INFORMATION REPORT

April 5, 2004 SECY-04-0051

For: The Commissioners

From: William M. Dean, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO

Subject: SECY-04-0051 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING MARCH 26, 2004

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 and 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/

William M. Dean

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

T. Kim, OEDO
April 5, 2004 SECY-04-0051

For: The Commissioners

From: William M. Dean, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO

Subject: SECY-04-0051 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING MARCH 26, 2004

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 and 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/

William M. Dean

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

T. Kim, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\Week326.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

TKim:paa WMDean

04/05/04 04/06/04
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING MARCH 26, 2004

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: T. Kim, OEDO by E-mail: tjk3@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 OIP *

NSIR * SECY 19

OGC * Region I 20

ADM 10 Region II 21

CIO 11 Region III *

CFO * Region IV 23

HR 15 OEDO *

SBCR * OCA 24

OE *

*No input this week
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 26, 2004

Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station Status

On March 17, 2004, the licensee shutdown Davis-Besse to repair main feedwater (MFW)

valve-780 and turbine bypass valves. Repair of MFW valve-780 is complete and the licensee

intends to heatup to normal pressure and temperature using reactor coolant pump heat. Repair

of the turbine bypass valves will continue during the heatup. Mode 2 operation is scheduled for

March 26, 2004.

South Texas Project (STP) - Special Treatment Exemption Meeting

On March 23, 2004, the NRC staff met with STP Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC) in a

public meeting to discuss STPNOC's experience with the implementation of the “Special

Treatment” exemptions granted by the NRC staff in August 2001 for STP Units 1 and 2. The

exemptions provided certain relaxations from portions of 10 CFR Parts 21, 50 and 100 based

on the STP's methodology for determining the risk significance of structures, systems, and

components. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the status of implementation of

the exemptions, lessons learned and actions taken in response to STPNOC's experiences, as

well as an overview of comments STPNOC has provided regarding the proposed 10 CFR 50.69

Special Treatment rulemaking that the staff has undertaken. 

Meeting with Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) on GSI-191 Methodology Guidelines

On March 23-24, 2004, NRC staff met with NEI to discuss the NEI’s Containment Sump

Evaluation Methodology Guidelines and the NRC comments on those Guidelines. The topics

covered included: (1) a new "baseline" approach to the guidelines that will replace the draft

guidelines submitted by NEI on October 31, 2003, (2) the consideration of applying

risk-informed treatment (i.e., alternative break size options) to sump performance issues,

(3) the NRC comments on the draft guidelines under review and the applicability of those

comments to the upcoming "baseline" approach, and (4) schedule and follow-up actions. 

As presented by NEI, the Baseline Document will provide a conservative approach for utilities to

perform a baseline evaluation of their pressurized water reactor containment sump, using a

sample calculation for a consistent and simplified first-step in determining their susceptibility to

head loss. A Supplemental Guidance document will also be provided to address, for those

plants that do not "pass" the baseline evaluation, options for refinements to the baseline

calculation that may result in acceptable results, or hardware "fixes" to provide acceptable

results. NRC staff discussed comments on the standing guidelines. NEI agreed to address the

issues raised in the comments, in the upcoming Baseline Document and Supplemental

Guidance. NEI stated that it will submit the Baseline Document by April 19, 2004, and the

Supplemental Guidance by May 28, 2004. 

NEI and NRC staff agreed to meet again to further explore application of risk-informed

treatment to GSI-191 issues. 
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE A

ESBWR Pre-application Review

On March 24, 2004, General Electric informed the staff that they will be submitting a revised

version of the TRACG code in late April or early May 2004. The submittal will include affected

assessment cases, as well as recalculated results of the ESBWR loss-of-coolant-accident

(LOCA) analyses. The staff prepared a draft safety evaluation report (SER) for the application

of TRACG to ESBWR LOCA in December 2003, briefed the Advisory Committee on Reactor

Safeguards (ACRS) thermal hydraulic subcommittee in January 2004, and briefed the ACRS

full committee in February 2004. The staff was prepared to issue the final SER on TRACG for

LOCA in March 2004 as scheduled. However, the final SER will now be delayed until May

2004, to allow the staff to confirm that the conclusions in the draft SER are still valid based on

the revised TRACG code.

