ML20066H886
ML20066H886 | |
Person / Time | |
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Issue date: | 04/15/2020 |
From: | John Lubinski Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards |
To: | Jeff Baran, Annie Caputo, Kristine Svinicki, David Wright NRC/Chairman, NRC/OCM/AXC, NRC/OCM/DAW, NRC/OCM/JMB |
Johnson R, | |
References | |
Download: ML20066H886 (12) | |
Text
April 15, 2020 MEMORANDUM TO: Chairman Svinicki Commissioner Baran Commissioner Caputo Commissioner Wright FROM: John W. Lubinski, Director John W. Digitally signed by John W.
Lubinski Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Lubinski Date: 2020.04.15 11:28:00
-04'00'
SUBJECT:
ANNUAL REPORT ON AGREEMENT STATES AND U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONS RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS PROGRAMS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2019 Enclosed is the annual report to inform the Commission of the status of the Agreement States and U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions radioactive materials programs. Staff is providing this report in accordance with the June 30, 1997, Staff Requirements Memorandum on SECY-97-054, Final Recommendations on Policy Statement and Implementing Procedures for:
Statement of Principles and Policy for the Agreement State Program and Policy Statement on Adequacy and Compatibility of Agreement State Programs.
Enclosure:
Annual Report on Agreement States and U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions Radioactive Materials Programs for Calendar Year 2019 cc: SECY OGC OCA OPA CFO EDO CONTACT: Robert K. Johnson, NMSS/MSST 301-415-7314
ML20066H908 (p) (WITS199500008)
OFFICE NMSS/MSST NMSS/MSST NMSS/MSST NAME RJohnson JParks LCuadrado DATE 03/10/20 03/10/20 03/31/20 OFFICE NMSS/MSST NMSS/TechEd NMSS NAME MLayton CGoode JLubinski DATE 03/31/20 04/06/20 04/15/20 ANNUAL REPORT ON AGREEMENT STATES AND U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONS RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS PROGRAMS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2019 Enclosure
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
This report summarizes the performance of the Agreement State and U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) radioactive materials programs including: (1) the ability to provide reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety, and (2) the compatibility of Agreement State programs with the NRCs regulatory program. The NRC verifies the performance of these programs through the Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program (IMPEP).
Agreement State and NRC programs are determined to be adequate to protect public health and safety if the administration of these programs provides reasonable assurance of the protection of public health and safety in regulating the use of radioactive material. Overall, the Agreement State and NRC programs continue to provide reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety. Agreement State and NRC program performance, as measured by the IMPEP, has been consistently strong. During calendar year (CY) 2019, 35 of the 39 Agreement State programs had an adequacy finding of adequate to protect public health and safety. The remaining four States: Florida, Kansas, Mississippi, and Rhode Island, had adequacy findings of adequate to protect public health and safety, but needs improvement.
Regarding compatibility, 36 of the 39 Agreement State programs had a compatibility finding of compatible with the NRCs regulatory program. The remaining three States: Florida, Kentucky, and New York, had compatibility findings of not compatible with the NRCs regulatory program.
All programs that have IMPEP findings are taking actions to address the issues, which will be reviewed through the IMPEP processes. All NRC programs have been determined to be adequate to protect public health and safety.
The NRC staffs analysis of the CY 2019 IMPEP results indicates that the National Materials Program is performing positively and is protective of public health and safety. Agreement States continue to play a valuable role in the IMPEP, as evidenced by establishing the National Materials Co-champions and an increase of Agreement State participation in program activities.
The NRC staff will continue to monitor performance through the IMPEP and work with the Agreement State and NRC programs to address any performance issues or trends.
BACKGROUND Section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA), provides broad authority for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to establish a unique Federal and State relationship in the administration of regulatory programs to provide reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety in the industrial, medical, commercial, and research uses of agreement material (source, byproduct, and small quantities of special nuclear material as identified by Section 274b. of the Atomic Energy Act, as amended). Subsection 274b. of the AEA authorizes the NRC to enter into an agreement by which the NRC discontinues and the State assumes regulatory authority over some or all of these materials. In order to discontinue its authority, the NRC must find that the State program is adequate to protect public health and safety and compatible with the NRC program for the regulation of agreement material. The NRC also has an obligation, pursuant to Subsection 274j. of the AEA, to periodically review existing Agreement State programs to ensure continued adequacy and compatibility.
