ML18292A613

Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute - Supplemental Info Needed for Acceptance of Requested LAR Required Qualifications of Reactor Facility Director and Required SRO Presence in Reactor Room During Maintenance/Calibration for Afrri

ML18292A613
Person / Time
Site:	Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute
Issue date:	10/26/2018
From:	Cindy Montgomery Research and Test Reactors Licensing Projects Branch
To:	Gilstad J US Dept of Defense, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute
Montgomery C
References
EPID L-2018-LLA-0286
Download: ML18292A613 (5)

Text

October 26, 2018 Captain John Gilstad, Director Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute National Naval Medical Center 8901 Wisconsin Avenue Bethesda, Maryland 20889-5603

SUBJECT:

ARMED FORCES RADIOBIOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE -

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION NEEDED FOR ACCEPTANCE OF REQUESTED LICENSING ACTION REGARDING REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS OF REACTOR FACILITY DIRECTOR FOR THE ARMED FORCES RADIOBIOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE REACTOR FACILITY (EPID NO. L-2018-LLA-0286)

Dear Captain Gilstad:

By letter dated September 25, 2018 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML18276A077), Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI) submitted a license amendment request (LAR) for the AFRRI reactor facility. AFRRI requested the amendment to revise its technical specifications (TSs) to make the following changes: (1) to allow it to change the qualifications of the reactor facility director, (2) to allow the presence of a senior reactor operator in the reactor room, instead of the control room, during performance of maintenance and calibrations, and (3) to change the frequency of reviews and audits of the Operator Requalification Program, Emergency Plan, and Physical Security Plan.

The amendment would also make other changes to the TSs related to defining acronyms; clarifying word interpretations in the TSs; changing measurement frequencies; changing the organizational chart; eliminating the reference to specific guidance editions; referring to another AFRRI license unintentionally; and eliminating references to persons with specific titles. AFRRI stated that the amendment is necessary to correct problems that resulted in the issuance of a Notice of Violation on July 5, 2018, as well as to ensure more safe and efficient reactor operation.

The purpose of this letter is to provide the results of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staffs acceptance review of this LAR. The NRC staff performed this acceptance review to determine if there is sufficient technical information in scope and depth to allow the NRC staff to complete its detailed technical review. The acceptance review is also intended to identify whether the application has any readily apparent information insufficiencies in its satisfaction of the regulatory requirements or the characterization of the licensing basis for the facility.

Consistent with Section 50.90, Application for amendment of license, construction permit, or early site permit, of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), whenever a holder of a license desires to amend the license, an application for an amendment must be filed with the Commission, as specified in 10 CFR 50.4, Written communications, fully describing the

J. Gilstad changes desired, and following as far as applicable, the form prescribed for original applications. Section 50.34, Contents of applications; technical information, of 10 CFR addresses the content of technical information required. This section stipulates that the submittal address the design and operating characteristics, unusual or novel design features, and principal safety considerations.

The NRC staff has reviewed AFRRIs application, and concluded that the information delineated in the enclosure to this letter is necessary to enable the NRC staff to make an independent assessment regarding the acceptability of the proposed LAR in terms of meeting regulatory requirements, and protecting the public health and safety, and the environment. The NRC staff requests that AFRRI either 1) supplement the application to address the information needs described in the enclosure by November 30, 2018, in order to make the application complete; or, 2) withdraw and resubmit the application at a later date.

The supplemental information will enable the NRC staff to begin its detailed technical review. If the information responsive to the NRC staffs information needs is not received by the above date, the application, if not withdrawn, will not be accepted for review pursuant to 10 CFR 2.101, Filing of application, and the NRC staff will cease its review activities associated with the application.

If the application is subsequently accepted for review, AFRRI will be advised of any further information needed to support the NRC staffs detailed technical review by separate correspondence.

The information needs and associated response time frame in this letter were discussed with your staff on October 17, 2018.

If you have any questions regarding this review, please contact me at 301-415-3398, or by electronic mail at Cindy.Montgomery@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA by William Kennedy for/

Cindy Montgomery, Project Manager Research and Test Reactors Licensing Branch Division of Licensing Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-170 License No. R-84

Enclosure:

As stated cc: See next page

Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute Docket No. 50-170 cc:

Director, Maryland Office of Planning 301 West Preston Street Baltimore, MD 21201 Montgomery County Executive 101 Monroe Street, 2nd Floor Rockville, MD 20850 Environmental Program Manager III Radiological Health Program Air & Radiation Management Adm.

Maryland Department of the Environment 1800 Washington Blvd., Suite 750 Baltimore, MD 21230-1724 Director Air & Radiation Management Adm.

Maryland Department of the Environment 1800 Washington Blvd., Suite 710 Baltimore, MD 21230 Test, Research and Training Reactor Newsletter P.O. Box 118300 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611 Manager Nuclear Programs Maryland Department of Natural Resources Tawes B-3 Annapolis, MD 21401 Mr. Dale Tomlinson (Acting)

Reactor Facility Director Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute 8901 Wisconsin Avenue Bethesda, MD 20889-5603

ML18292A613 *concurred via email OFFICE NRR/DLP/PRLB/PM* NRR/DLP/PRLB/LA* NRR/DLP/PRLB/BC NRR/DLP/PRLB/PM CMontgomery NAME CMontgomery NParker AAdams (WKennedy for)

DATE 10/18/2018 10/22/2018 10/25/2018 10/26/2018 SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION NEEDS LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST REGARDING QUALIFICATIONS OF THE REACTOR FACILITY DIRECTOR FOR ARMED FORCES RADIOBIOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE REACTOR FACILITY DOCKET NO. 50-170 LICENSE NO. R-84 By letter dated September 25, 2018 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML18276A077), Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI) submitted a license amendment request (LAR) for the AFRRI reactor facility. AFRRI requested the amendment to revise its technical specifications (TSs) to make the following changes: (1) to allow it to change the qualifications of the reactor facility director, (2) to allow the presence of a senior reactor operator in the reactor room, instead of the control room, during performance of maintenance and calibrations, and (3) to change the frequency of reviews and audits of the Operator Requalification Program, Emergency Plan, and Physical Security Plan.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has determined that the following information is necessary to make the application complete and acceptable for docketing:

1. Oath or Affirmation Your LAR was not submitted pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Section 50.30, Filing of applications for licenses; oath or affirmation.

2. Description of Technical Specification Changes Your application does not provide sufficient description of, or justification for, all of the proposed changes to the TSs. The application should provide a complete description of all of the proposed changes to the TSs and a comparison to the currently NRC-approved TSs (i.e., each deletion or modification of a portion of the current TSs, including minor numbering, formatting, or editorial changes, as well as each addition to the current TSs). The application should be supplemented to include a detailed discussion and/or analysis, as applicable, justifying each change.

3. Proposed Technical Specification Change Pages The application does not include proposed TS change pages that are marked-up to indicate the areas of change (compared to the current NRC-approved TSs on the docket), to support the LAR. Only the marked up proposed TS change pages, pertaining to the amendment, should be submitted.

Enclosure