Monthly Reactor Oversight Process Public Meeting

On March 25, 2004, the Division of Inspection Program Management staff conducted a Reactor

Oversight Process (ROP) public meeting to discuss several draft significance determination

process (SDPs) issues, including examples of minor SDP steam generator findings, comments

provided by the industry on the maintenance rule SDP, and SDP timeliness. Discussion also

focused on the staff’s March 16, 2004, response to the October 31, 2003, NEI letter on why the

scrams with a loss of normal heat removal performance indicator (PI) should be retained. A

number of new or open PI frequently asked questions (FAQs) were discussed.

Meeting with Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) and the Canadian Nuclear Safety

Commission (CNSC)

On March 15-19, 2004, the Division of Inspection Program Management staff met with CNSC

and AECL at AECL’s headquarters and test facilities in Canada. The purpose of the meeting

was to discuss the implementation of the quality assurance programs for the design and testing

of the ACR-700. As a result of the meeting, the staff will identify issues that AECL will need to

address as part of design certification.

Federal Radiological Preparedness Coordinating Committee (FRPCC) Quarterly Meeting

On March 24, 2004, Emergency Preparedness Project Office (EPPO) and Office of Nuclear

Security and Incident Response (NSIR) staff participated in the FRPCC meeting. Other

participants included representatives from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS),

including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Defense

(DOD), the Department of State, Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA), Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Food and Drug Administration

(FDA). 

EPPO staff spoke for the FRPCC Potassium Iodide (KI) Ad Hoc Subcommittee, and noted that

65 mg KI tablets were being distributed in response to specific requests from individual States. 

Other topics of discussion included: the National Response Plan; the National Exercise

Schedule; the Initial Catastrophic Incident Response Plan; the Outdoor Public Alerting System

Guide (OPAS-G) and FEMA-REP-10, Rev. 1; State of Washington 44 CFR 350 Plan submittal;

the National Radiological Emergency Preparedness (NREP) conference; and reports from the
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE A

FEMA Regional Assistance Committee (RAC) Advisory Committee, the Federal Response

Subcommittee, the Protective Action Guides Subcommittee, and the Plume Modeling and

Cleanup Subgroups.
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 26, 2004

Meeting with International Atomic Energy Agency

During March 8-12, 2004, staff from the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards

participated in an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meeting to help the IAEA develop

a mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel-fabrication-facility safety guide. Other attendees were from Japan,

the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Federation. The IAEA indicated that it wants to

have a second follow-up meeting in September to continue drafting the MOX safety guide and

requested that the same attendees be present.

Bilateral Meeting Between the Department of Energy and the Russian Federation

Gosatomnadzor on Plutonium Disposition

On March 9-12, 2004, staff from the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards participated

in a bilateral meeting in Moscow to support the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Russian

Federation Gosatomnadzor (GAN) in their discussions concerning the U.S./Russian Federation

Plutonium Disposition Program. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss current and

upcoming regulatory/licensing activities relevant to the U.S./Russian Federation Plutonium

Disposition Program. During the meeting, NRC staff provided an update to GAN on the status

of the U.S. mixed-oxide fuel fabrication facility licensing review. NRC staff attendance at this

meeting was at the request of DOE under a reimbursable agreement with NRC.

NRC Participation in Workshop with the Russian Regulatory Agency

On March 15-19, 2004, staff from the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards participated

in a workshop with the Russian Federation’s GAN. The workshop was part of a continuing

series to discuss NRC's regulatory activities regarding the proposed mixed-oxide (MOX)

fabrication facility with members of the GAN who will soon be reviewing a similar facility there. 

The focus of this workshop was NRC's environmental review of the proposed MOX facility. 

In-Office Review of Louisiana Energy Services’ Integrated Safety Analysis

On March 16-18, 2004, staff from the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards conducted

an in-office review of the classified portion of the Louisiana Energy Services’ (LES’) Integrated

Safety Analysis (ISA) at the Urenco gas centrifuge facility in Almelo, Netherlands. The staff

also toured the Urenco facility and discussed the operational history of the cascades with plant

management. 

