INFORMATION REPORT

May 26, 2005 SECY-05-0095

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0095 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING MAY 13, 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:

L. Rakovan, OEDO
May 26, 2005 SECY-05-0095

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0095 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING MAY 13, 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:

L. Rakovan, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\week513.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

LJRakovan:paa WMDean

05/23/05 05/26/05
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING MAY 13, 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 * OPA 17

RES 8 OIP 18

NSIR 9 SECY 19

OGC * Region I 20

ADM 10 Region II 21

OIS 11 Region III *

CFO * Region IV 23

HR 15 EDO *

SBCR * OCA 24

OE *

*No input this week
May 13, 2005 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 13, 2005

Notice of Availability - Model Application for Revising Steam Generator Technical Specifications

On May 6, 2005, the staff issued a model license amendment application related to revising the

technical specifications (TS) on steam generator (SG) tube integrity for PWRs (70 FR 24126). 

The Technical Specification Task Force (TSTF) proposed incorporation of this change into the

standard TS (TSTF-449, Revision 4). The change would replace many existing prescriptive

requirements for inspecting SG tubes with requirements that are largely performance-based

and directly tied to ensuring SG tube integrity. The proposed change is aligned with the

industry’s NEI 97-06 initiative, “SG Tube Integrity Guidelines.”

In the Federal Register notice dated March 2, 2005 (70 FR 10298), the staff requested public

comment on the model safety evaluation (SE) and no significant hazards consideration

determination relating to TSTF-449, Revision 3. In response to comments received and to

reflect changes to TSTF-449 in Revision 4, the staff made only minor corrections and

clarifications to its SE. The staff has posted the model application on the NRC web site to

assist licensees in using the consolidated line item improvement process (CLIIP) to revise the

TS on SG tube integrity.

Information Notice 2005-11: Internal Flooding/Spray-Down of Safety-Related Equipment Due

to Unsealed Equipment Hatch Floor Plugs and/or Blocked Floor Drains

The NRC is issuing this information notice to inform addressees of the possibility of flooding

safety-related equipment as a result of: (1) equipment hatch floor plugs that are not water tight;

and (2) blockage of the equipment floor drain systems that are credited to mitigate the effects

of flooding in the final safety analysis report and plant design basis calculations. 

Public Meeting on Long-Term Open Frequently Asked Questions on the Scrams with Loss of

Normal Heat Removal Performance Indicator

On May 12, 2005, the Division of Inspection Program Management staff hosted a public

meeting at NRC Headquarters to discuss the subject open reactor oversight process

performance indicator (PI) frequently asked questions (FAQs). The objective of the meeting

was to provide information to allow agency management to make a final decision on how to

finally resolve those open issues. 

Meeting with Entergy on the Vermont Yankee Extended Power Uprate (EPU) Application

On May 9, 2005, representatives from Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, LLC, met with NRC

staff to discuss the licensee’s application for an EPU at Vermont Yankee. Entergy had

requested the meeting to present an overview of recent supplements to its application. The

meeting focused on the steam dryer analyses, station blackout and other items.
May 13, 2005 ENCLOSURE A

Staff Issues Final Supplement 20 to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License

Renewal Regarding Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2

On April 29, 2005, the staff issued the subject document. The supplemental environmental

impact statement (SEIS) represents the completion of the staff’s environmental review for the

license renewal application submitted by the Indian Michigan Power Company.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is expected to issue the Notice of Availability of the

final SEIS in the May 13, 2005, Federal Register. The NRC can then proceed with renewal

actions after a 30-day period expires (June 24, 2005), should no Federal agency refer matters

in dispute in the final SEIS to the Council on Environmental Quality. The decision on issuing

the license is scheduled for September 2005.
May 13, 2005 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 13, 2005

Meeting of Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI), Program Review Group

On May 3-4, 2005, RES management participated in the subject meeting in Paris, France. The

principal objective of the meeting was to review proposed CSNI working group final products,

as well as proposals for new work. The Program Review Group is recommending that CSNI

approve publication of five documents related to low power and shutdown risk assessment,

thermal fatigue, risk-informed in-service inspection, and human factors. The review group is

also recommending that a new work proposal on risk assessment be approved.

