ML19327C162
| ML19327C162 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Wolf Creek  |
| Issue date: | 11/14/1989 |
| From: | Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Dole R SENATE |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19327C163 | List: |
| References | |
| 2.206, NUDOCS 8911210047 | |
| Download: ML19327C162 (1) | |
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- November 1,4,' 1989 w.
't u
r T?TheHonorableRobert'J. Dole' t
T. XX l'Udited States Senate' 1
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. Washington, DC 20510.
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Dear Senator Dole:
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'I' am responding to your note of October 18, 1989, forwarding a-letter from
?
Ms. Arlys Schwabauer citing her concern with regard to the U.S. Nuclear s
V Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) denial of the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra f'
. Club's petition pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206. Ms. Schwabauer enclosed a copy of e
!a recent Sierra. Club. publication that discusses its petition regarding the 3
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Wolf Creek Generating Station along with a brief sunnary of the,NRC's decision
[
gy, to' deny the request..
s
'The NRC staff has thoroughly evaluated allegations of safety deficiencies L
relating to the Quality First Program (Q1) at the Wolf Creek Generating' C
. Station.' Petitions pursuant to 10'CFR 2.206 relating to Q1 have been received from both the Government Accountability Project (GAP) in May 1985 and'tl.e Kansas Chapter of.the Sierra Club in January 1989. We responded to these petitions in> Director's Decisions DD-88 14, dated August 22, 1988, and DD.89 4,-
dated June 26, 1989.
In addition, the NRC has reviewed Q1 on a number of occasions'through the normal inspection process and in a special investigation
- f. ',
performed separately by our Office of Investigations-(01). 'I believe the record demonstrates'we have not ignored allegations of. safety deficiencies at' Wolf Creek.
3
'J" I have enclosed a previous response to Ms. Schwabauer on this subject along a
with a copy of the information sent to her.
I hope this information is responsive to your request.
o Sincerely,0riginal Signed By.
James M. T M b j
.i Acting Executive Director 4
w for Operations L
OFoj t
DISTRIBUTION w/o enclosures:
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Enclosures:
As. stated Docket File NRC PDR,w/ incoming Local PDR w/ incoming J. Partlow G. Holahan 0GC.Rockville a
J.' Taylor
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Hebdon D. Mossburg, PMAS(ED0f4834) w/inem.)
P. Noonan G.' Holler, RIV D. Pickett w/ incoming ED0 Reading.#4834.
PD4 Green Ticket File lb.
D. Crutchfield F. Gillespie R. Martin, RIV
! +7 J. Scinto B. Hayes ~
TMurley/JSniezek l
F. Miraglia, GPA/CA' SECY #891136 J
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NUCLEAR REQULATORY COMMil.ON f
mesesseeTON. D. C.asbet 9
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1 Ms. Arlys L. Schwabauer i
Route 2, Box let j
Newton, Kansas 67114
Dear Ms. Schwabauer:
1 198g to Senator Nancy L. Kassebaum citin i
Your letter of August 24,$. Nuclear Regulatory Comunission's (NRC's)g your dental of j
concerns regarding the U.
i the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club's petition pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206 has i
Enclosed with your letter was a copy of a been forwarded to me for response.
recent Sierra Club publication that discusses its petition regarding tie Wolf Creek Generating Station alor.g with a brief summary of the NRC's decision to Included in your letter was a statement relating your belief l
deny the request.
that concerns raised in the A tition were swept under the rug' and ignored."
l i
The NRC staff has expended considerable effort over the years in responding J
to allegations of safety deficiencies relating to the Quality First Program (Q1)attheWolfCreekGeneratingStation. Petitions pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206 i
l relating to 01 have been received from both the Government Accountability l
Project (GAP) in May 1985 and the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra 22,1988, and DD-89-4, dated June 26,1989.
In addition the NRC has reviewed Q1 on a nutter of occasions through the normal inspection process and August in a special investigation performed separately by our Office of Investigations j
(01).
i l
j As previously noted, your letter included a brief discussion of the Sierra i
I believe j
Club's petition along with the NRC's decision to deny the request.
l that it would be beneficial for you to have access to the entire Director's i
Decision 00-89-4 that was forwarded to the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club.
i Therefore, I am enclosing a copy of this decision, which provides a complete l
explanation of (1) the role and function of Q1 at the Wolf Creek Generating Station,(2)theregulationsrelieduponbytheNRCstaffinmakinglicensing (3)theroleof l
decisions regarding the Wolf Creek Quality Assurance Program, he petition.
