INFORMATION REPORT

May 2, 2002 SECY-02-0073

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-02-0073 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING APRIL 26, 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:

J. Colaccino, OEDO
May 2, 2002 SECY-02-0073

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-02-0073 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING APRIL 26, 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:

J. Colaccino, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\WEEK426.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

JColaccino:paa JWCraig

05/ /02 05/ /02
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING APRIL 26, 2002

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: J. Colaccino, OEDO by E-mail: jxc1@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
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 26, 2002

Staff Issues Draft Environmental Impact Statement in Support of License Renewal for the Surry

Power Station, Units 1 and 2

On April 18, 2002, the NRC staff delivered the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) it has

prepared regarding license renewal for the Surry Power Station, Units 1 and 2, to the

Environmental Protection Agency. The draft EIS is a plant-specific supplement to the “Generic

Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Power Plants” (NUREG1437). The draft is being issued for public comment, with the comment period closing on July

12, 2002. On May 29, 2002, the staff will hold public meetings in Surry, Virginia to provide the

public with information about the results of the staff’s review and to collect comments on the

draft EIS. After the comment period ends, the staff will resolve the comments received and

develop the final EIS.

National Radiological Emergency Preparedness Conference

Members of the EPHP Section attended the four-day, annual National Radiological Emergency

Preparedness Conference. The conference was hosted by the State of Wisconsin Emergency

Management Agency. There were approximately 300 attendees representing State and local

emergency management agencies, law enforcement, the nuclear industry, vendors and federal

government agencies. 

The focus of the conference dealt with emergency management activities predominantly related

to accidents at nuclear facilities. However, the impact of September 11, 2001 was obvious in

that each day had some topic related to a "security threat." Additionally, updates of current and

projected activities were provided by NRC (NRR & IRO), along with NEI, FEMA and DOE.

A panel representing NRC, FEMA and 2 different State emergency management agencies,

discussed their representative positions on the use of KI. This panel generated the most

questions and overall interactions of the conference. 

Public Meeting with Stakeholders Concerning Development of a Proposed Worker Fatigue Rule

On April 19, 2002, the staff held the second stakeholder meeting concerning the development

of a rule concerning worker fatigue at nuclear power plants. Participants in the meeting

included representatives from the Electric Power Research Institute, the Institute for Nuclear

Power Operations, the Nuclear Energy Institute, the Professional Reactor Operator Society, the

Union of Concerned Scientists, individual utilities, and members of the public. The staff 

discussed findings from the assessment of the NRC’s worker fatigue policy, the technical basis

for proposed changes to the current policy guidelines, and a UCS proposal for revised working

hour limits. NEI proposed to develop a guidance document for fatigue management methods.

The participants set June 5, 2002 as the date for the next public meeting to discuss the

rulemaking and NEI’s progress in developing a guidance document.
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE A

Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 2

The staff has approved a request by the licensee to increase the maximum authorized reactor

core power level from 2815 megawatts thermal (MWt) to 3026 MWt, which represents a power

increase of about 7.5 percent and is considered to be an extended power uprate. This power

uprate is the first PWR uprate over 5%. The staff’s evaluation of the power uprate focused on

several areas, including the nuclear steam supply system; systems, structure and components;

balance-of-plant systems; human factors; radiological consequences; probabilistic risk

assessment; and technical specification changes. The licensee is implementing the power

uprate during the current refueling and maintenance outage.

Oconee 1 Steam Generator Tube Examinations

In April 2002, Duke Power Company was inspecting and deplugging tubes in the Oconee Unit 1

steam generators in response to the Fall 2001 inspection findings at TMI described in IN 2002-

02, “Recent Experience With Plugged Steam Generator Tubes”. The licensee identified a wear

scar on a plugged tube. The licensee performed a secondary-side visual and discovered a

circumferentially severed plugged tube at the secondary face of the lower tubesheet (LTS). 

