ML20249B355
| ML20249B355 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/16/1976 |
| From: | Bryan S, Galen Smith, Thompson D NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-76-037C, PNO-76-37C, NUDOCS 9806220353 | |
| Download: ML20249B355 (2) | |
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PRL...tfINAR,Y, NOTIFICATION - NOT.FDR..dLIC DISCLOSURE @ %
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March 16, 1976 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE --PNO-76-37C This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information presented is as initially received without verification or evaluation and is basically all that is known by OIE staff as of 2:00 p.m. on date of this notification.
IT SHOULD BE SPECIFICALLY NOTED THAT THIS NOTIFICATION MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT LATER MAY BE DETERMINED TO BE INACCURATE OR INCONSISTENT. AN OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT k
NOTIFICATION OF AN INCIDENT OR OCCURRENCE (BLUE SHEET) SUBSEQUENTLY WILL BE ISSUED IF WARRANTED.
Facility:
Nuclear Engineering Company, Inc. (NECO), Beatty, Nevada Waste Burial Facility Subj ect:
RADI0 ACTIVE MATERIAL REMOVED FROM LICENSEE PREMISES r.
This information supplements information contained in PNO-76-37 dated March 11, 1976, PNO-76-37A dated March 12, 1976, PNO-76-37B dated March 13, 1976.
Radiological survey work to assess the extent of contamination of the l
Beatty area has been completed.
Radioactive contamination was found
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within only two homes, the laboratory scale contaminated with plutonium in one home, and the rug with a contaminated spot in the other, both identified in PNO-76-37B. Several other homes contained intact instruments and clocks with r dium dials.
In addition to house-to-house surveys, moveable vans, one ce~caining sensitive Ge(L1) detectors, the other sensitive NaI detectors, cruised the town and surrounding area for identification of other sources. Over-flights by instrumented helicopter were also used to search for radio-active contamination. These surveys and house-to-house surveys have revealed only 15 of about 150 total home sites in the town with contaminated articles. Typical beta-gamma survey reading on these articles were 2 mr/hr at contact.
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Beatty townspeople have been very cooperative and assisted in removal of contaminated articles. Most articles, amounting to several truck loads, have been returned to the burial site.
Followup work is continuing by IE to identify other possible locations of suspect materials.
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l In order to assess the potential for ingestion of radioactive material, six to eight individuals most likely to have ingested such materials, have been identified and will be whole body counted.
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A joint inspection of the Chem-Nuclear, Barnwell, South Carolina site was begun by IE and the State.
Preliminary results from homes surveyed l
revealed no detectable radioactivity.
The New York Department of l
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Continued
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q NO-7 37C PDR L.
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w e continusd March 16, 1976 Paga 2 PNO-76-37C
,V Labor is pit.nning to conduct a special inspection at the West Valley, New York waste burial site to investigate the possibility of removal 7
of items.
A meeting called by Governor O'Ca'11aghan of Nevada was held at the Governor's Office in Las Vegas. Region V Director, R. H. Engelken, was in attendance with representatives of the Nevada Department of Human Resources, Nevada Attorney General's Office, EPA, ERDA, and NECO.
The Governor is reported to have said that he was very disappointed in NECO's performance; he wants to prosecute those responsible for the removal of contaminated articles and his initial reaction is that he would like to see the site permanently shut down. The Governor also stated that, as far as he was concerned, this finished Nevada j
as a potential site for long term storage of radioactive vaste.
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A press conference was held in Las Vegas at 1:00 P.M., P.S.T.,
following the meeting with Governor O'Callaghan.
R. H. Engelken, 4 _
Director of Region V, and Roger Trounday, Director of Nevada Depart-i ment of Human Resources, participated. Reporters from AP, UPI, Las Vegas papers, and TV and radio stations were present.
It lasted about one hour.
Prepared statements of about ten minutes were read and questions and answers covered the remainder.
Interest centered around health and safety, extent of dispersal of contaminated articles, legal aspects, and the time period over which the removal activities remained undetected.
Contact:
GHSmith, IE x27261 SEBryan, IE x27353 DThompson, IE x27541 Distribution:
Chairman Anders Commissioner Mason S. J. Chilk, SECY Commissioner Gilinsky Commissioner Rowden G. F. Murphy, JCAE Commissioner Kennedy C. C. Kammerer, CA L'. V. Gossick, EDO J. G. Davis, OIE J. A. Harris, PA B. C. Rusche, NRR J. La Fleur, ISP T. J. McTiernan, AIA K. R. Chapman, NMSS H. K. Shapar, ELD Transmitted: P Bldg 3 uo _; H St Off &; MNBB w d I ; Luge 7 r,
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PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION - NOT FOR PUBLIC DISCLOSURE s
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