PERFORMANCE MONITORING The NRC uses the Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program (IMPEP) to periodically review the Agreement State and NRC programs to verify that these programs are adequate to protect public health and safety, and to verify that Agreement State programs are compatible with the areas of the NRCs regulatory program that require compatibility.
Agreement State and NRC programs are determined to be adequate to protect public health and safety if the administration of these programs provides reasonable assurance of the protection of public health and safety in regulating the use of radioactive material. Adequacy findings under IMPEP result in one of three conclusions: (1) adequate to protect public health and safety; (2) adequate to protect public health and safety, but needs improvement; or (3) not adequate to protect public health and safety.
The frequency of IMPEP reviews range from 1 to 5 years, based on the programs performance.
All reviews are conducted in accordance with NRC Management Directive 5.6, Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program (IMPEP), and are conducted by teams of NRC and Agreement State staff members. The NRC staff also conducts periodic meetings between the IMPEP reviews to remain knowledgeable of the status of Agreement State and NRC Programs.
A Management Review Board (MRB), composed of senior NRC managers and an Organization of Agreement States Liaison, convenes to deliberate the adequacy and compatibility findings and the frequency and type of the next IMPEP review. The NRC finalized revisions to MD 5.6 and one of those changes resulted in the MRB Chair making the final NRC determination, based on input from the review team, MRB members, and the Agreement State being reviewed.
In addition to the changes above, in January 2020, the MRB Chair made the determination that the NRC materials programs will be evaluated as a single entity under IMPEP, beginning in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 (Agencywide Documents Access Management System (ADAMS)
Accession No. ML19331A856). This change stems from a recommendation from the staffs June 2018 IMPEP self-assessment report entitled Focused Self-Assessment of the Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program (IMPEP) (ADAMS Accession No. ML17187A100).
Currently, IMPEP assess NRCs regional materials programs and the Sealed Source & Device Evaluation program as separate entities. Evaluating the NRC materials program as a single entity under IMPEP would be consistent with the IMPEP reviews of Agreement States with multiple agencies.
When the NRC promulgates regulations, it determines the degree to which Agreement States must be compatible with the NRCs regulations. Agreement State programs are determined to be compatible with the NRC's regulatory program when Agreement State programs align with this determination, and therefore do not create conflicts, duplications, gaps, or other conditions that jeopardize an orderly pattern in the regulation of agreement material. The IMPEP review compatibility findings for Agreement State programs are either compatible or not compatible.
The NRC takes a graded approach to address programmatic weaknesses in Agreement State programs. Program improvement measures may include: monitoring, heightened oversight, probation, or suspension. Under these processes, the NRC staff works collaboratively with the Agreement States to ensure that they have a full understanding of the issues that need to be addressed, and that appropriate corrective actions are implemented in order to progress toward re-establishing fully satisfactory program performance.
During CY 2019, the NRC and its Agreement State partners conducted 11 IMPEP reviews with the support of 18 Agreement State personnel. Twelve Agreement State personnel also served as representatives to MRB and Special MRB meetings.
AGREEMENT STATE PROGRAM PERFORMANCE This section discusses the status of materials programs on heightened oversight or monitoring, and programs that were either adequate, but needs improvement or not compatible during CY 2019. A brief summary of recent activities related to materials programs on heightened oversight or monitoring is presented in Attachment 1, Heightened Oversight and Monitoring Status Chart. It should be noted that the NRC is monitoring the progression of the COVID-19 public health emergency and its impact to the National Materials Program. To this end, NRC conducted the Wyoming IMPEP review remotely and may adjust the IMPEP review schedule for the remaining IMPEPs on a case by case basis for the remaining reviews in CY2020, as appropriate.
Agreement State Programs on Heightened Oversight or Monitoring During CY 2019 During CY 2019, the Kansas, Rhode Island, Arkansas, and Georgia Agreement State programs were on heightened oversight or monitoring. During CY 2019, the Arkansas and Georgia Agreement State programs were removed from monitoring. The Kansas Agreement State Program was removed from heightened oversight and placed on monitoring, following the August 2019 periodic meeting.
The Kansas Agreement State program was placed on heightened oversight following its June 2018 IMPEP. The Kansas program was found to be adequate to protect public health and safety, but needs improvement, and compatible with the NRCs regulatory program. The Kansas program was found satisfactory, but needs improvement for the performance indicators technical quality of inspections, technical quality of licensing actions, and compatibility requirements; and, unsatisfactory for the performance indicator technical quality of incidents and allegations. The NRC staff received and approved Kansas Program Improvement Plan and began holding periodic calls in January 2019. Based on the results of the August 2019 periodic meeting and subsequent MRB, the NRC identified significant progress in addressing the 2018 IMPEP findings and placed this Program on a period of monitoring, thereby terminating the period of heightened oversight. The next full IMPEP review will be in May 2020.
