STC-19-030, Letter Transmitting SA-10
| ML19123A087 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 05/23/2019 |
| From: | Andrea Kock NRC/NMSS/DMSST |
| To: | State of VT, State, Agreement States |
| D WHITE MSST | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19123A083 | List: |
| References | |
| STC-19-030 | |
| Download: ML19123A087 (4) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 May 23, 2019 ALL AGREEMENT STATES, VERMONT ISSUANCE OF THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS PROCEDURE SA-10, JOINT OVERSIGHT OF THE NATIONAL MATERIALS PROGRAM AND APPOINTMENT OF THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONS NATIONAL MATERIALS PROGRAM CHAMPION (STC-19-030)
Purpose:
To inform the Agreement States and Vermont 1) that the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS) Procedure SA-10, Joint Oversight of the National Materials Program has been approved and issued; and 2) the appointment of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions (NRC) National Materials Program (NMP) Champion.
Background:
On April 4, 2018, the NRCs Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued their final report on Audit of NRCs Oversight of the National Materials Program OIG-18-A-11 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML18094A280). The OIG made two recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the NRCs oversight of the National Materials Program (NMP) through improving documentation and communication of the NMP framework and appointment of an NMP Champion. The NRC staff agreed with the recommendations in OIG-18-A-11. The development and approval of NMSS Procedure SA-10 and naming the NRC NMP Champion are important steps in implementing the audits recommendations.
Discussion: On August 13, 2018, at the Organizational of Agreement States (OAS) Annual Meeting, NRC staff and the Agreement States held a panel discussion on the key elements and implementation of the NMP and the proposed SA-10 procedure. On January 17, 2019, Opportunity to Comment on the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Procedure SA-10, Oversight of the National Materials Program (RCPD-19-002) (ADAMS Accession No. ML18200A347) was issued to the Agreement States for a 45-day comment period. Comments on the procedure were also requested from the NRC Regional Offices. Two webinars were held on February 7, 2019 and February 20, 2019 to provide an overview of the procedure, answer questions, and receive feedback. In addition to feedback received at the webinars, comment letters were received from OAS and the State of Arkansas. A comment resolution document listing all comments and the NRCs responses including the comment dispositions can be found at ADAMS Accession No. ML19123A084.
The final version of NMSS Procedure SA-10 (ADAMS Accession No. ML19123085 and https://scp.nrc.gov/procedures.html) provides a framework for the NMP that includes a definition, mission, goal, and objectives. The procedure also outlines the roles and responsibilities of the NRC, OAS, Agreement States and the NRC and Agreement State NMP Champions. Guidance is also provided for the establishment of annual goals and responsibilities, monitoring and tracking NMP activities, assessment of NMP performance, and communications. The NRC/OAS priorities for 2019/2020 are attached.
I am pleased to name Mr. Duncan White from the State Agreements and Liaison Programs Branch as the NRCs NMP Champion. Mr. White has over 20 years of experience in the NRCs Agreement State Program in both Regional and Program Offices. The NRC and Agreement State Champions will be discussing the joint implementation of NMP oversight activities at the OAS annual meeting in August.
I am looking forward working with the Agreement States, OAS and the NMP Champions to move the NMP into the future and continue building on our partnership as co-regulators of the NMP.
If you have any questions regarding this correspondence, please contact me at (301) 415-3340, or the individual named below:
POINT OF CONTACT: Duncan White E-MAIL: Duncan.White@nrc.gov TELEPHONE: (301) 415-2598
/RA/
Andrea L. Kock, Director Division of Materials Safety, Security, State and Tribal Programs Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
Attachment:
NRC/OAS Priorities for 2019/2020
ML19123A087 OFFICE MSST MSST MSST NAME DWhite PMichalak AKock DATE 5/14/19 5/20/19 5/21/19
Attachment NRC/OAS Priorities for 2019/2020 Tier one priorities would be the main focus of leadership during that first year. Tier one priorities were also something that could generally be completed in that first year. Tier two priorities would be identified as important and discussed in year one, but focused on in year 2.
Tier One:
- 1. De"ning roles and responsibilities within the NMP. Identifying the co-champion for state programs and the NRC, and develop policy/procedures on how they interact.
- 2. Identifying resources and developing resource sharing process between states and NRC to support agreement state and NRC activities. Developing the pillars of excellence within the agreement state programs.
- 3. Evaluating Agreement States training needs and determining how to work toward meeting those needs.
- 4. Establish focused NMP and IMPEP Tiger Team working groups to develop IMPEP guidance revisions.
- 5. Ensure the NRC and States are ready to review emerging medical technologies
- 6. Establish working groups to address high priority technical issues: financial assurance for sources, source security, and Part 34 rulemaking (subject to Commission direction).
Tier Two:
- 1. Perform an annual checkup of Web-Based-Licensing. AS/NRC commitments.
- 2. Reinventing IMPEP in the Web Based Licensing (paperless) era.
- 3. Promote recruitment and retention of health physicists (shadowing, exchanges, surveys)
- 4. Evaluate if the current general license program is relevant and appropriate. If not, suggest recommendations for change.