INFORMATION REPORT

July 25, 2005 SECY-05-0132

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0132 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JULY 15, 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
July 25, 2005 SECY-05-0132

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0132 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JULY 15, 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\week715.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

TJKim:paa WMDean

07/25/05 07/26/05
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING JULY 15, , 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 8

RES 4 OIP *

NSIR 5 SECY 10

OGC * Region I 11

ADM * Region II 12

OIS 6 Region III 13

CFO * Region IV 14

HR 7 EDO *

SBCR * OCA 15

OE *

*No input this week
July 15, 2005 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 15, 2005

Public Meeting to Discuss Comments on Draft Regulatory Guide DG-1139

On July 11, 2005, staff held a public meeting with representatives of the Nuclear Energy

Institute (NEI), nuclear power plant licensees, and other interested stakeholders to discuss

resolution of comments received from the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards on Draft

Regulatory Guide DG-1139, “Risk-Informed, Performance-Based Fire Protection for Existing

Light-Water Nuclear Power Plants.” This draft regulatory guide endorses NEI 04-02, “Guidance

for Implementing a Risk-Informed, Performance-Based Fire Protection Program Under 10 CFR

50.48.” 

NRC Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2005-11: Requirements for Power Reactor Licensees in

Possession of Devices Subject to the General License Requirements of 10 CFR 31.5

On July 11, 2005, NRR issued the subject RIS to remind and/or inform power reactor licensees

of the requirements for the receipt, possession, use, and transfer of generally licensed devices

as described in 10 CFR 31.5, “Certain detecting, measuring, gauging, or controlling devices

and certain devices for producing light or an ionized atmosphere.” During a recent NRC

radiation safety inspection at a commercial nuclear power plant, it was discovered that generally

licensed devices used in the operation of the plant were not being maintained in accordance

with the requirements in 10 CFR 31.5. The licensee incorrectly assumed that these devices

were not under the jurisdiction of NRC, and therefore did not include them in its radiation

protection program required by its 10 CFR Part 50 license. The RIS requires no specific action

nor written response; however, licensees are expected to review the information for applicability

to their facilities and consider taking actions, as appropriate. 

NRC RIS 2005-13: NRC Incident Response and the National Response Plan

On July 13, 2005, NRR issued the subject RIS to inform addressees of revisions to the NRC

Incident Response Plan (NUREG-0728), which conform to the recently implemented National

Response Plan, and the NRC’s incident response modes. The RIS requires no specific action

nor written response; however, licensees are expected to review the information for applicability

to their facilities and consider taking actions, as appropriate. 
July 15, 2005 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 15, 2005

NRC Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2005-12: Transportation of Radioactive Material

Quantities of Concern NRC Threat Advisory and Protective Measures System

On July 11, 2005, staff issued the subject RIS to inform addressees of changes to the threat

advisory conditions and protective measures system for their use in preplanning graded

protective measures to respond to changes in the threat environment. This RIS was addressed

to licensees authorized to possess radioactive material that equals or exceeds the threshold

values in the Additional Security Measures (ASM) for transportation of Radioactive Material

Quantities of Concern (RAMQC) under their 10 CFR Part 30, 32, 50, 70, and 71 licenses and

Agreement State licensees similarly authorized to possess such material in such quantities

under their Agreement State licenses. The staff has determined that issuance of this RIS is the

most efficient mechanism to align the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the NRC, and

licensee expectations about licensees’ response to threat advisories. The RIS requires no

specific action nor written response; however, licensees are expected to review the information

for applicability to their facilities and consider taking actions, as appropriate. 
July 15, 2005 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 15, 2005

Agreement between NRC and Suez-Tractebel of Belgium in the Area of Severe Accident

Research

On July 7, 2005, the NRC’s Executive Director for Operations signed the subject International

Agreement which defines the terms and conditions by which the NRC and Suez-Tractebel will

cooperate in the area of severe accident research. This cooperation will contribute to

expanding the NRC’s data and knowledge base and the staff’s ability to independently verify the

accuracy of the NRC’s MELCOR severe accident code for different accident sequences. The

work performed and information exchanged under this Agreement enhances the quality

assurance of the NRC’s reactor safety codes through the expansion of the international user

community and through their subsequent code assessments and feedback. The NRC uses this

code to evaluate potential risk and security scenarios for severe accidents, address regulatory

and licensing issues for operating plants, and to review new designs. In addition to exchanging

technical information and data, Suez-Tractebel will also provide a cash contribution each year

for the duration of this Agreement to support the staff’s severe accident research activities. 

