ML20147C193

Responds to Appeal Re Denial of FOIA Request for Documents. Release of Matls Would Reveal Agency Deliberative Process of Refining Position to Negotiate Proposed Rule Re Mgt Records.Documents Withheld (Ref FOIA Exemption 5.)

ML20147C193
Person / Time
Issue date:	02/24/1988
From:	Chilk S NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY)
To:	Bauman L GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT
References
FOIA-87-661, FOIA-87-A-107 NUDOCS 8803030027
Download: ML20147C193 (3)

Text

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sC Riig\ UNITED STATES "4

8% n NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION h ., W ASHIN GTON, D.C. 20555

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Ms. Linda Bauman F0IA Coordinator, Midwest Office Government Accountability Project 104 E. Wisconsin Avenue IN RESPONSE REFER Appleton, WI 54911 TO 87A107(87-661)

Dear Ms. Bauman:

This is in response to your December 2,1987 appeal of the denial of the whole of one document and parts of two documents in the NRC's November 25, 1987 answer to F0!A-87-661.

Pursuant to your appeal, the Comission re-reviewed the denied documents, which were withheld under Exemption 5 of the Freedom of Infortnation Act, 5 U.S.C. 9 552(b)(5), and 10 C.F.R. i 9.5(a)(5) of the Commission's Regulations. I support the agency's detemination to withhold the above-described materials under Exemption 5.

Exemption 5 of the F0IA permits the NRC to withhold predecisional materials the release of which, among other things, (1) would reveal the agency's deliberative process and thus inhibit open, frank comunications on matters of policy, and (2) could lead to public confusion about the reasons and rationales that were not in fact ultimately the grounds for the agency's action. _See Russell v. Department of the Air Force, 682 F.2d 1045,1048 (D.C. C i r. 1937) .

Release of the materials withheld would reveal the agency's deliberative process of refining its position on the establishment of an advisory committee to negotiate a proposed rule on the submission and management of records and documents related to the licensing of a geologic repository for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste. Further, to the extent that draft documents are concerned, they are both predecisional and could be misinterpreted to be final agency positions. The documents partially withheld were released to the extent either that they contained reasonably segregable factual portions or that they did not hold the potential for the types of harm described above; the document wholly withheld had neither reasonably segregable f actual portions, nor non-factual portions that could have been released without the potential for the types of ham described above.

This letter represents final agency action on your December 2,1987 F0IA appeal. Judicial review of the denial of documents is available in

?$?O?of27080224 DAUf1A0 7-A-107 PDR

Federal District Court in the district in which you-reside or have your principal place of business, or in the District of Columbia.

Sincerely, f p Samuel J. Chi' ,

Secretary of ;he Comission '

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p'* as, i' '; UNITED STATES I

5, NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

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. :. - p c - .,z-Ill.' *4EST ;?FICE 40t E. WISCONSIN AVENUE M : . TON, WIGCO;? SIN 54911-4397 September 24, 1987 hie 00M 0F INFORMATl'Oh I

ACT REQUEST.

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~~F: xCs :r ~:r:anr:cn i.CT arm:Esr yAd /0-C-Jy Director Of .::.cc cf 7 dmini tratiOn U.i. Suclear Regulatory Cormisnicn Usshing::n, D.C. 20210 TO WHCM IT MAY COSCERN

?t rsuan :c the Freeden of Ir.f ormation Act FOIA, 5 U.S.C. 552,) the G::crr :.: Accc_ntability Project (GAP) recuests copies of any and all a: : .cy cs:cris and inf o rr.a t i on . includin7 ::: not limited to notes, -

1r. .:e r s , re.oranda, drafts, minutes, diaries, Mgs , calenders, tapes,

r .scr. pts, surrarias, interv.ew reports, procedure- instructions, er: nacr;.. an: lyses, drerings, files, g r a p '. s , c h r . :. 3 . maps, photographs,

,z. ; r o cme ..: s , .andwritten n :es, studies, ds:a sheets, notebooks, books,

r.' e phc..e .me s sag e s , computations, voice rec:rdings, computer runoffs, an; ar, c:hs: data ecmpilaticns, interim and,'cr final reports, status reports a r. ; r...y and all c:her records relevant to and/or generated in connection with an organizational meeting of the Nuclear Regulatory Advisory committee on Thursday, Septmeber 17, 1987 in which Carl Sinderbrand, Wisconsin Department of Justice was present. The request includes any and all documentation on NRC's concern that they cannot make the licensir deadlines. (see attached article)

Th;s request includes all agency records as defined in 10 C.F.R. 9.3a(b) and the NRC Ma.. cal, Appendix 0211, Parts 1.A.2 and A.3 (approved October 8, 1990) whether they currently exist in the NRC offical, "working" investicative or other files, or at any other location, including private reHidences.