The Rhode Island Agreement State program was placed on monitoring after the October 2011 IMPEP review, and remained on monitoring after the March 2016 IMPEP review. Based on the results of the October 2018 periodic meeting and subsequent MRB, the NRC determined that while the program continues to make progress in addressing weaknesses, it had not demonstrated a period of sustained performance, and therefore should remain on monitoring.
During CY 2019, the NRC continued conducting quarterly calls to monitor program performance. The next full IMPEP review will be in July 2020.
The Arkansas program was placed on monitoring following its November 2017 IMPEP review.
Based on the results of the May 2019 follow-up IMPEP review and subsequent MRB, the NRC found that the Arkansas program was adequate to protect public health and safety, and compatible with the NRCs regulatory program, and therefore the period of monitoring was discontinued based on program improvements. The next full IMPEP review will be in 2021.
The Georgia Agreement State program was placed on probation after the October 2012 IMPEP review and then heightened oversight after the January 2014 IMPEP review. As a result of the 2016 IMPEP review, the Georgia program was found adequate to protect public health and safety, and compatible with the NRCs regulatory program. At that time, the MRB acknowledged the performance improvements in the Georgia program since 2012. At the periodic meeting held in December 2018, NRC staff noted that the Georgia program continues to make improvements to ensure compliance with IMPEP requirements, and has demonstrated a sustained period of satisfactory performance. Based on the results of the February 2019 periodic meeting, the NRC removed the program from a period of monitoring. The next full IMPEP review will be in April 2020.
Agreement State Programs that were either Adequate, But Needs Improvement or Not Compatible during CY 2019 During CY 2019, the Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, and New York Agreement State programs had overall program findings of either adequate to protect public health and safety, but needs improvement or not compatible with the NRCs regulatory program.
The Florida Agreement State program was found to be adequate to protect public health and safety, but needs improvement, and not compatible with the NRCs regulatory program following its June 2019 IMPEP review. The team determined that the declining performance was mainly due to institutional knowledge leaving the program and training issues. Although, Florida hired staff in a timely manner, the lack of knowledge transfer affected the areas of inspections, reporting of incidents to the Nuclear Material Events Database, and the promulgation to regulations required for compatibility. A Periodic Meeting will be held in June 2020.
While there were no IMPEP related activities for the Mississippi Agreement State program during CY 2019, the program remained adequate to protect public health and safety, but needs improvement, for reporting purposes. Following the April 2017 IMPEP review, the Mississippi Agreement State program was found adequate to protect public health and safety, but needs improvement and compatible with the NRCs regulatory program, and placed on monitoring. As a result of the April 2018 periodic meeting, the period of monitoring was discontinued based on program improvements, including enhancements to staff retention, technical quality of licensing actions, response to incidents and allegations, and the adoption of NRC regulations by reference. The next full IMPEP review will be in 2021.
The Kentucky Agreement State program was found to be adequate to protect public health and safety but not compatible with the NRCs regulatory program following its July 2016 IMPEP review. This was the result of Kentuckys not adopting regulations, or other legally binding requirements, in a timely manner. The NRC staff had a periodic meeting with the staff and management from the Kentucky program in September 2018. At the time of the periodic meeting 16 NRC regulations were overdue for adoption; however, Kentucky recently incorporated a number of NRC regulations by reference and has made significant progress in addressing compatibility issues. Kentuckys most recent IMPEP was conducted in January 2020, and the MRB meeting is scheduled to be conducted in April 2020.
The New York Agreement State program was first placed on heightened oversight following the November 2006 IMPEP review and moved to a period of monitoring following its March 2014 IMPEP review. Based on the results of the March 2018 IMPEP review, the NRC found that the New York program was adequate to protect public health and safety, but not compatible with the NRCs regulatory program, and that the period of monitoring was discontinued. This decision was based on the New York programs progress in making performance improvements in the areas of staffing and training and compatibility. The next full IMPEP review will be in 2022.
STATUS OF THE NATIONAL MATERIALS PROGRAM The performance of the NMP can be assessed through a review of IMPEP findings in the following areas: (1) performance indicator results, and (2) adequacy and compatibility status.