Code Application and Maintenance Program

RES participated in the Spring 2005 Meeting of the Code Application and Maintenance Program

(CAMP) on May 2-3, 2005, in Dubrovnik, Croatia. CAMP is a multi-lateral international program

coordinated by the NRC to foster cooperation on thermal hydraulic research and code

development. CAMP meetings are held twice a year to exchange information about the

development and use of the RELAP5, TRACE, PARCS and SNAP computer codes used by the

NRC and the CAMP member countries. 

DOE Low Dose Workshop

On April 25-27, 2005, NRC staff attended the 5th workshop on the Department of Energy (DOE)

Low Dose Radiation Research Program. Four program areas are currently funded by DOE:

molecular and genetic epidemiology, radiation biology detection and measurement of very low

doses, prediction of individual sensitivity to ionizing radiation exposure based on human

genome data, and integrating the basic data into useful models of radiation cancer risk. While

results from much of the work is still preliminary, indications are that radiation effects at the

molecular level may not necessarily translate into observable effects at the tissue/organ level. 
May 13, 2005 ENCLOSURE D

Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 13, 2005

Meeting with Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency 

On May 9, 2005, NSIR management and staff met with representatives from the Federal

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate and discuss their participation in the

planned public meeting related to the top-to-bottom review of emergency preparedness

regulations and guidance. FEMA noted its appreciation for the opportunity to be involved at this

stage of the review and agreed to participate in this public meeting tentatively scheduled for the

Summer of 2005. 
May 13, 2005 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration (ADM)

Items of Interest 

Week Ending May 13, 2005

Contract Awards

On May 6, 2005, a non-competitive, fixed price contract no. NRC-23-05-241 was awarded to

Exceptional Software Strategies, under the SBA 8(a) set-aside program. The contract is for the

EDO Document and Task Tracking System (EDTTS) which replaces the current Work Item

Tracking System. The total award amount is $194,670.72 and the period of performance is two

years.

On May 10, 2005, a competitive, fixed-price, delivery order contract no. NRC-38-05-363 was

awarded to HGM Management and Technologies, Inc, as a small-business set-aside for the

Office of Human Resources. The contractor will conduct organizational development

interventions. The total value is $1,160,996. The period of performance is five years, including

four one-year option periods.

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: NUHOMS® -24PT4 Revision, Amendment;

Confirmation of Effective Date (AH50 - Part 72)

On May 12, 2005, notice was published in the Federal Register (70 FR 24936) that a direct final

rule that would have revised the Holtec International HI-STORM 100 (Amendment 2) cask

system listing in the list of approved spent fuel storage casks was withdrawn. The direct final

rule was withdrawn because a significant adverse comment was submitted in response to an

identical proposed rule published concurrently with the direct final rule.
May 13, 2005 ENCLOSURE G

Office of Information Services (OIS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 13, 2005

Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Requests received during the period of

May 6 through May 12, 2005:

Licenses, active, Decontamination Services & Decommissioning

Facilities, Program Codes 03219 & 03900

FOIA/PA-2005-0226

Unusual events, alerts, etc., 1970 to present, back-up documents for

data in NRC’s 1998 annual report

FOIA/PA-2005-0227

License for Navy to transport & store depleted uranium munitions,

tonage limit

FOIA/PA-2005-0228

Commission’s decision to release a study by the National Academy of

Sciences on the safety & security of commercial spent nuclear fuel

storage, all records

FOIA/PA-2005-0229

OI Report 3-2004-022, entire file FOIA/PA-2005-0230

ASW Consultants Inc., 847 N. Gilmore Street, Allentown PA 18103,

license no. 37-27999-02, material being handled at site, issues with

site

FOIA/PA-2005-0231
May 13, 2005 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources (HR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 13, 2005

Twenty-Eighth Annual Awards Ceremony Held

On May 12, 2005, NRC held its Twenty-Eighth Annual Awards Ceremony. Chairman Nils Diaz;

Commissioner Edward McGaffigan, Jr.; Commissioner Jeffrey S. Merrifield; Commissioner

Gregory B. Jaczko, and Luis A. Reyes, Executive Director for Operations; hosted the ceremony. 

