ML20154L077
| ML20154L077 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/06/1998 |
| From: | Shirley Ann Jackson, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Collins S CONFERENCE OF RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM DIRECTORS |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9810190134 | |
| Download: ML20154L077 (2) | |
Text
{{#Wiki_filter:-_-_____ 12- [ UNITED STATES ( -{ ' 8 v6p/ ) y
- g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION p
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20666-0001 ,3 8 October 6, 1998 CHARMAN Mr. Steve Collins, M.S. Chairperson Conference of Radiation Control ^ Program Directors, Inc. 205 Capital Avenue Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
Dear Mr. Collins:
I am responding to former Chairperson Jill Lipoti's letter of April 14,1998, in which.he indicated that the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Inc. (CRCPD) has established a Committee on Unwanted Radioactive Material (Committee) to develop a nationwide system to effectively manage orphan or unwanted sources. Further, Ms. Lipoti stated that the Committee met with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Department of Energy (DOE) on January 26-27,1998 to develop a strategy. After examination of altemative courses of action, the Committee, in consultation with NRC staff, is proposing the use of the NRC Nuclear Materials Events Database (NMED) to track orphan and unwanted sources. The Committee's proposal coincides with current Commission efforts to improve control and accountability of sources and devices. We welcome the initiative of the CRCPD. In a Staff Requirements Memorandum dated April 13,1998 (SRM-97-273), the Commission directed the staff to draft a prcposed rule to implement a registration and follow-up program for generally-licensed sources and devices, to work with the Agreement States in implementing effective enforcement programs, and to consult with DOE, EPA, FEMA, and the States to define jurisdictions and regulatory responsibilities for addressing the orphan source problem and ensure that a similar regulatory framework is applied to both Atomic Energy Act (AEA) and non-AEA radioactive material. The NRC agrees that a collection of national data would provide easy access to orphan source and unwanted radioactive material information, which would be useful to all of the stakeholders involved, e.g., NRC, DOE, EPA, FEMA, State radiation control programs, and the steel and scrap metalindustry. The Committee's proposalincludes collecting and storing orphan source information on non-AEA discrete, technologically enhanced, naturally occurring and } accelerator-produced radioactive material. The existing NMED structure could accommodate the inclusion of non-AEA information. y NRC's Office for Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Data (AEOD) indicates that because h events data on lost, stolen, and abandoned sources from NRC and Agreement States currently are maintained in NMED, the current version of NMED can be used for an initial phase of the crphan source project. In this phase, States can begin to send reports of lost, stolen, and abandoned radioactive material including AEA and non-AEA material directly to 9810190134 981006 V PDR COMMS NRCC Y CORRESPONDENCE PDR ( 'nm
i 4-6 i .2-i I the NMED contractor. The NMED contractor will code the events into NMED using the current j ' NMED data structure. To enhance the capability of the NMED contractor to accommodate the i additional data on lost, stolen and abandoned sources, the CRCPD should encourage all States to use the personal computer-based NMED system for entering initial and update information on these events not otherwise reportable. in response to Ms. Lipoti's request, the Commission " ear-marked" additional funds during recent budget deliberations to support the necessary changes to NMED. Beginning in FY 99, in coordination with CRCPD, the staff plans to mcJify the current NMED structure to collect additional event information, accommodate a number of additional users (e.g., Non-Agreement States) and provide online registration of orphan sources. The staff estimates that these revisions and enhancements can be phased in over a one to two year period. The NRC will continue to work with CRCPD and the other stakeholders to modify the NMED database for use as an efficient support system for tracking orphan sources and devices, including non-AEA information. Sincerely, c Shirley Ann Jackson i cc: J. Klinger, Chair, CRCPD Committee on Unwanted Radioactive Material J. Lipoti, State of New Jersey - i l' i
jgM Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Inc, Office of Executive Director = 205 Capital Avenue
- Frankfort, KY 40601 I
I H Phone (502)227-4543 Fox (502)227-7862 April 14,1998 The Honorable Shirley A. Jackson, Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555
Dear Chairman Jackson:
