ML20209F623
| ML20209F623 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/29/1999 |
| From: | Shirley Ann Jackson, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Donastorg A VIRGIN ISLANDS |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20209F627 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9907160086 | |
| Download: ML20209F623 (2) | |
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i EDO Principal Correspondence Control J
I FROM DUE: 06/18/99 EDO CONTROL: G19990296
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DOC DT: 06/01/99 FINAL REPLY:
S2ndtor Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg,'Jr.
L:gislature of the Virgin Islands TO:
1 Chairman Jackson
~FOR SIGNATURE OF :
- GRN CRC NO: 99-0524
)
-Chairman DESC:
ROUTING:
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ACCIDENT INVOLVING RADIOACTIVE SHELLS MISTAKENLY Travers FIRED DURING. TRAINING EXERCISES BY A U.S. NAVY Knapp MA~RINE FIGHTER JET LOADED WITH DEPLETED URANIUM Miraglia Norry Blaha Burns DATE 06/09/99 Collins, NRR Congel, IRO ASSIGNED TO:
CONTACT:
_Paperiello_
Reyes, RII Dunn Lee, IP SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:
Cyr, OGC rtuius Action RECTWED DAE b!N/"
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June 29, 1999 CHAIRMAN
'The Honorable Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg, Jr.
Chairman, Committee on Planning and Environmental Protection Legislature of. the. Virgin Islands Capitol Building, Charlotte Amalie St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00804
Dear Mr. Chairman:
l
- 1 am responding to the concerns raised in your letter dated June 1,1999, about the accidental 4 firing of depleted uranium (DU) ammunition on Vieques Island, Puerto Rico. The Department of
. the Navy Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) has provided initial and follow-up reports to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) describing the event, including the cause and planned corrective actions.
The RSC reported that on February 19,1999, two U.S. Marine Corps aircraft inadvertently fired j
263 rounds of DU ammunition during a training exercise at the Live impact Area of the Vieques Island firing range. The Live impact Area is located on the eastern tip of the island and covers approxhnately 2.5 square miles. Because the area is a live firing range, and potentially contains non-DU unexploded ordnance, access to the area should normally be restricted. in response to NRC questions,' however, the RSC informed the NRC on June 24,1999, that approximately 30 individuals have moved onto the range and are living there.' The Navy did not authorize these
- civilians to move onto the range.
The RSC identified the inadvertent firing'of the DU as a violation of the requirements of the Navy's radioactive materials permit issued by the RSC and reported this, in March 1999, to our regional staff in Atlanta, Georgia. The RSC determined that the cause of the incident was i
failure to follow written procedures regarding the use of ammunition. DU rounds are to be used strictly during combat or approved tests and are prohibited from peacetime or training use. In March 1999, the Navy located and removed 57 expended rounds of DU ammunition from the Vieques Island range. Radiological surveys identified some DU soil contamination, which also was removed. According to the Navy, recovery activities were discontinued because of the hazards from unexploded non-DU ordnance and the access restrictions placed on the range j
because of military operational commitments. However, the Navy is not currently using the range for live fire exercises. The Navy has reported to us that they plan to resume recovery activities in August 1999, or before, once the civilians leave the range. Although the investigation is ongoing, the Navy has taken several corrective actions to prevent recurrence, i[
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. and has planned additional action. The NRC has been evaluating the safety and environmental ' gg
-significance of the event and is continuing to review the effectiveness of corrective actions.
1 The NRC staff has assessed the consequences of the incident and determined that the DU
- contamination does r ot pose an immediate safety concern. DU is comparable in radioactivity to
- naturally occurring uranium. Because the radioactivity is relatively low, occasional direct exposure to DU does not pose a significant radiological hazard. Although health effects may
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occur from excessive ingestion or inhalation of DU, an individual on the range is unlikely to receive such an intake. The NRC staff believes that the public health is not endangered by the DU remaining on the firing range from the February 19,1999, incident. However, the NRC is continuing to folicw the actions by the Navy and will conduct an independent inspection of its DU recovery activities on Vieques Island, and subsequent corrective actions. The results will be reviewed for adequacy and appropriate enforcement action. The Navy is scheduled to complete its report by the end of September 1999. After comple'ing our inspection activities this fall, we
' will provido you with the results of our inspection and a copy of the Navy report of this event
)
Regarding your concern about notification of this tyvent, it is NRC practice to make information I
on events publicly available, including through our Internet website, and to coordinate with appropriate authorities on radiological issues within their jurisdictions. We are sensitive to U.S.
Virgin islands concerns about the Navy incident because of your proximity to Vieques Island, i
and we will keep you LJormed ac the Navy reports to us and as we conduct follow-up regulatory activities on this incident.
Thank you for sharing your concern with us. 3 Rust that this rr. ply responds to it.
Sincerely, b
Shirley Ann Jackson ec: The Honorable Pedro Rosello, Governor of Puerto Rico RADM Andrew A. Granuzzo, USN, Chairman, Radiation Safety Committee The Honorable Carlos Romero-Barcelo -
Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico u