ML20132E092
| ML20132E092 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/12/1996 |
| From: | Dicus G NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Kathren R WASHINGTON STATE UNIV., PULLMAN, WA |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9612230031 | |
| Download: ML20132E092 (3) | |
Text
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4't UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION i
E WASHINGTON. D.C. 20556 0001 k,,...../
December 12, 1996 1
CFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER l
l Dr. Ronald L. Kathren. Director United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries l
Washington State University 100 Sprout Road Richland. Washington 99352-1643 Dear Dr. Kathreni Thank you for your letter of July 29, 1996. regarding several recent incidents in which individuals have been accidentally exposed to one or more transuranium elements.
In response to sour recommendations. the following information has been
)rovidedtomebyNRCstaff. The staff is satisfied that all Agreement States l
1 ave available to them the information needed to report materials events.
including those involving actinides. Their conclusion is based upon the fact that NRC has distributed the NRC document. " Handbook on Nuclear Material Event Reporting in the Agreement States." in March 1995 to all Agreement State radittion control program directors (enclosed). Such information reported to NRC is entered into the Nuclear Materials Events C abase (NMED) which catalogues all materials events, including those ir, olving actinides.
Staff's search of this database identified only five actinide-related events since 1990, and staff has no reason to believe that States did not respond properly in each case.
As you know, the Federal support for an actinide exposure is the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center / Training Site (REAC/TS), a Department of Energy 1
(DOE) resource headquartered in Oak Ridge. Tennessee.
REAC/TS is available 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> a day to provide medical and radiological assistance either from the REAC/TS facility or the accident site. Additionally. REAC/TS maintains a listing of other professionals (e.g., the United States Transuranium and i
Uranium Registries) throughout the country who are recognized as having highly l
s)ecialized expertise and equi) ment to manage a particular area of concern.
l T1is information is shared wit 1 the States to provide readily available assistance for the type and location of a particular incident or accident.
State individuals have been made aware of this resource through training that the NRC provides as part of the NRC's State outreach program as well as through DOE training and the ongoing close relationship between the States and their respective regional DOE counterparts. NRC staff reviewed the State responses to events as part of the Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation g
Program (IMPEP) and has found the States to be knowledgeable of the REAC/TS program. The NRC's Response Technical Manual, published in 1990, 1991, 1992.
and 1993, and the new Response Coordination Manual obtain wide distribution d'Q among State radiation control and emergency response programs and provide
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information on REAC/TS.
see"h~,m'TlK 230009 RES ONDENCE PDR
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Dr. R. Kathren i Federal resources and technology are readily available to assist in actinide exposures when requested by the States.
Because this information is already available and well-known to the States, staff believes that a specific Federally-sponsored training course is not warranted nor is a specific information kit needed.
I appreciate your interest in this area and am pleased to have an opportunity to respond.
Sincerely.
Original Signed By Greta J. Dicus i
Greta J. Dicus Commissioner
Enclosure:
As stated Distribution:
Public EJordan File Center Dross EDO R/F (GT 96-642)
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AE0D R/F MGCrutchley (GT 96-642)
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1 j
Dr. R. Kathren Federal resources and technology are readily available to assist in actinide exposures when requested by the States.
Because this information is already available and well-known to the States, staff believes that a specific Federally-sponsored training course is not warranted nor is a specific information kit needed.
I appreciate your interest in this area and am pleased to have an opportunity to respond.
Sincerely.
E lw o
/etaJ.Dicus Commissioner
Enclosure:
As stated l
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