By letter dated December 12, 2003, LES had submitted, to NRC, its license application and ISA

Summary for construction and operation of the National Enrichment Facility (NEF), a gas

centrifuge uranium enrichment facility, in Lea County, New Mexico, near the city of Eunice. On

March 25, 2004, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards staff met with management

personnel from Louisiana Energy Services (LES) to discuss progress on the review of the LES

application. Staff and LES discussed the review schedule and the need for timely and complete

responses to Requests for Additional Information. Staff and LES also discussed the LES
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE B

organization, resources, and the status of the technical review, the preparation of an

Environmental Impact Statement, and the hearing. 

Memorandum of Understanding for U.S. Enrichment Corporation Inc.’s Lead Cascade Facility

On March 24, 2004, NRC and the Department of Energy (DOE) signed a Memorandum of

Understanding (MOU) for U.S. Enrichment Corporation Inc.’s gas centrifuge test and

demonstration Lead Cascade facility. This facility is to be housed in an existing DOE Gas

Centrifuge Enrichment Plant building at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant site in Piketon,

Ohio. The MOU delineates each Agency's roles and responsibilities concerning regulatory

oversight during all Lead Cascade facility phases, to avoid dual regulation and to ensure

regulatory continuity. The Director, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, for NRC, and

the Director, Office of Nuclear Fuel Security and Uranium Technology Oak Ridge Operations,

for DOE, signed the MOU.

Meeting to Discuss Release of Maine Yankee Site Land from License

On March 17, 2004, NRC staff members met with representatives of Maine Yankee to discuss

the release of site land, excluding the independent spent fuel storage installation, from its

10 CFR Part 50 license.

Maine Yankee presented information on the following topics: (1) the conceptual approach for

the release from the license; (2) the content of the license amendment request; (3) the

schedule of final status survey (FSS) submittals; and (4) the format and content of the FSS

release records. Participants also discussed NRC’s review process and schedule.

DOE-NRC Meeting on DOE’s Decommissioning Plan

On March 23, 2004, NRC staff met with Department of Energy (DOE) staff to discuss the

scope and content of DOE’s Decommissioning Plan (DP) for the West Valley Demonstration

Project. This public meeting was conducted at NRC Headquarters, and attendees included: 

representatives of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority; New York

State Department of Environmental Conservation; New York State Department of Health; and

the West Valley Citizen Task Force. The end-product of this meeting was a checklist of

information that should be included in DOE’s DP. In this meeting, DOE stated that it plans to

submit its DP to NRC by October 2004.
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 26, 2004

New Halden Man-Machine Laboratory Dedicated in Norway

On March 25, 2004, the Institute for Energy Technology in Norway dedicated their new Halden

Man-Machine Laboratory (HAMMLAB) at the OECD Halden Reactor Project (HRP). The NRC

was represented at the dedication by the Scientific Attache from the US embassy in Oslo. The

laboratory was formally dedicated by Norway’s Crown Prince Regent Haakon Magnus. The

new HAMMLAB will have both boiling water reactor and pressurized water reactor simulation

engines that drive a modular reconfigurable control room. NRC staff chaired the international

task force that guided the development of the new HAMMLAB. The areas of research

conducted at the Halden Reactor Project facility include digital instrumental and controls,

human reliability analysis and quantification, and human factors (results of which the NRC has

used as technical bases for developing regulatory guidance related to control room design

reviews). The facility also has a virtual environment capability and extensive data collection

capabilities.
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration 

Items of Interest 

Week Ending March 26, 2004

Contract Award

As a result of a competitive simplified acquisition set aside for small businesses, Purchase

Order No. DR-38-04-376 entitled, "Retirement Counseling Services" was awarded on March 19,

2004, to Planning, Inc. This purchase order requires the contractor to provide advice to

individual staff members on retirement plans and other areas including Civil Service Retirement

System (CSRS), CSRS Offset, social security, thrift savings plan, health insurance, life

insurance, federal long term care, spouse equity laws, and Federal Employees Retirement

System (FERS). The period of performance is one year with a one-year option. The total

estimated cost of this order is $93,800, inclusive of the option.