This Agreement will remain in effect for a period of five years.

Collaborative Seismic Research Project with JNES

On July 6-8, 2005, staff members from RES and the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL)

traveled to Gillette, Wyoming, to participate in a series of technical information exchange

meetings with representatives from the Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization (JNES) and

its consultants. The primary purpose of the visit was to discuss and plan for collaboration on a

research program to study beyond-design basis earthquake motion effects on nuclear power

plant (NPP) structures through controlled strong ground motion tests via blast work at the Black

Thunder coal mine in Wyoming. The participants discussed the feasibility of constructing a

deeply embedded structure as part of an international collaborative effort that may include other

interested organizations, such as Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique (CEA) of France and the

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). The deeply embedded structure is one of

the unique features for several advanced reactor designs. As part of this meeting, the BNL

staff member presented the status of the current NRC/BNL soil-structure interaction (SSI)

studies for buried structures. JNES provided the status on the Black Thunder Mine Project. 

On July 11, the JNES staff members visited the NRC headquarters offices in Rockville,

Maryland, and met with cognizant NRC staff members to present the status and feasibility of

the Black Thunder Mine Project. 
July 15, 2005 ENCLOSURE D

Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 15, 2005

Preliminary Notifications

1. PNO-I-05-020A (SUPPLEMENT), Entergy Nuclear Northeast/FitzPatrick Nuclear Power

Plant - SHUTDOWN TO REPAIR SMALL CRACK IN THE TORUS PORTION OF

PRIMARY CONTAINMENT.

2. PNO-I-05-021, Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company - VEHICLE ACCIDENT

INVOLVING SPILL OF LOW-LEVEL CONTAMINATED MATERIAL
July 15, 2005 ENCLOSURE G

Office of Information Services (OIS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 15, 2005

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

July 8 through July 14, 2005:

Pottstown Memorial Medical Center, Pottstown, PA, radioactive

material license, 1988-1996

FOIA/PA-2005-0289

Advanced Lighting Technologies, 32000 Aurora Rd., Solon, OH

44139, license no. 34-26659-2E for Krypton-85, violations,

enforcements or regulatory actions

FOIA/PA-2005-0290

Material License Tracking System database, active & retired, most

recent

FOIA/PA-2005-0291

Security clearance records on named individual FOIA/PA-2005-0292

10 CFR 20.2002 applications submitted to NMSS, NRR & Others; all

radioactive materials approved for release under 10 CFR 20.2002,

Reg Guide 1.86 & general licenses

FOIA/PA-2005-0293

Trace Technologies Inc., 10 Radel Avenue, Bridgewater, NJ 08807,

license No. 29-23535-01, any information

FOIA/PA-2005-0294

Forecast opportunities: contracts ADM-06-401 & NSR-05-166 FOIA/PA-2005-0295

Inventories associated with the Federal Activities Inventories Act for

the period of 1999 - 2004

FOIA/PA-2005-0296

Solicitation No. RSRES04065, contractor name, contract number,

award date, period of performance, award amount, point of contact, &

companies who submitted bids

FOIA/PA-2005-0297

Three Mile Island - transportation provider list compiled by Off Site

Response organization for the state of Pennsylvania for use in the

event of a nuclear emergency

FOIA/PA-2005-0298
July 15, 2005 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources (HR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 15, 2005

Arrival

GAN, QI GENERAL ENGINEER NRR

Departure

RUDDELL, SARAH A OFFICE AUTOMATION ASSISTANT NMSS
July 15, 2005 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs (OPA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 15, 2005

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

NRC’s fine issued to Pilgrim for an inattentive control room supervisor.

The New York Times story regarding the BEIR VII report from the National Academy of

Sciences, with technical support from the Offices of Nuclear Regulatory Research and Nuclear

Material Safe and Safeguards.

Growing public opposition in New Jersey to potential license renewal for Oyster Creek.

Other Activities of Note Included:

At OPA’s request, The Washington Post on July 9 ran a correction to an earlier story that

incorrectly reported that a computer worm had disabled the safety systems of a nuclear power

plant in 2003.

