ML20148H487

Responds to Inquiring About Status of Recipient'S Petition for Rulemaking on Air Transp of Reference Sources Containing Plutonium.Repts on Initiating Rulemaking Action That Will Be Considered W/Recipient'S Petition

ML20148H487
Person / Time
Site:	07000006
Issue date:	11/02/1978
From:	Minogue R NRC OFFICE OF STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT
To:	Geiger E EBERLINE INSTRUMENT CORP.
References
RULE-PRM-70-6, TASK-OS, TASK-TP-713-3 NUDOCS 7811140016
Download: ML20148H487 (3)

Text

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• 4.....- .- m Docket No. PRM-70-6 Mr. Eric L. Geiger Technical Director Nuclear Services Division Eberline Instrument Corporatien P.O. Box 2108 Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501

Dear Mr. Geiger:

Thank you for your letter dated October 6,1978 inquiring as to the status of your petition for rulemaking on air transport of calibration or reference sources containing small quantities of plutonium. Your letter was received and docketed on October 16, 1978.

On October 16, 1978, we sent you a letter indicating the current status of your petition (a copy of the letter is enclosed). As explained in that letter, we are now initiating rulemaking action to replace the NRC Order that permits air shipment of plutonium in approved crash-proof containers.

Your petition will be considered in conjunction with the rulemaking action.

If you have any further questions, please let me know.

Sincerely,

/h ($ b &

V Robert B. Minogue, Director Office of Standards Development

'E ncl osure: Letter to E. L. Geiger from R. B. Minogue, dated October 16, 1978 7 811 14 0 dIlo C

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l Docket No. PRM-70-6 l

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Mr. Eric L. Geiger Technical Director Nuclear Services Division l Eberline Instrument Corporation l

P.O. Box 2108 Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 Dear Mr. Geiger. .

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has considere'd Eberline's petition for rulemaking dated July 18, 1977, the substance of which was published in the Federal Register on August 18, 1977 (42 Fed. Reg. 41675) for a 60-day comment period. The only comment received (from Reactor Expe.riments, Inc.

in San Carlos, California) supported your petition. The NRC staff, however, believes that it is inappropriate at this time to either grant or deny your petition pending a broader rulemaking action concerning air shipment of plutonium, f u; ,e.. .

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Your petition included as background information correspondence from late 1975 and early 1976 'between your corporation, Representative Manual Lujan, Jr. , and the NRC. . It was our legal interpretation at that time that the language in Public law 94-79 prohibits all shipments of' plutonium by air- -

(except plutonium' contained in a medical device designed for individual

• human application) untiti the NRC. certifies to the Congress that it has a ,

container capable of withstanding a'n airplane crash without ' rupture. of the container. On August 4, .1978, .the NRC certified to Congress that a pack-age (Model PAT-1 which would fulfill the requirements of Public Law S4-79

? had been'designe)d'an'd'te'sted.7 A~certific~c ate of '~ omplianc'e e has b' en issued _ -

Cby NRC which authoriEfs'0's'e~ Ef'the Mo' del . PAT- 1' package for' air' transport '. C .

of plutonium.? A"c~oMdf %h6 ~NRC Order.'.t6' license'Es dated'Seidember 1,51978' -

on this subjecEis~en&l'dsed?.$fM2WMi-MR-q,p-%dild" Nyf1D ' . ~

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Mr! Eric l.. Geiger 2 DCT 16 1978 to such shipments. Your petition for rulemaking will be considered in conjunction with such a rulemaking action by the Commission.

Sincerely,

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b j gA Robert B. Minogue, Director i Office of Standards Development

Enclosure:

tiRC Order dated

. _ . _ _ . _ September 1, 1978 l

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