ML20196K073
| ML20196K073 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/09/1998 |
| From: | Martin T NRC OFFICE FOR ANALYSIS & EVALUATION OF OPERATIONAL DATA (AEOD) |
| To: | Barron S NUCLEAR FUEL SERVICES, INC. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9812110204 | |
| Download: ML20196K073 (2) | |
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4 UNITED STATES j
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION j
2 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20066-0001 1
,o December 9, 1998 i
Dr. Sarah Barron Nuclear Fuel Services Company 1205 Banner Hill Road 4
Erwin, Tennessee 37650
Dear Dr. Barron:
The purpose of this letter is to confirm your agreement to participate as a member of the incident Response Function Self-Assessment (SA) peer review group. The purpose of the peer review group is to provide comments on the draft incident Response Function SA Report before the draft report is made final. As background, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) 1995 National Performance Review identified the incident Response Program as one of several programs that were potential candidates for efficiency improvement. More recently, the NRC's Strategic Assessment and Rebaselining initiative raised issues as to (1) what mcasures the NRC should take to maintain a sufficient planning and response capability for the nuclear industry, State and local authorities, and the Federal Government in view of growing economic pressure and improving safety performance, and (2) whether the NRC's incident response capability for nuclear material and fuel cycle facility emergencies was consistent with the risk that was associated with the activities. These issues, coupled with increasing pressure to reduce resources across all program areas, led the Commission to request that a broad self-assessment of the NRC's incident response function be conducted. The SA included all l
significant NRC response functions and response readiness activities. The overall goal and focus of the SA was to identify initiatives to improve the effectiveness arid efficiency of these i
functions and activities. Stakeholder input to the SA process was obtained during a public meeting on June 16,1998.
To complete the draft SA report (enclosed), the staff has been requested by the Chairman of f
f the NRC to form a peer review group to review and comment on the draft report. The peer group will be comprised of individuals with extensive knowledge in the policies and practices of
/9 radiological emergency response, and who represent significant organizational interfaces with the NRC's emergency response program. The peer review group will consist of individuals f
representing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Energy %
(DOE), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), States with significant emergency O
response programs in the power reactor and nuclear materials areas, a fuel cycle facility licensee and power reactor licensee. The mission of the peer review group is to provide comments on the draft SA report, including the effectiveness and efficiency reviews, identification of alternative incident response and incident response readiness processes, the analysis of the alternatives and the recommended initiatives. Assessment areas or initiatives which have the potential to significantly improve the effectiveness or efficiency of the NRC's incident response function or response readiness activities but were not considered by the SA team should also be identified, assessed and included in the comments. The goal of the peer review is to obtain additional insights, perspectives and ideas, including best practices, from NRC's emergency response partners, to ensure that the final SA report is of the liighest possible quality and completeness. The draft SA report is also being posted on an NRC bulletin board to allow other members from the radiological emergency response community and the HOD 9812110204 981209 PDR ORG NEXD
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,4 S. Barron general public to provide comments. The individual comments from the peer review group and any additional comments that are received will provide the basis upon which the final SA report will be prepared.
Our plan for the peer review effort is to begin with a one-day " kick-off" meeting, open to the public, with all review group members in attendance. At the meeting the staff will present and answer questions on the SA purpose, process, analysis, findings and initiatives. The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. and is scheduled to end no later than 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 15,1998. The meeting will be held at NRC Headquarters in Rockville, Maryland in room 10-A-1 (TWFN).
Following the one-day meeting, peer review group members will be expected to individually review the draft SA report to develop their individual comments. Members may wish to solicit and consider additionalinsights and input of peers within their own organizations or from appropriate counterpart organizations. Comments from each member are to be documented e.nd formally provided to the NRC by January 15,1999.
The NRC lead for this effort is Mr. Stuart Rubin. If you have any questions please contact Mr.
Rubin at (301) 415-6409, or by E-mail at SDR1 @NRC.aov. On behalf of the NRC, I want to thank you for agreeing to participate as a member of the incident Response Function Self-Assessment peer review group.
Sincerely, Original /s/ by T. T. Martin Thomas T. Martin, Director Office for Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Data
Enclosure:
Draft Self-Assessment Report D!STRIBUTION:
File Center AEOD R/F IRD R/F ER R/F MKnapp Public DISK / DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\ RUBIN \\ PEER 1 STAT.WPD To reews e my. Indicate "C"= Cop"w/o anachment/ enclosure: *A* = Copy with attachment / enclosure "N" = None. NO MARK = NO COPYtfl OFC IRD:AEOD D:lRD:AEOD D:AE[
NAME SRubin:Je Y FJCongel[Q_ TTda*rtin DATE
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