INFORMATION REPORT

January 5, 2006 SECY-06-0003

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING

DECEMBER 23, 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*

Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards/

Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste S

*No input this week.

/RA/

William M. Dean

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

U. Shoop, OEDO
January 5, 2006 SECY-06-0003

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING

DECEMBER 23, 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*

Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards/

Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste S

*No input this week.

/RA/

William M. Dean

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

U. Shoop, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\week1223.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

UShoop:paa WMDean

1/05/06 1/05/06
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 23, 2005

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: U. Shoop, OEDO by E-mail: uss@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 9 SECY 19

OGC * Region I 20

ADM 10 Region II 21

OIS 11 Region III 22

CFO * Region IV *

HR 15 EDO *

SBCR * OCA *

OE * ACRS/ACNW 25

*No input this week
December 23, 2005 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 23, 2005

Teleconference on the License Renewal Process

On December 20, 2005, the staff conducted a public teleconference/meeting on the license

reneal process with the Nuclear Energy Institute, representatives of the industry, and the media. 

The meeting discussed lessons learned from the audit review process, license renewal process

improvements, and development of a potential Interim Staff Guidance position on BWR Mark I

containments. These monthly teleconferences help ensure continued effective communication

with the industry and the public on the latest license renewal experience and potential future

improvements in the license renewal process.

Seabrook Measurement Uncertainty Recapture (MUR) Power Uprate Meeting

On December 16, 2005, the staff met with FPL Energy, LLC, to discuss its MUR power uprate

license amendment request. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss various areas of

concern with ultrasonic flow measurement (UFM) technology that were provided to the licensee

in a letter dated November 30, 2005. The licensee was supported by representatives from

Caldon Incorporated, the vendor for the UFM technology proposed for use at Seabrook. 

Currently, the staff is planning to attend the calibration and testing of Seabrook’s UFM at Alden

labs the week of January 16, 2006. The staff plans to issue requests for additional information

to the licensee in January 2006. No members of the public attended the meeting.
December 23, 2005 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 23, 2005

Louisiana Energy Services (LES) Management Meeting

On December 20, 2005, staff from Region II, the Office of the General Counsel, and NMSS met

with management from LES to discuss issues related to the proposed uranium enrichment

facility to be located in Eunice, NM. Issues discussed included the status of the licensing

review, hearings, and key milestones for regulatory submittals. 

Staff Observes Department of Energy (DOE) Audit of the Bechtel SAIC Company, LLC (BSC)

Corrective Action Program (CAP)

On December 12-20, 2005, NRC and Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA)

staff observed the DOE Office of Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) Office of Quality

Assurance audit of BSC conducted at the BSC facilities in Las Vegas, NV. The purpose of this

audit was to evaluate the adequacy, implementation, and effectiveness of CAP-related

requirements and activities. The NRC and CNWRA observers assessed the effectiveness of

the DOE audit team and the audit process in achieving the audit objectives.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Decommissioning Consultation

On December 5, 2005, staff from the Division of Waste Management and Environmental

Protection met with EPA staff to discuss the EPA response to NRC's letter dated October 18,

2005, regarding the Kerr McGee-Cushing site in Cushing, OK. NRC's letter notified EPA that

the residual concentration levels in groundwater for total uranium exceed EPA's Maximum

Contaminant Level, and requested a consultation between the two agencies, in accordance with

the 2002 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), "Consultation and Finality on

Decommissioning and Decontamination of Contaminated Sites." In a letter to NRC dated

December 13, 2005, EPA stated that it reviewed the information provided in the NRC letter and

is satisfied with how NRC addressed the issues raised for this consultation. This is the first

formal consultation between the two agencies under the MOU. It was considered a Level 2

consultation because it concerned radioactive contamination remaining after completion of the

Final Status Survey.