If any records as defined in 10 C.F.R. 9 . 3 a '. b ) and the NRC Manual, suora, a nd covered by this request have been descroyed and/or removed after

1:. s rectest, : lease provide all surround.ir.g records, including but not

) -- i t e d  : o 1;st cf all records which have been or are destroyed and/cr

r. rved, 1 das:ription of the action: 9' ' W +n relc'.' ant to, gene ated i:- - -'

e..icn v;t'. an5 /or issued in crM er a irple. en: C.c a ,.m a,s).

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.qursts that fees :t c. /ed, because "fir. ding -he .r i:rmation can '

bc ::r.s_.: red as prir:r.., v. cfi :ing the concrsi , cub . .: "5 U.S.C.

5 5 ..  :. , 4) "s). GAP : - .xn profit, non partisan puh*;r interest crgi. :ation concerr.ed .;;n honest and open govern. Tent.

_ Through public outre:ch, the Projec prcrotes whistleblowers as agents Of government c ac ::;r. a rility. Throug:. it Enviromental Whistleblewer T_.nic, GAP offers 7

nssist:r.cc to local pu ".1: i r.:e r a s t and citizens groups 17.d intervenors i in tr.. c:..cern for safa-,. at. nuclear po. tor plants.  !

Ue ars z aquesting this :..f ormation as part of an ongoing r.onitoring project  !

c f - h e, NRC's efforts te ,:rotect public health and safety it and near nu:: ar processing plan s and radioactive waste facilities.

1ur a..,. documents or portions that you deny due to a spec;fic FOIA o x amp t !.o n , please provide an index itemizing and describir.g the documents or pc.tions of documents %ithheld. The index should prcvide a detailed .

. +t J fication of your cc: nds for claiming each exemptier.. explaining why  ;

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each exemption is releva..: to the document or portion of -he document withheld. This index is required unde Vauchn v. Rosen !!), 484 F.2d 820

'C.C. Cir. 1973), cert. d+nied, 415 U.S. 977 (1974). >

Me _cck forward to your respcnne to this request within tan (10) working days.

Sincerely, l

, J**'k Linda Bauman FOIA Coordinator Midwest Office .

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l Res:c..s 3 to this reques: should be mailed to the Midwes- :ffice:

104 I. Wisconsin Avenue -1 Appleotn, Wisconsin 54.;';-4897

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i,n nuc.le'ar ...i 4 Ump.assuesl to fight the DOE on disposal site location,

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Sinderbrand was in Washington, D C. ;

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sy Pot stenson ' ' ','. ' .k ' " '. sta$e N1ive ie w rd! n$sYtIaYeeEnfktheYucNr$

fatory Advisory Committee. Wisconstr !

r ' <r ewe' '" *** said this morning. But the states of Wash-Phyw ,. Ington and Nevada, two of the three final.' a partner with Minnesota in the effort.

-Ulsconsin'contmues to be a i wes. Ists for the nation's first permanent dis- . NRC realizes that the licensing pro j natimally in nucteer wastedumpenging the De .,' pasal site of high. level nudear oaste and cedure would be far and awsy t Party to lit tson Wisconsla lost one ? administrative case in h lstory of U.S un 1 partment of g]U. Circuit Ceurt . tlon, asih.' spent oractice fuel,byhave challenged DOE. The used thesaid

• ' volving' lund millicos formillkns' and Kleinhans.

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batsie in the 9th Thursday.

peals in San Frame g wi, consta es.m appeals court determined states challeng)Ing their designation Wisconsin is among about 15 part.esby to .the federa However, this v granntatrashe ., ernment as a potential aucsher waste Z have voice in developing the liceoseng' barked on guiding g

rocess, Sinderbrand said this morr eg.

rocess wMch will gov""

future nudear wasjSih dedeias te tulicsssshg of their lawsuits. ' af ' dump " thesite can't bill NRC perspective t erethe government are licensant Thursday's a peeNuder Wash Fend ler6 "We have alwaji supp<rted the stance of Nevada and Washingtas,"NRC Kleinhans is ctocerned)(deadlines, they can'l'make that.- by statute th harding tigationuae will'of(

aM Wt$ Con,k ,)es said.I "but we have never used th(se' From our perspective there will' be an.

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,7% F01A-87-661 f ' ' h. ~ * * " "

RESPONSE TO FREEDOM OF X P a*

l l 'e a-INFORMATION ACT IFOlAl REQUEST

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W 2' W emwse Ms. Linda Bauman PART 1.-adCOROS 88LEAMO OP W W AT10 (See cAssew 6eamst tee egyary escots mAsset a fue =>mst Npse ter tecome 8eo answas agerev resores mesoc1 to me 'somst tog heri toested Agrey 'eere mAsset to h remast tot n serWied e Asperde we avendy agastes for p.mhc repecten are empasig e to espc mes Densswa Eew.

