UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555

September 8. 2004 INFORMATION REPORT SECY-04-0163

For: The Commissioners

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

Subiect: SECY-04-0163 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK

ENDING AUGUST 27,2004

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 X

Enforcement K*

State and Tribal Programs L*

Public Affairs M

International Programs N*

Office of the Secretary 0

Region I P

Region II P

Region IlIl P*

Region IV P*

Executive Director for Operations

Congressional Affairs R

*No input this week.

' William . ean

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

T. Kim, OEDO
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 27, 2004

Public Workshop on Draft Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2004-XXX

On August 25, 2004, the Division of Inspection Program Management (DIPM) staff held a public

workshop on draft Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2004-XXX, "Revision to Guidance Formerly

Contained in NRC GenericLetter 91 -18." The purpose of the workshop was to disseminate

information regarding the proposed changes and clarifications to inspector technical guidance

formally known as Generic Letter 91-18, "Information to Licensees Regarding Two NRC

Inspection Manual Sections on Resolution of Degraded and Nonconforming Conditions and on

Operability." Approximately 85 individuals representing industry, the public and the staff

participated. Comments on the draft RIS are due October 2, 2004.

August 27, 2004 ENCLOSURE A
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 27, 2004

Meeting with Duratek and Progress Energy Regarding Future Use of the IF-300 Spent Fuel

Transport Cask

On August 25, 2004, Spent Fuel Project Office (SFPO) staff met with representatives from

Duratek and Progress Energy to discuss spent fuel shipments in the IF-300 cask (Certificate of

Compliance No. 9001). Progress Energy owns the four existing IF-300 casks and uses them to

ship spent fuel by rail from its Brunswick and Robinson plants to the Harris plant. Progress

Energy described its future shipping needs, and described future licensing requests that are

planned regarding the IF-300 cask. Duratek, the certificate holder, has requested renewal of

the Certificate of Compliance for the cask.

Testing of Transnuclear S1ent Fuel Storage Module

On August 24-25, 2004, SFPO staff and a consultant observed thermal testing of a mockup of

a Transnuclear (TN) storage module for spent nuclear fuel. The testing will be used to validate

the TN thermal modeling approach for two different modules that are currently under licensing

review. Several tests are being conducted to account for different spent fuel power levels and

thermal shielding configurations. The test results will also be used for validation of other

thermal modeling methodologies being considered by TN.

Termination of Material License and Release of Land for Unrestricted Use

On August 24, 2004, the Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection issued

a license amendment to the Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W) terminating its license

(SNM-414) and releasing the B&W facility in Parks Township, Pennsylvania, for unrestricted

use. B&W completed site decommissioning, and post-decommissioning groundwater

monitoring of the site, in accordance with an approved Decommissioning Plan. The

decommissioning of the Parks facility and the license termination were coordinated with the

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. This licensing action is not connected

to the adjoining Shallow Land Disposal Area site, which is licensed separately and is projected

to complete remediation in October 2008.

U.S. Enrichment Corporation Applies for a Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Facility License

On August 23, 2004, the U.S. Enrichment Corporation (USEC) submitted a license application

for a gas centrifuge uranium enrichment facility known as the American Centrifuge Plant (ACP).

USEC anticipates fully deploying its 3.5-million separative-work-unit-per-year ACP at the

Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant site in Piketon, Ohio, by 2010, about a year ahead of the

schedule outlined in the June 2002 Department of Energy/USEC agreement. The estimated

cost for constructing the ACP is $1.5 billion. USEC expects that the proposed plant would

employ about 500 workers, once operational.

August 27, 2004 ENCLOSURE B
NRC/DOE Quarterly Management Meeting

On August 19, 2004, staff and senior managers from NRC and the U.S. Department of Energy

(DOE) met in a public meeting at NRC Headquarters in Rockville, Maryland. The purpose of

this meeting was to discuss programmatic issues concerning DOE's potential license

application for constructing a geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Video and audio

connections were also available with connections to the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory

Analyses in San Antonio, Texas, and the DOE Offices in Las Vegas, Nevada. Various

stakeholders, including members-of the public and representatives from the State of Nevada,

Nye County, Clark County, Lincoln County, industry, Nevada Nuclear Waste Task Force

participated in the meeting.

