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Nuclear Materials
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Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

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Director: Michael Weber
Deputy Director: Catherine Haney

Responsible for regulating activities which provide for the safe and secure production of nuclear fuel used in commercial nuclear reactors; the safe storage, transportation and disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel; and the transportation of radioactive materials regulated under the Atomic Energy Act. Ensures safety and security by implementing a regulatory program involving activities including licensing, inspection, assessment of licensee performance, events analysis, enforcement, and identification and resolution of generic issues. Develops and implements NRC policy for the regulation of these activities involving uranium recovery, conversion, and enrichment activities; fuel fabrication and development; transportation of nuclear materials, including certification of transport containers, and reactor spent fuel storage; and safe management and disposal of and spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Has lead responsibility within NRC for domestic and international safeguards policy and regulation for fuel cycle facilities, including material control and accountability (MC&A). Consistent with direction in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act and the Energy Policy Act, conducts pre-licensing activities to ensure appropriate standards and regulatory guidance are in place and interacts with the applicant, the Department of Energy (DOE), such that the licensing review for a potential Yucca Mountain HLW repository can be conducted in 3-4 years as directed by Congress. The Office also is responsible for regulation and licensing of recycling technologies intended to reduce the amount of waste to be disposed through geologic disposal and to reduce proliferation concerns since the technologies do not produce separated plutonium. In order to develop an appropriate regulatory framework, NMSS interacts with DOE and international experts in recycling during development, demonstration and deployment of new advanced recycling technologies that recycle nuclear fuel in a manner which does not produce separated plutonium. Creates and maintains the regulatory infrastructure to support the agency’s role in licensing a reprocessing facility and a related fuel fabrication facility and vitrification and/or waste storage facility. Lays the groundwork for and prepares NRC to perform its regulatory role for new, expanded, and modified commercial fuel cycle facilities which may include recycling, transmutation and actinide burning. This framework including regulatory processes such as licensing, inspection, assessment of license performance assessment, events analysis, and enforcement will ensure that this technology can be safely and securely implemented commercially in the United States.

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Program Planning, Budgeting and Program Analysis Staff

Director: Mark Flynn

Provides leadership and coordinates strategic and programmatic planning, resource forecasting and allocation, budgeting through the PBPM process and analysis of office performance through coordination of the operating plan. Manages and coordinates the execution of the office’s budget, financial plan and associated contracting activities. Provides administrative and management support, including human resource management, training, information technology, systems analysis, and correspondence/action item control. Ensures compliance with office and agency standards and requirements. Maintains office procedures and letters. Ensures that appropriate quality standards are maintained for work initiated at the office level. PBPA staff will also be responsible for supporting and coordinating office human resource activities, knowledge management, FOIA, internal and external training, office space, office travel planning and utilization of travel resources, correspondence control, and internal controls. Represents the office in intragency and interagency special projects in areas of responsibility and completes special projects assigned by office level management.

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Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards

Director: Daniel Dorman

Develops, implements, and evaluates overall agency safety policy for fuel cycle and special nuclear material (SNM) facilities licensed under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, or certified in accordance with the Energy Policy Act of 1992. Directs the NRC's principal licensing, certification, inspection, environmental reviews, and other regulatory activities associated with these facilities to assure adequate safety and safeguards. Identifies and takes action to resolve safety and safeguards issues, and directs NRC's contingency planning and emergency response operations dealing with accidents, events, incidents, threats, thefts, and radiological sabotage relating to licensed activities under its responsibility. Provides technical support for training and guidance to NRC headquarters and regional office licensing and inspection staff.

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Special Projects and Technical Support Directorate

Deputy Director: Marissa Bailey (Acting)

Implements safety and safeguards policy, licensing, certification, and inspection for fuel cycle facilities using SNM, including MOX and the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership. Creates and maintains regulatory infrastructure to support NRC’s role in technologies that recycle nuclear fuel. Implements programs to provides ISA reviews of Part 70 facilities. Implements programs to provide for criticality safety reviews and inspections of NRC-regulated facilities.

Technical Support Branch

Chief: Patricia Silva

Plans, coordinates, and manages the overall development and implementation of policies, and programs for activities covering various types of fuel-cycle facilities. Manages the Integrated Safety Assessment (ISA) program to complete needed reviews. Leads divisional efforts to identify and implement risk-informed ISA program activities using results of ISA reviews. Performs other special activities to support agency initiatives as needed, including coordinating activities to support fuel cycle infrastructure considerations necessary for future reactor designs and DOE external regulation. Leads divisional knowledge management efforts to ensure important institutional information is passed to new employees. Reviews programmatic activities and identifies technical and policy options for regulations, regulatory guides, and policy statements. Manages policy and implementation issues associated with the handling of sensitive information.

