ML17349A173

Letter to Chairman Kristine Svinicki from Senators Ron Wyden and Claire Mccaskill Regarding Northwest Medical Isotopes, LLC Application for Construction Permit

ML17349A173
Person / Time
Site:	Northwest Medical Isotopes
Issue date:	12/14/2017
From:	Mccaskill C, Wyden R US SEN (Senate)
To:	Kristine Svinicki NRC/Chairman
SECY/RAS
References
50-609-CP, Construction Permit Mandatory Hrg
Download: ML17349A173 (1)

Text

tinitnt ~rates ~cnatc WASHINGTON, DC 20510 December 14, 2017 The Honorable Kristine L. Svinicki Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001

Dear Chairman Svinicki,

We are writing in support of the Northwest Medical Isotopes (NWMI) application to construct a medical radioisotope production facility in Missouri. The Commission has scheduled a hearing in January regarding the application from NWMJ for a construction permit.

The U.S. currently cannot produce molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) domestically. This short-lived isotope decays into technetiurn-99 (Tc-99) which, in turn, is used in medical imaging for many diseases, including cancer and heart disease. The lack of U.S. production capacity is a problem that has plagued the U.S. radiopharmaceutical industry for decades. It is our understanding that this one facility would have the ability to supply nearly half of the U.S. demand for these isotopes.

NWMl, an innovative Oregon company, in partnership with Oregon State University and the University of Missouri, is seeking to address this U.S. reliance on uncertain foreign sources of these radioisotopes by building a production facility in Columbia, Missouri. Columbia is home to the University of Missouri's renowned research reactor (MURR). The design of the irradiation targets is based on the work of researchers at Oregon State University which lead to the creation of NWMI. The issuance of a construction permit for this facility would be a significant milestone in obtaining a domestic supply for this important national radiopharmaceutical technology.

We ask the Commission to give NWMI's application its full and fair consideration.

Sincerely,

~ (;u~

Ron Wyden Claire McCaskill United States Senator United States Senator Cc: Hon. Jeff Baran, Commissioner Hon. Stephen G. Burns, Commissioner