ML20151K286
| ML20151K286 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/30/1997 |
| From: | Barr K NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II) |
| To: | Fong S NORTH CAROLINA, STATE OF |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9708060042 | |
| Download: ML20151K286 (7) | |
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July 30, 1997 l
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i State of North Carolina i
! Department of Environment. '
i Health and Natural Resources l l Division of Radiation Protection j ATTN: Mr. S. W. Fong, Ph.D., Chief i Nuclear Facilities and Environmental l l Radiation Surveillance Section l l 3825 Barrett Dr., !
Raleigh, NC 27609-7221 1
SUBJECT:
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL OF RADIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING l PROGRAM PURSUANT TO COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT NO. 29 83 627 !
Dear Dr. Fong:
l A routine performance appraisal of your radiological environmental monitoring )
l program was conducted on July 14-15, 1997. A copy of the performance l appraisal report is enclosed. !
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The appraisal included a review of the 1996 annual report and activities wrformed pursuant to Cooperative Agreement No. 29 83 627 between the U.S. l l iuclear Regulatory Commission and the State of North Carolina. The results of 1 the appraisal were discussed with members of your staff by Mr. E. D. Testa during the visit to your office and laboratory in Raleigh, NC on July 1415, 1997. There were two improvement followup items suggested as a result of the j l
appraisal. They were as follows: (1) Obtain and maintain, at your office, a I controlled set of current laboratory procedures used for your contract radiological environmental sample analysis. (2) Expedite the replacement of !
the monitor for one of three Low Background Beta Counters. This counter has been out of service since approximately September 1996 with the inoperable monitor.
It was determined from the appraisal that the State of North Carolina met the l provisions of the 1996 contract.
The overall performance in fulfilling the provisions of the contract with regard to sample collection, sample analysis, and timely submittal of the .
annual report has been satisfactory. ;
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State of North Carolina 2 We appreciate your interest and participation in the NRC Environmental Monitoring Contract Program and look forward to your continued cooperation.
Sincerely, (Original signed by K. P. Barr) l Kenneth P. Barr, Chief Plant Support Branch Division of Reactor Safety Enciosures: 1. Performance Appraisal
- 2. NRC/ State of North Carolina Radiological Environmental Appraisal Report l
Distribution w/encls:
J. Jaudon, RII S. Klementowicz, NRR i R. Trojanowski, RII l R. Woodruff PUBLIC I
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Orfftf ad SIGNATURI hAME% esta DATE\ 07 / 3 0 / 97 07 / / 97 07 / / 97 07 / / 97 07 / / 97 07 / / 97 l
COPY? (k[h NO YES ND YES h0 YES NO YES NO YES NO l OFtICIA RECORD COPY DOCUMENI NAM _ fa:\DOCUMLNIbl ATELAB.NC l
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Performance Appraisal Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program Cooperative Agreement No.: 29 83-627
-Contractor: State of North Carolina Date of Performance Appraisal: July 1415,1997 Conducted by: O /lm ,4' M M F. 9- 114P Eldan . Testa P.E. Date Signed Approved by: <
1 h7 g M5hneth P. Barr7 Unief Dat( Signed Plant Support Branch Scope: The appraisal was performed by a review of reports, correspondence, and day to day contacts and by a visit to the office and laboratory to review records, facilities and equipment, and to discuss the status of the program with State personnel. This report was prepared as a basis for contract renewal and recommendations for program improvements.
ENCLOSURE 1
- Performance Appraisal
- Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program 4
On July 14 15, 1997, a representative of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission met with representatives of the State of North Carolina Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources Division of Radiation Protection Nuclear Facilities & Environmental Radiation Surveillance Section and Environmental Science Section of the Division of Laboratory Services to review activities performed pursuant to Cooperative Agreement No. 29 83 627. The cooperative agreement established a collaborative program for independent measurements of radioactivity and radiation levels in the environs of the following NRC licensed facilities:
Brunswick Steam Electric Plant, Southport, NC Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, New Hill, NC McGuire Nuclear Station. Huntersville, NC General Electric Uranium Fuel Fabrication Plant, Wilmington, NC The individuals contacted are listed in the Attachment to this report.
Overall Proaram Status The appraisal consisted of a discussion of program implementation with State representatives, a tour of the mobile and fixed laboratory facilities and a review of the 1996 annual report. Implementation of the environmental monitoring program was a coordinated effort between two departments listed above. The State of North Carolina had fulfilled the provisions of the cooperative agreement with respect to collection and analysis of environmental samples. One minor change in the 1995 Report was identified by you for correction. The correction involved the reversal of column headings on page 3-36 of the 1995 Environmental Radiation Surveillance report for Shearon Harris surface water (GH SW-22). The data points are very close to one another and no changes in any of the statistical results or conclusions were involved.
Staffina The program office and laboratory have maintained adequate staffing for administering the environmental monitoring program, collecting and analyzing the samples and documenting program results in the annual report in accordance with the cooperative agreement. Management support for the monitoring program has continued at a level sufficient to provide and retain experienced personnel and to adequately conduct the monitoring program in a manner consistent with provisions of the accord.
