INFORMATION REPORT

June 22, 2005 SECY-05-0108

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0108 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JUNE 10, 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
June 22, 2005 SECY-05-0108

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0108 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JUNE 10, 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\week609.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

TJKim:paa WMDean

06/20/05 06/22/05
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING JUNE 9, 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 9

RES 4 OIP *

NSIR * SECY 10

OGC * Region I 11

ADM 5 Region II *

OIS 6 Region III *

CFO * Region IV 12

HR 7 EDO *

SBCR 8 OCA 13

OE *

*No input this week
June 10, 2005 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 10, 2005

Information Notice (IN) 2005-15: Three-Unit Trip and Loss of Offsite Power at Palo Verde

Nuclear Generating Station

On June 1, 2005, NRC issued the subject IN to alert addressees to electrical equipment failures

and design deficiencies identified following the loss-of-offsite power event that had occurred in

June 2004 at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. The IN 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.

Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2005-08: Endorsement of Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)

Guidance “Range of Protective Actions for Nuclear Power Plant Incidents”

On June 6, 2005, NRC issued the subject RIS to inform addressees of NRC’s endorsement of

the NEI guidance as an acceptable range of early-phase protective actions that licensees may

use in the event of a nuclear power plant incident. 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.
June 10, 2005 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 10, 2005

Staff Visit to German Nuclear Institutes to Discusses the Anticipated Behavior and Condition of

Spent Fuel

On May 30, 2005, Division of High-Level Waste Repository Safety staff visited two nuclear

institutes in Karlsruhe, Germany; (1) the Institute für Nukleare Entsorgung, a German

laboratory; and (2) the Institute for Transuranic Elements, a European Union laboratory. The

two institutes are active in research on the behavior of radionuclides under Germany’s

anticipated high-level waste repository conditions. The staff exchanged views with the

institutes’ staff on the anticipated behavior of actinides and the anticipated condition of spent

nuclear fuel that would be received at a repository.

One-month Extension of the May 30, 2003, Confirmatory Order Issued to J. L. Shepherd &

Associates

On June 1, 2005, the Office of Enforcement issued an Order to J. L. Shepherd & Associates

(JLS&A), a manufacturer of nuclear irradiators and commercial research calibration equipment

based in San Fernando, CA, extending the expiration date of the May 30, 2003, Confirmatory

Order, from June 1, 2005, to July 1, 2005. The May 30, 2003, Confirmatory Order allowed

relaxation of certain provisions of the Order dated July 3, 2001 (i.e., allowed JLS&A to make

shipments through June 1, 2005), as authorized by a conditional approval of its QA Program. 

The NRC extended the expiration date of the May 30, 2003, Confirmatory Order by one month

to accommodate the staff’s review of JLS&A’s April 7, 2005, request, to rescind the Order of

July 3, 2001. 

DOE’s Hanford Facility

On June 1, 2005, staff and management from the Division of Waste Management and

Environmental Protection met with representatives of the Department of Energy (DOE) to

discuss: (1) a review of the DOE Hanford Office of River Protection responses to NRC's

Requests for Additional Information regarding the basis for exception to the Hanford Federal

Facility Agreement and Consent Order, specifically dealing with waste retrieval criteria for

Single-Shell Tank 241-C-106; and (2) the methodology for the Hanford Single-Shell Tank

System Performance Assessment.

Quarterly DOE/NRC Meeting on Proposed High-Level Waste Repository

On June 6, 2005, NRC staff and the Department of Energy (DOE) representatives held a public

management meeting in Pahrump, Nevada, to discuss the progress of the proposed geologic

repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. After the meeting, NRC management and staff met

informally with members of the public to discuss matters of interest related to the Yucca

Mountain Project and NRC's role in licensing a geologic repository.
June 10, 2005 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 10, 2005

Federal Interagency Public Workshop on Concrete Materials Performance for Nuclear Facilities

On June 2, 2005, RES organized and hosted the subject workshop. The objectives of the

workshop were to facilitate communication among Federal agencies and interested

stakeholders on research studies and their findings on concrete materials performance for

nuclear reactor structures, and waste disposal facilities that may employ concrete-based

engineered barriers for waste isolation. The participants at the Workshop included cognizant

NRC staff from the Offices of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Nuclear Material Safety and

Safeguards, Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste, and concrete materials performance

researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Technical presentations at the Workshop

provided NRC staff with current research information on degradation mechanisms in concrete

and methodologies that can be used to monitor concrete structure performance.
June 10, 2005 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration (ADM)

Items of Interest 

Week Ending June 10, 2005

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: HI-STORM 100, Amendment 2, Revision (AH64 -

Part 72)