Discussion topics at this meeting included: (1) DOE and NRC Program Updates; (2) July 9

U.S. Court of Appeals ruling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's radiation protection

Standard; (3) DOE and NRC Certification of availability of documentary materials for the

purpose of Licensing Support Network; (4) State of Nevada's request for financial assistance to

participate in licensing proceedings; (5) State of Nevada's request to grant security clearances

to its representatives to access classified documents related to Yucca Mountain Project; and

(6) license application status. At the end of the meeting, participants from DOE and NRC

reviewed the status of previous meeting's action items, closed most of them, and modified one

open action-item. DOE and NRC participants did not identify any new action items.

August 27, 2004 ENCLOSURE B
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 27, 2004

OECD-MCCI Program

On August 24, 2004, Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) conducted the second in a series of

two core-concrete interaction (CCI) tests to generate the two-dimensional concrete erosion data

involving reactor core material. The CCI series of tests were conducted under the Organization

for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Melt Coolability and Concrete Interaction

(MCCI) Program, a cooperative program that was launched in January 2002 to provide

confirmatory evidence and test data for various mechanisms to cool ex-vessel core debris by an

overlying water pool. Data from the six water ingression tests conducted at ANL indicate that

enhanced cooling was achieved, thus confirming.water ingression to be a viable coolability

mechanism. Results from water ingression, core-concrete interaction, and other tests will be

used to develop coolability models for incorporation into MELCOR, which is NRC's severe

accident computer model. This model is used to analyze potential risk and vulnerability of

nuclear power plants from severe accidents. The OECD-MCCI Program is hosted and

coordinated by NRC with participation by 13 OECD countries and by the U.S. Department of

Energy. The outcome of the OECD-MCCI Program is expected to determine the efficacy of

severe accident management strategy of flooding the reactor cavity.

RES Visit to Argonne National LaboratorV

As part of an initiative to coordinate research at the national laboratories to meet the NRC's

regulatory needs, RES management and staff, as well as Region IlIl staff, visited the Argonne

National Laboratory on August 19-20, 2004. The ANL staff presented the status of the NRCfunded research programs during the visit and conducted a tour of the experimental facilities,

emphasizing the significance of the research programs and products in addressing reactor

safety issues.

Public Meeting of the Interagency Steering Committee on Multimedia Environmental Modeling

(ISCMEM)

On August 24, 2004, NRC sponsored the annual ISCMEM meeting to discuss research results

and hear from researchers in other agencies on advances in resolving questions on uncertainty

estimation as it applies to multimedia environmental modeling. Currently, there are eight

participating Federal Agencies on the ISCMEM through a Memorandum of Understanding

(MOU). The MOU provides a framework for facilitating cooperation and coordination in

research and development of multimedia environmental models, software and related

databases, as they pertain to human and environmental health risk assessment. A significant

outcome of the meeting was tentative approval of a new working group proposal from the

newest agency to the ISCMEM, the Department of Homeland Security, to develop a realistic

urban air transport model. Information provided in the presentations and the meeting minutes

will be posted within 30 days on the ISCMEM website at httP://www.ISCMEM.Org.

August 27, 2004 ENCLOSURE C
Nuclear Security and Incident Response

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 27, 2004

Public Meeting Regarding the Development of a Smart Application Template

On August 20, 2004, Emergency Preparedness Directorate staff held a public meeting with

industry representatives to discuss the draft smart application template for requesting

emergency plan changes related to on-shift staffing and augmentation times. Informative

comments, provided by meeting attendees, will help to clarify and improve the template. The

meeting resulted in an agreement that once the template was revised the staff will include the

revised template as an attachment to the meeting summary for-reference by all licensees.