Acquisition Training for Project Managers

On March 22, 2004, the Division of Contracts conducted the Acquisition for Project Manager’s

Overview Workshop for 49 participants. Representatives from the Office of the General

Counsel, the Office of Small Business and Civil Rights, the Office of the Inspector General, and

the Office of Administration were guest speakers. On March 24, 2004, the Office of the

General Counsel conducted the Organizational Conflict of Interest Workshop for 41

participants. These are two of the twelve workshops offered under the Acquisition Certification

and Training Program, and two of five core mandatory workshops required for certification. 
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 26, 2004

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

March 19 through March 25, 2004:

Gardinier aka Cargill Fertilizer Inc., Tampa, FL, notification of events,

all records

FOIA/PA-2004-0164

Civil & administrative violations for which a monetary penalty was

assessed, CY 2002 & 2003

FOIA/PA-2004-0165

SECY-97-203, Sequoyah Fuels Corp. and General Atomics, LBP-95-

18 and LBP 96-24

FOIA/PA-2004-0166

FY2005 IT budget submission exhibit 53, IT-related exhibit 300’s &

long-range IT plan

FOIA/PA-2004-0167

Quehanna Nuclear Reactor facility, Atlantic Richfield Co., 1970s,

license application, material licenses, communications re: waste

disposal or residual radioactive contamination

FOIA/PA-2004-0168

Quehanna Nuclear Reactor facility, PA State Univ., 1960-67, Martin

Marietta Co., licenses applications, indemnification agreement

pursuant to contract or Price Anderson Act 

FOIA/PA-2004-0169

Quehanna Nuclear Reactor facility, Curtiss-Wright Corp., 1955-1960,

by-product license 37-2416-2, facility license R-36 & any source

material or special nuclear material licenses, & all related

indemnification agreements & radioactivity records

FOIA/PA-2004-0170

Quehanna Nuclear Reactor facility, Nuclear Materials & Equipment

Co., byproduct, source material or special nuclear material licenses,

communications re: waste disposal or residual radioactive

contamination

FOIA/PA-2004-171

Quehanna Nuclear Reactor facility, Neutron Products Inc., 1980s,

material licenses, applications, reports, memos re: radioactive waste

disposal or residual radioactive contamination

FOIA/PA-2004-0172

Quehanna Nuclear Reactor facility, Martin Co. (Martin Marietta,

Lockheed Martin Corp.); by-product material license from AEC, 6-26-

62, 19-1938-29 (F64), all records

FOIA/PA-2004-0173

U.S. nuclear-armed B-52 crash off Thule Air Base, Greenland,

January 21, 1968 & subsequent clean up

FOIA/PA-2004-0174

Vacancy announcement ADM/DC-2003-0028, Contract Management

Intern, copy of applications of all successful applicants

FOIA/PA-2004-0175
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE G

Eastern Technologies, Inc., PA, radioactive materials license since

2000, all records

FOIA/PA-2004-0176

IG Report 04-03-I FOIA/PA-2004-0177

ACRS members, invoices for 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 include

description of all tasks & time spent on each

FOIA/PA-2004-0178
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 26, 2004

Arrivals

Jeffrey R. Bream Student Engineer R-I

Linda M. Eusebio Secretary (OA) NMSS

Timothy H. Hennessy IT Student Trainee R-I

Leslie Kerr Cost Analyst NRR

Dariusz Szwarc Nuclear Safety Intern NRR
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 26, 2004

Media Interest

Office of Public Affairs (OPA) responded to significant media inquiries on the following:

The 25th anniversary of the Three Mile Island accident, including arranging and coordinating an

interview for Chairman Diaz with CNN Headline News. 

A crack indication in a reactor water re-circulation system component at the Susquehanna 1

nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania.

The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board granting one hearing and dismissing others filed about

three nuclear materials amendments sought by Nuclear Fuel Services of Erwin, Tennessee.

The ongoing interest in the security of nuclear power plants and security information, including

inquiries from The Washington Post, The Patriot News, The Hampton Union, the Scripps

Howard News Service and several trade publications.

A potential electrical cable separation issue at Indian Point 2 being reviewed. 