Conducts criticality licensing reviews for uranium fuel processing and fabrication facilities, other source material processing facilities, other SNM facilities, and associated waste processing facilities, enrichment facilities including the gaseous diffusion facilities and plutonium fuel fabrication and processing facilities. Develops, coordinates, and oversees fuel-cycle inspection program to evaluate the implementation of NRC-required activities. Oversight of licensee activities include efforts to train, inspect, and assess effectiveness of licensees' implementation of regulatory requirements. Performs criticality inspections at various facilities.

MOX Branch

Chief: Margaret Kotzalas

Plans, coordinates, and manages the overall development and implementation of policies and programs for NRC regulation of the Mixed-Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility and the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership. Oversees the promulgation of regulatory requirements, develops policy, and conducts licensing reviews related to such facilities. Issues licenses upon completion of staff review and findings of regulatory compliance. Also provides review and advice to the Department of Energy - National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE-NNSA), addressing the implementation of technologies selected for disposition of surplus fissile materials in the Russian Federation. Under an interagency agreement with DOE-NNSA, assists the Russian regulator in developing license requirements and permit activities to support the Russian Federation plutonium disposition program.

GNEP Branch

Chief: Thomas Hiltz

Plans, coordinates, and manages the overall development and implementation of policies and programs for NRC’s involvement in the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). Oversees the promulgation of regulatory requirements, develops policy, and conducts reviews related to GNEP facilities. Interacts closely with DOE and international entities on the development of the technical and regulatory basis for GNEP. Develops a conceptual licensing process for GNEP-related facilities and provides briefings to NRC management, ACRS, ACNW, and the public on the status of the NRC’s involvement in GNEP.

Fuel Facility Licensing Directorate

Deputy Director: Michael Tschlitz

Implements safety and safeguards policy, licensing, certification, and inspection for fuel cycle facilities using SNM, including uranium enrichment and conversion, and uranium fuel fabrication and processing facilities. Serve as lead for domestic and international safeguards policy and regulation for fuel cycle facilities, including MC&A. Implements programs to provide for MC&A reviews and inspections of NRC-regulated facilities.

Enrichment and Conversion Branch

Chief: Brian Smith

Plans, coordinates, and manages the overall development and implementation of policies, and programs for activities covering the regulatory policy and licensing actions for NRC programs for uranium conversion and enrichment facilities. Oversees the promulgation of regulatory requirements, the development of policy, and the conduct of licensing reviews related to such facilities. Conducts environmental assessments and prepares environmental impact statements related to licensing actions. Issues licenses and certifications upon completion of staff review and findings of regulatory compliance.

Conducts safety licensing reviews related to uranium conversion and enrichment facilities. Provides technical support and guidance to the Regions on licensing and inspection activities. Reviews programmatic activities and identifies technical and policy options for regulations, regulatory guides, and policy statements. Develops and implements certification and licensing review procedures for facilities. Issues, renews, and amends certificates and licenses for the operating uranium conversion and enrichment facilities. Plans and coordinates Licensee Performance Reviews and screening process for the Agency Action Review Meetings.

Material Control and Accounting Branch

Chief: Jane Marshall

Plans, coordinates, and manages the overall development and implementation of policies, technical bases for rulemaking, and programs for security at specifically licensed spent fuel storage installations, uranium fuel processing and fuel fabrication facilities, enrichment facilities, mixed-oxide fabrication and processing facilities, other radioactive material facilities and uses, waste processing facilities, and transportation activities. Conducts safeguards technical and regulatory reviews of the physical security and material control and accounting (MC&A) programs and of licensee requests for changes in those programs. Plans, coordinates, and manages contingency planning and emergency response activities for safeguards events at fuel cycle facilities and assesses fuel cycle facility event reports. Facilitates application of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards and evaluates the adequacy of physical protection for export licensing reviews and retransfer requests. Conducts efforts to strengthen IAEA safeguards and promote nuclear non-proliferation. Conducts activities to enhance safeguards programs in other countries. Provides oversight and management of the U.S. national accounting system for tracking transfers and possession of special nuclear material.

