INFORMATION REPORT

February 14, 2005 SECY-05-0031

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0031 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2005”

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*

Office of Information Services 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
February 14, 2005 SECY-05-0031

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0031 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2005”

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*

Office of Information Services 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\Week204.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

TJKim:paa WMDean

02/14/05 02/14/05
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 4, 2005

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 3 OPA 7

RES * OIP *

NSIR * SECY 8

OGC * Region I *

ADM * Region II 10

OIS 5 Region III *

CFO * Region IV 11

HR 6 OEDO *

SBCR * OCA 12

OE *

*No input this week
February 4, 2005 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 4, 2005

License Renewal Public Meetings for Browns Ferry and Brunswick

On January 25, 2005, the staff conducted two public meetings in Athens, Alabama, to solicit

comments from the public on the draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS)

issued on December 3, 2004, related to the license renewal application for Browns Ferry

Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2, and 3 (BFN). The draft SEIS is a plant-specific supplement to the

"Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Power Plants"

(NUREG-1437). Approximately 50 people attended the meetings, including members of the

public, the licensee, and the local news media. Several members of the public expressed views

opposing the renewal of the BFN licenses and presented questions and comments on TVA’s

safety practices, restart of Unit 1, radioactive waste management, and plant radiological effluent

releases. The public comment period for the draft SEIS ends on March 2, 2005. At the

conclusion of the comment period, the staff will evaluate the comments received, revise the

draft SEIS as appropriate, and issue the final SEIS in July 2005.

Also on January 27, 2005, the staff conducted two public scoping meetings at the Southport

City Hall in Southport, NC, to solicit comments from the public on the scope of the SEIS being

prepared as part of the review of the license renewal application for the Brunswick Steam

Electric Plant, Units 1 and 2 (BSEP). Approximately 35 people attended the meetings. 

Attendees included members of the public, representatives from CP&L, news media, and local

government officials. Seven individuals spoke at the meetings. All of the public comments

were in support of license renewal for BSEP. The opportunity to petition for hearing ends on

February 4, 2005, and the scoping period ends on March 11, 2004. The draft SEIS is

scheduled to be published in September 2005 and the final SEIS is scheduled to be published

in April 2006.
February 4, 2005 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 4, 2005

Meeting with the Metals Industry Recycling Coalition (MIRC)

On February 1, 2005, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS) staff, along

with staff members from the Office of the General Counsel and the Office of Nuclear

Regulatory Research met with representatives of the MIRC. The meeting was at MIRC's

request, to discuss the status and schedule for the rulemaking on controlling the disposition of

solid material. MIRC representatives restated the comments and position previously stated by

the metals industry at the May 2003 workshop and in a comment letter, that radioactively

contaminated scrap metal from impacted or restricted areas should not be released into the

stream of commerce. MIRC supports disposal of this scrap metal in a Resources Conservation

and Recovery Act subtitled landfill as a cost-effective disposition option that would isolate that

material from the public. Other attendees at the meeting, which was open to the public,

included representatives of the BWX Technologies, Inc., the Environmental Protection Agency,

Nuclear Energy Institute, Steel Manufacturers Association, and Nuclear Information and

Resource Service, as well as members of the public and the news media. 

Staff Activities Related to Trojan Nuclear Plant Decommissioning

From January 24-27, 2005, NRC staff conducted an inspection at the Trojan Nuclear Plant

(TNP). On January 28, 2005, the project manager and technical reviewer provided a briefing

on the TNP decommissioning project to the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council at a

scheduled public meeting. NRC staff provided an overview of the NRC decommissioning

process and discussed NRC's review of TNP's Final Status Surveys.

Observation Audit of Department of Energy High-Level Waste Quality Assurance Activities

On January 24-28, 2005, Division of High-Level Waste Repository Safety and Center for

Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses staff observed a Department of Energy audit of its

contractor’s, the Bechtel SAIC Company, LLC, quality assurance activities. The audit was

performance-based and evaluated critical processes in the development of the pre-closure

safety analysis of the proposed Yucca Mountain repository. The audit focused on the areas of

criticality, electrical systems, and ventilation systems.