Participation in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Transport Safety Appraisal

Service (TranSAS) Mission to Japan

On December 2-16, 2005, a staff member from the Spent Fuel Project Office participated in the

subject mission. The objective of a TranSAS mission is to assist a country in achieving a high

level of safety in the transport of radioactive material. This is achieved by reviewing the

implementation of the IAEA Transport Regulations (TS-R-1) and making recommendations for

improvement. The TranSAS mission to Japan was the seventh mission IAEA has conducted

since the program was initiated in 1998. The thirteen-member IAEA team was composed of

independent experts from member countries and IAEA staff members and consultants. In

Tokyo, the team interviewed officials from the government agencies that regulate transportation

of radioactive material in Japan. In addition, the team conducted visits to the Narita airport air
December 23, 2005 ENCLOSURE B

cargo areas, a nuclear power plant, a nuclear fuel fabrication facility, and emergency response

facilities in the Tokai area. IAEA will prepare a final report on the TransSAS mission to Japan.
December 23, 2005 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 23, 2005

Multi-Agency Radiation Survey for Materials and Equipment (MARSAME) Manual Working

Group Meeting for the Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Assessment Manual

(MARSSIM) Workgroup

From December 12 to 16, 2005, staff participated in the subject meeting to resolve comments

on the draft MARSAME manual, which describes technical processes and methods for the

radiological measurements of materials and equipment. 
December 23, 2005 ENCLOSURE D

Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 23, 2005

Preliminary Notifications

1. PNO-I-05-030, ABB Prospects, Inc. - RADIOACTIVE WASTE SHIPMENT VEHICLE

ACCIDENT (POSSIBLE MEDIA INTEREST).

2. PNO-II-05-013A, Southern Nuclear Operation Company, Inc. - UPDATE-VOGTLE UNIT

2 SHUTDOWN TO REPAIR RESIDUAL HEAT REMOVAL PIPE LEAK.

3. PNO-IV-05-017B, ProTechnics Division of Core Laboratories - FOLLOWUP ON LOST

OR MISSING RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL - UPDATE.

4. PNO-IV-05-018A, Iris NDT - UPDATE - RADIOGRAPHER’S DOSE EXCEEDS

REGULATORY LIMITS.

5. PNO-RIII-05-017, Byron 1 and 2 - POTENTIAL GUNSHOT INJURY TO A SITE

EMPLOYEE.
December 23, 2005 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration (ADM)

Items of Interest 

Week Ending December 23, 2005

Proposed Rule on the Use of Electronic Submissions in Agency Hearings (AH74 - Parts 1, 2,

13, and 110)

On December 16, 2005, the NRC published a proposed rule in the Federal Register (70 FR

74950) that would require the use of electronic submissions in all agency hearings except for

those conducted on a high-level waste repository application. The proposed rule builds on prior

NRC rules and developments in the Federal courts regarding the use of electronic submissions. 

The comment period for this action closes March 1, 2006.

Denial of Petition for Rulemaking (PRM-50-79) from Mr. Lawrence T. Christian, et al.

On December 19, 2005, the NRC published a notice in the Federal Register (70 FR 75085) that

denied the subject petition for rulemaking. The petition requested that the NRC amend its

regulations regarding offsite state and local government emergency plans for nuclear power

plants to ensure that all daycare centers and nursery schools in the vicinity of nuclear power

facilities are properly protected in the event of a radiological emergency. The NRC denied the

petition because current NRC and Federal Emergency Management Agency regulations and

guidance already require the inclusion of daycare centers and nursery schools in state and local

government offsite emergency plans. 

Receipt of Petition for Rulemaking (PRM-31-5) from the Organization of Agreement States

On December 20, 2005, the NRC published a notice in the Federal Register (70 FR 75423)

announcing the receipt of the subject petition for rulemaking. The petitioner requests that the

NRC amend its regulations to require specific licenses for devices that are currently regulated

by a combination of general licensing and registration. The petitioner also requests that the

compatibility category for 10 CFR 31.6 be revised from “B” to “C.” The petitioner believes that

these actions are needed to establish a higher national standard of regulation for higher risk

generally licensed devices. This document also requests public comment on a State of Florida

request that the NRC change the compatibility category of 10 CFR 31.5 (c)(13)(i) from “B” to

“C.” The comment period for this action closes March 6, 2006.

