ML20248C222
| ML20248C222 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 05/17/1989 |
| From: | Zech L NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Bernthal F STATE, DEPT. OF, BUREAU OF OCEANS & INTL. ENVIRONMENT |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8906090304 | |
| Download: ML20248C222 (3) | |
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. [o r e j?D/1 UNITED STATES l 's
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WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
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%***.*o May 17, 1989 1
L CHAIRMAN Dr. Frederick M. Bernthal i
Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and international Environmental and Scientific Affairs U. S. Department of State Washington, D. C. 20520
Dear Dr. Bernthal:
Transboundary shipment of all types of waste has been the focus of increasing public attention.
As a result, numerous international initiatives have begun to address the many complex issues associated with the control of waste shipment generally and that of hazardous waste in particular.
In the area of radioactive waste, for example, the Organization of African Unity supported passage of a resolution on the " dumping of waste" at the 1988 Inte(national Atomic Energy Agency.(JAEA) General Conference.
As a result of this resolution, the IAEA is convening a Technical Advisory Committee in May 1989.
This Committee will endeavor to develop a Code of Practice for Transboundary Movements of Radioactive Waste based on, among other things, a review of current national and international policy, laws, and regulations.
Although the Commission will actively participate in these international waste activities, we note that the United States does not have an explicit policy on the import and export of radioactive waste.
We believe that a clear government-wide policy in this area should be developed to help alleviate growing concerns abroad and also to provide a necessary framework within which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) can implement appropriate import / export licensing controls.
As an initial step in developing such a national policy, the Commission requests that the Department of State establish an interagency working group of representatives from NRC and other appropriate Federal agencies, such as the Department of State, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Commerce.
In order to ensure consistency, we suggest that development of this policy be coordinated with related activities addressing the import and export of hazardous (non-nuclear) waste.
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8906090304 890517 A
PDR COMMS NRCC CORRESPONDENCE PDC
. To enhance NRC's oversight of the import and export of radioactive wastes, the Commission has directed the preparation of an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) concerning possible changes in the regulations in 10 CFR Part 110.
We will coordinate this ANPR with the Executive Branch before publishing it in the Federal Recister for comment.
l The Comruission considers the establishment of a national policy l
governing the import and export of radioactive wastes to be important to the orderly and safe regulation of transboundary
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radioactive waste shipment.
We look forward to working with you and other appropriate Executive Branch agencies on this matter and are prepared to meet at an early date to discuss this proposal further.
Sincerely, lA/.
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Lando W. Zec, Jr.
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- e. Clarification of the types, amounts, and relative hazard of radicar+ive waste which can enter or leave the U.S.
under a general license. The clarificatimi should address wlm limits the type, amount, or hazard of waste that a general licenses can import under Part 110, and how NRC ensures that radirar+ive material r---- ---i under a general license (either iw imi or u
?=--i.ically-generated) is properly diW.
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(SECY Suspense: 9/1/89)-
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