The licensee performed in-situ pressure tests on the tubes with wear scars and reported that

the test results were satisfactory indicating that the severed tube had not significantly impacted

the integrity of its neighboring tubes (all of which were plugged during prior outages). The

licensee removed portions of several of the affected tubes for destructive examination including

the severed tube. The severed tube was one of twelve tubes instrumented with thermocouples

during the first cycle of operation and subsequently plugged. Region II is conducting a special

inspection at Oconee. The findings at Oconee have some differences from the severed

plugged tube found at TMI. 
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 26, 2002

Observation of the Department of Energy’s Audit of the Lawrence Livermore

National Laboratory

On April 15-19, 2002, the Division of Waste Management staff observed the Department

of Energy’s (DOE’s), Office of Quality Assurance (OQA) audit of the Lawrence Livermore

National Laboratory (LLNL) in Livermore, California. The scope of the audit was to evaluate

the implementation, compliance, adequacy, and effectiveness of the quality assurance (QA)

program and procedures supporting the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project. The

OQA auditors reviewed LLNL’s material service investigations for waste packages and

various studies for the Yucca Mountain Site repository. The audit identified two potential

administrative-related deficiencies, three quality observations related to not following

procedures verbatim, and one deficiency identification and referral for continuing to be late on

performing technical and compliance reviews. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission observers

initiated one Audit Observer Inquiry, requesting OQA to verify if its management and operating

contractor implemented the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management’s (OCRWM’s)

QA program in the procurement of welded-metal materials and non-destructive examination

services. On receipt of LLNL’s response outlining the actions taken to correct the deficiencies

identified by DOE’s OQA, the staff will conduct a review and determine if the actions taken to

preclude recurrence are adequate. The staff will follow up on OQA’s verification of compliance

with OCRWM’s QA program procurement requirements.

Yucca Mountain Technical Agreement Discussions with the Department of Energy

On April 15-16, 2002, members from the Division of Waste Management participated in a

Technical Exchange and Management Meeting with the Department of Energy (DOE) in Las

Vegas. DOE’s Key Technical Issue (KTI) Agreement Item Planning Strategy and the KTI

agreements that DOE plans to address in FY 2002 were discussed. During the overview of the

DOE KTI Planning Strategy, DOE discussed the process it used for binning the agreements,

how the schedule for addressing the agreements was developed, and the method it used to

document the work scope needed to address the agreements. DOE then discussed, briefly,

each of the agreements it plans to address in FY 2002. No new agreements were reached at

this meeting; however, the due dates and/or documentation method for several agreements

were changed, one agreement was modified, and two agreements were closed. To date, 41

of the 293 agreements are closed. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission currently has 16

agreements under review and DOE plans to address an additional 50 agreements before the

end of FY 2002. A second Technical Exchange to discuss DOE plans to address FY 2003 and

FY 2004 agreements is being scheduled for late June in Las Vegas.

Staff Briefing of the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste on Risk Insights Initiative and

Unlikely Event Rulemaking

On April 16, 2002, staff from the Division of Waste Management presented two briefings to

the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste. One presentation was a status report, on the

high-level-waste risk insights initiative, a communication and integration exercise the staff is
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE B

conducting. The staff presented an overview of the activities that comprise the risk insights

initiative, and the results from the communication exercise. Staff described the process it is

using in the exercise to collect the basis, including any risk information, for each of the 293 key

technical issue agreements with the Department of Energy. It described topics where additional

training is needed and addressed how communications can be improved. It also described the

steps being taken to implement the improvements. In addition, the presentation also identified

those additional areas where analyses need to be conducted to obtain the risk insights. Finally,

the staff outlined how the results of the risk insights initiative would be documented. The other

staff presentation was an update on the expedited rulemaking to amend 10 CFR Part 63 to

address the probability limit for unlikely events to be used in groundwater and human intrusion

standards. Staff presented the approach used in the proposed draft amendment. It also

described the comments obtained from the public comment period and the next steps in the

rulemaking. 

West Valley Demonstration Project Meetings, West Valley, New York

On April 16-17, 2002, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff participated in a series of

meetings, in the vicinity of the West Valley site, to address NRC’s “Final Policy Statement on

Decommissioning Criteria for the West Valley Demonstration Project,” the “Regulators’

Communication Plan”, roles and responsibilities of NRC and other agencies involved in the

cleanup of the West Valley site, and other regulatory issues. On the evening of April 16, 2002,

NRC staff met with the West Valley Citizen Task Force (CTF) to address questions and

concerns about the Final Policy Statement. On the morning of April 17, 2002, NRC staff met

with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, the New York State

Energy Research and Development Authority, the New York State Department of Health, and

the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The purpose of this meeting

was to discuss various topics, such as concerns raised in the CTF meeting, the “Regulators’

Communication Plan,” status of the planned West Valley Decommissioning Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS), and other important issues related to site decommissioning.