OPA assisted Director of Enforcement’s interview for a profile in National Black Engineers

magazine.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

05-100 NRC Seeks Topic Suggestions for Next Year’s Regulatory Information

Conference (7/11)

05-101 NRC Approves Expedited Procedures for Permitting Higher Dose Limits for

Patient Caregivers (7/13)

Regions:

I-05-040 NRC Issues $60,000 Fine for Inattentive Control Room Supervisor at Pilgrim

Nuclear Power Plant and Inappropriate Initial Response (7/15)

II-05-032 NRC Schedules Regulatory Conference to Discuss Crystal River Nuclear Plant

Concern (7/15)
July 15, 2005 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary (SECY)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 15, 2005

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Information Paper

SECY-05-0122 7/7/05 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending

July 1, 2005

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste (ACNW), notice of 161st meeting (7/19-21/05). 

2. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS), Subcommittee Meeting on

Thermal-Hydraulic Phenomena, notice of meeting (7/19-20/05)

3. ACNW, Meeting on Planning and Procedures, notice of meeting (8/4/05). 

4. ACRS, Subcommittee Meeting on Plant Operations, notice of meeting (8/24-25/05). 

5. ACNW, notice of 162nd meeting (8/2-4/05). 
July 15, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region I (RI)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 15, 2005

Calvert Cliffs - Site Visit by Commissioner Merrifield with New IAEA Ambassador

On July 11, 2005, Commissioner Merrifield and the Deputy Executive Director for Materials,

Research, State and Compliance Programs accompanied Mr. Gregory Schulte, U.S.

Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on a tour of the Calvert Cliffs

Nuclear Power Plant in Lusby, Maryland. Ambassador Schulte was recently confirmed by the

Senate to be the new Ambassador to IAEA in Vienna, Austria. The tour gave Ambassador

Schulte an opportunity to become familiar with nuclear power plant operations with an emphasis

on the safety and security interface.
July 15, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region II (RII)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 15, 2005

Commissioner Lyons’ Visit to Fuel Cycle Facilities

On July 12, 2005, Commissioner Lyons visited the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion facility in

Kentucky and the Honeywell Uranium Hexafluoride Production facility in Illinois for site tours

and meetings with licensee management.

Regional Administrator Visit to Surry Nuclear Plant

On July 14, 2005, the Regional Administrator visited the Surry Nuclear Plant for a site tour with

the Resident Inspectors. The Regional Administrator also attended the Southeast Nuclear

Plants Manager’s Meeting. 
July 15, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region III (RIII)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 15, 2005

Commissioner Lyons’ Visit to Davis-Besse Nuclear Plant

On July 13, 2005, Commissioner Lyons visited the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant in Ohio for

a plant tour and a meeting with licensee management. On July 14, Commissioner Lyons visited

the Region III offices in Lyle, Illinois, and met with the Regional management and staff. On 

July 15, Commissioner Lyons visited the Illinois Emergency Management Agency in Springfield,

Illinois, and met with Agency officials.
July 15, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV (RIV)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 15, 2005

Cooper Nuclear Station - Public Meeting with Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD)

On July 13, 2005, Region IV staff met with NPPD representatives at the Region IV offices in

Arlington, Texas. The meeting was requested by NPPD to present its basis for denial of a 

noncited violation documented in NRC Inspection Report 05000298/2005002, dated April 29,

2005. This noncited violation resulted from the licensee’s failure to implement its emergency

plan implementing procedures during a fire which occurred on March 14, 2005. 

Representatives from the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and the Union of

Concerned Scientists participated in the meeting via teleconference. Region IV will consider

the information provided at this meeting in its reconsideration of the basis for the noncited

violation. 
July 15, 2005 

Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 15, 2005

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 27

 OCAContact

 DATE & PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Shane July 20

2154RHOB

10:00 TBA Improving Federal Government

Information Quality

Reps. MilRegulatoGovernm

Shane July 20

2318RHOB

10:00 DOE’s Office of Energy 

Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Daimler-Chrysler Corp.,Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research,Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan Automotive Laboratory,Argonne National Laboratory

Joint Hearing on Hydrogen Fuels Reps. Big

EnergyReps. IngResearchScience

Keeling July 26

2154RHOB

10:00 GAO, DOE's IG, DOE, and

Wackenhut

DOE's DBT Reps. Sh

National S and InterGovernm