ML20151Y227

Responds to Appeal of Denial of FOIA Request for SECY-87-186 & SECY-87-186A.Draft Secys Predecisional & Withheld (Ref FOIA Exemption 5)

ML20151Y227
Person / Time
Issue date:	08/05/1988
From:	Chilk S NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY)
To:	Felton J NUCLEAR LICENSING REPORTS
References
FOIA-88-208, FOIA-88-A-33 NUDOCS 8808260297
Download: ML20151Y227 (2)

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, August 5, 1988 Mr. Joseph M. Felton l Nuclear Licensing Reports 200-A Monroe Street, Suite 105 Rockville, MD 20850 RE: F0IA Appeal 88-A-33C

Dear Mr. Felton:

This letter responds to your June 16, 1988 appeal of this Agency's denial of portions of the documents identified on Appendix A in our June 10, 1988 response to F0!A-88-208, In response to your appeal, the withheld material was again reviewed. On the basis of this review, I affim the Agency's action in this matter.

The information that continues to be withheld pursuant to Exemption 5 of the FOIA consists of drafts (that are attachments to SECY 87-186) and portions of SECY 87-186A. Draft documents are typically predecisional. They reflect only the tentative views of their authors, views that might be altered or rejected upon further deliberation either by their authors or superiors. See, Coastal States Gas Corp. v. Department of Energy, 617 F2d. 854 (D I Cir.

1980). They may also )e deliberative if they contain proposals and analyses or otherwise reflect the give and take of the consultative process.

The draf ts in the instant matter are predecisional in that they represent the tentative position of agency personnel rather than the position of the agency.

The drafts, which were prepared at a time when the Consnission was fortnulating policy relative to licensee distribution of radioactive gems, were also subject to revision. The drarts are also deliberative in that they propose a course of action and reflect the give and take exchange of ideas between the Comission and subordinate agency personnel. The factual infortnation contained in the drafts is inextricably intertwined with exempt infomation.

Exemption 5 was also properly invoked to protect the withheld portions of SECY  :

87-186A. SECY 87-186A, a companion paper to SECY 87-186, was prepared at a time when the Comission was fonnulating policy. The paper contains the -

staff's analyses, opinions, and recommendations regarding the gemstone issue and in general, reflects the give and take exchange of ideas. Release of any of the withheld material could undermine the integrity of the deliberative process by stifling candor. Release of the drafts could also result in public confusion arising out of the disclosure of reaso.s and a tiona)es that are not in fact the ultimate views of the agency. All ree Wbir sayeyble factual portions of SECY 87-186A have been released.

8800260297 000005 ,

PDR FOIA FELTONB8-A-33 PDR ,

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7 This letter represents final Agency action on your June 16, 1988 appeal.

Judicial review of the denial of these portions of documents is available in

- Federal District Court in the district in which you reside, or have your principal place of business, or in the District of Columbia.

Sincerely, j f

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Secretary o the Comissio i

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NUCLEAR LICENSING REPORTS Esecutive Of fices: Mail Order Address:

200 A Monroe Street, Suite 105 P.O. Bot 10866 Rc<kville. Maryland 20850 Rockville. Maryland 20850 (301) 424-4I32 /

Y// VT EMEDOM OF INFORMATION Hr. Donnte H. Crimsley. Director ACT REQUEST Division of Rules and Records ~

office of Administration and f*b Resources Management U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission d g~

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.gp Washington, DC 20555

Dear Mr. Crimsley:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, Nuclear Licensing Reports requests copies of the records listed below.

Nuclear Licensing Reports is a monthly newsletter designed to inform NRC and Agreement State licensees about new and proposed changes in NRC and state regulations and policies in order that licensees may be better able to carry out their operations in a safe and cost ef fective manner. Included among its subscribers are NRC and Agreement State licensees Federal and state regulatory agencies, and members of the public, rurauant to 10 CFR 9.39(a) and (c). Nuclear Licensing Reports requests a waiver of search and the first 100 pages of copying costs as a news media organization.

Please send the records directly to me at the Henroe Street address listed above. Should the number of pages exceed 100, please send the first 100 pages to me, and the remaining pages to the FDR reproduction contractor for copying and charge to say FM1 account.

Sirwdely.

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Joseph H. Felton Records __ Requested:

1. SECY 87-186 and 186A

2. Hemo f rom Stello to Com:nission dated 2/24/88, "Distribution of Radioactive Cens"

3. Any dif fering prof essional views ref erred to by Commissioner Bernthal on pages 55 and 56 of the 3/14/88 Coaission briefing on below regulatory concern (enclosed)

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55 1 MR. STELLO: Mr. Chairman, that isn't fair. He is 2 the one who told me it's time, let's commit to do it, and 3 that's -- I'm repeating what he said.

