ML20056C501
| ML20056C501 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 01/26/1993 |
| From: | NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20056C499 | List: |
| References | |
| FOIA-93-72 NUDOCS 9306240282 | |
| Download: ML20056C501 (1) | |
Text
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MEETING SIGN UP SIIEET U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION 4 U.S. EPA REGION 6 and U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS January 26,1993
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Docket No. 40-8027 License No. SUB-1010 CAL 92-12 Sequoyah Fuels Corporation (Subsidiary of General Atomics)
ATTH: James J. Sheppard President P.O. Box 610
' Gore, Oklahoma 74435
Dear Mr. Sheppard:
SUBJECT:
CONFIRMATORY ACTION LETTER By letter dated November 18, 1992, NRC confirmed comitments made by Sequoyah Fuels Corporation during a telephone conversation between Mr. John Ellis, Senior Vice President of Sequoyah Fuels Corporation (SFC), and myself on November 17, 1992. These comitments included centinued suspension of production operations at the Sequoyah, facility until SFC had (1) completed an investigation of the circumstances and causes of'the release of nitrogen dioxide on November 17, and (2) briefed NRC staff on the findings and obtained NRC concurrence on the restart of-the uranium processes.
By letter dated November 23, 1992, to Mr. Robert Bernero, Director, Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards, SFC informed NRC of its. decision to place the uranium conversion (UF6) plant in standby mode and to cease uranium conversion operations.
SFC also noted its intent to resume uranium reduction operations in the depleted uranium tetrafluoride (DUF4) plant upon receipt of NRC concurrence to restart the plant. These decisions were discussed further during a public meeting held at NRC headquarters on December 1, 1992.
SFC briefed NRC on the findings of its investigation and the corrective actions taken in response to the event during a public meeting held at the Sequoyah facility on December 9,1992, and provided deedmentation of the -
investigation findings by letter dated December 8,1992.. At our request, you supplemented the information you provided in this letter with another letter dated December 14, 1992. NRC Region IV staff conducted an inspection to verify implementat'.on of the described corrective actions on December 9-11 and 16-17, 1992.
CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT RE0 VESTED bb
Sequoyah fuels Corporation '
In response to questions concerning the outstanding items that were not yet completed on December 17, SFC provided a second letter dated December 22, 1992, describing the status of the items discussed in its December 14 letter.
A NRC inspector verified that the remaining corrective actions were implemented with the exception of additional instruction being provided to one DUF4 shift supervisor who is not available at the site at this time.
It is my undtrstanding that the shift supervisor will receive instruction regarding the operational deviation program and procedure compliance prior to assuming supervisory responsibilities for DUF4 operations.
Based upon the findings of this inspection, I have concluded that the general and DUF4 plant specific corrective actions have been completed as described in the attachments to your letter dated December 8,1992, and in your supplemental letters dated December 14 and 22, 1992.
Therefore, in accordance with our discussion on December 23, 1992, I am modifying my letter of November 18, 1992, to permit you to resume uranium reduction operations in the DUF4 plant.
In accordance with your letter dated November 23.and discussions with NRC staff on December 1,1992, it is my understanding that the uranium conversion (UF6) plant will remain in standby mode for an indefinite period of time unless SFC requests and receives NRC concurrence to resume uranium conversion operations or to pursue process activities involving licensed material other than those discussed in your earlier correspondence.
Further, as stated in your November 23 letter, SFC will continue to comply with all provisions of Source Material License No. SUB-1010 applicable to its activities.
Pursuant to. discussions held with you and members of.your staff on December 17, 1992, we understand that significant reductions in staffing are expected to occur during the following months while-the DUF4 facility is in operation. Based upon confirmation provided by you and your staff, I understand that a sufficient staffing level will be maintained to support your planned activities including continued DUF4 operations, concurrent shutdown of the UF6 facility, and your contingency response plan during this period.
Pursuant to Section 182 of the Atomic Energy Act, 42 U.S.C. 2232, and 10 CFR 2.204, you are required to notify me imediately if your understanding differs from that set forth above.
Issuance of the Confirmatory Action Letter does not preclude issuance of an order formalizing the above comitments or requiring other actions on the part of the licensee.