Receipt of Petition for Rulemaking (PRM-35-18) from Peter G. Crane

On December 21, 2005, the NRC published a notice in the Federal Register (70 FR 75752)

announcing the receipt of the subject petition for rulemaking. The petitioner requests that the

NRC amend its regulations governing the release of individuals who have been treated with

radiopharmaceuticals for medical purposes. The petitioner requests that the patient release

rule be partially revoked so that patients would not be released from radioactive isolation with

more than the equivalent of 30 millicuries of radioactive iodine I-131 in their bodies. The

comment period for this action closes March 6, 2006. 
December 23, 2005 ENCLOSURE G

Office of Information Services (OIS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 23, 2005

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act Requests Received During the Period of

December 16 through December 22, 2005:

OI Case re: allegations R1-1997-A-0033 & RI-1997-A-0126, all

records

FOIA/PA-2006-0058

Greenberg Radiology Imaging or Sam & Sonia Radiation Cancer

Center, Lighting Products, Inc., Highland Park, IL, all records

FOIA/PA-2006-0059

SES & SLS merit awards for 2005, 2004 & 2003 FOIA/PA-2006-0060

Commissioners’ travel & telephone logs; calendars from 2002 to

present; summary of meetings with industry reps or other

stakeholders

FOIA/PA-2006-0061

Decommissioning cost studies for power reactors FOIA/PA-2006-0062

Mailing list for contractors & agencies requesting janitorial & security

guard services (Referral by GSA)

FOIA/PA-2006-0063

Mailing list for contractors & agencies (Referral by GSA) FOIA/PA-2006-0064

Mailing list (Referral by GSA) FOIA/PA-2006-0065

Correspondence between the Office of Workers’ Compensation

Program and NRC on named individual

FOIA/PA-2006-0066

All communications between NRC & George F. Allen, Haley R.

Barbour, Samuel D. Brownback, William H. Frist, Newton L. Gingrich,

Rudolph Giuliani III, Charles T. Hagel, Michael Huckabee, John S.

McCain III, George E. Pataki, or Willard M. Romney; FOIAs filed

mentioning above names

FOIA/PA-2006-0067

OI Report 2-2003-037, all records FOIA/PA-2006-0068

Allegation files RI-2003-A-0053 & RI-2003-A-0068 FOIA/PA-2006-0069

Allegation NRR-97-A-0081 & correspondence between named

individual & NRC

FOIA/PA-2006-0070
December 23, 2005 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources (HR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 23, 2005

Arrival

KOLLATH-ROMANO, PAUL E. STUDENT ENGINEER NSIR

WASHINGTON, BRITTNEY STUDENT CLERK ADM

Departures

SEE, CONCHITA S. TEAM LEADER NRR
December 23, 2005 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs (OPA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 23, 2005

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

NRC staff’s recommendation that a request for a hearing on Oyster Creek’s license renewal

application be denied.

The proposed merger of Florida Power & Light and Constellation Energy.

NRC’s termination of consultation under the Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation

relating to the proposed license for Private Fuel Storage.

NRC’s fine of Humboldt Bay for unaccounted spent fuel pieces.

NRC’s renewal of Point Beach’s operating licenses for another 20 years.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

05-167 NRC Renews Point Beach Nuclear Plant Operating Licenses for an Additional

20 Years (12/22)

Regions:

III-05-046 NRC Proposes $60,000 Fine Against Point Beach Nuclear Plant for Failure to

Provide Complete and Accurate Information (12/19)

III-05-047 NRC Determined Potential Flooding at Kewaunee Nuclear Plant to be of

Substantial Importance to Safety (12/22)

IV-05-040 NRC Staff Proposes $96,000 Civil Penalty Against PG&E for Spent Fuel Pool

Storage Violations at Humboldt Bay (12/21)
December 23, 2005 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary (SECY)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 23, 2005

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SECY-05-0045 03/11/05 Denial of a Petition for Rulemaking to

Revise 10 CFR Part 50 to Require Offsite

Emergency Plans to Include Nursery

Schools and Day Care Centers (PRM-50-

79)

SRM-SECY-05-0045 10/26/05 (same)

Commission voting

Record on 05-0045

10/26/05 (same)

2. SRM-SECY-05-0219 12/20/05 Issuance of Nuclear Regulatory

Commission Generic Letter 2005-XX, “Grid

Reliability and the Impact on Plant Risk and

the Operability of Offsite Power”

Commission Voting

Record on 05-0219

12/20/05 (same)

3. COMSECY-05-0015 (IN

PART)

05/02/05 Initiatives for Increasing Agreement State

Participation in the Control of Sources

SRM-COMSECY-05-

0015

06/30/05 (same)

Commission Voting

Record on 05-0015

06/30/05 (same)

4. COMSECY-05-0028

(IN PART)

07/25/05 Staff Response to SRM for COMSECY-05-

0015: Initiatives for Increasing Agreement

State Participation in the Control of Sources

SRM-COMSECY-05-0028 08/15/05 (same)