On June 7, 2005, NRC published a final rule in the Federal Register (70 FR 32977) that revises

10 CFR 72.214, “List of Approved spent Fuel Storage Casks,” to incorporate Amendment 

No. 2 to Certificate No. 1014 for the Holtec International’s Storage and Transfer Operation

Reinforced Module System (HI-STORM 100). This action modifies the cask design to include

changes to construction materials, types of fuel that can be loaded, shielding and confinement

methodologies, and various temperature limits. The final rule became effective June 7, 2005.
June 10, 2005 ENCLOSURE G

Office of Information Services (OIS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 10, 2005

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

June 3 through June 9, 2005:

PSEG executive review board findings & letter of June 1, 2005 from

NRC to PSEG

FOIA/PA-2005-0252

PSEG contractors interviewed during on-site inspection April 25 thru

27, 2005, how many & how selected

FOIA/PA-2005-0253

OIG report re: under reporting of FY03 financial statements FOIA/PA-2005-0254

Radiation incidents in industrial gamma & electron beam irradiation

facilities in U.S., past 10-20 years

FOIA/PA-2005-0255

Radioactive materials license authorizing the discharge of tritium to

sanitary sewers in excess of 5 curies per year

FOIA/PA-2005-0256

I-131 study at Mass Memorial Hospital, Boston Medical Center, 750

Harrison Ave., Boston, MA, 1949-1951

FOIA/PA-2005-0257

Medical licenses, use building name, address, use of license FOIA/PA-2005-0258

Palisades plant, task interface agreement relating to ISFSI, April 2005 FOIA/PA-2005-0259

Davis Besse Safety Culture Survey from 2002 to present, all

information

FOIA/PA-2005-0260

Enforcement action of 4-21-05 to named individual; special inspection

report 50-346/02-08 (DRS) dated 10-2-02; & OI Report 3-2002-06

FOIA/PA-2005-0261

Vacancy announcement OIS/IRSD-2005-0002, all notes, meeting

summaries, rating panel notes, phone conversations/discussions

FOIA/PA-2005-0262
June 10, 2005 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources (HR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 10, 2005

Demonstration of NRC’s Strategic Workforce Planning System

On June 7, 2005, HR staff provided a demonstration of NRC's Strategic Workforce Planning

System to representatives from the Smithsonian Institute.

Arrivals and Retirements at NRC

Arrivals

Michael C. Alderman Student Management Analyst (Summer) OCFO

Joseph Deucher IT Specialist ASLBP

Gregory Fabian Sr. Project Manager OIS

Khosrow Golshan IT Specialist OIS

Bobby L. Holbrook Consultant R-II

Charles N. Kelber Consultant ASLBP

Mark King Reactor Engineer NRR

Michael King Project Engineer R-II

Hung-Quoc Lai Student Engineer (Summer) ACRS

Erikka LeGrand Senior Budget Analyst OCFO

Amanda M. Nerret Student Administrative Clerk (Summer) NSIR

Marilyn Pardinas Secretary (OA) R-II

Ram Tiwari Budget Analyst OCFO

Marlayna G. Vaaler General Engineer (NSPDP) NRR

Retirement

 Adrienne G. Allison Secretary (OA) ADM
June 10, 2005 ENCLOSURE J

Office of Small Business and Civil Rights (SBCR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 10, 2005

Comprehensive Diversity Management Plan (CDMP) Rollout

During the week of June 6, 2005, SBCR participated in two separate, division-level, allemployee meetings, one held at the Technical Training Center and the other held at the

headquarters offices to rollout and discuss the objectives of the CDMP.
June 10, 2005 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs (OPA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 10, 2005

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

Attention given to Seabrook nuclear plant security by members of the U.S. House of

Representatives from Massachusetts.

An Atomic Safety Licensing Board ruling on the Louisiana Enrichment Services environmental

contentions.

Other Public Affairs Items:

OPA coordinated an interview for the NRC’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) with a local news

radio station, WTOP’s “Ask the CIO” program, which is expected to air in the next 2-3 weeks.

OPA provided support at the annual assessment meeting held June 8 for the Hope Creek

nuclear plant.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

05-089 NRC ACNW to Meet June 15-17 in Rockville, MD (6/7)

05-090 NRC Restoring 70,000 Additional Documents to its On-Line Library After

Security Review (6/9)

05-091 NRC Announces Opportunity for Hearing on Application to Renew Operating

License for Palisades Nuclear Power Plant (6/9)

Regions:

I-05-032 NRC to Send Team to Review Seabrook Security (6/6)

I-05-033 NRC, Pa. Company to Discuss Apparent Violation Involving Gauge (6/9)

III-05-030 NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance Assessment for Dresden Nuclear Power

Plant (6/8)
June 10, 2005 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary (SECY)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 10, 2005

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Information Paper

SECY-05-0100 06/06/05 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending

May 20, 2005

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Congressman Edward J. Markey, dated June 1, 2005, responds to letter

regarding NRC’s rulemaking on controlling the disposition of solid materials.