At the ceremony, 2 employees were honored for having received the Presidential Distinguished

Executive Rank Award, 12 employees were honored for having received the Presidential

Meritorious Executive Rank Award, 4 employees received the NRC Distinguished Service

Award, and 43 employees received the NRC Meritorious Service Award. A reception was held

for all NRC employees in the Two White Flint North Cafeteria following the ceremony. 

Arrivals

Julie Axelrod Student Law Clerk (Summer) OGC

Ronnie C. Banerjee Student Human Resources Specialist R-I

Gregory Cameron Student Engineer (Co-Op) R-II

William Lewis Reactor Inspector R-II

David Fleury Reactor Technology Instructor HR

Neil Haggerty Project Manager NMSS

Robert Hardies Sr. Materials Engineer NRR

Chad K. Huffman Reliability and Risk Engineer (NSPDP) RES

Aracelis Pérez-Ortiz Secretary (OA) NMSS

Breeda Reilly Chemical Engineer NMSS

Kathy Weaver Senior Project Manager NRR

Retirements

Ross B. Landsman Sr. Reactor Inspector R-III

Departures

Paul Shemanski Consultant NRR

Tamara Williams Secretary (OA) OCA
May 13, 2005 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs (OPA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 13, 2005

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

NRC’s withdrawal of a direct final rule on a Holtec cask amendment request.

The annual assessment meeting held for Indian Point.

Other Public Affairs Items:

OPA staff continued to assist at public end-of-cycle meetings.

OPA turned down a request by a film maker to do a documentary on how the NRC operates

based on OPA’s conclusion that the finished product would not be an accurate portrayal of how

the agency functions.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

05-078 Nuclear Regulatory Commission Honors Employees on May 12 in Rockville, MD (5/12)

05-079 NRC Renews Operating Licenses for Farley Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, for an

Additional 20 Years (5/12)

05-080 NRC Toughens Export-Import Requirements for Certain Radioactive Materials (5/12)

05-081 NRC Announces Opportunity for Hearing on Application to Renew Operating License

for Monticello Nuclear Plant (5/12)

Regions:

I-05-028 NRC to Present Preliminary Findings of Millstone 3 Special Inspection (5/11)

III-05-023 NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance Assessment for Braidwood Nuclear Plant (5/9)

III-05-024 NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance Assessment for LaSalle Nuclear Power Station

(5/10)

III-05-025 NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance Assessment for Monticello Nuclear Plant (5/11)

IV-05-019 NRC to Conduct Special Inspection at Waterford Nuclear Plant (5/9)

IV-05-020 NRC Issues Confirmatory Order to R&M Engineering Consultants of Alaska (5/10)

IV-05-021 NRC Staff to Meet with Arizona Public Service Co. to Discuss Performance of Palo

Verde Nuclear Plant (5/12)
May 13, 2005 ENCLOSURE N

Office of International Programs (OIP)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 13, 2005

Visit by Norwegian Officials

On May 9, 2005, the OIP staff met with two Norwegian officials who are associated with the

Barents Council. The visit was conducted under the auspices of the State Department. The

Barents Council was established in 1993 by the governments of the Nordic countries and

Russia to promote joint development of the Barents Sea region. Of concern to the Norwegians

is the fleet of nuclear powered submarines anchored 50 kilometers from the Norwegian border,

the long-term storage of submarine spent fuel, and the safety of the Kola nuclear power plant,

located about 200 kilometers from the border. The officials were visiting the U.S. to discuss

their interest in the environmental effects of radiation, nuclear safety and nonproliferation. 
May 13, 2005 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary (SECY)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 13, 2005

