ML19247A075
| ML19247A075 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/18/1979 |
| From: | Ryan R NRC OFFICE OF STATE PROGRAMS (OSP) |
| To: | Swick C ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY INSTITUTE |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7907270259 | |
| Download: ML19247A075 (2) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES g,
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION y
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WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
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JUN 181979 Mr. Craig B. Swick Environmental Policy Institute 317 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D. C.
20003
Dear Mr. Swick:
Thank you for your letter of May 23, 1979 to me, requesting termination of the agreement between the State of Arizona and the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Connission (NRC). The request appeared to be directly related to conditions at the American Atomics Corporation facility in Tucson, Arizona.
Under the authority of section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act, as amended, NRC and the State of Arizona entered into an agreement effective May 15, 1967, whereby NRC relinquished and Arizona assumed regulatory authority over most byproduct, source and special nuclear material users in Arizona. The State agency which is responsible for the regulatory control programs is the Arizona Atomic Energy Commission ( AAEC).
AAEC has licensing and regulatory responsibility for the use of radioactive materials at the American Atomics Corporation facility.
The Office of State Programs has been in contact with AAEC concerning matters at the American Atomics Corpsration plant since February 28, 1979, when we learned of allegations of unsafe working practices at the plant.
We expressed our concerns to AAEC the same day. AAEC reported it had first received com-plaints related to general safety conditions and tritium releases to the sanitary sewer in July 1978.
An AAEC inspection was conducted August 17, 1978.
Four items ei non-complian;e were found, including one related to inventory discrepancies attributed to high operating losses.
The State has also been informed by this office of a report of contamination found in storage facilia ties of an American Atomics Corporation customer and a report that certain tritf um activated luminous sources were received by customers with no lumin' osity. As you are aware, on March 9,1979, the State conducted an inspection at American Atomics Corporation.
We received a copy of the enforcement letter to the licensee, and following discussions with AAEC staff, provided comments to Arizona (Enclosure).
Since your letter, there have been additional developments in this matter including the finding on June 1,1979, of elevated tritium levels in water used in a food plant near the American Atomics Corporation facility in Tucson.
The samples were collected by the State and analyzed at the State's request by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
402 182-70072701 % {
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Mr. Craig B. Swick On June 1,1979, this of fice recommended immediate shutdown of the licensee's operations.
AAEC, working with the local county health departa ment arranged a shutdown of the food processing plant from which the sample was obtained.
On June 2,1979, AAEC, in emergency session, voi.ea to pennit the licensee to continue to operate but on a reduced schedule.
On June 4, 1979, I reiterated our recommendation for immediate closing of the licen=
see 's operation (Enclosure 2).
AAEC has scheduled a formal hearing to begin June 16, 1979, to consider further action regarding the license issued to the American Atomics Corporation.
The State is conducting studies to further assess the conditions in and around the licensee 's plant.
Additional samples in the environs around the American Atomics Corporation plant are beirg collected.
EPA is continuing to provide analytical assistance. NRC has responded to a request from AAEC to provide technical assistance to the State; two NRC inspectors from our Region V office will be in Tucson later this week.
We will continue to closely monitor developments in this case.
NRC staff will be present at the AAEC hearing beginning June 16, 1979.
NRC will review the State's actions in this matter before making any decisions about the adequacy of the State 's program to protect the public health and safety and before making a final judgment request for a termination of the Agreement.
Sincerely, JIgA //N e i
Robert G. Ryan, Director Office of State Programs
Enclosures:
As stated cc: Hon. Bruce Babbitt William R. Willis Kenneth R. Geiser
/NRC Public Document Room 1r a