Fuel Manufacturing Branch

Chief: Peter Habighorst

Plans, coordinates, and manages the overall development and implementation of policies, and programs for activities covering various types of fuel-cycle facilities. Manages the day-to-day activities related to the regulatory policy and licensing action for NRC programs for operating fuel manufacturing facilities and in NRC-licensed activities. Oversees the promulgation of regulatory requirements, the development of policy, and the conduct of licensing review related to such facilities. Conducts environmental assessments and prepares environmental impact statements related to licensing actions. Issues fuel cycle licenses, renewals, and amendments.

Conducts safety licensing reviews related to fuel fabrication facilities. Provides technical support and guidance to the Regions on licensing and inspection activities. Reviews programmatic activities and identifies technical and policy options for regulations, regulatory guides, and policy statements. Develops and implements certification and licensing review procedures for facilities. Issues, renews, and amends certificates and licenses for the operating fuel-cycle facilities. Plans and coordinates Licensee Performance Reviews and screening process for the Agency Action Review Meetings.


Division of High-Level Waste Repository Safety

Director: Lawrence Kokajko

Serves as the focal point for project management, integration, technical evaluation, and overall coordination of the High-Level Waste (HLW) repository program consistent with the NRC Strategic Plan and associated Nuclear Waste Safety performance goals and strategies. Responsible for implementation of the regulatory program under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (MWPA) of 1982, and implementation of the NRC and DOE procedural agreement governing pre-licensing consultation for HLW. The NRC has structured its pre-licensing program around key technical issues. The resolution of the issues by DOE is tracked by the NRC to ensure that potential health and safety issues are identified and addressed. The NRC reviews the DOE work relevant to each issue and conducts some independent technical work related to each issue. As the center for technical expertise in earth sciences, geotechnical, mechanical, and structural engineering, and material sciences disciplines, and quality assurance activities, conducts risk informed technical reviews in the HLW program. Develops guidance with respect to specific technical information required for strategies and methodologies, as well as risk informed-performance based, technical evaluations that would be acceptable to demonstrate licensee compliance with applicable high-level waste regulations. Ensures technical completeness, accuracy, and consistency within assigned technical responsibilities. Interfaces with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and others in the development of environmental radiation protection standards for high-level waste management and disposal. Reviews regulatory requirements and relevant pre-licensing, and licensing documents. Responsible for coordination with international community regarding engineering and geoscience activities in the HLW area. Responsible for engaging in activities to communicate with the public about the role of the NRC in the Nation’s HLW program. Also serves as the primary manager for the NRC’s Federally Funded Research and Development Center at Southwest Research Institute, the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA).

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Licensing and Inspection Directorate

Deputy Director: Aby Mohseni

Serves as the focal point for implementing the NRC’s project management and technical evaluation of engineering activities for the High-Level Waste (HLW) repository program. The directorate oversees the implementation of the regulatory program under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) of 1982, and implementation of the NRC and DOE procedural agreements for HLW. The program managers will lead the HLW program effort in safety evaluations, transportation issues, and quality assurance. The directorate will also have lead responsibilities for the Licensing Support Network support, records, and communications activities. Activities under the engineering safety responsibilities include review of surface design facilities, engineered barriers, safeguards, mechanical/thermal effects, and container life and source term. Develops guidance with respect to specific technical information required for strategies and methodologies, as well as risk informed -performance based, technical evaluations that would be acceptable to demonstrate licensee compliance with applicable high-level waste regulations. Ensures technical completeness, accuracy, and consistency within assigned technical responsibilities. Also interfaces extensively with the CNWRA to implement the HLW repository program.

Project Management Branch A

Chief: James Rubenstone

Implements project management and technical evaluation of engineering activities for the High-Level Waste (HLW) repository program. The program managers lead the HLW program effort in safety evaluations, environmental, quality assurance, and inspection issues. Has lead responsibilities for Headquarters on-site representatives activities. Develops guidance and ensures technical completeness, accuracy, and consistency within assigned technical responsibilities. Interfaces extensively with the CNWRA to implement the HLW repository program.

Project Management Branch B

Chief: N. King Stablein

Implements project management and technical evaluation of engineering activities for the High-Level Waste (HLW) repository program. The program managers lead the HLW program effort in safety evaluations and transportation issues. Has lead responsibilities for the Licensing Support Network. Develops guidance and ensures technical completeness, accuracy, and consistency within assigned technical responsibilities. Interfaces extensively with the CNWRA to implement the HLW repository program.