August 27, 2004 ENCLOSURE D
Office of Administration

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 27,2004

Contract Awards

On August 27, 2004, a competitive Blanket Purchase Agreement No. DR-38-04-378 was

awarded, under the General Service Administration's Federal Supply Schedule, to B&W

Technologies, Inc. The purpose of this agreement is to obtain services to prepare and revise

human resources policy/procedural guidance, develop human resources programs, conduct

workforce analysis, and deliver staffing, recruiting position classification and position

management services in a Federal government setting. The period of performance is one year

with two one-year options at an estimated cost of $344,087.80 (including option years).

August 27, 2004 ENCLOSURE F
Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 27, 2004

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Bimonthly Records and Information

Discussion Group (BRIDG) Meeting on Electronic Records Management

On August 19, 2004, OCIO staff attended the subject meeting. NARA representatives

presented an update on the groups' efforts which included the timeline for presenting final

recommendations from the report to members of the Interagency Committee on Government

Information (ICGI), which is charged with implementing section 207 of the E-Government Act of

2002 (P.L. 107-347). NARA representatives also presented a "Toolkit" project from the

workgroup that will be an Internet portal managed by NARA to share records management

guidance for all Federal government stakeholders.

Meeting on NRC E-Government (E-Gov) Program With Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) Administrator for E-Government & Information Technology

OMB's Administrator for the E-Government & Information Technology visited the NRC on

August 23. The purpose of the visit was to discuss NRC's progress with its Architecture/

Modernization program and other areas related to the E-Gov program. OCIO staff highlighted

the NRC's accomplishments in security, electronic document management, and progress in

integrating IT governance into the on-going activities of the agency. The OMB representative

took particular note of the NRC's oversight efforts to ensure no duplication of resources with the

government-wide E-Gov programs and the NRC's progress in establishing working agreements

with government-wide programs affecting NRC's business areas. The OCIO staff also

highlighted the NRC's efforts with the WEB initiatives and the challenges with the High-level

Waste program.

Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Requests Received During the Period of

Auaust 20 through Auaust 26. 2004:

Allegation, all records of investigation and complaint FOIAPA-2004-0337

NMED, medical events FOIA/PA-2004-0338

Documents removed from public domain as result of NRC's new FOIA/PA-2004-0339

policy on security information, specifically Reactor Oversight Process _

Investigation for access to facility - Referral by OPM FOIA/PA-2004-0340

August 27, 2004 ENCLOSURE G
Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 27, 2004

Arrivals

Linh Tran I Project Manager INRR

Departures _

Meredith Madwatkins Student Administrative (summer) R-l

Chad Tancil Student Clerk (summer) R-l1l

Chidinma 0. Ukoha General Engineer (summer) RES

Brittney M. Washington Student Clerk (summer) ADM

Benjamin Wong Student Engineer (summer) NRR

August 27, 2004 ENCLOSUREI
Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 27, 2004

Media Interest

The Office of Public Affairs (OPA) handled significant media inquiries on the following:

Concerns of Greenpeace and members of Congress over the safety of a proposed shipment of

plutonium to France for reprocessing.

NRC efforts to improve security of radioactive materials to prevent potential use by terrorists in

a udirty bomb."

The government's decision not to request an appeal in the Yucca Mountain court case and the

Nuclear Energy Institute's request for an appeal on behalf of the industry.