U.S./Russian Federation Bilateral Meeting

On January 24-27, 2005, staff from the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards

participated in a Bilateral Meeting with the Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear

Security Administration and the Nuclear, Industrial, and Environmental Regulatory Authority of

Russia (Rostekhnadzor). The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the status of the current

efforts and upcoming regulatory/licensing activities relevant to U.S./ Russian Federation (R.F.)

Surplus Weapons-Grade Plutonium Disposition Program. DOE is supporting regulatory

development activities associated with the R.F. Plutonium Disposition Program. The status of

the U.S. licensing reviews and NRC planning for the U.S. Mixed-Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility

construction inspection program were discussed. Also discussed was the upcoming

construction inspection workshop that NRC staff will present to Rostekhnadzor. This workshop

will be held in April 2005, in Tomsk, Russia.
February 4, 2005 ENCLOSURE G

Office of Information Services

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 4, 2005

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

January 31, through February 3, 2005:

VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, violations and inspections

(Referral by U. S. Merit Systems Protection Board)

FOIA/PA-2005-0121

Millstone Nuclear Power Station Unit 2, fire on 1-14-05, all

correspondence, reports, provide by Dominion Nuclear, the Town of

Waterford, and CT Department of Environmental Protection

FOIA/PA-2005-0122

Allegation RI-2004-A-0126 FOIA/PA-2005-0123

NRC I.M.P.A.C. credit card holders FOIA/PA-2005-0124

NUREG/CR-2792, “An Assessment of Residual Heat Removal &

Containment Spray Pump Performance Under Air & Debris Ingesting

Conditions,” Sept. 1982

FOIA/PA-2005-0125

Department of Energy SAR dated 3-31-98, docket no. 71-9098 FOIA/PA-2005-0126

NTEU-represented bargaining unit employees, specific information FOIA/PA-2005-0127

Allegation NRR-2003-A-0017, any and all records FOIA/PA-2005-0128

Kerr McGee Tech. Center, Oklahoma City, OK, decommissioning

plan, 4-5-2001, docket 040-08006

FOIA/PA-2005-0129

Potential gamma and x-ray exposures associated with the use of

relocatable VACIS Inspection System, US NRC No. CA-215-D-104B,

and Portal VACIS unit, US NRC No. CA-215-D-102G

FOIA/PA-2005-0130

Contract NRC 3303314 held by Ruland & Associates & Contract

NRC2600307 held by DigitalNet Government Solutions (FKA

Gentronics), SOW, Section B, COTR name, etc.

FOIA/PA-2005-0131
February 4, 2005 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 4, 2005

Arrivals

Tom Allen Security Specialist NSIR

Norbert Carte I&C Engineer RES

Jill De La Garza IT Specialist R-IV

Denise Lockhart-Reeves Secretary (OA) NRR

David J. Hesch Senior Accountant OCFO

Bernadette Madison Site Secretary RIV

Nancy Salgado Project Manager NRR

Retirements

Carroll Armstrong Secretary (OA) R-I

Elaine S. Brummett Health Physicist NMSS

Lawrence Danziger IT Specialist OCIO

Jane E. Fogg Secretary (OA) NMSS

David J. Lange Sr. Regional Coordinator/Program Engineer OEDO

George F. Lanik Sr. Reactor Systems Engineer/Team Leader RES

Howard Larson Special Assistant ACRS

Patricia G. Norry Dep Exec Dir For Management Services OEDO

Eileen S. Peyton Licensing Assistant NRR

Kathleen E. Ruhlman Reference Librarian OCIO

Departures

Robert Ems IT Specialist/Team Leader R-II

Gerald D. Toms Consultant NSIR
February 4, 2005 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 4, 2005

Media Interest

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

A possible reactor to supply electricity to Galena, Alaska.

The final environmental impact statement on a proposed mixed oxide facility in South Carolina.