Technical Review Directorate

Deputy Director: Jack Davis

Serves as the focal point for the NRC’s site and performance assessment technical review for the High-Level Waste (HLW) repository program. These activities include performance assessment and safety assessment aspects. As the center for technical expertise in seismic, unsaturated/saturated zone flow, near field effects, radionuclide transport, and igneous activities, conducts risk informed technical reviews in the HLW program. Develops models and ensures integration within current programs. Develops guidance with respect to specific technical information required for technical evaluations that would be acceptable to demonstrate licensee compliance with applicable high-level waste regulations. Ensures technical completeness, accuracy, and consistency within assigned technical responsibilities. Interfaces extensively with the CNWRA to implement the HLW repository program.

Engineering Branch

Chief: (Vacant)

Implements engineering technical activities for the High-Level Waste (HLW) repository program. These activities include performance assessment and safety assessment aspects. Develops models and ensures integration within current programs. Develops guidance with respect to specific technical information required for technical evaluations that would be acceptable to demonstrate licensee compliance with applicable high-level waste regulations. Ensures technical completeness, accuracy, and consistency within assigned technical responsibilities. Interfaces extensively with the CNWRA to implement the HLW repository program.

Repository Site Branch

Chief: Eugene Peters

Implements geoscience technical activities for the High-Level Waste (HLW) repository program. These activities include performance assessment and safety assessment aspects. Develops models and ensures integration within current programs. Develops guidance with respect to specific technical information required for technical evaluations that would be acceptable to demonstrate licensee compliance with applicable high-level waste regulations. Ensures technical completeness, accuracy, and consistency within assigned technical responsibilities. Interfaces extensively with the CNWRA to implement the HLW repository program.

Performance Assessment Branch

Chief: Jack Guttmann

Implements performance assessment technical activities for the High-Level Waste (HLW) repository program. These activities include performance assessment and safety assessment aspects. Develops models and ensures integration within current programs. Develops guidance with respect to specific technical information required for technical evaluations that would be acceptable to demonstrate licensee compliance with applicable high-level waste regulations. Ensures technical completeness, accuracy, and consistency within assigned technical responsibilities. Interfaces extensively with the CNWRA to implement the HLW repository program.


Division of Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation

Director: E. William Brach

Develops and implements the agency's regulatory, licensing, and inspection program for the storage of nuclear reactor spent fuel and the domestic and international transportation of radioactive materials. Serves as the agency lead in spent fuel storage and transportation activities. Develops licensing, certification, and quality assurance review criteria and policies. Manages and conducts the safety and environmental reviews of: (1) commercial transportation cask designs under 10 CFR Part 71 and spent fuel storage cask designs under 10 CFR Part 72, including the certification of storage systems under the general license provisions of 10 CFR Part 72; and (2) interim spent fuel and high-level waste storage facilities, including the licensing of nuclear utility specific facilities and private facilities. Manages and conducts the review of DOE applications for storage and transport systems for the civilian high-level radioactive waste program. Conducts safety inspections of transport packages and spent fuel storage system vendors. Conducts safety inspections at independent spent fuel storage installations. Conducts inspections of the implementation of quality assurance programs by users, suppliers, and fabricators of NRC-certified transport packages and dry storage systems. Approves quality assurance programs for transportation activities and for fabrication of transportation packagings. Develops policy, regulations, and guidance for designers, users, and fabricators of NRC-certified transportation packages and dry spent fuel storage casks. Provides technical and policy guidance to the NRC Regions and licensees on transportation and spent fuel storage. Coordinates and develops guidance with other U.S. Government and International Agencies on transportation policy and safety issues, and provides guidance to industry and the public. Participates in the development of international transportation and spent fuel storage safety standards. Reviews and provides guidance on transportation physical protection issues. Provides technical support for incident and emergency response.

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Licensing and Inspection Directorate

Deputy Director: Nader Mamish

Manages and coordinates the safety and environmental reviews of transportation cask designs under 10 CFR Part 71 and spent fuel storage cask designs under 10 CFR Part 72, including the certification of storage systems under the general license provisions of 10 CFR Part 72. Manages and coordinates inspections and reviews of transportation packages, spent fuel storage system vendors, and independent spent fuel storage installations to assess compliance with provisions of licenses or certificates. Directs the inspections of the implementation of quality assurance programs by users, suppliers, and fabricators of NRC-certified transport packages and dry storage systems. Directs the approve of quality assurance programs for transportation activities and for fabrication of transportation packaging's. Directs the development of policy, regulations and guidance for designers, users and fabricators of NRC-certified transportation packages and spent fuel storage casks, and participates in the development of international transportation and spent fuel storage safety standards. Provides technical support for incident and emergency response.

