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INFORMATION REPORT

SECY-05-0229

December 20, 2005

Contact: U. Shoop, OEDO

Enclosure B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 9, 2005

Decommissioning Lessons Learned Meeting

On November 30, 2005, staff from the Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection (DWMEP), Fuel Cycle Facilities Forum (FCFF), Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and Organization of Agreement States (OAS) met to discuss potential mechanisms to capture, preserve, and disseminate decommissioning lessons learned. DWMEP representatives presented four options to preserve the information, and members from FCFF, NEI, EPRI, and OAS shared their views on these options. In addition, industry groups and OAS provided additional approaches, and commented on the idea of communicating this collective effort to the decommissioning community at the Waste Management Conference next year in Arizona. This is the first in a series of meetings to discuss ideas to preserve decommissioning lessons learned.

First Annual Workshop on the European Commission Research Program on Fundamental Processes of Radionuclide Migration

On November 29 to December 4, 2005, staff from the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses attended the subject workshop in Saclay, France. The workshop is part of a 4-year research program, involving 51 teams from 16 European Union countries, whose objective is to deliver clear and scientifically sound answers to issues related to radionuclide retention/migration processes, their model representation and up-scaling at host rock level, and integration of the processes and associated parameters in performance assessment.

U.S. Transport Council Meeting

On December 6, 2006, staff attended the subject meeting in Washington, D.C. The USTC is composed of industry representatives from utilities, shipping cask vendors, and carriers. The main focus of the meeting was a DOE presentation on its proposal to use a standardized transportation, aging, and disposal (TAD) canister as the preferred method for Yucca Mountain shipments. Industry concerns with the TAD proposal included: (1) the need for a DOE schedule for developing performance specifications for TADs; (2) the funding for development and approval of TADs; (3) the single design would need to meet 10 CFR Parts 71, 72, and 63 requirements; and (4) the use of performance-based specifications. Industry asked DOE to conduct a workshop in late spring 2006 to discuss resolving the issues on TADs that were raised by the industry. NRC staff gave a presentation on the Baltimore Tunnel Fire Study and ongoing staff activities related to the shipment of spent fuel.

Enclosure C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 9, 2005

Publication of Integrated Chemical Effects Test # 4 Data Report

On December 2, 2005, staff published the subject report, prepared by Los Alamos National Laboratory, which details testing performed to simulate the chemical environment inside a pressurized water reactor (PWR) containment water pool after a postulated loss-of-coolant-accident (LOCA) available in ADAMS at ML053350172. The test used representative amounts of PWR containment materials and insulation. The staff is reviewing the data for regulatory implications.

Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board Meeting at the National Academies

On December 6, 2005, the staff attended the subject meeting in Washington, D.C. Department of Energy (DOE) staff provided information regarding the low dose radiation health effects research program, long-term management of commercial spent fuel, and the conversion of reactor fuels and targets to low enriched uranium. Staff is continuing to monitor DOE activities pertaining to environmental cleanup, health effects research, and the management of commercial reactor spent fuel.

Enclosure G

Office of Information Services (OIS)
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 9, 2005

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act Requests Received During the Period of December 2 through December 8, 2005:

Enclosure I

Office of Human Resources (HR)
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 9, 2005

Enclosure M

Office of Public Affairs (OPA)
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 9, 2005

The Office of Public Affairs (OPA) received significant media inquiries on the following:

The proposed sale of the Palisades nuclear plant.

The tritium leak at the Braidwood plant.

The Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards’ meeting to discuss the proposed Vermont Yankee power uprate.

Announcements by more utilities that they are considering building new nuclear plants.

Enclosure O

Office of the Secretary (SECY)
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 9, 2005

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Edward Diana, Orange County Executive, New York, dated December 2, 2005, responds to concerns about reliability of the Alert and Notification System currently installed at the Indian Point Energy Center.

2. Letter to Congress, dated December 1, 2005, provides NRC’s response to recommendations made by GAO in its report “Nuclear Security: DOE Needs Better Information to Guide Its Expanded Recovery of Sealed Radiological Sources” (GAO-05-967).

3. Letter to Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, dated November 30, 2005, responds to request that NASA and NRC attend a community meeting to discuss the recent discovery of radioactive contamination at NASA’s Plum Brook Reactor Facility.

4. Letter to Congressman Edward Markey, dated November 30, 2005, responds to letter about an article in the August 7, 2005 New York Times that discussed shipments of radioactive waste from the St. Lucie Nuclear Plant to a public landfill.

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste (ACNW) revised notice of 166^th meeting (12/13-15/05).

Enclosure P

Region I (RI)
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 9, 2005

NRC/Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Survey at Yankee Rowe

On December 6-7, 2005, Region I staff, with support provided by the ORISE/Environmental Site Survey and Assessment Program, conducted confirmatory surveys of two final status survey units at the Yankee Rowe site. Individuals from the Massachusetts Department of Health, Bureau of Radiation Protection accompanied the NRC staff. As part of the confirmatory survey, soil samples were taken, and selected soil samples were split with Massachusetts. The results of the ORISE analyses will be available to the NRC staff in approximately six weeks.

Enclosure P

Region II (RII)
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 9, 2005

Regional Administrator Attends Turkey Point’s Licensed Certificate Presentation

On December 8, 2005, the Regional Administrator visited the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant. The visit consisted of a tour of the facility, and a meeting with the Resident Inspectors and senior licensee management. The Regional Administrator also participated in the Licensed Operator’s Certificate Presentation in Miami, Florida.

Enclosure P

Region III (RIII)
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 9, 2005

Region III Utility Group Meeting

On December 6, 2005, the Director, Division of Reactor Safety, and staff met with the Region III Utility Group to discuss topics of regional interest including managers and associated organizations, revised engineering team inspections, Alternate Dispute Resolution, and operability determinations.

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