Employee dismissals at Salem/Hope Creek following the merger of PSE&G and Exelon.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

05-018 NRC Seeks Public Comment on Revised Guidelines for Nuclear Power

Plant License Renewal Applications (2/1)

05-019 NRC to Hold Public Conference on Licensing Process for Storage and

Transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel (2/2)

05-020 NRC Meeting with Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (2/3)

05-021 Note to Editors: NRC to Conduct FY2006 Budget Briefing Feb. 7 in

Rockville, Maryland (2/3) 

05-022 NRC Restores Web-Based Access to Online Library (2/4)

Regions:

I-05-006 NRC Finalizes ‘White’ for Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant Over Tone Alert

Radios (2/2)

II-05-004 NRC Issues Confirmatory Order to USEC on Employee Protection Training

at Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Kentucky (2/1)

II-05-005 NRC Schedules Regulatory Conference to Discuss Summer Nuclear Plant

Concern (2/1)

II-05-006 NRC Schedules Public Meeting on Monday, February 7 to Discuss

Honeywell Specialty Chemicals Plant Performance (2/2)

III-05-004 NRC Announces New Senior Resident Inspector at Point Beach Nuclear

Power Station (2/4)
February 4, 2005 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 4, 2005

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SECY-04-0226 11/30/04 Denial of Petition for Rulemaking (PRM-20-

22) Submitted by the Northeast Ohio

Regional Sewer District

SRM on 04-0226 12/20/04 (same)

Commission Voting

Record on 04-0226

12/20/04 (same)

2. SECY-05-0017 1/18/05 Proposed Rule - AP1000 Design

Certification

3. SECY-05-0019 1/19/05 Proposed Revision to NRC’s Relocation

Policy

Information Papers

1. SECY-05-0013 1/12/05 Semiannual Update of the Status of New

Reactor Licensing Activities and Future

Planning for New Reactors

2. SECY-05-0014 1/14/05 Submission of the Annual Freedom of

Information Act Report

3. SECY-05-0025 2/1/05 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending

January 14, 2005

4. SECY-05-0027 2/3/05 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending

January 21,2005

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Rod Paige, Secretary of Education, dated January 25, 2005, provides NRC’s 

FY 2004 Annual Federal Performance Report on Executive Agency Actions to Assist

Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

2. Letter to Congress, dated January 26, 2005, provides an invitation to the NRC’s 17th

Annual Regulatory Information Conference. 
February 4, 2005 ENCLOSURE O

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste, Meeting on Planning and Procedures, notice of

meeting (02/23/05). 

2. Application for a License to Export High-Enriched Uranium.

3. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, revised 519th ACRS notice of meeting

(02/10-11/05).

4. Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste, 157th notice of meeting (02/23-25/05). 

5. Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, All Tech Corporation, Pocatello,

Idaho (Civil Monetary Penalty), Docket No. 30-35321-CivP, ASLBP No. 05-836-02-CivP.
February 4, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 4, 2005

Visit by the Chairman and Executive Director for Operations

On February 1, 2005, the Chairman and the Executive Director for Operations visited the

Region II offices to meet with the regional staff. 

Congressional Outreach Program

On February 3, 2005, as part of the Congressional Outreach Program, the State Liaison Officer

visited the local office of U. S. Congressman Spratt (5th District, South Carolina) located in Rock

Hill, SC, and met with his staff to discuss Commission programs and other matters of mutual

interest. On the following day, the State Liaison Officer also visited the local office of U. S.

Senator, Lindsey Graham located in Columbia, SC, and met with his staff. 
February 4, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 4, 2005

Deputy Regional Administrator Visit to Palo Verde

On February 3, 2005, the Deputy Regional Administrator, Region IV, visited Palo Verde Nuclear

Generating Station to meet with resident inspectors and a plant tour. Later on the same day,

he attended an Operator Licensing Certificate Presentation ceremony for the recently qualified

group of reactor operators. 
February 4, 2005 

Office of Congressional Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 4, 2005

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 5

 OCAContact

 DATE & PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Shane/Combs

02/10/052123 RHOB

9:30am FERC, DOE, NRC (Reyes),

NEI, USPIRG, and others

Energy Policy Act of 2005 Reps. Ha

Energy aEnergy a

Keeling Tentative for

March 15

TBD Chairman Diaz, DOE,

Exelon CEO, IBEW rep,City Council rep nearGrand Gulf

DOE’s NP 2010 Program Senators 

Energy a