Licensing Branch

Chief: Eric Benner

Manages and coordinates the safety and environmental reviews and issues certificates of compliance for commercial transportation cask designs under 10 CFR Part 71. This includes transportation containers for spent fuel, UF6, fresh fuel, oxides, contaminated waste, sealed sources, and Naval Reactor shipments. Manages and coordinates the safety and environmental reviews and issues licenses for spent fuel storage cask designs under 10 CFR Part 72, including the certification of storage systems under the general license provisions of 10 CFR Part 72. Manages and coordinates the safety and environmental reviews and issues licenses for the interim spent fuel and high-level waste storage facilities under 10 CFR Part 72, including the licensing of nuclear utility specific facilities and private facilities. Manages and coordinates the safety and environmental reviews and issues licenses for DOE applications for storage and transport systems for the civilian high-level radioactive waste program. Provides technical support for development of guidance for the design, analysis, fabrication, and operation of spent fuel and non-spent fuel shipping containers under 10 CFR Part 71, and spent fuel storage cask designs, and interim spent fuel and high-level waste storage facilities under 10 CFR Part 72.

Rules, Inspections, and Operations Branch

Chief: David W. Pstrak

Provides overall management for the transportation and spent fuel storage inspection program. Develops inspection policy, procedures, and guidance to the NRC Regions on transportation and spent fuel storage. Provides the necessary infrastructure to support continuous improvement of the inspection program and the division’s operations. Coordinates division efforts related to policy, regulations, and guidance for designers, users, and fabricators of NRC certified transportation packages and dry spent fuel storage casks. Conducts inspections of transport package and spent fuel storage system vendors to assess compliance with regulations and the license or certificate. Provides technical and programmatic assistance to the NRC Regions in conducting safety inspections of independent spent fuel storage installations (ISFSIs). Reviews and approves quality assurance program descriptions for 10 CFR Part 71 activities. Serves as the NRC point-of-contact with the U.S. Department of Transportation for transportation safety matters, and as a center of expertise for transportation safety. Participates with the U.S. Department of Transportation, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and other U.S. Government and International Agencies, in the development of international transportation and spent fuel storage safety standards and guidance on transportation policy and safety issues.

Technical Review Directorate

Deputy Director: (Vacant)

Manages and coordinates the technical safety evaluation of commercial transportation cask designs under 10 CFR Part 71 and of spent fuel storage cask designs under 10 CFR Part 72, including the certification of storage systems under the general license provisions of 10 CFR Part 72. Directs the technical safety review of interim spent fuel and high-level waste storage facilities under 10 CFR Part 72. Directs the technical safety review of DOE applications for storage and transport systems for the civilian high-level radioactive waste program. Directs the development and maintenance of technical guidance for the design, analysis, fabrication, and operation of spent fuel and non-spent fuel shipping containers under 10 CFR Part 71, and spent fuel storage cask designs, and interim spent fuel and high-level waste storage facilities under 10 CFR Part 72. Provides technical support for issuance of technical and policy guidance and technical support for incident and emergency response.

Technical Review Branches:

Structural Mechanics and Materials Branch; Chief: Christopher Regan
Criticality, Shielding and Dose Assessment Branch; Chief: Larry Cambell
Thermal and Containment Branch; Chief: Michael Waters

Conducts the technical safety review of commercial transportation cask designs under 10 CFR Part 71. This includes transportation containers for spent fuel, UF6, fresh fuel, oxides, contaminated waste, sealed sources, and Naval Reactor shipments. Conducts the technical safety review of spent fuel storage cask designs under 10 CFR Part 72, including the certification of storage systems under the general license provisions of 10 CFR Part 72. Conducts the technical safety review of interim spent fuel and high-level waste storage facilities under 10 CFR Part 72, including the licensing of nuclear utility specific facilities and private facilities. Conducts the technical safety review of DOE applications for storage and transport systems for the civilian high-level radioactive waste program. Develops technical guidance for the design, analysis, fabrication, and operation of spent fuel and non-spent fuel shipping containers under 10 CFR Part 71, and spent fuel storage cask designs, and interim spent fuel and high-level waste storage facilities under 10 CFR Part 72. Provides technical support for issuance of technical and policy guidance to the NRC Regions and licensees on transportation and spent fuel storage. Provides technical support for incident and emergency response. Develops the technical bases for risk-informing regulatory programs for spent fuel transportation and storage.

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Monday, September 15, 2008