NRC ISSUES ORDER BARRING INDIVIDUAL FROM INVOLVEMENT
IN NRC-LICENSED ACTIVITIES
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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has barred a former senior manager at a commercial irradiation facility in Tustin, Calif., from any involvement in NRC-licensed activities for one year. The individual mishandled security-sensitive information and did not provide complete and accurate information to NRC investigators when questioned about the incident.

The Confirmatory Order issued to Gary Abel is part of a settlement agreement he and the NRC reached following Alternate Dispute Resolution. The order is effective immediately.

An NRC inspection and investigation determined that Mr. Abel violated NRC requirements while employed as the general manager of a Sterigenics International, Inc., irradiation facility in Tustin. Calif. Abel faxed a document containing security-sensitive information to Sterigenics’ security contractor over an unprotected phone line and submitted information to an NRC investigator he knew was incomplete or inaccurate when questioned about the incident.

“The NRC relies on the accuracy of information provided by its licensees and their employees,” said Bruce S. Mallett, Administrator of the NRC’s Region IV office in Arlington, Texas. “The action we have taken underscores the seriousness with which we view Mr. Abel’s behavior.”

Mr. Abel has acknowledged that he sent the fax, but denies deliberately misleading NRC investigators when questioned about the incident. In a separate action, the NRC has proposed a $9,600 civil penalty against Sterigenics for violating NRC requirements.

The order to Mr. Abel will be made available to interested members of the public through the agency’s electronic reading room at: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. Help in accessing these documents is available from the NRC Public Document Room at: 1-800-397-4209.

NRC news releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address: http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC Home Page at www.nrc.gov also offers a Subscribe to News link in the News & Information menu. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's Web Site.

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Thursday, February 22, 2007