July 23, 2014 

MEMORANDUM TO: Gregory Suber, Acting Deputy Director 

 Environmental Protection and Performance 

 Assessment Directorate 

 Division of Waste Management 

 and Environmental Protection 

Office of Federal and State Materials 

 and Environmental Management Programs 

FROM: Mathews George, Project Manager /RA/ by SDembeck for

 Environmental Protection and Performance 

 Assessment Directorate 

 Division of Waste Management 

 and Environmental Protection 

Office of Federal and State Materials 

 and Environmental Management Programs 

SUBJECT: SUMMARY OF JULY 8, 2014, PUBLIC WEBINAR ON STRATEGIC 

ASSESSMENT OF LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE 

REGULATORY PROGRAM

On July 8, 2014, staff from the Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental 

Management Programs conducted a public webinar workshop to gather information on an 

update to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC’s) 2007 Strategic Assessment of the 

Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW) regulatory program from stakeholders and other 

interested members of the public. 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

In 2007, the NRC staff published the Strategic Assessment in SECY-07-0180, “Strategic 

Assessment of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Regulatory Program” (ADAMS Accession 

No. ML07135029), which identified and prioritized the NRC staff’s activities for the NRC’s LLRW 

regulatory program. After 7 years, progress has been made in completing several activities 

identified in the 2007 Strategic Assessment. In addition, the national LLRW program continues 

to evolve. To set the direction for the NRC’s LLRW regulatory program in the next several 

years, the NRC staff will begin developing an updated Strategic Assessment of the NRC’s 

LLRW program. The new assessment will provide opportunities for stakeholder engagement. 

On May 15, 2014, a Federal Register (FR) notice was published (79 FR 27772) seeking 

comments on developments that would affect the LLRW regulatory program in the next several 

years that would affect licensees and sited States and actions that the NRC could take to 

ensure safety, security, and the protection of the environment. 

CONTACT: Mathews George, FSME/DWMEP 

301-415-7065
 2 

JULY 8, 2014 PUBLIC WEBINAR: 

The July 8, 2014, Public Meeting Notice and meeting agenda were made publicly available prior 

to the meeting and can be found in (ADAMS Accession No. ML14170A469). Approximately 

16 individuals participated in this public meeting, remotely (electronically) via 

webinar/telephone. Attendance included representatives from the Agreement States, disposal 

facility operators, and waste generators (including private and governmental) and members of 

non-governmental organizations (see enclosure). The meeting slides are available in ADAMS 

(ADAMS Accession No. ML14169A527). 

Steve Dembek opened the workshop, welcomed the attendees and discussed the objectives of 

the workshop. Mathews George provided the background on the development of the 2007 

Strategic Assessment, status of the high priority activities in the assessment, and proposed 

activities for the updated Strategic Assessment. Mathews George also discussed the specific 

questions to be considered as stakeholders develop and provide their comments in developing 

the revised Strategic Assessment document. 

Comments and questions from the discussion on the Strategic Assessment included: 

• Questions were raised on the basis of the pessimistic scenario. The NRC staff noted 

that the Barnwell closure was considered in the 2007 Strategic Assesment pessimistic 

scenario. However, the basis for the new pessimistic scenario is based on where 

disposal capacity is constrained for LLRW in the not too distant future for generators of 

LLRW. 

• The majority of the concerns and comments were raised on the 10 CFR Part 61 

rulemaking and from a single stakeholder group. These included: 

o The direction of the Part 61 rulemaking - dual track option. There should be an 

option to update waste classification to include depleted uranium. 

o The sharp differences between the Staff SECY to Commission (July 2013) and SRM 

from Commission (Feb 2014). Stakeholders were interested to understand the basis 

of the decisions by the Commissioners. NRC staff noted that the vote sheets for 

each Commissioner on this decision are publically available. 

o The Commissioners, in their SRM, seem to discount the scientific recommendations 

provided by the NRC staff. 

o The Commissioners seem to give the views and opinions of the nuclear industry 

more weight versus protection of public safety and environment in their decisions. 

 
 3 

PATH FORWARD: 

At the end of the meeting, Steve Dembek concluded the webinar. He thanked the participants 

of the webinar. He noted that written comments could be submitted via www.regulations.gov

and the comment period would close on September 15, 2014. Comments from the 

March 7, 2014, workshop in Phoenix Arizona will be reviewed along with comments from the 

webinars on June 17th & July 8th as well as the Federal Register Notice in updating the Strategic 

Assessment. A draft updated Strategic Assessment is expected to be published in 2015. 

DOCUMENTATION:

All project documentation (meeting agenda, presentation slides, meeting summary, and other 

related documents) can be found on the following NRC webpage: 

http://www.nrc.gov/waste/llw-disposal/llw-pa/llw-strategic-assessment.html.

Enclosure: 

Attendance List 
3 

PATH FORWARD: 

At the end of the meeting, Steve Dembek concluded the webinar. He thanked the participants 

of the webinar. He noted that written comments could be submitted via www.regulations.gov

and the comment period would close on September 15, 2014. Comments from the 

March 7, 2014, workshop in Phoenix Arizona will be reviewed along with comments from the 

webinars on June 17th & July 8th as well as the Federal Register Notice in updating the Strategic 

Assessment. A draft updated Strategic Assessment is expected to be published in 2015. 

DOCUMENTATION:

All project documentation (meeting agenda, presentation slides, meeting summary, and other 

related documents) can be found on the following NRC webpage: 

http://www.nrc.gov/waste/llw-disposal/llw-pa/llw-strategic-assessment.html.

Enclosure: 

Attendance List 

 

ML14191B188 

OFC DWMEP DWMEP DWMEP DWMEP DWMEP 

NAME MGeorge SDembek TMoon MWong for 

GSuber 

SDembeck 

for MGeorge 

DATE 07/10/14 07/10/14 07/14/14 07/22/14 07/23/14 

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY 
Enclosure 

WEBINAR ATTENDEES (Public): 

NAME AFFILIATION 

Matthew Pacenza HEAL - Utah 

Christopher Thomas HEAL - Utah 

Leigh Ing Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact 

Commission 

Todd Lovinger LLW Forum Inc. 

William Dornsife Waste Control Specialists LLC 

Thomas Magette PWC 

James Kennedy Public Citizen 

Mari Jaworski Duke Energy 

Holly Wohlberg PWC 

NOTE: There were additional attendees via the bridge line that did not login to the webinar. 

Staff has no means to track bridge line callers. 

NRC ATTENDEES: 

NAME TITLE 

Steve Dembek Senior Project Manager 

Mathews George Project Manager 

Don Lowman Project Manager 

James Shaffner Project Manager 

Maurice Heath Project Manager 

Terrence Brimfield Project Manager 

Antoinette Walker-Smith Licensing Assistant