ML21225A723
| ML21225A723 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/10/2021 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| References | |
| NRC-1420 | |
| Download: ML21225A723 (55) | |
Text
Official Transcript of Proceedings NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Title:
33rd Regulatory Information Conference Waste Management Symposia Docket Number: (n/a)
Location: teleconference Date: Wednesday, March 10, 2021 Work Order No.: NRC-1420 Pages 1-51 NEAL R. GROSS AND CO., INC.
Court Reporters and Transcribers 1323 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005 (202) 234-4433
1 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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33RD REGULATORY INFORMATION CONFERENCE (RIC)
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SPECIAL TECHNICAL SESSION -
WASTE MANAGEMENT SYMPOSIA & NRC RIC INFORMATION EXCHANGE SIMULCAST
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 2021
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The special technical session convened via Video Teleconference, at 10:45 a.m. EST, Patricia Holahan and Larry Camper, Co-Chairs, presiding.
PRESENT:
PATRICIA HOLAHAN, Director, Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery, and Waste Programs, NRC LARRY CAMPER, Executive Consultant, Advoco Professional Services, LLC NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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2 C-O-N-T-E-N-T-S Welcome and overview by Trish Holahan.............................3 by Larry Camper.............................12 Open Session......................................28 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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3 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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4 P R O C E E D I N G S 10:45 a.m.
MS. HOLAHAN: Welcome to the first simulcast session of the Waste Management Symposium and the Regulatory Information Conference. We're both excited to be here.
I'm Trish Holahan. I'm the Director of the Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery, and Waste Programs. And I will be presenting a talk on what's going on at the RIC that's pertinent to the folks at the Waste Management Symposium.
I'm joined by Larry Camper, who was the former executive at the NRC, and retired in 2015, and is now a consultant and on the Board of the Waste Management Symposium.
And after I talk about what's going on at the RIC, he'll talk about what's going on at the Waste Management Symposium. So with that, I'll start off with the second slide. Can we go to that, please?
I'm going to talk a little bit about NRC mission and values, the Regulatory Information Conference, and the RIC session that's of interest to Waste Management Symposium, decommissioning topics, uranium recovery, environmental, spent fuel, risk NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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5 informed decision making, and international. Next slide.
NRC's regulatory mission covers three main areas, reactors, commercial reactors for generating electric power, and research and test reactors used for research, testing, and training, and materials, which covers use of nuclear materials in medical, industrial, and academic settings, and facilities that produce nuclear fuel, and finally waste, transportation, storage, and disposal of nuclear materials and waste, and decommission.
And we have five values, integrity, service, openness, commitment, excellence, and respect. Next slide, please.
The RIC is the largest, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory's Annual Regulatory Information Conference is the largest public meeting the Agency hosts, bringing together nearly 3,000 participants, more than 30 countries representing interested stakeholders from other Government agencies, industry, international organizations, and the general public.
The RIC is sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, and the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research. And offers an open environment NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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6 in which diverse group and stakeholders may learn, share, and discuss information on significant and timely nuclear regulatory activities, and emergent issues.
The RIC offers an illustrious technical program, featuring experts from across the Agency, as well as speakers from industry, academia, and the community.
Throughout the conference attendees may participate in dynamic sessions featuring panelists addressing a broad range of topics. Next slide, please.
This joint Waste Management Symposium Regulatory Information Conference simulcast session, WMS 066, is intended to share information that is of interest to both audiences.
We intend to communicate and transfer knowledge to the waste management audience, and make the RIC audience aware of the waste management conference program and technical aspects.
NRC staff and management participate in waste management through a dedicated panel sessions, which is later on this afternoon, to provide NRC's waste regulatory updates, and solicit stakeholder input.
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7 Next slide, please.
So, some of the sessions of interest. So, first one I'll talk about is the decommission session, which is on Thursday. The reactor decommissioning working hard to stay ahead of the issues. And we'll give a panel talking about the Reactor Decommission Financial Assurance Working Group results and follow-up actions.
The Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (NEIMA) Section 108 report to Congress on Community Advisory Boards. Risk informing the reactor decommissioning inspection program.
Reactor safe store inspection issue, and technical guidance updates.
And we have a very good panel, including Bruce Watson, Chief of the Reactor Decommissioning Branch, several of his staff, Ted Smith, Marlayna Doell, Zahira Cruz, Anthony Dimitriadis, who's the Chief of Decommissioning in Region I, Cynthia Barr, and finally Bruce Montgomery from NEI. Next slide.
The next session is this afternoon. It's Virginia Uranium versus Warren: What the Supreme Court's Decision Means for Interim Storage, Yucca Mountain, and Reactors.
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8 And this session is about the June 17, 2019 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Virginia Uranium versus Warren. The case involved the landowner's challenge to the State of Virginia's ban on uranium mining on private land.
The United States, including the NRC, submitted an amicus brief asserting that the Virginia Uranium allegations concerning the motivation for the ban constituted an improper attempt to regulate activities that are preempted by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 as amended, namely uranium milling and tailings management that either within the sole province of the NRC or can only be regulated pursuant to Agreement State authority.
In two separate opinions, each signed by three members of the Supreme Court, six Justices concluded that the Virginia Ban was not preempted by the Atomic Energy Act.
