ML20217Q588
| ML20217Q588 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 04/03/1998 |
| From: | Callan L NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Enzi M SENATE |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20217Q594 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9804130041 | |
| Download: ML20217Q588 (9) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES l
5 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 April 3, 1998 l
The Honorable Michael B. Enzi United States Senate Washington, DC 20510-5004
Dear Senator Enzi:
I am responding to your letter dated March 11,1998, in which you requested that une U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) review the situation conceming the disposal options available for Charks Franklin in Casper, WY, and advise you of any of our findings and any assistance the NRC may provide. As your constituent, represented by Angela L. Franklin, indicated, there are currently no permanent disposal sites authorized to receive the type and quantity of material that Charles Franklin possesses. For disposal purposes, the 185 GBq (5 curie) americium-241/ beryllium sealed source in Charles Franklin's possession is classified as greater-than-Class C (GTCC) waste. Under the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985, the Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for disposal of GTCC waste. Hewever, DOE currently does not have a permanent disposal site for GTCC material.
For over eight years, NRC has been working collaboratively with DOE to provide for the disposition of GTCC material that is causing, or has the potential to cause, a threat to the public health and safety. As part of this effort, DOE developed a recycling program at the Los Alamos National Laboratory for certain GTCC material, initially, this program concentrated on plutonium-239/ beryllium sealed sources. Recently, this program has been expanded, in pilot form, to include the acceptance of a limited number of americium-241/ beryllium sealed sources.
DOE has accepted other GTCC material, at NRC's request, on a number of occasions where there were real or potential threats to the public health and safety. In these cases, DOE responded immediately and recovered the material.
As indicated in Ms. Franklin's letter, the DOE Radioactive Source Recovery Program is not fully funded to receive sealed-source GTCC material. The pilot program for acceptance of americium-241/ beryllium is currently operating on partial funding and therefore is restricted to only a limited number of sealed sources. For this reason, NRC, in February 1997, requested that its regional offices identify potential candidates for the pilot program. Perforating Services, Inc., was identified as a potential candidate for this program. Based on their respective circumstances, all NRC-identified candidates were ranked according to health and safety criteria, and a listing of those candidates was provided to DOE on August 28,1997, for consideration for the pilot program. Perforating Services, Inc., was ranked number 6 on that list.
Based on the change in circumstances of Perforating Services, Inc. (i.e., the retirement of l
Charles Franklin and his potentialinability to continue to provide for storage of the source), NRC 1
has requested DOE to revise the priority for Perforating Services, Inc., and rank it third on the list. DOE has indicated that the request for the change in priority will be accepted.
gp3 Since Charles Franklin notified NRC's Region IV office of his retirement in January 1998, the Region IV office has been working closely with him to explore options for ultimate disposition of f
f his source and for ensuring proper control over the source until it can be transferred to another l T l h [g 9804130041 980403 PDR ORG NE ED 4
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Senator Michael B. Enzi 2
. licensee, or be property disposed. Based on information from our Region IV office, the current l
' situation with the americium-241/ beryllium sealed source at Perforating Services, Inc., does not ~
represent an imminent threat to the public health and safety, since the source is property secured and Charles Franklin has contingency plans to transfer the source to another licensee if he is requested to vacate the current storage location. For these reasons, NRC has not requested that DOE provide immediate recovery assistance for the source. However, our regional office will continue to closely monitor the situation, and if circumstances change such L
that a request for immediate assistance is needed, DOE would be requested to take possession of the source as an emergency situation.
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I trust this information responds to your and your constituent's concems. If you have any additional questions about this matter, please feel free to contact me.
_ Sincerely, l
OdginaldgMW L.JosephCdan L. Joseph Callan Executive Director of Operations DISTRIBUTION: G980164 SECY-CRC-98-0233.