Other Public Affairs Items

OPA provided support at annual performance assessment meetings for the St. Lucie, Turkey

Point and Shearon Harris nuclear power plants.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

04-034 NRC Issues License For Diablo Canyon Independent Spent Fuel Storage

Installation (3/22)

04-035 NRC Reorganizes Office To Give Added Focus To High-Level Radioactive

Waste Programs (3/24) 

04-036 NRC Staff Issues Draft Generic Letter, Concerning Potential Reactor

Containment Sump Issue, For Public Comment (3/25)

04-037 NRC Advisory Committee On Reactor Safeguards To Meet April 15-17 In

Rockville, Maryland (3/25)

Regions:

I-04-014 NRC To Discuss Annual Performance Assessment Of Calvert Cliffs Nuclear

Power Plant (3/23)
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE M

I-04-015 NRC To Hold Meetings On Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant Performance

And Power Uprate Review (3/25) 

II-04-013 NRC To Meet With Southern Nuclear Officials To Discuss Safety

Performance At Farley Nuclear Power Plant (3/22)

II-04-014 NRC To Meet With Southern Nuclear Officials To Discuss Safety

Performance At Hatch Nuclear Power Plant (3/22)

II-04-015 NRC To Meet With Southern Nuclear Officials To Discuss Safety

Performance At Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant (3/22)

II-04-016 NRC To Meet With Dominion Energy Officials To Discuss Safety

Performance At Surry Nuclear Power Plant (3/22)

II-04-017 NRC To Meet With Dominion Energy Officials To Discuss Safety

Performance At North Anna Nuclear Power Plant (3/22)

II-04-018 NRC To Meet With Progress Energy Officials To Discuss Safety

Performance At Robinson Nuclear Power Plant (3/22)

II-04-019 NRC Seeks Public Input On Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant License Renewal

At Meetings In Alabama (3/26)

II-04-020 NRC Approves Restart of First Stage In Uranium Hexaflouride Process At

Honeywell Plant in Illinois (3/27) 

III-04-014 Public Meeting March 31 On License Renewal Application For Point Beach

Nuclear Power Plant (3/24) 

III-04-015 NRC To Discuss The Status Of Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant

Decommissioning (3/25)

III-04-016 NRC To Meet With Detroit Edison Company To Discuss Performance Of

Fermi 2 Nuclear Plant (3/26)

IV-04-013 NRC To Meet With Union Electric Co. To Discuss Performance Of

Callaway Nuclear Power Plant (3/24)

IV-04-014 NRC To Meet With Entergy Operations, Inc. To Discuss Performance Of

River Bend Nuclear Power Plant (3/24)

IV-04-015 NRC To Meet With Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Co. To Discuss

Performance Of Wolf Creek Nuclear Plant (3/24)

IV-04-016 NRC Cites Cooper Nuclear Plant For Violation Of Low To Moderate Safety

Significance (3/25)
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 26, 2004

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SRM on SECY-04-0026 3/24/04 Proposed Rule to Amend 10 CFR 9,

Subpart A, Freedom of Information Act

Regulations and Subpart B, Privacy Act

Regulations

Commission Voting

Record on SECY-04-0026

3/24/04 (same)

2. SECY-04-0044 3/12/04 Proposed Pilot Program for the Use of

Alternative Dispute Resolution in the

Enforcement Program

Information Papers

1. SECY-04-0048 3/23/04 SECY-04-0048 Weekly Information Report -

Week Ending March 12, 2004

Memoranda

1. M040324A 3/24/04 Staff Requirements - Affirmation Session: I.

SECY-04-0040 - Private Fuel Storage, LLC

(Independent Spent Fuel Storage

Installation) Intervenor Ohngo Gaudadeh

Devia’s Motion to Reopen the Case Record

on Contention “O” -- Environmental Justice;

II. SECY-04-0041 - Private Fuel Storage

(Independent Spent Fuel Storage

Installation) Docket No. 72-22-ISFSI

2. M040323A 3/25/04 Staff Requirements - Briefing on Office of

Nuclear Security and Incident Response

(NSIR) Programs, Performance, and Plans

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Exelon Generating Company, LLC, Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board.

2. Dominion Nuclear North Anna, LLC, Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board.

3. System Energy Resources, Inc., Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board. 
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE O

4. Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes, meeting notice (4/8/04).

5. Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes, meeting notice (4/12/04). 

6. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, Joint Meeting of the Subcommittees on

Reliability and Probabilistic Risk Assessment and on Human Factors (4/22/04).

7. Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste, 149th meeting (4/20-22/04).
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE P

Region I

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 26, 2004

Presentation to Maine Yankee Community Advisory Panel

On March 25, 2004, a representative from the Region I Division of Nuclear Materials Safety

made a presentation to the Community Advisory Panel (CAP) for decommissioning the Maine

Yankee plant. The semi-annual summary of NRC Region I inspection activities at the plant was

presented, as well as the status of licensing activities by the Office of Nuclear Materials Safety

and Safeguards, and confirmatory survey activities performed by an NRC contractor. The

Region I representative also discussed ongoing remediation activities and the final status

survey program. Approximately 20 CAP members, Maine Yankee staff, media representatives,

and members of the public attended the meeting.

Shipment from BSI, Inc.

On March 22, 23, and 25, 2004, in cooperation with NRC, the U.S. Department of Energy’s

(DOE's) Offsite Recovery Program accepted and shipped for disposal approximately 500

sealed sources from BSI, Inc., a bankrupt NRC licensee located in Western Pennsylvania. 

These included curie quantities of Cobalt-60, Cesium-137, Strontium-90 and 16 individual

Radium-226 sources. DOE utilized the services of a contractor and former licensee employees

to inventory and properly package the sources for shipment. A Region I inspector and

representatives of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection provided oversight

of the packaging and shipments.
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 26, 2004

Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Annual Assessment Meetings

During the week of March 22-26, 2004, the Regional staff conducted the NRC ROP Annual

Assessment Meetings for the St. Lucie, Turkey Point, V. C. Summer and Shearon B. Harris

nuclear plants. The meetings were held at or near the nuclear plants and were open to the

public. 
March 26, 2004 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 26, 2004

Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program (IMPEP) Review of Region IV

During the period of March 22-25, 2004, an IMPEP Review of Region IV’s nuclear materials

program was performed. The IMPEP team, consisting of representatives from STP, NMSS, RI,

RIII, and the State of Ohio, provided its preliminary conclusions during an exit briefing with

Region IV management on March 25. The review team found that the Region IV’s performance

to be satisfactory for all common and non-common indicators. 

The IMPEP process employs a team of NRC and Agreement State staff to assess both

Agreement State and NRC Regional Radioactive materials licensing and inspection programs. 

IMPEP reviews are currently conducted in accordance with the “Implementation of the

Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program and Recission of Final General

Statement of Policy,” published in the Federal Register on October 16, 1997, and NRC

Management Directive (MD) 5.6, “Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program.” All

reviews use the following common indicators in the assessment and place primary emphasis on

performance: (1) Status of Materials Inspection Program; (2) Technical Quality of Inspections;

(3) Technical Staffing and Training; (4) Technical Quality of Licensing Actions; and (5)

Response to Incidents and Allegations. 
March 26, 2004 

Office of Congressional Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 26, 2004

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 51

OCA

Contact

DATE &

PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Keeling 03/30/04

2172 RHOB

11:00 John Bolten, Dept. of State Nonproliferation Strategy Reps. Hyd

Internation

Long 03/30/04

2154 RHOB

 2:00 GAO, DHS, American Electric

Power

Cybersecurity Reps. Put

TechnologIntergoverGovernme

Combs 03/31/04

SD-138

10:00 OCRWM, OESH DOE’s FY05 Budget Senators D

Energy anAppropriat

Gerke 03/31/04

2247 RHOB

 2:00 GAO Government Performance and Results

Act

Reps. PlatGov’t EfficGovernme

Gerke TBA TBA DOE Final Report by U.S. - Canada Power

System Outage Task Force 

Senators DEnergy an

Portner 04/01/04

2123 RHOB

 9:30 DOE Secretary Abraham Fiscal 2005 Budget: DOE Reps. Bar

Energy an

Portner 04/29/04

TENTATIVE

TBA NRC Commissioners and IG NRC Oversight Senators V

Clean Air, SafetyEnvironme
March 26, 2004