Performance Indicator Results In CY 2019, the NRC and its Agreement State partners conducted ten full IMPEP reviews and one follow-up IMPEP review, evaluating a total of 66 performance indicators. During CY 2019, 62 of the performance indicators reviewed were found to be fully satisfactory; 3 performance indicators were found to be satisfactory, but needs improvement; and 1 performance indicator was found to be unsatisfactory.
During the last 5 years, the NRC and its Agreement State partners have conducted more than 37 IMPEP reviews, evaluating a total of 268 performance indicators. Based on the last IMPEP review results for each of the Agreement States and NRC programs that constitute the NMP, 241 performance indicators evaluated were found to be fully satisfactory, 22 performance indicators were found to be satisfactory, but needs improvement, and only 5 of the performance indicators were found to be unsatisfactory. provides the most recent IMPEP findings for each NRC and Agreement State programs as well as their adequacy and compatibility results. As shown in this attachment, the most challenged performance indicator is the non-common performance indicator Legislation, Regulations, and Other Program Elements. This performance indicator only applies to Agreement States as it assesses whether Agreement State programs create conflicts, duplications, gaps, or other conditions that jeopardize an orderly pattern in the regulation of radioactive materials under the Atomic Energy Act, as amended.
Adequacy and Compatibility Status in the National Materials Program
Currently, 91 percent of the programs (35 Agreement State programs and the 4 NRC programs 1) are adequate to protect public health and safety. With regards to compatibility, 92 percent (36 Agreement State programs) were compatible with the NRCs regulatory program.
Table 1 provides the adequacy and compatibility results for the Agreement States and NRC programs for the last 6 years. There were no programs found not adequate to protect public health and safety during this time period. While the number of Agreement States has increased in this time period, IMPEP results continue to provide evidence that the NMP provides for reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety.
Table 1. Adequacy and Compatibility Results CY 2014 - CY 2019 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Adequate to Protect Public Health 35 36 38 36 38 39 and Safety Adequate to Protect Public Health 6 5 3 5 4 4 and Safety, But Needs Improvement Compatible with the NRCs 33 33 33 34 36 36 Regulatory Program Not Compatible 4 4 4 3 2 3 CONCLUSION Agreement State and NRC programs continue to provide for reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety. The IMPEP remains an important tool to ensure that the NRC and Agreement State radiation control programs are evaluated in an integrated manner, that public health and safety is being adequately maintained, and that Agreement State programs are compatible with the NRCs regulatory program. The Agreement States continue to play a valuable role with respect to ensuring consistent implementation of the NMP in protecting the public health and safety.
Attachment:
- 1. Heightened Oversight and Monitoring Status Chart
- 2. Summary of NRC and Agreement State Materials Programs Adequacy and Compatibility 1 In January 2020, the NRC made the decision to evaluate the NRC materials programs as a single entity under the IMPEP, beginning in 2021.
HEIGHTENED OVERSIGHT AND MONITORING STATUS CHART (As of April 2020)
LAST IMPEP LAST NEXT ACTION(S)
STATE REVIEW CONTACT CONTACT DUE HEIGHTENED OVERSIGHT None MONITORING Quarterly Call 2020 IMPEP Kansas Jun. 25-29, 2018 None March 12, 2020 May 18-22, 2020 Quarterly Call Quarterly Call 2020 IMPEP Rhode Island Mar. 7-10, 2016 Feb. 7, 2020 May 2020 July 13-17, 2020 Attachment 1
NRC and Agreement State Radioactive Materials Programs Findings for Performance Indicators and Adequacy and Compatibility (As of April 2020)
NON-COMMON OVERALL COMMON CALENDAR YEAR OF LAST FULL PERFORMANCE PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INDICATORS INDICATORS RATING AGREEMENT STATE/NRC Status of Material Inspection Technical Quality of Incident Legislation, Regulations, and Uranium Recovery Program Technical Staffing and Sealed Source and Device NEXT IMPEP REVIEW Technical Quality of Technical Quality of Low-Level Waste ADEQUACY COMPATIBILITY IMPEP REVIEW CONDUCTED MATERIALS PROGRAM Program and Allegation Activities Other Program Elements Evaluation Program Training Inspections Licensing Actions Disposal Program Compatible Alabama CY 2019 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - - Adequate 2 3 2023 Arizona CY 2020 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - - Adequate Compatible 2024 Arkansas CY 2017 SAT SAT SAT SBNI 4, 5 SAT SAT - - - Adequate Compatible 2021 California CY 2019 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - Adequate Compatible 2024 Colorado CY 2018 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - Adequate Compatible 2022 UNSAT Not Florida CY 2019 SAT SAT SBNI SAT SAT SAT - - ABNI 7 2023 6
