ML062550155

E-Mail from Lochbaum to Vito, New Jersey

ML062550155
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	12/16/2003
From:	Lochbaum D Union of Concerned Scientists
To:	Vito D Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
FOIA/PA-2005-0194
Download: ML062550155 (1)

Text

From: Dave Lochbaum" <dlochbaum@ucsusa.org>

To: <djv@nrc.gov>

Date: 12/16/03 2:24PM

Subject:

New Jersey Hello Dave:

About two weeks ago, I was interviewed by the NRC Office of the Inspector General for an audit they recently initiated to examine the Office of Investigations. During that interview, I was generally not enthusiastic about the performance of 01 - but I did point to what I'm hearing about the ongoing inquiry at Salem as potential evidence that thngs may be changing. I told OIG that I'd be monitoring the Salem matter to determine if our view on 01 needs revision. From everything I've heard about the Salem matter, the NRC's process - with the possible exception of its pace - has been really good. I truly hope that's the case. This reasonable expectation that the NRC was proceeding so well on this matte=r provided me, and others, the patience we wouldn't otherwise have had to wait for NRC.

UCS is monitoring this matter for the bigger picture as well. Saefty culture is a cross-cutting.issue that has adverely affected several nuclear plant sites. It is our hope that Region I's handling of the Salem matter can be used for postive lessons learned to better complement the negative lessons learned from prior cases. They over-populated the "what not to do" bin. Better definition of "what to do" which might result from Region I in this Salem case could be a very big step towards resolving the safety culture problem.

Thanks, Dave Lochbaum Nuclear Safety Engineer Union of Concerned Scientists 1707 H Street NW Suite 600 Washington, DC 20006-3962 (202) 223-6133 x113

• (202) 223-6162 fax Make your voice heard on important environmental and security issues. Join the Union of Concerned Scientists Action Network at www.ucsaction.org.

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CC: <hjml@nrc.gov>.,

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