NRC ESTABLISHES SENIOR MANAGEMENT GROUP TO REVIEW 

GROUNDWATER TASK FORCE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 

 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has established a senior management review group 

to evaluate the findings and recommendations of the internal Groundwater Task Force and 

identify possible policy issues for Commission consideration. The management group will 

decide whether it agrees with the independent Task Force analysis and how best to act upon the 

conclusions and recommendations contained in the final report. 

The group will identify policy issues for consideration by the Commission and refer nonpolicy decisions to the staff for action. In addition, the group will determine whether the Task 

Force’s conclusions or recommendations should be expanded and will seek feedback from 

external stakeholders. 

The Groundwater Task Force issued its final report June 11, containing conclusions 

based on several months’ evaluation of the agency’s past, current and planned actions regarding 

radioactive contamination of groundwater and soil at U.S. nuclear power plants. 

 “The Task Force provided a valuable service to the agency in conducting an independent 

review of the issues that the NRC senior management review group can utilize as it decides the 

best path forward,” said Executive Director for Operations Bill Borchardt. 

The staff Task Force, which consulted with numerous public stakeholders in developing 

its report, determined that NRC is meeting its mission of protecting public health, safety, and the 

environment by correctly applying existing requirements and properly characterizing the relevant 

issues. The releases have not exceeded the limits the NRC sets to ensure public health and safety, 

nor have the leaks interfered with the proper functioning of the plants’ safety systems. 

“Our Task Force re-examined past agency actions and those actions taken by nuclear 

facilities with regard to tritium contamination in order to see if we need to do more,” said 

Charles Casto, deputy administrator of the NRC’s Region IV office, who led the task force. 

“Based on that evaluation, we have developed recommendations intended to improve and 

strengthen the NRC’s response to groundwater incidents.” 

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 

Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 

E-mail: opa.resource@nrc.gov

Site: http://www.nrc.gov

No. 10-108 June 17, 2010
The recommendations cover the NRC’s policies, programs, and communications 

associated with the oversight of groundwater incidents. They fall into four broad categories: 

(1) reassessing the NRC’s regulatory framework to better include groundwater protection, (2) 

maintaining the barriers designed to confine tritium and other licensed material, (3) creating 

more reliable NRC responses, and (4) strengthening trust. The Task Force’s 16 conclusions 

discuss communications, the regulatory framework, and processes and practices associated with 

the oversight of groundwater incidents. The report’s key recommendations to strengthen NRC 

response to groundwater incidents include: 

• Identify policy issues associated with assessing the NRC’s groundwater protection regulatory 

framework; 

• Once the policy issues are addressed, implement appropriate enhancements; 

• Consider developing specific actions to address the report’s key themes and conclusions; 

• Work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state agencies and international 

regulators to develop a collaborative approach for enhancing groundwater protection 

strategies; and 

• Consider including discussions on public health when communicating with stakeholders. 

The Groundwater Task Force Report and the EDO’s memorandum establishing the senior 

management review group, as well as additional information, are available on the NRC website 

at: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/ops-experience/grndwtr-contam-tritium.html. 

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