On the evening of April 17, 2002, NRC and other Federal and State agencies participated in a

public meeting to clarify their roles and responsibilities related to the cleanup of the West Valley

site, present information on NRC’s Final Policy Statement, and afford an opportunity for public

questions and answers. The major concerns expressed included the flexibility of the Final

Policy Statement, the potential for exemptions, authorization for providing criteria for waste

incidental to reprocessing, and status and content of the West Valley Decommissioning EIS. A

transcript of this meeting will be available to the public on the NRC website.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Department of Energy (DOE) Management

Meeting to Discuss Items of Mutual Interest on High-Level Waste Repository Program

On April 18-19, 2002, the management of the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

held a quarterly meeting with the management of the Department of Energy (DOE), Office of

Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, to discuss pending items of mutual interest related to

their respective High-Level Waste (HLW) Repository Programs. The meeting was held in Las

Vegas, Nevada, with video-conference and/or audio-conference participation from the Nuclear

Regulatory Commission (NRC), the DOE Forrestal Office Building, the Center for Nuclear

Waste Regulatory Analyses, and the NRC Region IV Offices. The meeting included observers
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE B

from the State of Nevada, Affected Units of the local government, Nuclear Energy Institute, and

public interest groups. The NRC management provided a HLW program update, expressed

concern about the DOE Quality Assurance program, and the importance of addressing the

agreements related to the subissues of the Key Technical Issues deemed important to

repository performance by NRC staff. In addition, NRC management summarized its efforts

on the public outreach program, including public meetings to be held in May 2002, in Nevada,

on the draft Yucca Mountain Review Plan. DOE management provided updates on the HLW

program and the Employee Concerns program. Further, DOE discussed its management

improvement initiatives for correcting past problems. The next management meeting will be

held in July 2002 at NRC Headquarters.

Private Fuel Storage Application

During the week of April 21, 2002, staff from the Spent Fuel Project Office (SFPO) participated

in adjudicatory proceedings before the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board. The proceedings

regarded the Private Fuel Storage application for a license to construct and operate an awayfrom-reactor independent spent fuel storage installation on the Reservation of the Skull Valley

Band of Goshute Indians. Hearings during the week of April 21, 2002, concerned the remaining

environmental contentions. Supporting SFPO staff as witnesses were representatives of the

U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Surface Transportation

Board, and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 26, 2002

National Academy of Science Workshop on Fire Safety Research

On April 15-16, 2002, the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) staff participated in the

National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council “Workshop to Identify Innovative

Research Needs to Foster Improved Fire Safety in the United States.” The workshop involved

invited presentations by leading researchers on issues in fire and explosions, materials and fire

retardants, fire protection, fire protection engineering tools, structural performance, human

behavior, and public policy. The papers and subsequent discussion were aimed at identifying

key areas where research was needed to improve fire safety. A paper by a RES staff member 

addressed the treatment of uncertainties in fire safety assessments. The workshop proved to

be a useful forum for discussing limitations in the current state of the art of fire analyses, as well

as for identifying possible steps for developing a broad, national program for fire safety

research.

Multi-agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM) Workgroup Meeting

The mission of the Workgroup is to provide technical processes and methods, which are

accepted and endorsed across the Federal government and State governments, that regulators

and users of radioactivity can use to measure radioactivity to demonstrate compliance with

regulatory criteria. The MARSSIM Workgroup met April 16-18, 2002, to work on drafts of two

supplemental survey manuals–one for radiation measurements of materials and equipment, the

other for surveys of subsurface radioactive materials. In addition, the Workgroup addressed

updates for the MARSSIM and the MARSSIM website–including answers to Frequently Asked

Questions (FAQs). Representatives from the author agencies, DOD (Air Force, Navy), DOE,

EPA, NRC, participated, and two members of the public attended. The Workgroup produced a

preliminary draft Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Assessment of Materials and Equipment

(MARSAME). The second supplement, a manual for surveys of subsurface radioactive

material, has progressed to the level of an annotated table of contents. The region of interest

for this manual is between 15 centimeters below the surface to the water table. Surveys of the

water table is out of the scope of this manual, however, an appropriate bibliography of

measurement techniques for saturated zones will be included as an appendix. These

Workgroup activities are geared toward producing draft manuals for inter-agency review in a

year. 