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Information Papers

1. SECY-05-0068 4/22/05 Update of the Risk-Informed Regulation

Implementation Plan

2. SECY-05-0069 4/22/05 FY 2004 Results of the Industry Trends

Program for Operating Power Reactors and

Status of the Ongoing Development of the

Program

3. SECY-05-0070 4/25/05 Reactor Oversight Process Self-Assessment for

Calendar Year 2004

Memoranda

1. M050405 5/09/05 Briefing on RES Programs, Performance, and

Plans

2. M050420C 5/10/05 Meeting with Advisory Committee on the

Medical Uses of Isotopes (ACMUI)

3. M050406 5/10/05 Briefing on Status of New Site and Reactor

Licensing

4. M050512 5/12/05 Affirmation Session: I. SECY-05-0043 - Final

Rule to Amend 10 CFR Part 110, “Export and

Import of Nuclear Equipment and Materials:

Security Policies” (AH44); II. SECY-05-0066 -

USEC, Inc. (American Centrifuge Plant)

Petitioners’ Standing to Intervene

Commission Correspondence

- Letter to Congressman Edward J. Markey, dated May 4, 2005, responds to letter

requesting the NRC to expeditiously resolve it objections to the release of the publicly

available version of the NAS report “Safety and Security of Commercial Spent Nuclear

Fuel Storage.”

Federal Register Notices Issued

- Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Notice of Meeting - 06/01-03/05
May 13, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region I (RI)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 13, 2005

Commissioner Jaczko Visit to Millstone Nuclear Power Station

On May 13, 2005, Commissioner Gregory Jaczko visited the Millstone Nuclear Power Station

accompanied by his executive assistant and the Deputy Director, Division of Reactor Safety,

Region I. The Commissioner toured the site with the NRC resident inspectors and station

management. Areas toured included the Unit 2 training simulator, the emergency response

facilities, and the Unit 3 control room of the station’s independent spent fuel storage installation

(ISFSI). The Commissioner also met with some of the station staff during a working lunch on

site.
May 13, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region II (RII)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 13, 2005

Carolina Power and Light Company - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Operational

Safety Assessment Review Team (OSART) Entrance Meeting

On May 9, 2005, the Regional Administrator attended the IAEA OSART Entrance meeting at

the Brunswick nuclear plant. 

Tennessee Valley Authority - Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) Progress

Status Meeting

On May 9, 2005, representatives from Tennessee Valley Authority attended the subject meeting

in the Regional Office. Near term plans for the ISFSI facility that is under construction at

Browns Ferry were also discussed. 
May 13, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV (RIV)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 13, 2005

End-of-Cycle Public Meetings

Between May 10-12, 2005, the NRC held public meetings with licensee representatives to

discuss the 2004 annual assessment of Arkansas Nuclear One, Grand Gulf Nuclear Station,

Fort Calhoun Station, and Comanche Peak Steam Electric Station for 2004. In addition, the

NRC described the reactor oversight process. The meetings received low participation from the

public, as well as some media, and state and local officials participation. 
May 13, 2005 

Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 13, 2005

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 19

 OCAContact

 DATE & PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Keeling May 17

S-407CapitolCLOSED

9:30 NRC Security of Nuclear Facilities Senators 

Clean Air

Nuclear SEnvironm

Shane May 17

2154RHOB

2:00 TBA Markup to consider pending

business

Reps PorFederal WOrganizaGovernm

Madden May 18

2359RHOB

2:00 TBA Markup of Draft FY 2006 EnergyWater Appropriations Reps Lew

Appropria

Shane May 24

SD-366

9:30 TBA Markup of Draft FY 2006 Energy Bill Senators 

Energy a

Combs May 24

2322RHOB

2:00 NRC, DOE, and Matthew

Bunn, Harvard University

Reducing the Thread of NuclearTerrorism: A Review of the DOE'sGlobal Threat Reduction Initiatives

Reps WhOversight Energy a

Shane May 25

SD-366

9:30 TBA Markup of Draft FY 2006 Energy Bill Senators 

Energy a
CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 19

 OCAContact

 DATE & PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

May 13, 2005 

Shane May 26

TBA

9:30 NRC Legislative Oversight Senators 

Clean Air

Nuclear SEnvironm

Shane May 26

SD-366

9:30 TBA Markup of Draft FY 2006 Energy Bill Senators 

Energy a

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 WOrganizaGovernm