ML19310A816
| ML19310A816 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 05/28/1980 |
| From: | Sniezek J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE) |
| To: | Ryan R NRC OFFICE OF STATE PROGRAMS (OSP) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19310A811 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8006300549 | |
| Download: ML19310A816 (5) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES v
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g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 3
l WASHINGTON. D. C. 20555
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9 MAY 281900 MEMORANDUM FOR:
R. G. Ryan, Director, Office of State Programs FROM:
J. H. Sniezek, Director, Division of Fuel Facili.ty and
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Materials Safety Inspection, IE
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF INSPECTION-ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION OF NUCLEAR WASTE (MARCH-APRIL 1980) t.
Enclosed for prompt dispatch to the State of South Carolina, Washington and Nevada is the fourth bi-monthly summary report of the subject activities for the period March-April 1980.
The next report will cover the period May-June 1980, with quarterly reports to be issued thereafter.
7 n
N-hakk H. :iezek, Director ivisio.:ofFue5'FaciTityand Materials Safety Inspection, IE Office of Inspection and Enforcement
Enclosure:
As stated g.
cc:
V. Stello, Jr.
s t
R. Cunningham, NMSS
- 8. H. Grier, R. I J. P. O'Reilly, R. II J. G. Keppler, R. III K. V. Seyfrit, R. IV R. H. Engelken, R. V G. W. Kerr, SP CONTACT:
A. W. Grella, IE 49-28188 A
8006800
Summary of NRC Inspection-Enforcement Activities Relating to Transportation of Nuclear Wastes (March-Ap ri l, 1980)
(.' '
This report summarizes the status of NRC inspection and enforcement activities on transportation of nuclear waste dur i March-April 1980.
In general the programs and initiatives reported on eatfier have been maintained, with the continued increased emphasis on inspection of waste generators, as well as inspection of waste shipments upon receipt at the three burial sites.
INSPECTION OF WASTE GENERATOR SHIPPERS Inspections of waste generaton shippers continued as a follow-up to Bulletin 79-19 issued in 1979, as well as in the course of routine inspections of materials facilities.
The numbers of inspectihns for each type of licensee during March-April and cumulative totals since July 1979 are as follows:
TOTALS Region I
II III IV V
Mar-Apr 7/79-4/80 Power Reactors No. Sites insp.
0 0
1 0
2 3
52 No. Units insp.
0 0
1 0
2 3
70 No. Pkgs. opened 0
0 0
0 3
3 92 Fuel Facilities No. Insp.
4 0
1 0
2 7
24 No. Pkgs, opened 9
0 0
40 2
11 25 s
Materials Facilities s
No. Insp.
121 34 68 0
7 230 459 No. Pkgs. opened 18 0
34 0
0 52 102 INSPECTIONS AT WASTE BURIAL SITES Three NRC inspectors remained assigned full time to thi.s effort, two at the Richland site and one at the Beatty Site.
Intermittent.. coverage at the Barnwell site also continued.
O
-. Totals for these inspection efforts are:
C
- March - April 80 Cumulative July 1979 - April 80 Inspector ~
Shipments Inspector Shipments Site days inspected days inspected Beatty 50 125 134 252 Barnwell 8
35 31 281 Hanford 90 179 227 350 1~
Totals 148 339 392 883 ENFORCEMENT Th' following is the status of the civil penalties concerning transportation activities which have been proposed or are under development:
1.
A special inspection was conducted at Pilgrim on December 27-28, 1979 and January 4,1980 as a result of a discrepant shipment to Barnwell, South Carolina on December 14, 1979.
This special inspection resulted in a Notice of Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalty ($5,000) being issued to the licensee on February 15, 1980.
The licensee paid the penalty and provided a description of corrective action in a 1etter dated March 10, 1980.
The licensee's corrective actions will be verified during a future inspection.
2.
As a result 'f a transportation problem identified at the Beatty, Nevada burial site, a special combined inspection was performed concerning the following companies:
b Company Inspection Report No.
Union Carbide Corporation 70-687/80-01 50-54/80-01 Smith Kline and French Laboratories 30-05986/80-01 Nuclear Engineering Company 27-39/80-01 27-48/80-01 Notices of Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalty were issbed to Union Carbide Corporation ($3,000) on April 7 and to Smith Kline and French Laboratories
($5,000) on April 8, 1980.
In their reply of April 29, 1980, Union Carbide presented arguments and suggested that, the amount of the monetary penalty be reduced because the violation of the regulation by the NRC was not as serious as implied.
In
., -. their reply of April 28, 1980, Smith Kline and French Laboratories paid the civil penalty and provided a description of corrective actions to' prevent recurrenceoftheit'gms,ofnoncompliance.
The Office of State Programs sent letters dated April 15, 1980, to the States of Nevada, New York and Washington.
It was recommended that Nevada, New York and, Washington take enforcement action against Nuclear Engineering Company for violations of their regulatory requirements.
It was further. recommended that New York also take enforcement action against Union Carbide. A copy of the combined inspection report was also forwarded to DOT for action as appropriate.
3.
As a result of a transpsetation problem identified at the Richland, Washington burial site, a special inspection (50-271/80-03) was performed concerning Vermont Yankee's waste shipment of February 5,1980.
A Notice of Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalty (54,000.00) was issued to the licensee on May 7, 1980.
4.
As a result of NRC inspector-identified instances of failure to meet DOT regulations during shipment of radioactive waste to the NECO Richland burial site, special inspections were made of Nuclear Diagnostic Labora-tories and Radiac Research Corporation.
It was determined that the activities were performed under the conditions of New York State licenses in both cases.
Copies of the inspection reports were referred to both the State and DOT for action as appropriate.
5.
As a result of shipments to the Barnwell site, the following violations are being investigated by Region II for possible enforcement actions:
a.
Browns Ferry Shipment on 4/21:
Failure to make adequate survey; radiation levels exceeded 200 mR/hr at the surface of vehicle.
b.
Surry Shipment on 4/23:
Failure,to make adequate survey; radiation levels exceeded 200 mR/hr at surface-of vehicle.
s c.
Hatch Shipment on 4/19: Tailure to make adequate survey; radiation levels exceeded 2 mR/hr in vehicle cab.
6.
One case is being held in abeyance for possible enforcement action, awaiting an interpretation from 00T on the applicability of radiation level limits on packages transported aboard open, exclusive use highway vehicles.
As a result of the inspection and enforcement efforts thus far on incoming waste shipments to the burial sites, a clear need has been identified for the preparation and issuance of an. interpretive Informa-tion Notice to all licensees. This Notice, which'will be issued during the next reporting period will discuss a number of aspects of DOT regu-lations which have frequently been found to be in nor. compliance, including radiation level limits on exclusive use shipments, package marking requirements and shipping paper documentation requirements.
Interpretive aspects are being closely coordinated with the NRC Regional Offices and 00T.
.. f 4-TRAINING
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The program for providing training on Transportation for Resident Inspectors is being continued.
In conjunction with this program, the inspection procedures for these inspectors were revised on April 1,1980 to incorporate requirements for periodic routine inspections of packages of outgoing waste shipments from the reactor facilities.
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