1717 M toast 4 W. Waaru9guen. OC Agyey somwes mAsoci to 9e seemst est are asundslas e Aesween O I) % m7 M Seest. N W . WasPumpton, DC. > e toseer weer su potA swear eg reewester es berg mees e sestas les >Aac repocean end seps m e e to WC Pied:Denew i rwsie 7tes seposeyeswy verson of to propoems tot vow speed w accesi e e immerwe s -- mem a aw est of rav soft e tem twee mese eveemans ey smaec esenceen eig omyeis et to MAC Ngee Derwr=wie Rowe.1717 M Sveri. % W . Waarwguen. DC. e ao c nes, ,es, y, potA ,weer ww esseemr move grensame o ederr=woon as Pe vow nov omne access to ww to charpes ter om 'ecores peced e se haC PAnc Derwiet Roma. m7 H Spesi a m , meswgw. DC Agyey sements aAsoct to to "esMot We ordoned Any @a*** C4!1 for cepen of te 'ecores poviene arip ppm proceengs pg roted e 9e epenema essayi menere amasmet te se roomm 'em been 81 vet m areew Pseww eserievtent ter 'e we av drect reaperne a veu.

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moou o, me :M ADON ACT RESPONS 804 NUUll' i 87-66l Ostt NOV 2,'.1987 Pant n a- A,PttCaett 50u ut:retioz$

NeCo,$g sub.ect to IP4 r#Twe11 that 9,t deschbed e the enclosed Append *Ces . E&F ~. e,o n ihe , or,i,,,1, o, .n ,,, ,n,,,  ;, i tecton amo io, tr. ,u.ons o ch tie.ow pw.s.ani io s U s C ss:ibi ano i: :,a s 3.a. e,a.,e; e ga e es., ,5 i TN wirdung e.fcewton 8 pope 8*v classer ed Pw* heal to (secvt *s Croe.12.3'4 'Ex!w r* 0% 's 2 TN neeene rderw. san reces saaet, is p. enoms pomone.a evies one pocoow r es of teC DtherTCN 2' 3 TN susgreund adorweson e spec AcJer onwytod ho,= pwtac c.cloewr s t>v statute cocs.c D(hePTCN 3 Socimon 141 146of e. Atar'W Ererft 44'. wNcm proA6ts the e,scicwe. of costricteo t.e a o, Sorms,+, temec se Deta 42 U $ C 214121@

Secten 147 ed F. alor'sc Eneroy Act eNch prorutste the d.ectosw r . of Vaciste.f.c $srep.arca trWonw.gge 42 y $ C jig 7)

4. The septused adorwegum e a Wtdo secret er cor'W'groef p firences eforwete that a turq es***=end to, pas m6l rt2cated D(MPTCN 4)

The adormequen e cc ered to to coriFusented thAanese DI 'oor.t&yl artforwetson

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PART la C-0E NYING OFFIC1AL$

Pur ea e e,e,m,ent

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r. .ee.regwietore, ee ec a.has,o, r rey-w.o that e.c ce r.a e.ow . ,, e t.c .,.wnce we#end e u o,,,r Devesen of Rune trad 8hecor1BB Ostre c8 A*'ersonrvton. tot ey cea.eis that may tie soposses to re teacwe=e Drec1r 'or Oce,7 cas .tpoi DOvYI8.G Of f 6CLAL IITLt e of fiCg atCom0S 00dE0 APPtLtdb AFICIAL Mr. i.lohn C. Hoyle Assistant Secretary of E-1, 2 - F-1 "'" "

the Consnission X P AR7110 - APPt.AL stmKT3

! The oen.as try each conting oWool asent#ad in Part H.C may be appea:ed to the A;canwe 0+ficW idert*.d as that section. Any such appnal must be ci i

ovnteg and must be made w.8w' E ord of 'sce pt of this response. Appeals must t. madrirssed as acortcrete to the becutrve Director for Operations er o the Secretary of the Corwn<sson. U S Nuc$ner Regutatory Comtrusson, Washarigton DC 20566. and secua cuarty state on the enveioces and in the lar or that a e an " Apoeal from an arvnal FOtA Decis.on."

nac Pomu ses 6pwi a U S NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMPAES4CN isas, FOIA RESPONSE CONTINUATION

4 Re: F01 A-87-661 APPEN0lX D RECORD MAINTAINED IN THE POR UNDER THE ABOVE RE@EST NtstBER

1. 9/1987 Negotiated Rulemaking Meeting Suitary. (1 page) 4 u

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Re: F01A-87-661 APPENDIX E RECORDS PARTIAll.Y WIT E D

1. 6/9/87 SECY-87-140. (34 pages) Exemption 5.

2. 7/30/87 Letter from John C. Hoyle to James L. Dean, subject:

Oraf t Charter for Proposed New Advisory Comittee.

(5 pages) Exemption 5. (2-page draft withheld)

NOTE: Attachments B and C to SECY-87-140 are available in the PDR.

POR Accession No. 8710260120.

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Re: FCI A-87-661 l l

APPENDIX F i RECORDS TOTALLY WITNHELD i

1. Undated NRC 10 CFR Part 2 - Rule on the Subr ssion ans knagemant of Records and Documents Related to .he Licensing of a Geologic Repository for the Disposal of High-level Radioactive Waste; Establishment of an Advisory Cocnittee for Megotiated Rulemaking. (33 pages' Exemption 5.

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