ML20058G605

Forwards Draft Ltr Clarifying Confusion During LANL 820706-09 Site Visit to Collect Data for Vital Area Analysis Program.Concerns Re Releasing of Data Resolved.Future Visits Will Be Endowed W/Official Imprimatur

ML20058G605
Person / Time
Site:	Monticello
Issue date:	07/13/1982
From:	Burnett R NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
To:	James Keppler NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
Shared Package
ML20058G594	List: ML20058G592 ML20058G605
References
NUDOCS 8208030374
Download: ML20058G605 (2)

Text

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@" "% UNITED STATES

's NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMisslON N-7EY' E

[ 'l )gl S W ASHINGTON. D. C. 20555

% k JUL 13 N "S1U,  ;,-

MEMORANDUM FOR: James G. F.eppler, Regional Administrator 7,m/pg l  :(

Region III g /g[

FROM: Robert F. Burnett, Director Division of Safeguards, NMSS

SUBJECT:

VITAL AREA ANALYSIS VISIT TO MONTICELLO During the period of July 6-9, 1982, two staff members from the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)/ Science and Engineering Associates team visited Monticello to collect data for the Vital Area Analysis (VAA) program, which is being managed by this division.

It seems that on the last day of their visit, some confusion de-veloped concerning the authority of the team members to take from the site ti,e dc a they had collected and whether their visit was officially sanctioned by NRC. A conversation with site personnel that day resolved their immediate concerns about releasing the data, but Monticello asked for an official letter from Region III d' ocu-menting the need for the visit and for the data. Therefore, we have prepared the enclosed draft letter for transmission to Northern States Power, leaving the signature block blank so that you may decide upon the appropriate " originator."

In the past, licensees were sent pre-visit letters from LANL and we informed the regions of their visits by memorandum, but no offf-cial correspondence was exchanged between NRC and the licensees.

To avoid problems like this in the future, we plan to alert the l

appropriate region to each planned visit and enclose a draft letter for transmission to the licensee, thereby endowing the VAA visits l

with a more official imprimatur.

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! Thank you for your cooperation in this matter, and please express our appreciation to Jim Creed of your staff for his helpful liaison with Monticello last Friday.

Sincerely yours, c h M%

Robert F. Burnett, Director Division of Safeguards, NMSS I

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J. Creed, RIII l

B. Jones, NMSS J. Davidson, GMSS

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8208030374 820727 PDR ADOCK 05000263 JUL 161982

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Mr. D. M. Musol f Acting Head, f;uclear Supply Services Department florthern States Power Company 414 flicollet Mall, 8th Floor Minneapolis, Mit 55401

Dear Mr. Musolf:

During the period of July 6-9, 1982, two staff members from the los Alamos National Laboratory / Science and Engineering Associates team visited Monticello to collect data for the Vital Area Analysis pro-gram. I understand that on the last day of their visit, some con-fusion developed concerning their authority to take from the site the data they had collected and whether their visit was officially sanctioned by NRC.

Please be assured that the personnel in question are working under contract to f1RC's Office of fluclear Material Safety and Safeguards on an officially approved program. The Vital Area Analysis project began in 1977 pursuant to promulgation of the physical protection regulation for power reactors (10 CFR 73.55). Teams of Los Alamos engineers have been visiting reactors ever since to gather site-specific data regarding vital area designation and identification.

Once vital areas are correctly identified and conforming security plan revisions are sutnitted, conditions to reactor licenses can be removed.

I regret the confusion regarding the engineers' visit and trust this letter responds adequately to your concerns.

Sincerely yours,