Internet Web site: http://www.epa.gov/radiation/marssim/

Prestressed Concrete Containment Vessel (PCCV) Overpressurization

A staff member of the Engineering Research Applications Branch presented a paper at the 10th

International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-10) in Arlington, Virginia on April 18,

2002. The title of the paper was “Results of Overpressurization Test of a 1:4 Scale

Prestressed Concrete Containment Model.” The Nuclear Power Corporation of Japan (NUPEC)

and the NRC co-sponsored a research program at Sandia National Laboratories to investigate

the response of representative models of nuclear containment structures beyond their design
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE C

conditions. The first project, a 1:10 scale model of a steel BWR containment structure was

tested to failure in December 1996. A 1:4 scale model of a prestressed concrete containment

vessel (PCCV) was constructed by NUPEC at Sandia from January 1997 through June 2000. 

Concurrently, Sandia instrumented the model with over 1500 transducers to measure strain,

displacement and forces in the model from the time of introduction of prestress forces through

the pressure testing. The test to failure of the PCCV model was conducted in September 2000

at Sandia. This paper describes the conduct of that test which resulted in a failure due to liner

tearing. Pressure was raised in steps and leakage was first detected at about 2.5 times the

design pressure. At about 3.3 times design pressure, leakage had increased beyond the

capability of the supply system and the model was depressurized.

Peer Review Meeting for Package Performance Study

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) convened the first technical peer review panel meeting for

Package Performance Study (PPS). The panel reviewed the test protocols report and other

PPS info. Two panels have been assembled: the structural panel to review the proposed

impact test and the thermal panel to review the proposed fire tests. The structural panel

strongly endorsed (1) a regulatory (30’) drop of a Holtec Hi-Star cask with impact limiter,

followed by (2) a ~60 mph impact of the same Hi-Star either with ’real’ impact limiter or a

substitute (easier to analyze and cheaper) limiter. The thermal panel recommended a series

(10-12) of calorimeter tests and orientations with a goal of understanding fire physics and the

CAFÉ code's modeling; to be followed by one or two cask tests. They recommended a PPS

goal of demonstrating CAFÉ’s ability to predict time to limiting temp for seal, lead, and fuel. 

Both the thermal and structural panels had questions on the fuel experiments (there is not a

separate fuel panel). Main issues included the appropriateness of the aging process for the

fuel cladding and the wide variation of fuel (representativeness). 

CSNI Workshop 

A staff member from RES was a member of the Organizing Committee for, and chaired a

Session at the OECD/NEA Workshop on “Evaluation of Defects, Repair Criteria and Methods of

Repair for Concrete Structures in Nuclear Power Plants.” The Workshop, which was hosted by

the GRS and held in Berlin on April 10-11, 2002, was very successful. Twenty papers were

presented by authors from fourteen countries. Conclusions and recommendations are currently

being drafted by the Organizing Committee based on the information developed at the

Workshop. Final conclusions will be developed by the Working Group on the integrity and

aging of components and structures later this year. 
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE D

Nuclear Security and Incident Response

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 26, 2002

NSIR Meeting on ICMs for Decommissioning Reactors

On April 19, 2002, NSIR staff held a closed meeting with the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) to

discuss Interim Compensatory Measures (ICMs) for enhanced security and associated 

guidance for Decommissioning Reactors. NEI provided draft guidance for NRC staff for

information and discussion. The ICMs are intended to (1) enhance the licensee’s capability to

detect unauthorized activities at decommissioning reactors, (2) ensure communication

capability between the licensee and outside support agencies, and (3) enhance the coordination

of response activities performed by licensees and outside support agencies.

Subcommittee on International Safeguards and Monitoring (SISM)

The SISM met on April 24 to review the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s) work

plan for protecting against nuclear terrorism, which was supported by the Board of Governors. 

The plan will be discussed at an upcoming meeting of the IAEA Advisory Group on Security.

National Radiological Emergency Preparedness Conference (NREP)

On April 15-18, 2002, staff from NSIR, NRR, and NRC Regional offices represented NRC at the

National Radiological Emergency Preparedness Conference (NREP) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

The NREP is a forum for state and federal responders, as well as licensee emergency

preparedness directors, to discuss emerging issues in radiological emergency response. NRC

presented current NRC issues including NRC emergency response to the 9-11 events, KI, and

exercises with terrorism aspects. In addition to the formal presentations, NRC staff answered

questions from the conference participants. Two licensees expressed interest in incorporating

terrorism aspects into exercises, and one state also approached NRC to request a terrorism

exercise. NRC staff is following up with the interested parties, and will incorporate these

exercises into the 2003 exercise schedule. 