NRC Central File LJCallan NMSS r/f IMNS r/f PDR OCA JWhitten, RIV HLThompson PTressler CCain, RIV SBaggett LHowell, RIV MShaffer, RIV MHemandez, RIV EDO r/f CPoland RIV Docket Rm. (w/ concurrences)
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. DOC NAME: A:\\MIKEEZN.WPD cp/enoorum/anances as, iese To receive a copy of this document, indit, ate in the box: 3/25/98ce "C" = Copy w/o attach /enci
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Senator Michael B. Enzi 2
licensee, or properly disposed. Based on information from our Region IV office, the current situation with the americium-241/ beryllium sealed source at Perforating Services, Inc., does not represent an imminent threat to the public health and safety, since the source is properly secured and Charles Franklin has contingency plans to transfer the source to another licensee if l_
he is requested to vacate the current storage lo, cation. For these reasons, NRC has not requested that DOE provide immediate recoyery assistance for the source. However, our i
regional office will continue to closely mope' tor the situation, and if circumstances change such l
that a request for immediate assistance 1s needed, DOE would be requested to take possession of the source as an emergency situation.
I trust this information respon to your and your constituent's concems. If you have any additional questions about s matter, please feel free to contact me.
Old"Ebedby L.J. Callan l
L. Joseph Callan Executive Director l
of Operations DISTRIBUTION: G980164 SECY-CRC-98-0233 NRC Central File LJCallan NMSS r/f IMNS r/f PDR OCA JWhitten, RIV HLThompson PTress!er CCain, RIV SBaggett LHowell, RIV MShaffer, RIV MHernandez, RIV EDO r/f CPoland RIV Docket Rm. (w/ concurrences)
NMSS Dir. Off. r/f DOC NAME: A:\\MIKEEZN.WPD or/enoorso/nuwooH 25.1999 To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: 3/25/98ce "C" = Copy w/o attach /enci "E" = Copy w/ attach /enci "N" = No copy *SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE OFFICE OB' l
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Senator Michael B. Enzi 2
licensee, or properly disposed. Based on information from our Region IV office, the current situation with the americium 241/ beryllium sealed source at Perforating Services, Inc., does not represent an imminent threat to the public health and safety, since th6 source is properly secured and Charles Franklin has contingency plans to transfer the source to another licensee if he is requested to vacate the current storage location. For these reasons, NRC has not requested that DOE provide immediate recovery assistance for the source. However, our regional office will continue to closely monitor the situation, and if circumstances change such that a request for immediate assistance is needed, DOE would be requested to take possession of the source as an emergency situation.
I trust this information responds to your nd your constituent's concerns. If you have any additional questions about this matt, please feel free to contact me.
Ob*b"M % edM L.J.cnihn L. Joseph Callan Executive Director of Operations l
DISTRIBUTION: G980164 SECY-CRC-98-0233 NRC Central File LJCallan NMSS r/f IMNS r/f PDR OCA JWhitten, RIV HLThompson PTressler CCain, RIV SBaggett LHowell, RIV MShaffer, RIV MHemandez, RIV EDO r/f CPoland RIV Docket Rrn. (w/ concurrences)
NMSS Dir. Off. r/f DOC NAME: AnMIKEEZN.WPD op/pssoormo/nuueen as, isuus To receive a copy of this document, Indicate in the box: 3/25/98ce
- C" = Copy w/o attach /enci "E" = Copy w/ attach /enci "N" = No copy *SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE OFFICE OB*
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Senator Michael B. Enzi 2
Since Charles Franklin notified NRC's Region IV office of his retirement in January 1998, the Region IV office has been working closely with him to explore options for ultimate disposition of his source and for ensuring proper control over the source until it can be transferred to another licensee, or properly disposed of. Based on information from our Region IV office, the current situation with the americium-241/ beryllium sealed source at Perforating Services, Inc., does not represent an imminent threat to the public health and safety, since the source is properly secured and Charles Franklin bas contingency plans to transfer the source to another licensee if he is requested to vacate the current storage location. For these reasons, NRC has not requested that DOE provide immediate recovery assistance for the source. However, our regional office will continue to closely monitor the situation, and if circumstances change such that a request for immediate assistance is needed, DOE would be requested to take possession of the source as an emergency situation.
