IN RESPONSE, PLEASE
REFER TO: M970903

September 3, 1997

MEMORANDUM FOR THE FILE

FROM: John C. Hoyle, Secretary /s/
SUBJECT: STAFF REQUIREMENTS - AFFIRMATION SESSION, 10:30 A.M., WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1997, COMMISSIONERS' CONFERENCE ROOM, ONE WHITE FLINT NORTH, ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND (OPEN TO PUBLIC ATTENDANCE)
I. SECY-97-179 - Louisiana Energy Services (Claiborne Enrichment Center); Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Partial Initial Decision (Resolving Contentions B and J.3), LBP-97-3

The Commission(1) approved an order remanding one issue to the Board for further explanation. The issue remanded concerns LES's decommissioning funding estimate allocated for disposal of triuranium octaoxide (U3O8). The Board needs to discuss why it found that the staff's dose impact calculations can be taken as representative of disposal in mines with groundwater characteristics that differ from the staff's single set of values. The Board has not identified the effect, if any, that varying the values within the range would have on dose impacts.

(Subsequently, on September 3, 1997, the Secretary signed the Order.)

cc: Chairman Jackson
Commissioner Dicus
Commissioner Diaz
Commissioner McGaffigan
EDO
OGC
OCAA
OCA
OIG
Office Directors, Regions, ACRS, ACNW, ASLBP (via E-Mail)
PDR - Advance
DCS - P1-17


1. Section 201 of the Energy Reorganization Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 5841, provides that action of the Commission shall be determined by a "majority vote of the members present." Chairman Jackson and Commissioner McGaffigan were present in the Conference Room. Commissioner Dicus participated in the meeting via speakerphone. Commissioner Diaz was not present. Accordingly, the formal vote of the Commission was 3-0 in favor of the decision. Commissioner Diaz, however, had previously indicated that he would approve this paper and had he been present he would have affirmed his prior vote.