Each of the three panelists participated in the argument briefing before the Court. The panelists will discuss the impact of the Court's recent decision, and what it means to potential conflicts between state sovereignty and the regulation of public safety, and the NRC's scope of authority to protect NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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9 the public from radiological hazards.
All areas of the Atomic Energy Act preemption, including high level waste, interim storage, permanent disposal, and reactors could be affected. Next slide, please.
The next session, well, the session on Monday, it's now Wednesday, will address Transformation and Modernization of NRC Environmental Review Processes: Meeting the Challenge.
And this session describes how the NRC continues to meet its requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act and associated laws, while transforming its reviews into a more modern and most informed framework.
Staff members will highlight the environmental experience to support a new generation of NEPA reviews for advanced reactor technologies, license renewals, non power reactors, and materials application.
Recent experiences, and lessons learned, project updates, and future ideas will be discussed by a wide variety of staff and stakeholders. Next slide.
Another slide that happened yesterday, a NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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10 session that happened yesterday was on Current Accident Fuel Environment. And this session provided a comprehensive review on the current landscape of accident tolerant fuels, including overview of NRC activities, and overview of Electric Power Research Institute activities, fuel cycle activities, vendor activities, example, transportation of fuel vendor, and overview of industry activities. Next slide.
This slide includes another session that occurred on Monday, Risk Informed Decision Making Across Disciplines. The NRC is realizing its vision as a modern risk informed regulator, in part due to development and implementation of a framework to apply insights in all Agency decisions.
Be RiskSMART. Discussion about the cross organization and multi disciplinary perspective on the benefits of risk informed decision making, and afford.
These invoke historical and contemporary examples.
Applications in the nuclear industry, the International Development Center, and a societal issues standpoint will be featured. And we have a panel spanning a broad spectrum of speakers.
Then the next session is W 20, Lessons Learned from the Implementation of Risk Informed NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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11 Initiatives. So, that one is going on today.
As risk informed license amendments are incorporated in site specific licensing bases, the participants will discuss plans and activities to ensure these initiatives are well understood by their respective organizations. Presenters include NRC staff, and representatives from NEI and Exelon.
Over the past few years the NRC has approved a variety of risk informed licensing actions. The proper implementation of these programs is important for licensees, as well as regional offices as they conduct follow-up inspections.
The session will consist of industry and NRC representatives providing their perspectives on lessons learned through challenges and integrating risk informed initiatives into plant operations and regulatory oversight activities.
As risk informed license amendments are incorporated into site specific licensing bases the participants will discuss plans and activities to ensure these initiatives are well understood by the respective organizations. Next slide.
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12 on Foreign Policy Impacts on Nuclear Export Licensing.
And this session will involve a discussion among representatives from the NRC, U.S. Department of State, the DOE, and NSA, and the U.S. Department of Commerce on how foreign policy considerations and non proliferation impact their export licensing processes, the opportunities and challenges the consideration present, and how these are evolving.
Panelists include NRC staff and representatives from Department of State, the National Nuclear Security Administration, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and International Trade Administration.
And then last but not least, another session that on Tuesday. Nuclear Regulation in the Time of Transformation. And this session provided a view into the various approaches that global nuclear regulatory organizations are taking towards transformation.
The speakers will focus on measures to be implemented, are being considered to ensure that organizations become more modern, and risk informed.
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13 including balancing nuclear safety and security requirements with innovative approaches to ensure the efficient regulation of the nation's nuclear fleets during the emergency.
And we have panelists from Canada, Finland, France, and U.K. Next slide, please.
Now, this slide goes to show why we're doing it as simulcast. Because in future both conferences overlap, you know, at least this year and next year.
The following year WMS is a little bit earlier. But then the year after they overlap again.
So, this is why we wanted to have a simulcast session, to show what's going on with both sessions.
So, going on to the next slide. In summary, the RIC and WMS are important annual conferences with overlapping technical areas. Both WMS and RIC attendees share common interest in numerous technical sessions.
And for further details on the RIC and its technical sessions there's a website there that you can visit, and find out either the presentations that you've missed, or in future. So, issues regarding information transferring and exchange, WMS should be discussed and coordinated further to serve the benefit NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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14 of all participants.
And with that, I'll turn it over to Larry Camper to talk about what's going on at Waste Management Symposium.
MR. CAMPER: Okay. Hello, everyone.
Thank you, Trish, for that introduction. And it's a pleasure to be with all of you. It's unfortunate that we can't have our conferences in real time. So many of us attend both conferences, or at least like to.
But this we hope will keep information flowing to you.
I do want to thank the NRC and the NRC staff for putting this together. I owe a special thanks to John Lubinski, the NMSS office director. he and I started talking about this back in August. Trish and I have talked about it several times.
Dr. Boby Abu-Eid has been very helpful, and of course some other members of the NRC staff.
So, thanks to all those folks. Because these things are simply not easy to put together.
I also thank Trish for her explanation of the session, and trying to focus upon providing information to the attendees in each of our respective conferences. Next slide, please.
What you have here is a presentation NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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15 overview of what I'll cover today. I will be covering the WMS mission statement, the WMS guiding principles, the goal of WM symposia, the technical program for WMS, a WMS 2021 theme and platform, which changes every year, the highlight from our WMS 2021 conference.
I'll mention the Roy G. Post Foundation.
But it's important to the WM symposia. I'll explain why. I'll mention the priorities that we have from the WMS beyond 2021, and then the future conference schedule. Next slide, please.
The mission statement for WMS is important because WMS is a non profit corporation. We exist to hold the WM Symposia, which is an international conference for the management of radioactive waste and related topics.
WMS provides the premier open forum for discussing and seeking safe and environmentally responsible, and technically sound and cost effective solutions to the management and disposition of radioactive wastes, and the decommissioning of nuclear facilities, and to advance the transparency and credibility of the global radioactive waste industry.
The conference is important not only because we hold a, what we think is an excellent NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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16 scientific program. But we're very much about providing scholarships from several (audio interference). Next slide, please.
This slide depicts our guiding principles.
There are eight of them there. I won't step through every one of them. You can see them for yourself.
But it is important to make a couple of points.
We do value technical excellence and business innovation. And the WMS provides a forum for independent and open exchange of information. We value international participation to improve global management of radioactive waste. And we believe in exceeding customer expectations.
Our conference is very much about networking. Of course, business opportunities are very important. But I would never understate the importance of all our attendees and exhibitors.
Because it leads towards providing scholarships for students studying in the nuclear industry, nuclear waste in particular.
And we do value diversity in all aspects of the conference, its activities, and its offerings.
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17 development, and sponsoring the future leaders in our industry. Next slide, please.
Now, the goal of the WM Symposia is simply stated. To provide a premier international conference for radioactive waste management. We try to promote innovation and cooperation around the world, and sponsor the next generation of careers and nuclear life cycle that I was alluding to on the previous slide.
I mention also the importance of our international colleagues as part of this process. When we're live we get members and attendees, and participants from approximately 30 countries around the world.
We have more than 2,000 engineers, scientists, regulators, stakeholders, and students attending the conference. We put out more than 400 papers, scientific papers each year, consisting within 140 plus sessions to provide those papers.
We have more than 60 panels each year.
We have three student intern poster sessions, and 175 companies that are organizations represented in the exhibit hall. And we cannot thank all of our sponsors and exhibitors enough, because they make it happen every year. We thank them for that. Next slide, please.
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18 This slide depicts our technical program.
We have ten tracks in our technical program. And these are divided into waste types or areas relating to nuclear programs, transportation, environmental remediation, and analysis.
And you see the tracks there. Track 1 is cost setting policies and programs. Track 2 is high level radioactive waste and nuclear fuel, used nuclear fuel, and long lived alpha and transuranic waste.
We have, Track 3 is low level, intermediate level mixed waste, NORM and TENORN. Track 4 is nuclear power plant waste, and on site spent nuclear fuel, and used nuclear fuel management within nuclear power plants.
Track 5 is packaging and transportation.
Track 6 is decommissioning and decontamination.
Track 7 is environmental remediation. Track 8 is communications, education, and training. Track 9 is special topics, including safety, security, and safeguards. And Track 10 is miscellaneous unassigned related abstracts, and non paper sessions. Next slide, please.
Our technical program exists because of the Program Advisory Committee. The Program Advisory NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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19 Committee consists of more than 150 volunteers who devote their time and energy every year to planning the technical programs.
And NRC in fact has had participants on that advisory panel for many years now. We greatly appreciate the NRC participation.
But the purpose of the Program Advisory Committee, or PAC as we lovingly refer to it, is to develop the technical program, organize, manage, and hold sessions at the conference to stimulate the submittal of abstracts and panels that encourage conference attendance worldwide.
In addition to our Program Advisory Committee, or PAC, we also have the International Program Advisory Committee, or IPAC. And that consists of international volunteers that help us each year as well as we put together our program. Next slide, please.
What you see here is a schedule of the meetings and so forth that the PAC, IPAC hold each year.
As you might imagine, a great deal of effort goes into putting together a scientific program of so many panels and presentations, and presenters. It's a lot of work.
And we greatly appreciate their efforts.
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20 But the PAC generally holds four meetings per year in the United States. Four of them are held at the symposium. And you can see there, there's one Saturday evening. There's morning, lunch, and evening.
And there's also one PAC meeting that takes place in September. And it's the PAC meeting in September where we really bring together the scientific program for the following March.
When we finish that PAC meeting, the Program Development Meeting (DPM) we call it, in September, we have the program for the following year put together. And it's a matter of refining it along the way.
In terms of the IPAC, or the international meetings, they're held four times a year. There is one IPAC meeting that takes place during the March conference on Sunday afternoon.
There's an IPAC meeting on the PDM on Sunday afternoon in September. And then, there are two other IPAC meetings that take place international, one in Europe and one in Asia, so we can maximize the international participation. Next slide, please.
In 2021, each year the WM Symposia has a NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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21 theme, or a platform that it builds upon. And this year the theme for WM 2021 is Reducing Risk Through Sound Technical Solutions.
We have a virtual conference platform this year, of course. We will have live and pre-recorded on demand panel sessions. And we'll have on demand oral presentation sessions. We will have student posters.
And we will have virtual exhibitors, because the business world goes on as well. Our exhibits are important to the conference. And so, there will be a program for our exhibitors that will be virtual as well. Next slide, please.
In terms of our, are we on the next slide, please? There we go. The virtual highlights for WM 21 you see on this slide. And I point out that the conference slide mentions that we have a featured site.