The l
NRC'sreviewofQ1,and(4)thebasisusedbyNRCindenyingt following items highlight the major topics in the enclosed decision.
NRC's licensing decisions to approve the Wolf Creek Quality Assurance Program were based upon the regulations found in 10 CFR Part 50, j
Appendix 8. " Quality Assurance Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants and Fuel Reprocessing Plants." Thisprogramwascompletelyindependent of and seperate from the licensee s Q1 program.
~
Q1 was a voluntary program established by the licensee to provide an i
independent route for Wolf Creek employees to bring quality concerns Employees continued to to the attention of Wolf Creek management.
have the opportunity to voice their concerns directly to the NRC Resident Inspectors on site.
O%w%2w y.
..____._.._.,.-_.._.__-..__m,--
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J-Ms. Arlys L. $chwabsuer Q1 was not intended to meet the NRC's quality assurance requirements l
of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, as implied by the Sierra Club.
In response to the GAP petition, a special NRC team examined all Q1 files 1271 case files containing a total of 752 concerns) and concluded f
that although a number of progrannatic aspects of Q1 were deficient, i
there were no indications that Q1 failed to properly assess and resolve any significant safety issue. The NRC review team did not identify any vtolations of or deviations from NRC requirements.
Moreover, the NRC team found that the Q1 program adequately resolved l
all the technical safety issues that were reported by employees j
through the program.
The 01 investigation of Q1 (0! Case No. 4-86-004) identified a number of shortcomings that were itemised in the Sierra Club publication i
(e.g., an incident of document shredding and the blackballing of a i
j fomer inspector by Q1 management; removal of aggressive Q1 investiga-tors from the Q1 program). liowever the 0! investigation concluded thatdespitetheshortcomingsidentIfiedintheQ1 program,.the I
evidence did not establish wrongdoing on the part of Kansas Gas and i
Electric management.
Furthermore, tie 01 investigation found that i
i some of the most significant technical issues received extensive Q1 l
attention and multilevel management review and that the NRC was L
independently involved in closure on many of these important technical issues. The O! report concluded that in those instances, the Q1 r
program was highly successful in connunicating important problems to
/
l the affected organizations for corrective act'on.
j i
The Sierra Club petition did not provide any new information that l
had not been available to the staff. Therefore, the staff did not l
find any basis to take additional action regarding this subject.
i l
In conclusion, I hope that the enclosed material will help alleviate your concerns that safety deficiencies have been ignored at the Wolf Creek Generating Station.
bgYs!g '
umaa.sni...x l
Thomas E. Murley, Director l
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosure:
i Director's Decision D0-89-4 cc w/ enclosure:
See next page r
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cc: Senator Nancy L. Kassebaum ATTN: Mr. Mike Horak Russell Senate Office Building l
Room 308 bleshington, D.C.
20510 l
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3J The Honorable Robert J Dole i4
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Dear Senator Dole:
I k' G forwardingaletterfrom/
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,i I am responding to your note of October 18, 1989, I
M Ms. Arlys Schwabauer citing her concern with regard to the U.S. Nuclear' s
Ti'g I' Regulato'ry Comission's (NRC's) denial of the Kansas Chapter of the. Sierra j :, * < ' Club's petition pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206. Ms. Schwabauer enclosedA copy.of ai ! " ' ' a recent1 Sierra Club publication that discusses its petition regarding the L !. 4 v'olf Creek Generating Station along with a brief sumary of the'NRC's decision to deny;the request.
/
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S The'NRC staff has expended considerable effort over the ye/ars in responding c
. ',P oth l
00 allegations of safety deficiencies relating to the Qvh11ty First Program
'.r(Q1).at the Wolf Creek Generating Station. Petitions,. pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206~
7e elating to Q1 have been received from both'the Govgrnment Accountability.
Project (GAP)inMay1985andtheKansasChapterof'theSierraClubinJanuary f
1989. We responded to these petitions in Director's Decisions 00 88 14, dated August 22, 1988, and DD.89 4, dated June 26,198'9.
In addition, the NRC has:
L reviewed Q1 on a number of occasions through the normal inspection process and in a special investigation performed separa}(ly by our Office of Investigations l
(01).
I have enclosed a previous response to
- s. Schwabauer on this subject along with a copy of the information sent t her.
I trust we have helped to alleviate Ms. Schwabauer's concern.
Sincerely, James M. Taylor Acting Executive Director for Operations j
Enclosures:
DIST 180 TION w/o enclosures:
As stated So etJ11e3 NRC PDR w/ incoming Local PDR w/ incoming J Partlow G. Holahan OGC.Rockville
. Taylor F. Hebdon D.Mossburg,PMAS(ED0t4834)w/inem.!
