ML021650066

Ltr from :E. William Brach to: Gary Nugent Shipment of Irradiated Reactor Fuel

ML021650066
Person / Time
Site:	05000131
Issue date:	06/13/2002
From:	Brach E NRC/NMSS/SFPO
To:	Nugent G US Dept of Veterans Affairs, Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System
References
636/151C
Download: ML021650066 (4)

Text

June 13, 2002 Mr. Gary N. Nugent Chief Executive Officer Department of Veterans Affairs Nebraska - Western Iowa Health Care System Omaha, NE 68105

SUBJECT:

SHIPMENT OF IRRADIATED REACTOR FUEL

Reference:

Letter from Department of Veterans Affairs to the NRC dated June 10, 2002

(# 636/151C)

Dear Mr. Nugent:

This letter documents a conference call on June 13, 2002, between you, members of your staff in Omaha, Department of Veterans Affairs staff in Washington, DC, and U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) headquarters staff (Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, and Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response) regarding shipment of irradiated reactor fuel from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska that was discussed in your letter to the NRC referenced above.

As we discussed in the conference call, absent the NRC performing an independent review of your calculations contained in the June 10 letter and based upon the nature of the current threat environment, the NRC believes that the most prudent, conservative, and expeditious course of action is to treat this material as if it meets the definition of spent nuclear fuel found in 10 CFR 73.37(a). Accordingly, this material should transported by you, or your agent, in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR 73.37 and 73.21 and advance notification should also be made to the NRC in accordance with 10 CFR 73.72. We also understand that you intend to comply with NRC Security Advisory SA-01-02, dated December 13, 2001, on the shipment of irradiated reactor fuel.

We have placed a high priority on completing the staff reviews necessary to approve the route you have proposed for shipment of this material, to enable you to meet your proposed shipment schedule. If you have further questions on this matter, please contact Mr. Alexander Adams, Jr. at 301-415-1127.

Sincerely,

/RA/

E. William Brach, Director Spent Fuel Project Office Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket No. 50-131

Omaha Veterans Administration Docket No. 50-131 Medical Center cc:

Mayor City of Omaha Omaha, NE 68102 Mr. John P. Classen Reactor Manager/Supervisor Omaha Veterans Administration Medical Center 4101 Woolworth Ave.

Omaha, NE 68105 Test, Research, and Training Reactor Newsletter University of Florida 202 Nuclear Sciences Center Gainesville, FL 32611 Ms. Julie Schmitt, Program Manager Department of Health and Human Services P.O. Box 95007 Lincoln, NE 68509-5007 Ms. Brenda Hebert (12C1)

Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Ave., NW Washington, DC 20420

June 13, 2002 Mr. Gary N. Nugent Chief Executive Officer Department of Veterans Affairs Nebraska - Western Iowa Health Care System Omaha, NE 68105

SUBJECT:

SHIPMENT OF IRRADIATED REACTOR FUEL

Reference:

Letter from Department of Veterans Affairs to the NRC dated June 10, 2002

(# 636/151C)

Dear Mr. Nugent:

This letter documents a conference call on June 13, 2002, between you, members of your staff in Omaha, Department of Veterans Affairs staff in Washington, DC, and U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) headquarters staff (Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, and Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response) regarding shipment of irradiated reactor fuel from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska that was discussed in your letter to the NRC referenced above.

As we discussed in the conference call, absent the NRC performing an independent review of your calculations contained in the June 10 letter and based upon the nature of the current threat environment, the NRC believes that the most prudent, conservative, and expeditious course of action is to treat this material as if it meets the definition of spent nuclear fuel found in 10 CFR 73.37(a). Accordingly, this material should transported by you, or your agent, in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR 73.37 and 73.21 and advance notification should also be made to the NRC in accordance with 10 CFR 73.72. We also understand that you intend to comply with NRC Security Advisory SA-01-02, dated December 13, 2001, on the shipment of irradiated reactor fuel.

We have placed a high priority on completing the staff reviews necessary to approve the route you have proposed for shipment of this material, to enable you to meet your proposed shipment schedule. If you have further questions on this matter, please contact Mr. Alexander Adams, Jr. at 301-415-1127.

Sincerely, Original signed by C. Miller E. William Brach, Director Spent Fuel Project Office Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket No. 50-131 DISTRIBUTION:

NRC File Center PUBLIC DOCKET SFPO r/f DNS r/f GTracy RNelson AAdams ADAMS Accession #

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