Each year the Symposia has a featured site.
And this year the featured site is the Hanford Reservation in Richland, Washington, as well as the Energy Technology Engineering Center, ETEC, at the Santa Susan Field Laboratory in Simi Valley, California.
We do move around a feature site each year.
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22 I would like to express the importance of the Department of Energy to the WM Symposia, and the featuring of their sites, and all of this taking place, as DOE carries out its mission. It's very important to the Symposia.
And then you see a listing of the various panels that will be taking place this year. Now, the numbers you see are the session numbers. Session 4 deals with issues and recent developments in security of nuclear materials.
While Session 5, the Panel 5 is dealing with indigenous perspectives on risk assessment.
Increasingly that's very important to the nuclear waste industry.
Session 15 is the commercial level waste management global. Panel Session 29 deals with Japan Fukushima Daiichi decommissioning update. Much still takes place in Japan around that accident.
Panel 3 deals with robotics, and what controlled technology at Japan during Fukushima. I think we all understand the importance and growth of robotics in the world of decommissioning over the last several years. And much is taking place literally as we speak.
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23 Panel 33 deals with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the IAEA. To ensure and capacity build against major change with 21st century technology. Panel 69 is the Advanced Fuel Cycle Program update.
Panel 88A is addressing the impact at the back end of advanced reactor fuel cycles. And the Session 88B is a panel for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission that Trish and I will be co-chairing for that session, dealing with current and emerging U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory topics.
There's much going on at the NRC these days that impacts the waste industry. So, attendees will be interested in seeing that.
Panel 96 deals with high level repository status, the next steps. And the last Session 105A and 105B deals with effective waste management during the D&D of nuclear power plants worldwide. Next slide, please.
Sorry for the small wording of this slide. But hopefully it appears bigger to you on the slide than it does to me on the computer.
But what we tried to do here was just kind of summarize a few of the key virtual contents of the NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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24 conference. On Monday morning, March 8 there will be hot topics in U.S. DOE Environmental Management, featuring Government and industry world leaders speaking on the processing issues facing radioactive waste management in 2021.
Beyond, also Monday there's a feature topic panel with operations post COVID, lessons learned from the pandemic, with panels focusing upon the conditions, effects, and responses as a result of the disruptions from COVID 19.
On Tuesday there will be, first, two panels focusing upon Japan Fukushima Daiichi decommissioning update. Again, much going on there.
On Wednesday there will be a new type of WMS panel sharing information from two different conferences, which is what we're working on right now.
And we thought it was very important to the attendees for each of these conferences to see what's taking place at the other conferences. We can't be there in real time as we would often like to be.
On Thursday will be the live DOE Spring Quarterly Business Opportunity Forum. Mr. Robert Doyle, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition and Project Management with the Office of EM with DOE NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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25 will review the status of every major DOE EM procurement.
And, you know, people are very interested in the environmental management program at DOE, and the contracts that are available.
Thursday there will be a panel discussion on global STEM initiatives, with STEMs only activities available online Thursday as well. I would take a second here to point out how much emphasis we have ben placing on the STEM initiative over the last few years, which is a national opportunity for all of us in the industry to reach out and educate young people on what's going on. And just they place so much importance on it. So, we look forward to this session.
And then Friday, on the 12th of March there will be a panel and collaboration across borders to deliver cleanup and decommissioning challenges. The session will engage panels from DOE, EM, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority - UK, and the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) in Canada to discuss activities undertaken under a trilateral agreement signed by the three organizations during the WM 2020 conference.
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26 face the same challenges of decommissioning. Next slide, please.
This address the Roy G. Post Foundation.
I mention this because the Roy G. Post Foundation, Dr. Roy G. Post was one of the founders, if not the founder of the WM Symposia many, many years ago.
And so, the Roy G. Post Foundation was created as a way of honoring his efforts to educate young people in the nuclear industry, and particularly those involved with nuclear waste.
The Post Foundation is a non profit organization that was formed to provide scholarships to students to develop careers in the safe management of nuclear materials, and to participate in the WM conference over the years.
The Roy G. Post Foundation supports the Symposia's mission by providing financial support in the form of scholarships to the next generation of talent that will be solving the problem in a nuclear life cycle.
Interestingly, in the year 2021 the WM Symposia provided $95,000 dollars in scholarships to the Post Foundation for distribution. And it provided seven undergraduate winners a $5,000 dollar NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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27 scholarship, and graduate winners a $7,500 dollar scholarship award. So, you can see that that money goes to good use to train those up and coming to follow us.
We're increasing our scholarship commitment in dollars and numbers of awards via the Post Foundation. And then the Post Foundation wants to continue to highlight its scholarship effort, and its recipients' accomplishments, and facilitate communications via social media events, advertised to the Post Foundation for Industry and Education Media, increase international applications, and direct contact with universities.
And they continue a Linkedin page for all post career scholarship winners for network contact.
It's always interesting each year at the conference to be able to see the recipients of the scholarships.
And some of them are there to receive a scholarship directly during the luncheon award, during the conference. And many of the students are there attending so that we have a chance to talk to them.
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28 slide, please.
This slide identifies WMS priorities beyond WM 2021. We want to revise and expand the technical program to address the needs of our industry and our stakeholder attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors.