P. Noonan G. Holler, RIV D. Pickett w/ incoming EDO Reading HE34 PD4 Green Ticket File D. Crutchfield F. Gillespie R. Martin, RIY J. Scinto B. Hayes TMurley/JSniezek F. Miraglia GPA/CA SECY 1891136 p
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4
The Honorable Robert J. Dole
., ' United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 i
Dear Senator Dole:
j I am responding to your note of October 18, 1989, forwarding a letter from Ms. Arlys Schwabauer citing her concern with regard to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) denial of the Kansas Chapter of'the Sierra Club's petition pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206. Ms. Schwabauer enclosed a copy of I
a recent Sierra Club publication that discusses its petitio6 regarding the Wolf Creek Generating Station along with a brief summary /bf the NRC's decision j
to deny the request.
j The NRC staff has expended considerable effort ovep the years in responding j
to allegations of safety deficiencies relating to/the Quality First Program (Q1) at the Wolf Creek Generating Station.
Pe tions pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206 relating to 01 have been received from bcth t Government Accountability Project (GAP) in May 1985 and the Kansas Chap er of the Sierra Club in January 1989. We responded to these petitions in Ofrector's Decisions 00 88 14, dated August 22, 1988, and DD.89 4, dated June
, 1989.
In addition, the NRC has reviewed Q1 on a number of occasions thr ugh the normal inspection process and i
in a special investigation performed s arately by our Office of Investigations (01).
I have enclosed say previous respon to Ms. Schwabauer on this subject along with a copy of the information sept to her.
I trust we have helped to alleviate Ms. Schwabauer's conce Sincerely, i
Thomas E. Murley, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosures:
D RIBUTION w/o enclosures:
D_l}M'FITF pt NRC PDR w/ incoming Local PDR w/ incoming As stated
. Partlow G. Holahan 0GC.Rockville J. Taylor F. Hebdon D. Mossburg, PMAS(E00#4834) w/inem.
P. Noonan G. Holler, RIV D. Pickett w/ incoming EDO Reading #4834 PD4 Green Ticket File D. Crutchfield F. Gillespie R. Martin, RIV J. Scinto B. Hayes TMurley/JSniezek F. Miraglia
- SEE PREVIO PAGE FOR CONCURRENCES i
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' ' Tne Honorable Robert J. Dole
..' United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Atto: Mr. Don Lee r
Dear-Senator Dole:
m
~.
L 1.am responding to your note of October 18, 1989, forwarding y letter from a
F Ms. Arlys Schwabauer citing her concern with regard to the l(S. Nuclear.
Regulatory Comission's (NRC's) denial of the Kansas Chapt of the Sierra
.L Club's petition pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206. Ms. Schwabauer enclosed a copy of 4
H~
a recent Sierra Club publication that discusses its pet ion regarding the F
Wolf Creek Generating Station along with a brief surrna y of the NRC's decision p
to deny the request.
- l. r The NRC staff has expended considerable effort ove the years in responding to allegations of safety deficiencies relating tg the Quality First Program
~ (Q1) at.the Wolf Creek Generating Station.
Pe tions pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206 relating to Q1 have been received from both th Governnient Accountability y 13 H ?&
Project-(GAP) in May 1985 and the Kansas Chapt r of the Sierra Club in January
>+
1989. We responded to'these petitions in Di ector's Decisions DD.88 14., dated r3 August 22, 1988, and 0D.89 4, dated June 2, 1989.
In addition, the NRC has j',,i reviewed Q1 on a number of occasions thro h the normal inspection process and
'A, in a special investigation performed sep ately by our Office of Investigations (01).
te<
I have enclosed rey previous response,to Ms. Schwabauer on this subject along t
s with a copy of the information sent.o her.
I hope that we have helped to alleviate Ms. Schwabauer's concern.
Sincerely.
Thomas E. Murley, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosures:
DISTRI UTION w/o enclosures:
As stated Docket File NRC PDR w/ incoming Local PDR w/ incoming J. P rtlow G. Holahan OGC-Rockville J.
aylor F. Hebdon D.Mossburg,PMAS(ED0#4834)w/incm.
P. Noonan G. Holler, RIV D. Pickett w/ incoming E 0 Reading (4834 PD4 Green Ticket file
. Crutchfield F. Gillespie
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khe norable Robert Dole '
'4 Q1 was not intended to reet the NRC's uality assurance requirements i'
Q,"
h.'$ (Lto of 10 UR Part 50, Appendix B, as imp 1 ed by the Sierra Club..
