ML20135E765

Notice of Transition of Regulatory Authority Over Us Enrichment Corp Gaseous Diffusion Plants

ML20135E765
Person / Time
Site:	Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, 07007001
Issue date:	03/03/1997
From:	Paperiello C NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
To:
References
NUDOCS 9703100171
Download: ML20135E765 (3)

Text

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75900' U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION l NOTICE OF TRA"SITION OF REGULATORY AUTHORITY OVER THE )

U.S. ENRICHMENT CORPORATION ]

I GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS DOCKET NOS. 70 7001 AND 70-7002 The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission assumed regulatory jurisdiction, from the U.S.

Department of Energy (DOE), over the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) gaseous diffusion plants (GDPs) located in Paducah, Kentucky, and Piketon, Ohio, at 12:01 a.m. on March 3,1997.

I The President signed H.R. 776, the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (the Act), into law on October 24,1992. The Act amended the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, to establish a new l government corporation, USEC, for the purpose of operating the uranium enrichment l enterprise owned and previous;y operated by DOE. The Act provided that NRC would promulgate standards that apply to USEC's operation of its GDPs, to protect public health and safety from radiological hazards, and to provide for the common defense and security.

The Act directed NRC to establish and implement a certification process under which NRC  :

would certify the GDPs for compliance with these standards. DOE agreed to retain nuclear ,

safety, safeguards, and security oversight of the GDPs until NRC finished its certification process, l

l On September 16,1996, the Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (Director) signed the initial certification decision. Notice of this decision appeared in the Federal Reoister (61FR49360)on September 19,1996. The Director signed the final j Certificates of Compliance for the GDPs on November 26,1996. The Certificates of Compliance provided for a transition period before NRC's assuming regulatory authority, to allow USEC to complete necessary procedure revision and training on the NRC approved I f

l application. DOE continued regulatory oversight during this transition period. The OS transition period ended at midnight on March 2,1997. NRC assumed regulatory oversight at the GDPs at 12:01 am (local time) on March 3,1997, 9703100171 970303 ADOCK 0700 1 g g y

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NRC has not assumed regulatory jurisdiction over the entire Paducah and Portsmouth 1

reservations. DOE retains regulatory jurisdiction over those portions of both sites that have i

activities unrelated to the enrichment process and that are not leased by USEC. Examples 1 of activities for which DOE retains responsibility are environmental restoration activities, cylinder storage yards that contain depleted UF, generated before July 1993, and activities J

related to highly enriched uranium.

All correspondence related to the GDPs, except for proprietary and classified information, ]

is available for public inspection and copying at the Commission Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20555 it is also available at the Local Public Document Rooms, under Docket No. 70-7001,at the Paducah Public Library,555 )

Washington Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42003; and under Docket No. 70 7002,at the Portsmouth Public Libre ,1220 Gallia Street, Portsmouth, Ohio 45662.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 3rd day of March 1997.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Original Slgned By Carl J. Paperiello, Director Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards j QlSJRIBUTION:

Dockets 70-7001 & 70 7002 /NRC File Center PUBLIC NMSS r/f FCSS r/f SPB r/f GShear, Rlli CCox, Rlli KO'Brien, Rlil g:FRTRNST "See previous concurrence cmoenawncs 3. i 27 OFC "SPB 'SPB 'SPB 'SPB 'FCSS NB(ppSg NAME MHorn:ij DHoadley DMartin RPierson ETen Eyck Che'rjello DATE 2/25/97 2/26/97 2/27/97 2/27/97 2/28/97 I /b/97 C = COVEf E = COVER & ENCLOSURE N = WO COPY OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

a s

N The hRC has not assumed regulatory jurisdiction over the entire ducah and Portsmouth reservati'ons. DOE retains regulatory jurisdiction over those ortions of both sites that

\

have activities unrelated to the enrichment process an hat are not leased by USEC.

Examples of ac Qes for which DOE retains resp sibility are environmental restoration activities, cylinder st sa e yards that contai epleted UF, generated prior to July 1993, and activities related to hig enriched u .a ium.

All correspondence, except f to letary and classified information, related to the GDPs is available for public ins ion and c y at the Commission Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW, shington, DC 20555, nd at the Local Public Document Rooms under Docket No 0-7001, at the Paducah Publi Library, 555 Washington Street, Paducah, Ke cky 42003; and under Docket No. 7 02 at the Portsmouth Public Library,1 0 Gallia Street, Portsmouth, Ohio 45662.

Dj ed at Rockville, Maryland, this 3rd day of March 1997.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COM' MISSION Carl J. Paperiello, Director Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards DISTRIBUTION:

Dockets 70 7001 & 70-7002 NRC File Center PUBLIC NMSS r/f FCSS r/f SPB r/f GShear, Rill CCox, Rlli KO'Brien, Rlli p:FRTRNST OFC SPB C SPB- f,- Sf b SPB , FQSS NMSS NAME MNoYn:ij Dhohdioy ha$in RPie f ETeYEyck CPaperiello DATE 1 /s/97 I /)997 kd97 a./N$h $(d97 / /97 C - COVER E = COVER & ENCLO3URE N = NO COPY OFFICIAL RECORD COPY