We want to strengthen our commitment to our industry's future talent. We want to embrace the changes in conference delivery platforms, whether it be live, virtual, or hybrid. And to provide the best conference experience while we're all facing these challenges together It's difficult. We'll continue to wrestle with it. We certainly hope to have a real meeting next year. I know Rick would like to be there as well. But we'll do what we have to do to keep the information flow going.
We want to expand integration of our international partners to increase international participation. I would emphasize again at this point how important our international participants are to us. We draw people from almost 30 countries. And they add a lot to the conference.
And we will revisit an update on the NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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29 strategic plan. We cannot afford for anything to be static in this day and time. We always keep our strategic plan active and ongoing all the time. But it's paramount now at this point, given COVID and the conditions we all face for awhile. Next slide.
This is my final slide. And like Trish and her presentation we're taking the opportunity to show you our schedule. In 2022 it's March 6 through 10.
I think there is a conflict Trish mentioned again next year unfortunately. So, we'll probably try to do this again next year, and share information if we can.
2023 it's February 26 through March 2.
And 2024 it's March 10 through 14. We have not established 2025 yet. And the reason we haven't is we're currently in negotiations with the hotels and the various vendors, and so forth.
These conferences are planned four and five years out in advance. So, what we're trying to do is get a date that does not conflict with the RIC that year, so attendees can hopefully attend both conferences as easily as possible.
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30 and leave one conference, and fly to Washington. You go there, or vice versa. So, we'll try to do what we can to make 2025 work for all of us.
So, Trish, and I'll stop there. And again, thank you and the NRC for the opportunity for the WM Symposium to be here. I thank you on behalf of the Board of Directors. Thank you.
MS. HOLAHAN: Thank you, Larry. And that concludes our presentations.
MR. CAMPER: We are live now, Trish, as I understand it. And we're going to try to take some questions. I noticed that there are several for me.
And let me try to answer those.
The first is, why not convene the WMS conference in the D.C. greater areas, since large numbers of tele employees such as daily participate in WMS? Thanks for that question.
We have it in --
(Audio interference)
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31 of the United States, as do international participants.
So, we have found that the process of using the meeting in Phoenix works well for all of our attendees for many, many years. Previously it was in Tucson, Arizona. And that's become where people like to be.
Another question was, can the organizers of WMS get a special discount for registrations for federal employees? We in fact did do that last year.
And there's a room rate for federal employees that is a reduced room rate by comparison to more attendees.
The issue, the point, next question is (audio interference) conflict. Trish had a slide.
I had a slide. Unfortunately the conferences have to be planned long in advance.
I mean, for example, we're now planning the 2025 conference. We believe we're going to be able to avoid a conflict in 2025 between the two conferences.
2023 I think looks good for avoiding a conflict.
But what we did to try to get over that was to have what we're doing this year, the joint session. And I really do want to thank John Lubinski and Trish. We started having discussions way back last August to make this happen.
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32 This is not the first time there's been a conflict between these conferences. But it is important for many of the attendees to be at both.
So, we hope this at least provides an overview of what's going on at each conference.
And so, yes, we will strive to avoid it by planning and arranging the conference center, hotels, and so forth. That's to be done well in advance. In some degree it's unavoidable.
So, Trish, the next one is for both of us.
You want to read that, and we can kind of chime in?
MS. HOLAHAN: Again, while it's the same question about enabling the --
(Audio interference)
MS. HOLAHAN: And I'd just like to add that the RIC, as you know, is planned well ahead. And so, we will try and avoid conflicts in the future. It may not be for a few years.
As I said, next year it conflicts. But then the year after it doesn't conflict. So, and we got a general comment. It's thank you for including this afternoon session --
(Audio interference)
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33 you for that. We look forward to hearing what you have to say.
Then the next question is for both of us.
What is the role of continued storage room in the context of the new advanced reactor? Does the rules warrant for new reactor deployment from the design specific (audio interference) for waste generation of (audio interference)? And is this topic being addressed at Waste Management or the RIC?
I don't know the actual answer to, you know, there is a session on accident tolerant fuels. I don't know if that (audio interference)
MR. CAMPER: Trish, I'm going to add to that. This is a very tough question to answer on the fly. Because you really want to be positioned to look at what's going on today at the Agency with regards to advance reactor.
We all know that's taking place real time.
We understand the role of contained storage. I mean, intuitively I would think that would apply. However, having said that, one has to be cautious to be specific in their answers.
There is a session at the WM conference, at least one. I made a note as I was reviewing the NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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34 slide. Session 88A is entitled, The Back End of Advanced Reactor Fuel Cycles.
So, that's a session that deals with what happened on the back end, the waste, and so forth and so on, that would be generated. So yes, there is discussion at the conference about that topic.
Trish, the next one's for you. And why don't you lead off. And maybe I'll add something.
MS. HOLAHAN: Okay. The question is, how is NRC coordinating numerous changes to low level waste and transportation guidance for (audio interference) by different businesses and our state?
NRR (audio interference) radiation safety, STP, and Reg Guide 7.21, the spent fuel and transportation type fees, (audio interference) renewal, the NUREG 1608, and our own --
(Audio interference)
MS. HOLAHAN: Well, you may know that we have a public meeting on the uniform waste manifest.
And coordinated with the different divisions in NRC.