Division of Incident Response Meeting with U. S. Postal Service

On April 18, 2002, the Division of Incident Response Operations, the Office of Public Affairs

and the Office of Administration staff met with the U. S. Postal Service (USPS) to discuss

potential emergency response issues and areas where the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

(NRC) expertise may be of assistance for USPS emergency planning. Among the specific

issues discussed were dispersion modeling. Issues discussed included NRC’s dispersion

modeling capabilities and NRC’s experience regarding Joint Information Centers.

Preliminary Notifications

1. PNO-I-02-11, Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., STOLEN SEALED CALIBRATION

SOURCE.
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE D

2. PNO-II-02-17, University of Alabama Medical Center, MISSING BRACHYTHERAPY

SOURCE.

3. PNO-III-02-016A, Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant, DISCRETE RADIOACTIVE

PARTICLES FOUND OUTSIDE THE RADIOLOGICALLY RESTRICTED AREA.

4. PNO-III-02-018, Riverside Methodist Hospital, INTRAVASCULAR BRACHYTHERAPY

MISADMINISTRATION (OVERDOSE).
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration 

Items of Interest 

Week Ending April 26, 2002

Performance-based Contracting

On April 22, 2002, Division of Contracts and Property Management (DCPM) staff participated in

an interagency Performance-Based Contracting Communities of Practice meeting called by the

Administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP). At the meeting, the

Administrator tasked this interagency group to develop a consistent definition of performancebased contracting that can be agreed upon and used government-wide. The group’s

recommendation, being developed through electronic communications, will be submitted to

OFPP at the end of this month.

E-procurement

On April 23, 2002, DCPM staff and two representatives from OCFO attended a demonstration

of the Department of Interior’s Electronic Acquisition System (IDEAS) at DOI’s National

Business Center in Reston, Virginia. IDEAS, which interfaces with the Interior-FFS system

currently used by NRC, is an alternative that DCPM is considering to replace its current contract

writing system. 

Small Agency Council

On April 23, 2002, DCPM, participated in the Small Agency Council (SAC) Executive Board

meeting held at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission headquarters in Washington, D.C. 

The staffer, a Co-chair of the SAC Procurement Committee, reported on the committee’s three

FY 2002 programs (contingency planning for continuation of procurement activity in case of

emergencies, legislative activity including the proposed Service Acquisition Reform Act, and Eprocurement). The topics for the May 22, 202, meeting are E-procurement and an update of

the Administration’s procurement priorities. 

Award

On April 19, 2002, an open market competitive purchase order (No. DR-01-0265) for "NRC's

Child Care Tuition Assistance Program" was awarded to Federal Employees Education and

Assistance (FEEA) in the amount of $248,000. The period of performance is five years. 

Streamlining initiatives used were: use of one panel member, electronic submission of SOW,

and simplified evaluation criteria. 

Medical Use of Byproduct Material (Parts 20, 32, and 35)

A final rule that revises the regulations governing the medical use of byproduct material was

published in the Federal Register on April 24, 2002 (67 FR 20250). The final rule is intended to

focus NRC’s regulations on those medical procedures that pose the highest risk to workers,

patients, and the public and to structure the regulations to be more risk-informed and ,ore

performance-based. The final rule becomes effective October 24, 2002.
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE F

A document modifying the NRC’s Enforcement Policy to reflect these revised regulations was

published in the Federal Register on April 24, 2002 (67 FR 20187). 

Salary Offset Procedures for Collecting Debts Owed by Federal Employees to the Federal

Government (Part 16)

A proposed rule that would amend the regulations concerning procedures used to collect debts

that are owed to the NRC by Federal employees was published in the Federal Register on

April 24, 2002 (67 FR 20059). The proposed rule would conform NRC regulations to the

legislative changes enacted in the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 and the amended

procedures contained in the Federal Claims Collection Standards. The comment period for this

action closes July 8, 2002.
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 26, 2002

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

April 19, 2002 through April 25, 2002:

Arbeidsgemeinschaft Versuchreactor or AVR, all documents (FOIA/PA-2002-0231)

Thorium High Temperature Reactor (THTR), all documents (FOIA/PA-2002-0232)

OIG Semiannual Reports 3-31-01 through 9-30-01, OIG Strategic Plans, Financial Statement

