ML25042A621
| ML25042A621 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Wolf Creek  |
| Issue date: | 02/05/2025 |
| From: | Williams E US Dept of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency |
| To: | Catherine Nolan Policy and Oversight Branch |
| References | |
| Download: ML25042A621 (1) | |
Text
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Washington, DC 20472 February 5, 2025 Caty Nolan, Chief Policy Oversight Branch Division of Preparedness and Response Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555
Subject:
Wolf Creek Alert and Annual Audit
Dear Ms. Nolan,
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) received your request on January 21, 2025, for a formal review of the situation identified in your message. During an NRC emergency preparedness program inspection in 2024, the inspectors identified that the 2023 annual audit of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) system lacked references to documents that could be used to verify adequate completion of the activity.
FEMA Regional personnel and the NRC Site Inspector communicated this issue to FEMA Headquarters on August 5, 2024. FEMA Technological Hazards Division (THD) Engineering and Technology reviewed the issue and agreed with the site inspector and the FEMA Region that documentation by the ORO and the Licensee was minimal, and did not provide sufficient information on the source, date, data used or other information that could be used to verify any information provided beyond an assertion. FEMA recognizes the importance of sufficient documentation to provide justification in a regulatory environment.
FEMAs observations and recommendations are as follows:
- 1. Documentation by the ORO and the Licensee was minimal, and did not provide sufficient information on the source, date, data used or other information that could be used to verify any information provided beyond an assertion.
- 2. The Licensee/ORO performing the documentation should provide the following information:
- a. Source, materials used, website, version, or date of material, when it was accessed, etcetera.
- b. As an example:
- i. IPAWS availability check: Phone call to FEMA IPAWS TSSF, (844-729-7522), Friday August 9, 2024, spoke to Alfred Kenyon (FEMA IPAWS Coordinator), confirmed availability is at or above 94%.
ii. IPAWS-WEA Coverage verification accessed website: FCC National Broadband Map (https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/home ), August 9, 2024.
Verified no change from coverage maps submitted Design Report.
- 3. FEMA and NRC should revisit Licensee and ORO personnel responsible for the Annual Audit process identified in the Design Report and provide guidance and examples on proper documentation. The issues with documentation should be easily corrected by the Licensee/ORO.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me or Joshua Barnes, Chief (Acting),
Engineering and Technology Section at (202) 679-9393.
Sincerely, Nan Williams, Chief (Acting)
Policy & Doctrine Branch Technological Hazards Division Federal Emergency Management Agency EDITH N WILLIAMS Digitally signed by EDITH N WILLIAMS Date: 2025.02.10 07:31:38 -06'00'