As discussed in my testimony before the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on January 21,1998, conceming improving control over generally and specifically licensed devices, the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Inc. (CRCPD) has established the Committee on Unwanted Radioactive Materials. The goal of this committee is to develop a dynamic nationwide system that will effectively manage orphan or other unwanted sources. This committee, chaired by Joe Klinger, is comprised of members from the states. The committee met with NRC, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Department of Energy (DGE) on January 26-27, 1998, to develop a strategy to accomplish the committee's goals. The Committee on Umvanted Radioactive Materials was acutely aware of the need for immediate action arid agreed to survey the states and the NRC to obtain an accurate inventory of orphan or unwanted sources currently existing throughout the country. They also examined existing databases, Internet Web pages, and other such electronic tools to try to find ones that could be adapted for the needs of the orphan source program without the need for major new initiatives. In consultation with the NRC stafT, the committee would like to propose the use of the NRC Nuclear Materials Events Database (NMED) for the reporting needs of our program. The CRCPD will modify its Web page to facilitate proper orphan or other unwanted sources dispositioning. The use of NMED presents a number of advantages. The NMED system would only require @ a minor modification to add a table to accommodate the infom1ation necessary to track orphan sources on a nationallevel. The NRC would be providing an attractive incentive to all states to use the NMED system. The states would have an enhanced ability to locate and track orphan sources on a national level. It has been the belief of many of the states that become actively involved in the orphan source issue that some percentage of these incidents go unreported, but the magnitude of the problem has not been quantified. If accurate tracking information were available, it would provide the quantitative justification needed for agencies such as the NRC, DOE and the EPA to pursue federal funding to properly disposition orphan sources throughout the country. The EPA has provided the initial $200.000 to get this committee started, and if the cornmittee is successfulin leveraging other resources for its needs, (i.e., the use of the NMED system with slight modification, and the CRCPD web page.) they will be able to allocate most of the funding to A Partnership Dedicated to Radiation ProtectioT on&,
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e., i ", Page Two The Hor.orable Shirley A. Jackson, Chainnan April 14,1998 disposition the highest priority orphan or other unwanted sources identified by the survey. This incentive would enhance the accuracy and timeliness of completion of the survey. On behalf of the CRCPD's Committee on Unwanted Radioactive Materials, I am requesting that the Commission support and fund the necessary modifications to the NMED system to accommodate the information necessaiy to accomplish the goal of the committee. In this way, the NRC would provide "in-kind" suppon for the work of the committee, and push the committee's schedule ahead by an estimated six months. It appears that adding one more table to the existing ( NMED system, providing the saftware to access and use NMED and necessary training to states that have not already received this ruppon, and providing funds for maintenance and data input are all that will be necessary. IfNRC has a less expensive and more efficient proposal, the committee would be pleased to explore it for the mutual benefit of all stakcholders. Please note that one imponant element of the CRCPD Orphan Source Initiative is to address the problem comprehensively, and that includes radioactive material that is not Atomic Energy Act regulated material. Discrete, technologically enhanced, naturally occurring and accelerator-produced radioactive material are also in need of homes, and are included in the scope of the committee's goals. Through your support of the efforts of the CRCPD Committee on Unwanted Radioactive Materials as briefly described in this letter, the Commission can effect an immediate improvement in the existing orphan source dilemma and an expeditious development of a national system for management of unwanted radioactive material for the benefit of all U.S. citizens and industry. Thank you for your consideration of this proposal. If you have any question, please contact me, or Joe Klinger, chairperson of the CRCPD Committee on Umvanted Radioactive Materials. Sincerely, Jill Li oti, Ph.D. Chairperson ec: Richard L. Bangart, Office of State Programs CRCPD Board of Directors Joe Klinger, chairperson, Committee on Unwanted Radioactive Materials}}