR SAFETY INTERN RIII

RASMUSSEN, Richard** SENIOR REACTOR ANALYST NRR

RODRIGUEZ, Veronica NUCLEAR SAFETY INTERN RI

ROQUE-CRUZ, Carla NUCLEAR SAFETY INTERN RIII

STEADHAM, Timothy REACTOR ENGINEER RIII

WAGAGE, HANRY REACTOR SYSTEMS ENGINEER NRR

Retirements

BOYLE, Regis SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER NMSS

CLAXTON, Gary SENIOR INVESTIGATOR TASK LEADER) OI

CROWLEY, Billy SENIOR REACTOR INSPECTOR RII

FRATTALI, Sandra SAFEGUARDS PROGRAM MANAGER NRR

MCDOWELL, William TEAM LEADER OIG

NAVAL, Luz DEBT COLLECTION SPECIALIST (ACCOUNTANT) CFO

RODRICK, Ed SENIOR RELIABILITY & RISK MANAGER RES

Departures

PASSINE, Joan SECRETARY RII

*Transferring from RIII

**Transferring from RI
September 6, 2002 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending September 6, 2002

Press Releases

Headquarters:

02-103 NRC to Hold Public Meetings to Discuss New Environmental Information on

Proposed MOX Nuclear Facility

02-104 NRC to Host Open House September 17 in Nevada

02-105 NRC Licensing Support Network Advisory Review Panel to Meet

September 18-19 in Las Vegas

02-106 Nuclear Security Enhancements Since September 11, 2001

Regions:

II-02-044 NRC to Hold Public Meetings on Robinson Nuclear Plant License Renewal

III-02-050 NRC Oversight Panel to Hold Three Meetings on Davis-Besse Reactor

Vessel Head Damage in Oak Harbor, OH
September 6, 2002 ENCLOSURE N

Office of International Programs

Items of Interest

Week Ending September 6, 2002

Japanese Visit

On September 4, 2002, Ms. Junko Ogawa, Senior Chief Communicator, Public Relations

Department, Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPCO), met with staff from the Office of

International Programs (OIP) and the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

(NMSS), for an overview briefing on NRC, nuclear waste and transportation matters. She was

interested in NRC’s community outreach program. Ms. Ogawa is touring the U.S. as a guest of

the Department of State’s International Visitor Program. JAPCO has plans to build two

APWRs, the first in the world. Ms. Ogawa was unsure what effect the current TEPCO troubles

will have on her company and public support for nuclear power in Japan.

Meeting with U.S.-Russia S&T Agreement Interagency Working Group

On September 6, the U.S.-Russia S&T Agreement Interagency Working Group met to discuss

plans for the December 5, 2002 JCM between U.S. Science Advisor to the President, John

Marburger and Russian First Deputy Minister of Industry, Science, and Technology (MIST),

Mikhail Kirpichnikov. There will be a planning meeting, possibly in Moscow, on November 3rd

or 10th between the Russian and U.S. experts. Three possible topics for the JCM include

(1) high energy physics (2) information technology/technology commercialization, and (3) U.S.

needs/interests. Agencies were asked to revise their proposals in preparation for the next

meeting. NRC has submitted a proposal on reactor materials and pressurized thermal shock

(PTS). 
September 6, 2002 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending September 6, 2002

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SECY-02-0135 7/17/02 Final Rule: 10 CFR Part 63: Specification of

a Probability for Unlikely Features, Events,

and Processes

Commission Voting

Record on 02-0135

9/4/02 (same)

Information Papers

1. SECY-02-0162 9/5/02 SECY-02-0162 Weekly Information Report -

Week Ending August 30, 2002

Memoranda

1. M020904 9/4/02 Staff Requirements - Affirmation Session: I.

SECY-02-0135 - Final Rule: 10 CFR Part

63: Specifications of a Probability for

Unlikely Features, Events, and Processes;

II. SECY-02-0145 - Duke Cogema Stone &

Webster (Savannah River Mixed Oxide Fuel

Fabrication Facility); Board’s Certified

Question Regarding Procedure

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Governor Tom Ridge, Office of Homeland Security, dated September 5, 2002,

highlights some of the significant accomplishments made by the NRC and its licensees

since September 11, 2001.

2. Letter to Governor Tom Ridge, Office of Homeland Security, dated August 26, 2002,

responds to request for support for the Office of Homeland Security’s new Coordination

Center. 

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Designation of Presiding Officer, NFS Erwin (Material License Amendment).
September 6, 2002 ENCLOSURE P

Region I

Items of Interest

Week Ending September 6, 2002

Massachusetts Management Review Board

On September 5, 2002, the Management Review Board (MRB) approved the recommendations

made by a five member team for the Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program

(IMPEP) review conducted June 24-28, 2002 of the Massachusetts Radiation Control Program. 

The MRB found the Commonwealth’s program adequate to protect public health and safety and

compatible with NRC regulations. The Commonwealth was found satisfactory in six of the

seven indicators reviewed and satisfactory with recommendations for improvement for the

seventh indicator, “Response to Incidents and Allegations”. This is the second IMPEP review

done of the Massachusetts program and the first to evaluate a four-year period. The next

IMPEP review for the Massachusetts program will be conducted in FY 2006.
September 6, 2002 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending September 6, 2002

Navy Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) Quarterly Meeting in Virginia

On September 6, 2002, the Deputy Regional Administrator and other staff members from the

Division of Nuclear Materials Safety attended the Navy RSC Quarterly Meeting in Crystal City,

VA. The RSC discussed recent inspection findings, the upcoming NRC program review of the

Navy oversight program, and the annual ALARA review.

Tennessee Valley Authority - Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Visit

On September 4, 2002, the Director, Division of Reactor Projects, accompanied the Director,

Division of Inspection Program Management, and Associate Director for Inspection and

Programs, to the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant. They toured portions of all three units and

discussed the Unit 1 restart/recovery activities. 
September 6, 2002 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV

Items of Interest

Week Ending September 6, 2002

Visit to Cooper and Fort Calhoun by Commissioner Dicus (accompanied by the Regional

Administrator)

On September 4, 2002, Commissioner Dicus visited the Cooper Nuclear Station site with the

Regional Administrator. On September 5, 2002, the Commissioner and the Regional

Administrator visited the Fort Calhoun Station. Meetings were held with both Cooper and Fort

Calhoun licensee management.
September 6, 2002 

Office of Congressional Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending September 6, 2002

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 64

OCA

Contact

DATE

&

PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Combs 09/24/02

2154 RHOB

10:00 Dr. Paperiello Combating Terrorism: Preventing

Nuclear Terrorism

Rep. ShaNatl Secu

 InternatiGovernm