I trust this information responds to your and your constituent's concems. If you have any additional questions about this matter, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely, L. Joseph Callan Executive Director of Operations DISTRIBUTION: G980164 SECY-CRC-98-0233 NRC Central File LJCallan NMSS r/f IMNS r/f PDR OCA JWhitten, RIV HLThompson PTressler CCain, RIV SBaggett LHowell, RIV MShaffer, RIV MHemandez, RIV EDO r/f CPoland RIV Docket Rm. (w/ concurrences)
NMSS Dir. Off. r/f DOC NAME: PAMIKEEZN.WPD CP/ PROOFED / MARCH 25,1998 To receive a copy of this document, Indicate in the box: 3/25/98ce
- C" = Copy w/o attach /enci "E" = Copy w/ attach /enci "N" = No copy 'SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCE I
OFFICE OB*
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Senator Michael B. Enzi 2
Since Charles Franklin notified NRC's Region IV office of his retirement in January 1998, the Region IV office has been working closely with him to explore options for ultimate disposition of his source and for ensuring proper control over the source untilit can be transferred to another licensee, or properly disposed of. Based on information from our Region IV office, the current situation with the americium-241/ beryllium sealed source at Perforating Services, Inc., does not represent an imminent threat to the public health and safety, since the source is propedy secured and Charles Franklin has contingency plans to transfer the source to another licensee if he is requested to vacate the current storage location. For these reasons, NRC has not requested that DOE provide immediate recovery assistance for the source. However, our regional office will continue to closely monitor the situation, and if circumstances change such that a request for immediate assistance is needed, DOE would be requested to take possess.
of the source as an emergency situation, i
i trust this information responds to your and your constituent's concems. If you have any
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additional questions about this matter, please feel free to contact me.
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Sincerely, L. Joseph Callan Executive Director of Operations i
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Senator Michael B. Enzi 2
Since Charles Franklin notified Region IV office of his retirement in January 1998, the office has been working closely with him to explore options for ultimate disposition of his source and for ensuring proper control over the source until it can be transferred to another licensee, or properly disposed of. Based on information from our Region IV office, the current situatio with the americium-241/ beryllium sealed source at Perforating Services, Inc., does not repr(sent an imminent threat to the public health and safety, since the source is properly secured and Charles Franklin has contingency plans to transfer the source to another licensee'If he is requested to vacate the current storage location. For these reasons, NRC has'fnot requested that DOE provide immediate recovery assistance for the source. However dur regional office y
will continue to closely monitor the situation, and if circumstances changp such that a request for immediate assistance is needed, DOE would be requested to take possession of the source as an emergency situation.
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l trust this information responds to your and your constituent's cp ems. If you have any additional questions about this matter, please feel free to contact me.
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Sincerely, f
L. Jos'e/
ph Callan Exe6utive Director of Operations
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ACTION NDO Principal Correspondence Control FROMs DUE: 04/01/98 EDO CONTROL: G980164 DOC DT: 03/11/98 FINAL REPLY:
S natcr Michael B. Enzi TO: -
RSthbun, OCA FOR SIGNATURE OF :
DISPOSAL OPTIONS FOR RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL Callan (Angela and Charles Franklin)
Thadani Thompson Norry Blaha Burns DATES.03/19/98 Cyr, OGC
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ASSIGNED TO:
CONTACT:
NMSS-Paperiello SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:
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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET PAPER NUMBER:
CRC-98-0233 LOGGING DATE: Mar I6 98 ACTION OFFICE:
EDO AUTHOR:
SEN MICHAEL ENZI AFFILIATION:
U.S.
SENATE ADDRESSEE:
RATHBUN LETTER DATE:
Mar 11 98 FILE CODE: M-20
SUBJECT:
DISPOSAL OPTIONS FOR RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL ACTION:
Signature of EDO DISTRIBUTION:
CHAIRMAN SPECIAL HANDLING: OCA TO ACK CONSTITUENT:
CHARLES & ANGELA FRANKLIN NOTES:
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DATE DUE:
8 SIGNATURE:
DATE SIGNED:
AFFILIATION:
I EDO -- G980164