Before we have the public meeting we had the one to make sure that we were all aligned.
But we are working actively to coordinate with the other divisions and NRC, and industry as well.
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35 Because industry raised a similar question as to how we're interacting with the other divisions, and what impact it has.
And I'll put in a pitch for Janet Schlueter.
She's going to make a presentation this afternoon at WMS, our session at WMS that Larry and I are co-chairing.
And she's going to raise these issues of the program coordination and consolidation.
MR. CAMPER: Yes, Trish. Thanks for mentioning that session. I was going to plug that too.
I would draw everyone's attention to that session this afternoon, 88B at the WM Symposia.
We've got four panelists. Trish and I are co-chairing. There's a lot of stuff going on right now with the NRC that impacts global waste, and transportation, and the various topics that Trish pointed out.
And there's a lot dialogue this afternoon in that session about that very thing. I would also point out, the answer to the question really is saying, while there's so many things going on in different parts of the Agency, how do you coordinate?
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36 a division director, I can tell you there's a lot of effort to coordinate. I mean, we, the Agency produces many products, and many staff are involved.
And we have to do all this to get things done. And what it requires is extensive coordination between the various staff members that are writing these documents. They interface routinely.
There's management interface that takes place routinely. (audio interference) when it comes time to get these documents to, ready to be published.
There's a concurrence process that (audio interference).
You know, it's not done half (audio interference). It's a great deal of coordination and effort, in all candor. But great question.
MS. HOLAHAN: And, Larry, the next question is for you. Do you want to read that? About the next waste management symposium?
MR. CAMPER: When is the next Waste Management Symposia meeting? Will the public be able to listen into this meeting?
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37 into early March.
The WM Symposia is not a public forum.
It's a forum in which attendees pay to attend. And normally what happens, it's a week long duration in Phoenix, Arizona, with many technical sessions, as I pointed out. And those sessions are recorded. And people who pay to attend the meeting can get copies of the proceedings of the conference.
And I would reiterate that the conference is a non profit company, non profit corporation that exists primarily to provide scholarships to young students studying in the nuclear industry, and in particular nuclear waste.
So, the conference costs a lot of money to put on. It's a well done conference. But it does require a fee to attend. We try to keep that fee as reasonable as possible. But it is not a public forum per se.
I will add though that there had been several years in which the NRC did hold a public meeting on Friday following the conference, as an opportunity to have the captured audience, the industry there, to share information, to answer questions. And members of the public could attend that. Because it's an NRC NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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38 posted public meeting. So, I hope that answers that question for you.
MS. HOLAHAN: And then there was a question for both of us. This has been a great step forward in the information exchange for the attendees of both conferences. Have you discussed what will be done to expand it for next year? And we're, I'll start, and then Larry can chime in.
We're in constant dialogue with what we can do. We took (audio interference) because we wanted to find out how it would work, and share information.
This has been a great effort to, with the Zoom and co-chairing jointly.
So, we can possibly include our session, the afternoon session next year as part of this joint session. So, but there's more to be discussed. Larry, do you want to add anything?
MR. CAMPER: No. I think that, again, Trish, that's a good answer. I think it's a great question. We've not done this before. Being virtual had a lot to do with it.
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39 plan these things well in advance.
But I think as long as the two conferences, which are important to each of the set of attendees are taking place at the same time, I would suggest the two organizations strive to have this kind of information exchange.
I think it's very important. I don't see any reason why we can't do that. We've done it once.
And I think we can try to do it again or again. And I think there's a lot of value in that. So, we hear that issue. And we had that issue on our mind.
And again, I want to again thank Trish and John Lubinski in particular for the efforts going way back, to late last summer when we started planning this out. We hear you. And we'll (audio interference) it.
MS. HOLAHAN: Thank you. And next question's for me. What was the level of participation of NRC staff in WMS?
This year has been unusual because it's virtual. So, we have more people attending at least one or two days. But typically we send about six staff and management to the conference. So, it depends on the topics.
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40 staff. And they come back and share information with us. So, it's not they're going and learning on their own, and keeping it to themselves. But they come back and share the information around the Agency.
MR. CAMPER: So, I would add to that too, that for some time now NRC has participated in the Program Advisory Committee. Currently Dr. Boby Abu-Eid is on the PAC representing the NRC. I, when I was as the Agency, was on the PAC and on the Board representing NRC.
And the Symposia believes that it's important to have especially the DOE and NRC representatives because of the whole (audio interference) conduct as far as nuclear is concerned.
So, I think that will continue.
And every year for the last several years we've had the session that Trish and I will be co-chairing this afternoon, to address ongoing current regulatory issues at the NRC, so that the participants at the Symposia can hear from the NRC directly.
I personally can't overstate the importance of the regulator conveying information directly to the industry, to the public, being available to answer questions.
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41 I think it's a critical part of the job.
And the industry and the public wants to hear from the regulators. So, we'll continue to do that.
Trish, I had a question. Can WMS provide session summary reports to NRC for knowledge management? That's an intriguing question. And I'll have to answer it in a cagey way.
I'm not sure. On the one hand, knowledge management is extremely important. We all agree with that. But as I mentioned earlier it is a paid attendance for participants in the conference, for reasons that I stated earlier. And they are entitled to copies of the proceedings.