4 CHAIRMAN ZECH: Okay.

5, MR. SPEIS: I think I have said enough.

6 CRAIRMAN ZECH: All right.

7 (Laughter.)

8 C0KMISSIONER BERNTHAL: You didn't say anything.

9 COMMISSIONER CARR: Besides, just look at all the FTE 10 you can save.

11 CRAIRMAN ZECH: Commissioner Bernthal, did you have 12 anything further?

13 COMMISSIONER BERNTHAL: Well, I don't have anything 14 -- I have lots, but I think that the point of this briefing was 15 the Staff's report, and I believe that what you have heard here 16 is that we also wanted to get P,o that second part of the 17 Commission's SRM. We asked for E status report / options paper.

18 You clearly aren't ready yet with on options paper, and that's 19 what you have now committed to do.

20 I think I will just save my comments on the issue 21  ; which really brought all of this up, and that was the gemstone 22

• question. There is also a serious regulatory policy issue, 23 this business of frivolous application that we need to sddress 04 there. Suffice it to say that one person's frivolity can turn 25 out to be someone's reason for being, and I feel we ought to

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56 1

get away from that kinc' of s 'trd.

2 I know of feu et " ancies in the government -- and 3 I'll probably be contradictee here by some knowledgeable person 4 -- that would try to apply that kind of standard to the 5 government regulation and interference with individuals' lives, f.

6 So I may put out a short memorandum on that gemstone 7 subject, and Staff's response which contained what seemed to be 8 a differing professional opinion, and I want to compliment you, 9 Vic, and the Staf f for the straightforward and open way that 10 that was handled. It was r. lightly less than the usual DPO 11 approach in channels, but nevertheless it was clear that 12 somebody disagreed with what we did, and that's fine, and I 13 enjoy reading that kind of disagreement; it could have an 14 influence on us.

15 CHAIRMAN ZECH: Commissioner Carr? Commissioner 16 Rogers?

17 COMMISSIONER ROGERS: Well, just that it does seem tc 18 me that as the chairman has pointed out, there's probably 19 really a policy issue here that's going to decide this, and 20 that you're not -- it isn't simply a matter of some data and 21 some calculations and there's the answer, or it would have been 22 done a long time ago. And so I think that we do have to, as 2: Commissioner Bernthal has said, step up to the problem and make 24 a decision. I would like, though, to try to see that the 25 issues are as clear ano the options as clear as possible befcre a

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Re: FOIA. 38 208

^

APPEN0ix RECORDS PAR'TIAL,LY WITHHELO-(See POR file F0!A 88-125)

NUMBER _ DATE DESCRIPTION & EXCWi!ON_

1. 7/28/87 SECY 87186, subject: Distribution of Radioactive Gems Irradiated in Reactors to Unlicensed Persons. (5 pages),

released, with attachments: Enclosure 1: NMSS Staff Preliminary Radiological Assessment for Ger stones Containing Recicactive Material (3 pages). releasec. Enclosure 2: Draft h::tce of Denial of Application, (2 paget , withheld Exemption 5.

Enclosure 3: Draf t Notice of Denial of Appitcation. (2 pages),

withheld. Exemption 5; Enc'esure 4: Dra't Generic Letter.

(3 pages). withheld Exemption 5; Enclosure 5: Draft Public Announcement. (3 pages). withheld. Exemetion 5, 2 10/5/87 SECY-87 186A. subject: Distribution of Radioactive Gems Irradiated in Reactors to Unlicensed Persons (Follow-up to SECY-87-186) (7 pages). portions withheld Exemption 5 with attachments: Enclosure 1: Staff Response to Commissioner's Questions on SECY-87-186 (22 pages), withheld. Exemption 51 Enclosure 2: Letter with attachments from Peggy Willett to Richard Cunningham. (23 pages), released; Enclosure 3: Technical issues Associated with Distribution of Radioactive Gems (1 page) released.

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Re: F01A- an.pno l

. APP (5011 B RECORDS TOTALLY WITHH(LO 1 NUMg!: DATE DESCRIPfl0N & [I(MPTION [

2/24/88 Memo from V. Stello to the Commission, subject: Distrib5 tion of  :

1.  !

Radioactive Gems (SECY 87-186A), (2 pages), with attachm(+.t:

12/10/d7 Note for Mike Lamastra from Pat Vacca, subject: Continu-ing concerns About Conmission Decision on SECV 87-186A. '2 pages) ,

Exemption 5 This oocument is 5.bject to categnrits 2 and 3 of your ret.est.

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