Commission Voting

Record on 05-0028

08/15/05 (same)

5. SECY-05-0227 12/14/05 Final Rule - AP1000 Design Certification

6. SRM-SECY-05-0187 12/21/05 Status of Safety Culture Initiatives and

Schedule for Near-Term Deliverables
Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

December 23, 2005 ENCLOSURE O

Commission Voting

Record on 05-0187

12/21/05 (same)

7. SRM-SECY-05-0212 12/23/05 Proposed Rulemaking - Clarification of NRC

Civil Penalty Authority Over Contractors and

Subcontractors Who Discriminate Against

Employees for Engaging in Protected

Activities (RIN 3150-AH59)

Commission Voting

Record on 05-0212

12/23/05 (same)

8. COMSECY-05-0049R 10/24/05 Delegation of Authority for Imminent

Security Threats to NRC Licensees

SRM-COMSECY-05-0049 12/23/05 (same)

Commission Voting

Record on 05-0049

12/23/05 (same)

Memoranda

1. M051121B 12/19/05 Staff Requirements - Briefing on the Status

of New Reactor Issues

2. M051208A 12/20/05 Staff Requirements - Meeting with Advisory

Committee on Reactor Safeguards

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Congress, dated December 15, 2005, provides the status of NRC’s licensing and

regulatory activities.

2. Letter to Congresswoman Sue Kelly, dated December 16, 2005, concerns recent meeting to

discuss issues concerning Indian Point. 

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Notice of Reconstitution, System Energy Resources, Inc., Docket No. 52-009-ESP, ASLBP

No. 04-823-03-ESP.

2. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS), Joint Meeting of the Subcommittees

on Human Factors and on Reliability and Probability Risk Assessment, notice of meeting

(1/25/06). 
December 23, 2005 ENCLOSURE O

3. ACRS, Subcommittee Meeting on Thermal-Hydraulic Phenomena, notice of meeting

(1/19/06). 

4. Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste (ACNW), Meeting on Planning and Procedures,

notice of meeting (1/11/06). 

5. Petition for Rulemaking; notice of receipt, 10 CFR Part 34, Docket No. PRM-34-06,

Organization of Agreement States; Receipt of Petition for Rulemaking. 

6. ACRS, Subcommittee Meeting on Planning and Procedures, notice of meeting 

(1/26-27/06). 

7. ACNW, notice of 167th meeting (1/10-12/06). 

8. Application for a License to Export High-Enriched Uranium.
December 23, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region II (RII)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 23, 2005

Oconee - Management Meeting with Duke Energy Corporation

On December 20, 2005, Region II management met with representatives from the Duke Energy

Corporation in the Regional Office to discuss the operating performance of Oconee Nuclear

Units 1, 2 and 3 and the reactor building coating remediation plans.
December 23, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region III (RIII)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 23, 2005

Palisades Vessel Head Replacement Meeting

On December 21, 2005, Region III staff members met with representatives of Nuclear

Management Company at the Region III office in Lisle, Illinois to discuss the company’s plan to

replace the Palisades reactor vessel head during the 2007 outage.

Point Beach’s Performance Improvements Meeting

On December 21, 2005, Region III staff members met with representatives of Nuclear

Management Company at the Region III office in Lisle, Illinois to discuss the company’s

progress in addressing the items in the Confirmatory Action Letter for Point Beach.

Tritium Contamination near Braidwood Meeting

On December 20, 2005, Region III staff attended a meeting in Springfield, Illinois, between the

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and Exelon representatives to discuss the

elevated tritium levels in groundwater on and near the Braidwood site. IEPA recently issued a

letter to Exelon citing violations of the states' Environmental Protection Act. The purpose of the

meeting was to update the state on the status of monitoring and sampling plans and Exelon

activities to inform the public and characterize the severity and extent of the contamination.
December 23, 2005 ENCLOSURE S

Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS)/

Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste (ACNW)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 23, 2005

As a result of its 528th meeting (December 7-10, 2005), the ACRS issued letters and

reports on the following subjects. 

Date Subject

December 23, 2005 Early Site Permit Application for the Grand Gulf Site and the

Associated Final Safety Evaluation Report

As a result of its 166th meeting (December 13-14, 2005), the ACNW issued letters and

reports on the following subjects. 

Date Subject

December 23, 2005 West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) - ACNW Working

Group Meeting