So, I don't know the answer to that question formally. But I would certainly explore that with the WMS leadership, and see what might be able to be done.
But it's a tough question. But, Trish, I think you have the next one.
MS. HOLAHAN: Yes. Thanks, Larry. And it's as much for me as you. So, it's from the NRC RIC coordinators. The RIC 2025 dates are set. So, the 37th RIC is scheduled for March 11th to 13th, 2025.
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42 date.
MR. CAMPER: Yes. And I think we're going to be able to. We had a discussion with the Executive Committee a couple of weeks ago about this. And we are striving to do that.
I mean, on one hand, for the WMS there's the convention center. There's the hotels. There's all the things that go into making everything happen.
But we're planning far enough ahead that we're striving to avoid a conflict in 2025.
MS. HOLAHAN: And then the next question is for both of us. I'll read the two questions together.
(Audio interference)
MS. HOLAHAN: -- power uprates of that spend fuel storage? I'm not really in a position to be able to answer that off the cuff. I don't know.
Larry, do you want to tackle that, and --
MR. CAMPER: It's a highly complex question But let me answer it simply, without getting into all the technical detail or regulatory problems.
I mean, high burn out fuel, accident tolerant fuel does pose issues for eventual storage.
I mean, obviously those topics directly impact the NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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43 nature of the fuel that is stored. And that has technical implication and policy implications.
So, I think I'll leave it at that, without trying to get into too much detail. Because we're not readily prepared to answer that question.
Power uprates of course affect the rate at which fuel is utilized. That impacts upon spent fuel storage, and so forth, and so on. So again, generally speaking, the answer to that is, both those things do impact spent fuel storage. But beyond that, without getting into more detail and policy, I think we'll stop there.
This is for me. Are you seeing any trends for the present and future on challenges or interest in the waste management area for upcoming generation of students, as this area competes with other more trending areas like energy and environmental management, (audio interference) renewables?
Great question. Yes. Simply, yes. We see a lot of young students today that continue to be interested in the waste industry. Decommissioning of course is very busy these days. One can spend a career, a young person, decommissioning, if you look at active decommissioning or anticipated decommissioning in the NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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44 future.
And one area that we have seen a tremendous amount of interest in for decommissioning in the last two or three WM Symposia is robotics. I mean, what's taking place in robotics is simply phenomenal.
And as we speak it continues to change.
And the tools that are available for decommissioning and health physics surveys, and so forth, is just phenomenal.
So, a lot of young people are very interested in robotics. And so the young kids like cool things, computers and laptops. Robots just fit right in, frankly. So, I think that trend will continue.
Yes, there are competing areas in energy production, and so forth. But I'm not so sure that nuclear's there. I continue to be optimistic about nuclear power.
And what's taking place today in advanced reactor designs, fusion development, there's some really interesting stuff going on that will unfold over the next few years. And I think it will be attractive to young people as they complete their degrees and go into the industry. So, I'm optimistic about the power NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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45 industry for attracting young scientists and engineers.
Trish, we got another one. Okay, Gary Benda. Well how many (audio interference) had many public meetings or any conference in Phoenix? Okay.
Well, Trish, I'll answer part, and you answer part.
The answer is yes. I can tell you that during my tenure as the division director, the role that Trish and I had, by the way. We had, I want to say at least three or four public meetings to share information about what was going on.
I would let Trish answer the question about today or in the future. I can only say that I think that the field is ripe with subject matter being, you know, 10 CFR Part 61 continuing addressing GTTC and TRU waste. And the staff's recommendation to add to that the prior 61 rulemaking.
So, Trish, I think there's a lot of things out there that the public or the attendees would be interested in. But I'll defer to you to talk about the future.
MS. HOLAHAN: Yes. And we had talked last year about possibly having a public meeting after the Waste Management conference. And because it conflicted with the RIC we didn't.
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46 So, but as Larry said, there are topics that are of high interest in the waste management area, including the Part 51 and the greater than Class C, and very low level waste scoping study done. In the future we may have meetings. But it's too soon to tell now.
MR. CAMPER: The next one's --
MS. HOLAHAN: Larry, I'm trying to put in the waste management too is scheduled for March 6th to 10th.
MR. CAMPER: Yes. Again, I think that is a conflict. But '23 is not (audio interference). And
'25 we're trying to avoid that. So, Trish, the next one is for you.
MS. HOLAHAN: And plan a joint WMS RIC session addressed by an NRC Chairman or Commissioner, and (audio interference). Well, we'll have to take that under consideration. We'll have to work with the RIC coordinators and the Commission, as well as DOE.
MR. CAMPER: Well we, yes, we've had Commissioners speak at WMS in several different roles.
The answer to the question seems to be a joint session, whereby the Chairman of the Agency, NRC, or a Commissioner, or a DOE lead authority could hold a joint NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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47 session that would be of both.
I think that's something we could explore.
I mean, if we're going to continue to have these joint sessions it could be just beyond a representative of the WMS Board, like me, or Trish and her management, or NRC doing it. It's possible, I would think. We'd just have to explore that, Bobby. And thanks for that question.
MS. HOLAHAN: And then, there's another question. Do we have any plan for a session on rad waste and management and decommission of advanced reactors? And not at this session, but maybe in the future.