2. Letter to Congressman Jay Inslee, dated June 1, 2005, responds to concerns about an

application by Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company on disposal of radioactive

demolition debris from the decommissioning of the Hadam Neck plant.

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes: Meeting notice (6/28/05). 

2. Final Rule - 10 CFR Part 9; RIN 3150-AH12; Public Records.

3. Petition for rulemaking; notice of receipt: 10 CFR Part 20 [Docket No. PRM-20-26],

James Salsman, Receipt of Petition for Rulemaking. 

4. Petition for rulemaking; notice of receipt: 10 CFR Part 54 [Docket No. PRM-54-02],

Andrew J. Spano, County of Westchester, New York; Receipt of Petition for Rulemaking.
June 10, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region I (RI)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 10, 2005

Annual Assessment Meeting for Salem and Hope Creek

On June 8, 2005, Region I held its Annual Assessment Meeting with Public Service Enterprise

Group (PSEG) to discuss performance at the Salem and Hope Creek stations. The evening

public meeting also included discussions of PSEG’s progress in addressing equipment reliability

and safety conscious work environment issues at the site as well as a recent manual reactor

shutdown at Hope Creek. The reactor shutdown was in response to the increasing rate of

reactor coolant system leakage inside the containment. There were approximately 75 people in

attendance.
June 10, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV (RIV)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 10, 2005

Public Meeting with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)

On June 7, 2005, Region IV held a public meeting in San Luis Obispo, California, with PG&E

representatives to present the NRC’s annual assessment of Diablo Canyon Power Plant safety

performance. In addition to describing the Reactor Oversight Process and the assessment

results, other topics of discussion included plant security, the National Academy of Science’s

recent report on spent nuclear fuel storage, PG&E’s planned independent spent fuel storage

installation, and emergency sirens. Approximately 60 people, including members of the public,

public interest groups, and a local official attended the meeting. The meeting was video taped

and will be shown on the local government channel. 

Public Meeting with Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation

On June 9, 2005, Region IV held a public meeting with Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating

Corporation to present the NRC’s annual assessment of Wolf Creek Generating Station safety

performance. The meeting was held at the Coffey County Library, in Burlington, Kansas. The

purpose of the meeting was to describe the Reactor Oversight Process, discuss licensee

performance at Wolf Creek for the Calendar Year 2004, and discuss topics of potential interest

to the public. Three local officials and one member of the public attended the meeting. There

was no media coverage. 
June 10, 2005 

Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 10, 2005

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 23

 OCAContact

 DATE & PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Keeling 06/14/05

S-128Capitol

10:00 Markup Draft FY 2006 Appropriations Senators 

Homeland Appropria

Madden 06/14/05

SD-138Tentative

2:30 Markup Draft FY 2006 Appropriations Senators 

Energy aAppropria

Madden 06/14/05

SD-562

2:00 David Walker, GAO

Clay Johnson, OMBandEileen Norcross, GMUBaryl Radin, University of Baltimore

Accountability and Results in FederalBudgeting

Senators Federal F Governm InternatioHomeland  Affairs

Keeling 06/14/05

2154RHOB

2:00 TBA Elusive Antidotes: Progress

Developing Chemical, Biological,Radiological and NuclearCountermeasures

Reps ShaNational S and InterGovernm

Combs 06/16/05

2318RHOB

10:00 R. Shane Johnson, DOE

Phillip J. Finck, ANLRoger Hagengruber, UNMMatthew Bunn, JFK School of Government, Harvard

Hearing on nuclear fuel reprocessing Reps Big

ScienceEnergy
CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 23

 OCAContact

 DATE & PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

June 10, 2005 

Madden 06/16/05

SD-106

2:00 Markup FY 2006 Appropriations for Energy

and Water Programs

Senators Appropria

Keeling 06/16/05

SD-106

2:00 Markup FY 2006 Appropriations for

Homeland Security DepartmentPrograms

Senators Appropria

Shane 06/23/05

SD-430

10:00 TBA Family and Medical Leave Act

(PL 103-3)

Senators Health, E Pensions

Combs TBA

SD-366

TBA DOE, NRC Status of Yucca Mountain Senators 

Energy a

Combs April 13

2247RHOBPostponed

10:00 TBA Yucca Mountain Project: Digging for

the Truth

Reps PorFederal W OrganizaGovernm