~
IbresonsetotheGAPpetition,aspecialNRCteamexamined'allQ1 a
files 211 case files containing a total of 752 concerns) and concluded 1
that although a number of prograrenatic aspects of Q1 were deficient, there were no indications that Q1 failed to properly assess and p.
,,m resolve any significant safety issue. The NRC review team did not identify any violations of or deviations fron NRC requirenents.
l Moreover, the NRC team found that the Q1 program adequately resolved-i all the technical safety issues that were reported by employees through the program.
The 01 investigation of Q1 (01 Case No. 486-004) identified a number of shortcornings that were itemired in the Sierra Club publication (e.g., an incident of docunent shredding and the blacL>alling of a former inspector by Q1 canagenent; removal of aggressive Q1 investiga-tors from the Q1 program). licwever, the 01 investigation concluded that despite the shortcomings identified in the Q1 program, the L
evidence did not establish wrongdoing on the part of Kansas Gas and Electric management, furthermore, the 01 investigation found that sore of the most si nificant technical issues received extensive Q1 attention and multi evel management review art that the NRC was independently involved in closure on many of these important technical issues. The 01 report concluded that in those instances, the Q1 progran was highly successful in concunicating important problems to the affected organizations for corrective action.
The Sierra Club petition did not provide any new information that had not been available to the staff. Therefore, the staff did not find any basis to take additional action regarding this subject.
In conclusion, I hope that the enclosed material will help alleviate Ms. Schwabauer's concerns that safety deficiencies have been ignored at the Wolf Creek Cenerating Station.
1homas E. Murley, Director Office of Nucleer Reactor Regulation j
Enclosure:
Director's Decision 00-89 4 DISTRIBUTION w/o enclosure:
Docket file NRC POR w/in' coming Local PDR w/ incoming J. Partlow G. Holahan OGC-Rockville I
l, J. Taylor F. Hebdon D. liossburg, FliAS(ED0#4834) w/ ncom.
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UNITE 3 8TATES c [ NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHlWGTON, D. C. 30565 g ( e..,* EDO Principal Correspondence Control f' ,y FROM: DUE: 11/01/89 EDO CONTROL 0004834 DOC DT 10/18/89 FINAL REPLY: 0:n, Bob Dole i TO: i Jchn Bradburne FOR SIGNATURE OF
- GRN CRC NO: 89-1136 Exccutive Director I
DESC: ROUTINGr ENCLOSES LETTER FROM'ARLYS L. SCHWABAUER RMartin, RIV t
- CONCERNING NRC*S. DENIAL OF PETITION FILED BY Scinto, OGC KANSAS CHAPTER OF THE SIERRA CLUB REQUESTING THE Hayes,,OI SUSPENSION OF THE WOLF CREEK OPERATING LICENSE
-DATE: 10/20/09 i ASSIGNED.TO: CONTACT: NRR Murley 4 h -{ CPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS: Raf. EDO 4245.' h h i RETURN INCOMING WITH. REPLY. v\\ l .If4 ARK (ENVELOR ATTNi: $ DON ( CEE d-Y s 0 %y s NRR RECEIVED:' OCTOBER 20, 1989 { ACTION: DRSP:HOLAHAN v NRR ROUTING: MURLEY/SNIEZEK if goN PARTLOW-i MIRAGLIA p CRUTCHFIELD ACTION i GILLESPIE i e " SSS " DUE TO NRR DIRECTOR'S 07. BY O h # 7, F/T 7 _ 1.' 1
b. 1 / i- "e r E a? ' OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY i CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET l PAPER NUMBER: CRC-89-1136 IDGGING DATE: Oct 19 89 i L . ACTION OFFICE EDO AUTHOR: Bob Dole--Const Ref AFFILIATION: UNITED STATES' SENATE l l LETTER DATE: .Oct 18 89. FILE CODE: ID&R-5 Wolf Creek i L i oSUBJECT 'hRC's denial of petition filed by Kansas Chapter of l l tte Sierra Club reguesting.the suspension of the Wtif Creek oper license l ACTION: Direct Reply ( l-DISTRIBUTION: HOCA to Ack, DSB l SPECIAL HANDLING: None r . NOTES: Arlys L. Schwabauer DATE DUE: Nov-3 89 SIGNATURE: DATE SIGNED: AFFILIATION: I i l 1' l L ? 1 1^ l Rec'd Oll. E00 i Defe / D-N -- f 9 m g l 100--- 0 0 4 b J 4 l l P}}