Final decommissioning of an old Babcock & Wilcox site in western Pennsylvania.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

04-098 NRC Issues Policy Statement on Environmental Justice (8/23)

04-099 NRC Releases Cleaned-Up Pennsylvania Site for Unrestricted Use (8/24)

Regions:

1-04-040 NRC Proposes $7,500 Fine Against N.J. Firm for Alleged Nuclear Gauge

Violations (8/24)

11-04-047 NRC to Discuss Safety Significance of Inspection Finding at Oconee

Nuclear Plant (8/25)

August 27, 2004 ENCLOSURE M
Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 27, 2004

Document Released Date Subject

to Public

Decision Documents

1. COMSECY-04-0047 7/19/04 Status of Security-Related Rulemaking

SRM on COMSECY-04- 8/23/04 (same)

0047

Voting Record on 8/17/04 (same)

COMSECY-04-0047

2. SECY-99-279 12/6/99 Final Rule Amending the Fitness-for-Duty Rule

SRM-SECY-99-279 7/5/00 (same)

Information Papers

1. SECY-04-0144 8/9/04 Maintaining a Current and Effective Set of

Reactor Guidance Documents

2. SECY-04-0148 8/11/04 Semiannual Report on Status of Staff

Information Technology/Information

Management and Business Process Activities in

Preparation for the High-Level Waste

Repository Proceedings

3. SECY-04-0152 8/23/04 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending

August 13, 2004

Memoranda

1. M040817B 8/26/04 Meeting with Organization of Agreement States

(OAS) and Conference of Radiation Control

Program Directors (CRCPD)

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Senator Judd Gregg, dated August 17, 2004, responds to letter forwarded from

Charles Butterfield concerning the power uprate application filed by Entergy Nuclear

Vermont Yankee, LLC and Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.

2. Letter to Congressman Edward J. Markey, dated August 17, 2004, responds to concerns

that NRC may not be doing enough to ensure that steam generator tube integrity is

maintained.

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes: Meeting Notice (10/13-14/04).

August 27, 2004 ENCLOSURE 0
...

Region I

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 27, 2004

Seabrook - Site Visit by NRC Senior Management

On August 25, 2004, the Regional Administrator toured the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant in

Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and met with licensee management and the resident inspector.

Georgia IMPEP Review

On August 23-26, 2004, an Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program (IMPEP)

review of the State of Georgia's Agreement State Program was conducted by staff from

Region 1, Office of State and Tribal Programs, and Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and

Safeguards, and a representative from the State of Oklahoma. This review focused on the

State's performance over the last four years and the action taken in response to the

recommendation made during the previous IMPEP reviews conducted in April 2000. In

approximately 30 days from the end of the review, the team will issue a draft report to the State

with its preliminary findings.

Maine Yankee - Site Visit by NRC Senior Management and Public Meeting

On August 26, 2004, the Regional Administrator visited the Maine Yankee Atomic Power

Station (Maine Yankee) in Wiscasset, Maine. He was accompanied by the Director, Division of

Waste Management and Environmental Protection, Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and

Safeguards (NMSS), and other NRC management personnel. The NRC management team

toured the site and met with licensee management and the resident inspector.

Later on the same day, NMSS staff held a public meeting in Wiscasset, Maine, to address

aspects of decommissioning Maine Yankee and its Independent Spent Fuel Storage

Installation.

August 27, 2004 ENCLOSURE P
Region 11

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 27, 2004

Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS) Facility - NRC Management Visit

On August 26-27, 2004, the Regional Administrator and Director, Division of Fuel Facility

Inspection, toured the NFS facility in Erwin, Tennessee, and met with licensee management

and the resident inspector.

August 27, 2004 ENCLOSURE P
Office of Congressional Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 27, 2004

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 69

OC............... OATE& W iTN ~ .. .................

Keeling 09/14/04 10:00 NRC, GAO Homeland Security: Monitoring Reps. Shays/Kucinich

2247 RHOB Nuclear Power Plant Security National Security, Emerging Threats,

and International Relations

Government Reform

Portner TBA TBA Markup FY2005 Energy and Water Senators DomenicV/Reld

SD-i124 Development Appropriations Energy and Water Development

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _A p p p ror p p riAp ria io n

Keeling TBA TBA Markup Homeland Security Authorization Reps. Cox/Tumer

345 CHOB Select Committee on Homeland

O. . . Security

Note: The Senate and the House of Representatives are in recess until September 7.

August 27, 2004 ENCLOSURE R