Audits 9-30-00 through 9-30-01, Performance Reports for FY2000 & FY2001 (FOIA/PA-2002-

0233)
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 26, 2002

Arrivals

DIAZ TORO, Diana NUCLEAR SAFETY INTERN NMSS

MOODY, Frederick CONSULTANT ACRS/ACNW
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 26, 2002

Media Interest

There was continuing interest in the reactor vessel head degradation problem at Davis-Besse

and its consequences for FirstEnergy Corp.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

02-050 NRC Announces Opportunity for Hearing on Diablo Canyon Independent

Spent Fuel Storage Installation

02-051 NRC Approves Power Uprate for South Texas Project, Units 1 & 2

02-052 NRC Amends Rule on Debt Collection Procedures

Regions:

III-02-022 NRC Staff to Meet with Nuclear Management Co. To Discuss Safety

Significance of Cooling System Issue at Point Beach Plant
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE N

Office of International Programs

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 26, 2002

Visit of UK Liabilities Management Unit to Discuss Site Clean Up

On April 22, 2002, representatives of the Liabilities Management Unit (LMU) of the United

Kingdom (UK) Department of Trade and Industry and representatives from BNFL and the UK

Atomic Energy Agency (UKAEA) met with the Director, Division of Waste Management; the

Decommissioning Branch Chief, and other NRC staff. The LMU officials are in the U.S. to

discuss clean up and decommissioning of nuclear sites. They will also meet with U.S.

Department of Energy (DOE) representatives and visit two DOE sites: Rocky Flats and

Savannah River throughout the week. The context of the visit is the formation, by the U.K.

government, of a new organization to address site clean up and decommissioning within the

next year and a half. In its discussions with NRC, the LMU delegation was interested in funding

mechanisms, organization infrastructure for regulating decommissioning, as well as in the

interaction with the general public. 
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 26, 2002

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SECY-02-0067 4/15/02 Inspections, Tests, Analyses, and

Acceptance Criteria (ITAAC) for Operational

Programs (Programmatic ITAAC)

2. SECY-02-0032 2/22/02 Report to Congress on Abnormal

Occurrences for Fiscal Year 2001

SRM on SECY-02-0032 3/27/02 (same subject)

Voting Record on

SECY-02-0032

3/27/02 (same subject)

Information Papers

1. SECY-02-0064 4/5/02 Results from Pilot Program for NMSS

Initiative on Streamlining Inspection and

Enforcement

2. SECY-02-0069 4/19/02 SECY-02-0069 Weekly Information Report -

Week Ending April 12, 2002

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Congressman Markey dated April 15, 2002, concerns the NRC policies and

procedures for the protection of nuclear materials from theft or diversion. 

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. 10 CFR Parts 20, 32, and 35, Medical Use of Byproduct Material - Final Rule.

2. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Subcommittee Meeting on Planning and

Procedures - Notice of Meeting.

3. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (Full Committee) - Meeting Notice.

4. Entergy Nuclear Indian Point2, LLC, and Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. Indian Point

Nuclear Generating Unit No. 2- Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board.

5. NRC Enforcement Policy; Modification, Medical Use - Policy Statement: Modification.
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE P

Region I

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 26, 2002

Heritage Minerals, Inc. Meeting

On April 23, 2002, DNMS staff and management met with representatives from Heritage

Minerals, Inc. (HMI) at the Region I office to discuss results of the December 2001 confirmatory

survey conducted at the Lakehurst, New Jersey site by the NRC’s contractor, Oak Ridge

Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). The site is on the NRC Site Decommissioning

Management Plan (SDMP) list of contaminated sites. During the period July-October 2001, the

licensee performed remediation of licensed site areas, submitted a Final Status Survey to NRC,

and requested release of the property for unrestricted use . However, ORISE subsequently

identified residual material in mill buildings and soil at the site. During the April 23 meeting 

HMI’s plans and schedule for completing necessary remediation of contaminated areas were

discussed. Staff from the NRC Division of Waste Management and representatives from the

New Jersey Dept. of Environmental Protection participated in the meeting.

Pilgrim Public Meeting On Site Security

On April 21, 2002, Congressman William Delahunt of Massachusetts hosted a meeting to

discuss security and emergency planning issues at the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant. 

