INFORMATION REPORT

July 18, 2007 SECY-07-0119

For: The Commissioners

From: Vonna L. Ordaz, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING

JULY 13, 2007

Contents Enclosure

Nuclear Reactor Regulation A

New Reactors B*

Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards C*

Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs D

Nuclear Regulatory Research E*

Nuclear Security and Incident Response F*

Administration G*

Information Services H*

Chief Financial Officer I*

Human Resources J

Small Business and Civil Rights K

Enforcement L*

Public Affairs M

International Programs N*

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/

Vonna L. Ordaz 

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

L. Rakovan, OEDO
July 18, 2007 SECY-07-0119

For: The Commissioners

From: Vonna L. Ordaz, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING

JULY 13,2007

Contents Enclosure

Nuclear Reactor Regulation A

New Reactors B*

Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards C*

Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs D

Nuclear Regulatory Research E*

Nuclear Security and Incident Response F*

Administration G*

Information Services H*

Chief Financial Officer I*

Human Resources J

Small Business and Civil Rights K

Enforcement L*

Public Affairs M

International Programs N*

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/

Vonna L. Ordaz

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

L. Rakovan, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

EDO R/F

AO R/F Document Name: C:\WIR\WIR 2007week713.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

LJRakovan:mlw VLOrdaz

07/18/07 07/18/07
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING JULY 13, 2007

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: L. Rakovan, OEDO by E-mail: ljr2@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 OE *

NRO * OPA 6

NMSS * OIP *

FSME 3 SECY 7

RES * Region I *

NSIR * Region II *

ADM * Region III *

OIS * Region IV 9

CFO * EDO *

HR 4 OCA 10

SBCR 5

*No input this week
July 13, 2007 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 13, 2007

Technical Exchange with the French Nuclear Safety Authority, “Autorite de Surete Nucleaire”

From July 10-12, 2007, the staff participated in a technical exchange of information with the

French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN). Information was exchanged on steam generator tube

integrity, aging management for reactor pressure vessels, dissimilar metal welds, experience

with alloy 690 materials in reactor vessel head penetrations, and stress corrosion cracking in

stainless steel. The staff also discussed principles of inservice inspection programs versus

risk-informed inservice inspection programs for piping, reactor pressure vessels, steam

generator tubes, and steam generator shells.

Presentation to the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) on Advanced Finite

Element Analyses of Pressurizer Nozzle Weld Flaws

On July 11, 2007, NRR and RES made a presentation to the ACRS on the status of their review

and confirmatory analyses of the industry’s advanced finite element fracture mechanics

analyses. Industry is performing these analyses to address NRC staff concerns regarding

primary water stress corrosion cracking in pressurizer nozzle welds. Industry representatives

provided a summary of their analysis methodology and results. ACRS members provided

comments on an area of the work that the staff will recommend that industry address and which

the staff will take into consideration during its review.

South Texas Project Visit

From July 9-12, 2007, NRR and RES staff conducted a site visit at the South Texas Project. 

The staff gathered information regarding the control of work hours for personnel performing

safety-related functions during refueling outages. The information will be used in the regulatory

analysis for the Part 26 Fitness for Duty Programs rulemaking.
July 13, 2007 ENCLOSURE D

Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs (FSME)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 13, 2007

Staff Educates Children on Health Physics

On July 12, staff participated in the South Washington/West of the River Collaborative’s

summer enrichment program for children during their “Careers in Science Week.” During the

presentation, which focused on Health Physics and radiation protection, staff answered

questions, provided interactive demonstrations relative to Health Physics and radiation

protection, and provided details of the skills and education necessary for a career with the NRC. 

The presentation also detailed the NRC’s mission and the key Agency functions performed

under its mission.
July 13, 2007 ENCLOSURE J

Office of Human Resources (HR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 13, 2007

Arrivals

ABBOTT, COLEMAN REACTOR INSPECTOR R-II

JONES, III, FANGIE NUCLEAR SYSTEMS ENGINEER R-IV

WATKINS, ROBERT CONSULTANT OIG

Retirement

GRANT, GEOFFREY DEPUTY REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR R-III

Departure

None
July 13, 2007 ENCLOSURE K

Office of Small Business and Civil Rights (SBCR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 13, 2007

NRC’s 7th Annual Diversity Day Event

SBCR, the Employees Welfare and Recreation Association, and the Equal Employment

Opportunity Advisory Committees sponsored NRC's 7th Annual Diversity Day event on July 11,

2007. Dr. Suchindran Chatterjee, world renowned businessman and motivational speaker,

provided an inspiring, captivating and timely keynote message on diversity, teamwork and

strategies regarding continued success for the individual, NRC and the world! The program

also featured ethnic food for sale, arts and craft vendors and cultural performers including world

renowned violinist Alfredo De La Fe, the Quiet Fire Band and the NRC Chorus. The information

and interaction among employees was outstanding and will serve as a benchmark in NRC's

history. NRC is the "Best Place to Work!"
July 13, 2007 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs (OPA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 13, 2007

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

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) sting on moisture density gauges received

nationwide attention via the Congressional hearing, ABC/NBC interviews with Commissioner

McGaffigan, and various editorials and responses.