MR. CAMPER: Well, I mentioned earlier that Session 88A at the Symposia this year, entitled Back End of Advanced Reactor Fuel Cycles, deals with that question.
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48 advanced reactors, just like MSR pose with these challenges in the future, albeit different than what we have today, because of the size of the reactors, and so forth.
But those kinds of things will unfold over time. And they will be addressed I'm sure at the RIC and at the WM Symposia as well. So, the next one, Trish, is both of us.
Since extensions currently being considered, is there a material analysis being done on the nuclear facility being decommissioned, so that real life knowledge can be obtained regarding the 40 years, and so forth?
Well, Trish, I'll take a shot at that, and you can embellish. I mean, the NRC has been interested in materials degradation studies for quite some time.
And their material degradation studies, and to a great part is what led to the confidence in the Agency that it could in fact expand, and expand the life of operating reactors.
So, the simple answer to that is yes. I would also point out I know during my tenure, and it continues today with Trish and her staff, there's all kinds of lessons learned about decommissioning that NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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49 are captured and shared with the industry.
NEI does the same thing. There's an NEI D&D working group. NIC has a group that does decommissioning and other things. So, I think that there's a lot of information out there that has been developed by the Agency and by the industry to help in the process of (audio interference) understanding decommissioning.
And decommissioning again, as I mentioned, this whole issue of robotics is changing the nature of decommissioning dramatically. And what the companies are able to understand is that going and planning to take apart the reactor. So, it's an extreme utility. And it's changing everything. It's getting more refined all the time.
And the conference that we conduct, this conference, and actually RIC, will seek opportunities to share their information. It's in the best interest of the industry and the public to do so. Trish, you want to add to that?
MS. HOLAHAN: I don't really have much to add. I think you did a very good job of answering the question. But you're right. We do constant lessons learned (audio interference) mission. We're NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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50 interested very much in aging management. And we do work closely with NRR and the Division of Fuel Management in coordinating those efforts. So, and I'll stop there.
MR. CAMPER: Well, the other thing I would add too, and it's, you know, the United States has done a very good job of decommissioning nuclear power plants.
And we've been very successful. We continue to be successful doing that.
But elsewhere around the world there's a lot of decommissioning going on as well. And there will be a lot of decommissioning going on. So, I suggest that whether it be through the IAEA or through the NRC, or through the industry at large, we find ways to share that information. We can always learns something all the time from all our colleagues around the globe.
MS. HOLAHAN: And I'll put, you know, not only IAEA, but (audio interference).
MR. CAMPER: So, the next question's me.
If the Hanford and Santa Susana discussion's already taken place (audio interference) what are some of the take home points?
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51 those sessions. They started yesterday morning with the plenary (audio interference) in some of those discussions following the plenary. And they continue.
I have sat in on other things. And I dare not venture to guess what some of the take home points were. But I think we all understand, especially when it comes to Hanford there's a tremendous amount of activity taking place at Hanford.
And much is being learned about waste management processes. I'm sure that all that's being shared with the attendees listening in on those sessions.
MS. HOLAHAN: This is a question for both of us. What do both of you see as the biggest challenges, technical or policy, in the area of waste management?
We see with the new business models, the accelerated decommissioning ongoing now. So, we want to make sure that we can support the industry, and decommission our plants in a timely manner.
Also, with the low level waste aspects we think we're stable for now. But I don't know in the future whether some facilities will be shutting down or not. Larry, did you want to add to that?
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52 MR. CAMPER: That is a great question.
You know, I really am glad we got that question, Trish.
From my vantage point I see two major challenges to the industry.
Number one, well, first, we're very fortunate to have four commercial operating waste facilities in the United States. Our colleagues in Europe aren't so fortunate across the board.
We're very fortunate in the United States to have what we have. And we're very fortunate to have the capacity that we have, as we look ahead to future decommissioning.
I think the two basic challenges that the industry faces is what to do about very low end of Class A waste from a risk standpoint? You know, the regulatory scheme that we use in the United States, or the classification table set forth in 61.55 has worked very well in protecting public health and safety.
But one can argue that the (audio interference) waste is highly regulated for the risk involved. They're trying to find the (audio interference) scheme that brings to bear risk and the implications of that risk.
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53 interference) communicating with the members of the public about that risk, and what is the appropriate level of (audio interference) to have, or the ways to not. There are a number of citizens that are very concerned about waste issues.
And on one hand the regulator wants to have a (audio interference) focused risk oriented program.
On the other hand, you want to inspire public confidence. That's not always easy to do. That's a challenge. And I think the industry, and especially the NRC has to continue to work very hard at doing that.
MS. HOLAHAN: Well, we have no other questions from the audience. So, and as we're getting towards the end of the session I'd like to thank first of all Larry for co-chairing it with me, and also the audience for all the great questions. And we answered them to the best of our ability on the fly.
And I'd like to thank Dr. Boby Abu-Eid for organizing this session. And the participants, or the members from the Waste Management and the RIC Symposium that made this happen. Because it was, it's been the first of a kind, virtual simulcast session. So, thank you everybody very much for making this happen.
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54 Board of Directors, we are so happy today to take part in this. And again, thanks for the NRC support, and all the work. And thanks for the questions. And thanks for those who will be watching this. It was really our privilege to do this. Thank you.
(Whereupon, the above-entitled matter went off the record at 11:50 a.m.)
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