Representatives from various federal and state agencies, including NRC, DOE, FEMA, the

Coast Guard and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, participated in the

meeting, as did the Union of Concerned Scientists. The Regional Administrator represented

the NRC on the panel. Individuals from NRR and NSIR provided technical support. For about

two hours at the start of the meeting, the public was provided an opportunity to raise questions

or provide concerns. After the public comment period, the Congressman questioned the

various agency spokespersons regarding measures that have been taken, as well as those

planned to be taken, to ensure safety at the Pilgrim nuclear facility. This was the third meeting

sponsored by Congressman Delahunt on security-related topics since September 11, 2001. 

About 70 members of the public attended. Reporters from several newspapers and a local

radio station covered the meeting. 
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 26, 2002

Workshop with Region II Power Reactor Licensees

On April 23-24, 2002, the Regional Administrator and the Chief Nuclear Officer for Progress

Energy hosted a workshop with representatives from the nuclear power reactor facilities in

Region II. There were over 100 participants, including representatives from the Office of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation, the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, the Office of

Nuclear Security and Incident Response, and senior licensee Vice-Presidents. The workshop

was sponsored by the American Nuclear Society with the purpose of fostering communication

through discussion of current issues that challenge both industry and the NRC. Keynote

presentations were made by the NRC Chairman and Deputy Director of the NRC Office of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation.

Region II’s Participation in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Review in Armenia

On April 25-May 10, 2002, the Deputy Director, Division of Reactor Safety is supporting NRC’s

program to aid IAEA. The Deputy Director is participating as a team member in an International

Regulatory Review of the country of Armenia’s nuclear regulatory program.

Savannah River Site Nuclear Exercise

On April 23-26, 2002, the Region II, State Liaison Officer participated as a member of the

FEMA, Regional Assistance Committee to evaluate State and DOE response during an

emergency preparedness exercise at the Savannah River Site. This exercise was sponsored

by the Department of Energy (DOE), involving officials of the States of South Carolina, Georgia,

Florida and Alabama.

Bristol-Meyers Squibb, in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico

On April 12, 2002, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, a nuclear pharmacy in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico,

reported that an internal investigation in response to NRC’s Information Notice 2000-10,

“Recent Events Resulting in Extremity Exposures Exceeding Regulatory Limits”, identified

possible radiation over exposures to the extremities of two radiopharmacists. This past week, a

Special Inspection Team from Region II conducted an assessment of the licensee’s response

and corrective actions to the possible over exposures.
April 26, 2002 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 26, 2002

Reactive Team Inspection at Framatome ANP Richland

On April 18, 2002, the onsite portion of a reactive inspection was completed at Framatome,

ANP Richland to review an April 3, 2002, Bulletin 91-01 notification of a loss of a criticality

safety control (see PNO-IV-02-019). The inspection included a RIV Fuel Cycle

Decommissioning Branch staff member, along with two NMSS (FSSS) staff members. A State

of Washington representative observed the inspection. The inspection confirmed that

corrective actions taken by the licensee were adequate to continue the dry powder loading

operations. However, the NRC engaged the licensee at the preliminary exit briefing and by

telephone conference call on April 23, 2002, to request additional followup actions to address

potential broader concerns related to procedures and management controls at the facility. In

the telephonic conference call, the licensee committed to send a letter to NRC confirming their

plans to continue with additional reviews to address the NRC concerns and to hold a followup

conference call with the NRC by May 8, 2002, to discuss the initial results of the reviews and

plans for any further actions based on the results. 

Public Meeting with Entergy Operations, Inc. at Waterford 3

On April 24, 2002, an public meeting was conducted with Entergy Operations management in

the Region IV office to review the Waterford 3 Refuel 11 outage. Discussions included an

event that occurred on March 23, 2002, involving the inability to initiate shutdown cooling for

about 11⁄2 hours (reference PNO-IV-02-016). During the event, operators declared an ALERT,

and Region IV activated its Incident Response Center to monitor plant conditions until shutdown

cooling was established. 

Other topics discussed during the meeting included the failure of the anti-rotation device on

Reactor Coolant Pump 2B, voiding in the shutdown cooling suction piping, results of the reactor

vessel head inspection, and overall plant performance during the outage. 
April 26, 2002 

Office of Congressional Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 26, 2002

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 51

OCA

Contact

DATE

&

PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Gerke 04/30/02

Atlanta, GA

 9:00 TBA Field Hearing on Federal Building

Security

Reps. BuGovernm

Gerke 05/02/02

2154 RHOB

10:00 TBA Federal Information Security Reps. Ho

Gov’t Effi IntergovGovernm