NRC IMPLEMENTS REORGANIZATION OF MATERIALS
AND AGREEMENT STATE PROGRAMS
Printable Version

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has reorganized its nuclear materials and Agreement State programs into two new program offices, completing a restructuring approved by the Commission in June to help the agency approach new challenges in the materials, waste and environmental areas.

The NRC’s Agreement State program has grown to 34 states, with three more in the process of negotiating agreements to regulate the industrial, academic and medical uses of radioactive materials. Currently, the Agreement States maintain approximately 18,000 licenses, while the NRC has jurisdiction over approximately 4,400 licenses in the remaining states.

“The increase in the number of Agreement States, along with the expected wave of applications for new nuclear power plants, spent fuel reprocessing plants and a high-level waste repository at Yucca Mountain, have created new challenges and demands on the agency’s resources,” said Martin J. Virgilio, NRC’s deputy executive director for materials, research, state and compliance programs. “This reorganization will help us meet these demands while maintaining our ability to protect public health and safety and the environment.”

The newly created Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs (FSME) officially began operations Oct. 1. The new office is comprised of the former Office of State and Tribal Programs, two of the technical divisions from the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS) and a small program support staff. FSME is headed by Director Charles L. Miller, with George Pangburn as deputy director.

Other senior FSME staff include Janet R. Schlueter as director, Division of Materials Safety and State Agreements; Dennis K. Rathbun, director of the Division of Intergovernmental Liaison and Rulemaking; Larry W. Camper, director of the Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection; and Joseph J. Holonich, director of the Program Planning, Budgeting and Program Analysis Staff.

A refocused NMSS also began operations effective Oct. 1, concentrating on the nuclear fuel cycle, from uranium conversion and enrichment to fuel manufacturing and high-level waste storage, transportation and disposal. The office is headed by Jack R. Strosnider, director, and Margaret V. Federline, deputy director. Other senior staff include E. William Brach, director of the Division of Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation; Robert C. Pierson, director of the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards; Lawrence E. Kokajko, director of the Division of High-Level Waste and Repository Safety, and Mark J. Flynn, director of the Program Planning, Budgeting and Program Analysis Staff.

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.

Privacy Policy | Site Disclaimer
Thursday, February 22, 2007