Nor does it preclude the NRC from takug any action for violations of NRC requirements that_ may have prompted the actions addressed in 1
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s Sequoyah Fuels Corporation this letter.
In addition, failure to take actions addressed in this Confirmatory Action Letter may result in enforcement action.
Sincerely, o
(gb,
'c A 4 toes L. Milhoan gegional Administrator cc:
NRC Public Document Room Oklahoma Radiation Control Program Director v6.S.ArmyCorpofEngineers Operations Division ATTN: Dr. L. Mason, CESWT-0D-RR P.O. Box 61 Tulsa, OK 74121-0061 Diane Curran, Esq.
Harmon, Curran & Tousley 2001 S Street, N.W., Suite 430 Washington, D.C.
20009 Brita Haugland-Cantrell, Esq.
2300 North Lincoln Boulevard 112 State Capitol Building Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4894 James Wilcoxen, Esq.
Wilcoxen & Wilcoxen Attorney for Cherokee Nation P.O. Box 357 Muskogee, OK 74402-0357 l
Newman & Holtzinger, P.C.
ATTN: Maurice Axelrad 1615 L Street, N.W.
Suite 1000 Washington, D.C.
20036 General Atomics l
ATTH:
R. N. Rademacher i
Vice President Human Resources i.
P.O. Box 85608 San Diego, CA 92138 l
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.J REGloN IV 2
611 RYAN PLAZA ORIVE. SulTE 400 ARLINGTON,TEXA5 760114084 1
JAN 61993 Department of the Army Tulsa District, Corps of Engineers ATTN: John P. Clark, P.E.
Chief, Operations Division
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P.O. Box 61 Tulsa, Oklahoma 74121-0061
SUBJECT:
SEQUOYAH FUELS CORPORATION SITE REMEDIATION This letter acknowledges receipt of your letter dated December 21, 1992, requesting a meeting with NRC staff to discuss future remediation at the Sequoyah facility in Gore, Oklahoma.
I and members of my, staff would be pleased to meet.with your staff representatives to discuss-your concerns related to. site contamination at the Sequoyah facility.
Based on the discussion between Dr. Mason _and Ms. Linda Kasner of my staff on January 4,1993. regarding a proposed date for the meeting, I would like to propose that Dr. Mason and his staff members meet with myself and selected NRC staff memcers at the Region IV office on January 28, 1993, at 1 p.m.
It is my understanding that the purpose of the meeting is to provide your staff memoers an opportunity to discuss specific concerns related to. potential migration of contamination beyond the Sequoyan facility boundary and other issues including actions related to remediation l
that are currently under consideration by the Corps of Engineers.
As was discussed during a previous conversation with Dr. Mason. NRC is currently reviewing. issues related to decommissioning of the site as part of its ongoing review of the license renewal application.
Therefore. there are several matters which are'.still under review and.are considered predecisional at this time. However, NRC recently issued a Demand for Information (Demana)'
dated Decemoer 29, 1992, requesting information about Sequoyah fuels Corporation's proposed decommissioning funding plan. A copy.of the 0emand is
. enclosed with this letter.
1 In regard to a second matter discussed in your letter, the Corps 'of Engineers should contact the Environmental.. Protection Agency's (EPA) Region VI. office'.
L regarding participation or observation'of discussions between Sequoyah Fuels L
Corporation and EPA. Although NRC is aware of ongoing negotiations-between l
Sequoyah Fuels Corporation'and EPA, NRC is notia direct participant in the l
negotiations. Ms. Kasner has provided Dr. Mason with the_name and telephone number of an individual working at the EPA Region VI office who will serve -as a contact for any. inquiries.regarding EPA actions related to Sequoyah Fuels
. Corporation.
Department of the Army.
Should you have any questions regarding this letter, or if the proposed date -
noted above presents a scheduling conflict, please contact Mr. Charles L. Cain or Ms. Kasner at (817) 860-8186 or 860-8213.
Sincerely.
N
. Jt Cal an, Director Divi,lyl ion of Radiation Safety arrd Safeguards
Enclosure:
As Stated
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