ML20151P415
| ML20151P415 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/27/1988 |
| From: | Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Murkowski F SENATE |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8808100021 | |
| Download: ML20151P415 (1) | |
Text
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- I!' g'e t UNITED STATES
- 9I i NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 0, P.
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[ WASHINGTON 0.C. 20555 July 27,1988 ,
fg CHAIRMAN
' V The Honorable Frank H. Murkowski United States Senate Washington, D. C. 20510
Dear Senator Murkowski:
This is a follow-up to my conversation with your Administrative Assistant, John Moseman, concerning NRC certification of shipping casks.
The NRC's responsibility is to certify shipping casks when an application for certification is received. In accordance with the requirements under Section 5062 of Public Law 100-203, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, NRC's certification process must include either actual crashing of a cargo aircraft or other tests which exceed the stresses from such an aircraft crash. The NRC will undertake to certify a cask to the testing requirements of that provision, shculd we rece1ve an application for certification.
Assuming that the Japanese decide to proceed with air transportation of plutonium, the NRC is ready to meet its statutory obligations. Preliminary discussions are underway with the Japanese to define worst case type aviation accidents. Subsequently, the NRC would work with appropriate laboratories to determine possible design and testing criteria to meet the statutory requirements for certification.
With respect to international shipments, the Japanese are required under the recently executed agreement between Japan and the United States to provide plans for transportation of radioactive material to the United States. Should a filed plan include flying in United States airspace, even in an emergency, the cask to be used in such a shipment must be certified by the NRC. Thus, the Japanese in that circumstance would.have to submit an application for certification of the cask to be used in the shipment and the NRC would prccess that application in accordance with applicable statutory requirements.
Sincerely, M W. .
Lando W. Zech r.
8800100021 880727 PDR COMMS NRCC CORRESPONDENCE PDC
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