NRC’s response to the Official Use Only (OUO) policy review stemming from the Nuclear Fuel

Services (NFS) high-enriched uranium (HEU) spill, March 2006; an Order to the NFS is to be

released.

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo brief to support the challenge of NRC license renewal rulemaking.

New concrete slabs to house spent uranium fuel at St. Lucie to address the lack of remaining

underwater storage space; production in August.

Other Public Affairs Items:

License inquiries for the irradiation of blue topaz and who can lawfully sell the product.

The Economist to publish an extensive article on nuclear history; coordinating with the NRC

historian, Sam Walker.

NRC declined an interview on the Glenn Beck show on CNN Headline News and submitted a

written statement instead; subject included illegal aliens working in critical infrastructure.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

07-084 NRC Invites Public to Submit Nominations for the Advisory Committee on

Nuclear Waste and Materials (7/10)

Regions:

II-07-036 NRC Schedules Conference with SCE&G to Discuss Apparent Violation at

Summer Nuclear Station (7/9)

I-07-038 NRC Issues Draft Environmental Report for James A. Fitzpatrick License

Renewal Application, Announces August 1st Public Meetings (7/10)

I-07-039 NRC Assigns New Resident Inspectors to Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant

(7/12)

II-07-037 NRC to Discuss Results of License Renewal Inspection at Harris Nuclear Power

Plant (7/12)

I-07-040 NRC Cites University of Pittsburgh for Violation (7/13)
July 13, 2007 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary (SECY)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 13, 2007

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. COMSECY-07-0015 4/30/07 Path Forward for Rulemaking on

Groundwater Protection at In Situ Leach

Uranium Extraction Facilities

SRM on COMSECY-07-

0015

6/8/07 (same)

Commission Voting

Record on 07-0015

6/8/07 (same)

2. SECY-07-0104 6/25/07 Proposed Rulemaking–Alternate Fracture

Toughness Requirements for Protection

Against Pressurized Thermal Shock Events

(RIN 3150-AI01

3. SECY-07-0105 6/27/07 Enhancement to the Vendor Inspection

Program within the Office of New Reactors

Information Papers

1. SECY-07-0111 7/6/07 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending

June 29, 2007

Memoranda

1. SRM-M070530C 6/22/07 Staff Requirements - Discussion of Security

Issues (Closed–Ex. 1)

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Congress, dated July 3, 2007, informs that the NRC was recognized as a “Best

Diversity Company” by the readers of Diversity/Careers in Engineering and Information

Technology.

2. Letter to Hiroshi Inoue, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd, dated July 2, 2007, responds to

letter which noted that TXU Power has selected the U.S. Advanced Pressurized Water

Reactor as its technology of choice for construction of two or more plants.
July 13, 2007 ENCLOSURE O

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes: Call for Nominations.

2. 10 CFR Part 50, Docket No. PRM-50-86, Sherwood Martinelli; Denial of Petition for

Rulemaking.
July 13, 2007 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV (RIV)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 13, 2007

San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station End-of-Cycle Meeting

On July 12, the NRC staff held a public meeting in San Clemente, California, with

representatives of Southern California Edison to discuss the annual performance assessment

results for San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station for 2006. The meeting was attended by

about 40 people including 5 members of the general public. There was one local newspaper

reporter at the meeting.
July 13, 2007 

Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 13, 2007

CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS SCHEDULE, NO. 23

OCA

Contact

 DATE &

 PLACE

TIME COMMITTEE SUBJECT 

Decker 07/12/07

342 Dirksen

9:00 Senate Homeland Security and

Governmental Affairs CommitteePermanent Subcommittee onInvestigations(Senators Levin / Coleman)

“Dirty Bomb Vulnerabilities: FakeCompanies, Fake Licenses, RealConsequences”

Panel 1< Eugen

and No

< Gregor

ForensInvesti

< John C

ForensInvesti

Panel 2< Edward 

Comm

Decker 07/12/07

2359

Rayburn

10:00 House Appropriations Committee

(Representatives Obey / Lewis)

Earmark Package for theFY2008 Energy-WaterAppropriations Bill

< N/A

Schmidt /

Keeling

07/17/07

406 Dirksen

10:00 Senate Environment and Public

Works Committee(Senators Boxer / Inhofe)

Nomination Hearing < Kristine