Trainina and Professional Development During the past year, the Chemistry Supervisor attended a Radiochemistry Intercomparison Program Workshop sponsored by the National Institute of Science and Technology. Several members of the staff attended the Department Enclosure 2
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of Energy Operation Handshake Drill. One member of the staff attended a Health Physics Certification Training course, took and successfully passed the Health Physics Certification Exam. Members of the staff recently attended the e
Health Physics Annual Meeting and made technical presentations.
The training, education level and professional development was adequate for program requirements.
. Facilities and Eauipment
! The analytical equipment used in the laboratory for the environmental monitoring program included the following:
- A. Alpha / Beta Counters
- 1. Three (3) Tennelec LB 5100 Series Automatic Low Background Alpha / Beta
. Counting Systems. Each has an automatic sample changer for 50 samples.
(State Lab).
- 2. One (1) Tennelec LB 4100 Alpha / Beta Counting System with 4 sampler j drawer. (State Lab)
- 3. One (1) Protean Low Background Alpha / Beta Counting System. (Mobile Lab)
- 4. One (1) Harshaw Low Background Alpha / Beta / Gamma Manual Phoswich Counting System utilizing CaF2 and NaI detectors. (Office Lab)
B. Alpha Spectroscopy
- 1. One (1) 0xford Electronics (IPC 450-100-19EM) Silicon Surface Barrier Detector with electronics and Vacuum Chamber and Vacuum Pump for Alpha Spectroscopy. (Office Lab)
- 2. Canberra 7401 Alpha Spectroscopy system for environmental samples. l (State Lab)
C. Gamma Detectors
- 1. One (1) EG&G Ortec Liquid Nitrogen Free Intrinsic Germanium Detector (P-type: 25% efficiency. 2.0 kev Resolution at 1.33 MeV). (Mobile Lab)
- 2. One (1) Intrinsic Germanium Detector (N type; 35% efficiency, 2.0 kev resolution at 1.33 MeV). (State Lab) !
- 3. Two (2) PGT Lithium Drifted Germanium (GeLi) Detectors for Gamma (Efficiency:
Spectroscopy and 1.8 kev ( #2) at 1.33 MeV). (State Lab)18.2%,(#1) and 15% (#2); FWHM: 1
- 4. One (1) PGT Portable Intrinsic Germanium Detector with a Liquid Nitrogen Autofill System for air filter measurement (13% efficiency, 1.85 kev resolution at 1.33 MeV). (State Lab) 1 Enclosure 2 )
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- 5. One (1) Quantum Technology 3" X 3" Nal (Tl) crystal with PCA Nucleus Card for gamma spectroscopy and radon canister counting. (Office Lab) l i
D. Gamma Analysis MCA and Software '
- 1. One (1) computer based MCA system (ND 9900) for data analysis, data management and file storage (including Micro VAX II CPU with SMB memory: 660 MB hard disk; dual floppy drives: TK50 streaming tape: 8 user capacity). (State Lab).
- 2. Video terminal is connected through modem to the ND 9900 in the State l Lab, 5 miles away. (Office Lab)
- 3. One (1) Quantum Technology MCA software card and nuclear identification i software used in an IBM PC XT for gamma spectroscopy used with radon detection system. (Office Lab)
- 4. One (1) A)tec Engineering MCARD multi-channel analyzer board with A)tec OSQ. OSQ )lus and SUPERVISOR software for sample counting. (Mobile _ab)
E. Liquid Scintillation Counters One (1) Packard Model 2250CA. Liquid Scintillation System with automatic sample changer for 200 samples. (State Lab)
Facilities and equipment were being satisfactorily maintained. Possible imarovements in the facilities and equipment included the use of controlled la> oratory procedures and repair of a low background beta counter.
Performance The annual report of 1996 program data was submitted within the time prescribed in the cooperative agreement. The comailation of the State's and the NRC licensee's analytical results indicated t1at the monitoring program, as implemented, was consistent with the sampling plan delineated in the cooperative agreement. Those data also indicated that the measured activity concentrations were consistent between split or duplicate samples analyzed by the State and the NRC licensees. The annual report included a tabulation of l the Lower Limits of Detection (LLDs) for the analytical methods used by the i State laboratories. Those LLDs met the detection capabilities specified in l the cooperative agreement. The annual report also included a summary of the results from the laboratory's participation in the EPA's analytical cross-
. check program. The laboratory performed a total of 53 analyses on various environmental media and the laboratory's analytical results were within the EPA's control limits. That level of performance indicated that the laboratory's quality assurance program was effective.
The State of North Carolina's radiological environmental monitoring program
, was reviewed against the criteria established by the NRC and overall performance was determined to be good. Based on the review of the annual report and the onsite appraisal, previous of the contract have been met.
Enclosure 2
l l 1 INDIVIDUALS CONTACTED AT THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA Department of Environmental, Health, & Natural Resources, Division of Radiation Protection ON JULY 14-15, 1997 State of North Carolina Nuclear Facilities & Environmental Radiation Surveillance Section Dr. Felix Fong, Chief 1 l
Dale Dusenbury,Jr., C.H.P., Environmental Radiation Specialist )
Lorna Withrow, Environmental Radiation Specialist l Chris Fidalgo, Environmental Radiation Technician Division of Laboratory Services Shirley Bell, Head, Environmental Radiochemistry Branch Diane Penny, Chemist i
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l Enclosure 2, Attachment l