Compatible Georgia CY 2016 SAT SAT SAT SBNI SAT SAT - - - Adequate Compatible 2020 Illinois CY 2018 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - SAT - Adequate Compatible 2023 Iowa CY 2018 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - - Adequate Compatible 2022 Kansas CY 2018 SAT SAT SBNI SBNI UNSAT SBNI - - - ABNI Compatible 2020 Not Kentucky CY 2016 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT UNSAT SAT - SAT Adequate 2020 compatible Louisiana CY 2016 SAT SAT SAT SAT SBNI SAT SAT - - Adequate Compatible 2020 Maine CY 2019 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SBNI SAT - - Adequate Compatible 2023 Maryland CY 2015 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - Adequate Compatible 2020 Massachusetts CY 2018 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - Adequate Compatible 2022 Minnesota CY 2016 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - - Adequate Compatible 2022 Mississippi CY 2017 SAT SAT SAT SBNI SBNI SBNI - - - ABNI Compatible 2021 Nebraska CY 2016 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SBNI - - - Adequate Compatible 2020 Nevada CY 2017 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - SAT Adequate Compatible 2021 New Hampshire CY 2016 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - Adequate Compatible 2021 New Jersey CY 2019 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - - Adequate Compatible 2024 New Mexico CY 2017 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SBNI - - - Adequate Compatible 2021 Not New York CY 2018 SBNI SAT SAT SAT SAT UNSAT SAT - SAT Adequate 2022 compatible North Carolina CY 2018 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SBNI - - Adequate Compatible 2022 2 Adequate to protect public health and safety.
3 Compatible with NRCs regulatory program.
4 Satisfactory, but needs improvement.
5 Indicator Changed as a result of the CY 2019 Follow-Up IMPEP review.
6 Unsatisfactory.
7 Adequate to protect public health and safety, but needs improvement.
Attachment 2
NRC and Agreement State Radioactive Materials Programs Findings for Performance Indicators and Adequacy and Compatibility (As of March 2020)
NON-COMMON COMMON OVERALL PERFORMANCE Calendar Year of Last Full IMPEP PERFORMANCE INDICATORS PROGRAM RATING INDICATORS Technical Quality of Licensing Agreement State/NRC Status of Material Inspection Technical Quality of Incident Legislation, Regulations, and Uranium Recovery Program Technical Staffing and Sealed Source and Device NEXT IMPEP REVIEW Technical Quality of Low-Level Waste ADEQUACY COMPATIBILITY Review Conducted Materials Program Program Actions and Allegation Activities Other Program Elements Evaluation Program Training Inspections Disposal Program North Dakota CY 2019 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - - Adequate Compatible 2024 Ohio CY 2019 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - Adequate Compatible 2024 Oklahoma CY 2018 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - - Adequate Compatible 2023 Oregon CY 2017 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - - Adequate Compatible 2023 Pennsylvania CY 2019 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - - Adequate Compatible 2024 Rhode Island CY 2016 SBNI UNSAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - - ABNI Compatible 2020 South Carolina CY 2017 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - SAT Adequate Compatible 2021 Tennessee CY 2016 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - Adequate Compatible 2021 Texas CY 2018 SAT SAT SAT SBNI SAT SAT SAT SBNI SAT Adequate Compatible 2021 Utah CY 2019 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - SAT SAT Adequate Compatible 2023 Vermont 8 CY 2021 - - - - - - - - - Adequate Compatible 2019 Virginia CY 2014 SBNI SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - - Adequate Compatible 2020 Washington CY 2018 SAT SAT SAT SBNI SAT SBNI SAT SAT SAT Adequate Compatible 2022 Wisconsin CY 2019 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - - Adequate Compatible 2024 Wyoming 9 CY 2020 - - - - - - - - - Adequate Compatible 2020 NRC HQ-SSD CY 2014 - - - - - - SAT - - Adequate NA 2021 10 Region I CY 2015 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - - - Adequate NA 2021 Region III CY 2017 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - - - Adequate NA 2021 Region IV CY 2019 SAT SAT SAT SAT SAT - - SAT - Adequate NA 2021 8 Vermont Agreement signed September 30, 2019, with the first IMPEP review scheduled in 2021.
9 Wyoming Agreement signed September 25, 2018, with the first IMPEP review scheduled in 2020.
10 NRCs next IMPEP review will consolidate all HQ and regional materials programs into a signal integrated review scheduled in CY 2021.
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