Announcement of the NRC's Intent To Reduce the Scope of Work to States Under Contract to the NRC To Perform Environmental Monitoring in the Environs of Selected NRC Licensed Facilities

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Announcement of the NRC's Intent To Reduce the Scope of Work to

States Under Contract to the NRC To Perform Environmental Monitoring in

the Environs of Selected NRC Licensed Facilities

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of Opportunity for Public Comment.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulation Commission (NRC) is issuing an

announcement of its intent to reduce the scope of work for contracts

with States which perform environmental monitoring in the environs of

selected NRC licensed facilities. The NRC is seeking comment from

interested parties regarding the proposed contract action discussed in

the announcement presented in the appendix to this document. The NRC

will consider comments received from interested parties in the final

evaluation of the proposed contract action.

DATES: Comment period expires May 26, 1995. Comments submitted after

this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but assurance

of consideration cannot be given except for comments received on or

before this date.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to Chief, Rules Review and

Directives Branch, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC

20555. Written comments may also be delivered to 11545 Rockville Pike,

Rockville, Maryland, from 7:30 am to 4:15 pm, Federal workdays. Copies

of written comments received may be examined at the NRC Public Document

Room, 2120 L Street, NW. (Lower Level), Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Stephen Klementowicz, (301) 415-1084.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Announcement of the NRC's intent to reduce

the scope of work to States under contract to the NRC to perform

environmental monitoring in the environs of selected NRC licensed

facilities appears in the appendix to this document.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day of April 1995.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Charles L. Miller,

Chief, Emergency Preparedness and Radiation Protection Branch, Division

of Technical Support, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.

Appendix--Announcement of the NRC's Intent to Reduce the Scope of Work

to States Under Contract to the NRC To Perform Environmental Monitoring

in the Environs of Selected NRC Licensed Facilities

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is soliciting comments on its

plan to reduce the scope of work for the Cooperative Agreement

program under which States are paid to conduct radiological

environmental monitoring in the environs of selected nuclear

facilities. The NRC plans to eliminate the scope of work in 1996 for

the part of the program under which States obtain and analyze

environmental samples. However, the NRC plans to continue the part

of the program under which States participate in the NRC's direct

radiation monitoring network. This reduction in the scope of work of

the program directly affects 27 States. The elimination of the

environmental monitoring portion of the program will not have an

impact on public health and safety and does not represent a

reduction in plant safety.

The State Cooperative Agreement Program was established in the

1970s to provide NRC assistance to State radiological health

programs, through the use of NRC-funded contracts, to perform

measurements of radioactive material released into the environment

from NRC-licensed facilities. The States issue an annual report to

the NRC of all analyses they perform with comparisons of similar

analyses performed by the respective nuclear facility. The NRC uses

this data as a supplemental tool in assessing the performance of

environmental monitoring programs conducted by nuclear power plants.

The contracts for environmental monitoring were intended as a means

to assist States with nuclear facilities to develop their own

environmental monitoring programs, but not to fully fund them.

NRC-licensed facilities are under strict NRC requirements to

monitor and control the release of radioactive materials to the air,

water and ground around their facilities. The NRC inspects and

reviews licensee conformance with the requirements on a routine

basis.

In addition to the environmental monitoring portion of the

program, which will cost $1 million for 1995, the NRC has a

provision in the contract, which will continue to remain, for the

States to participate in the NRC's direct radiation monitoring

network. The network provides continuous measurement of the ambient

radiation levels around selected nuclear facilities by using small

devices called thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs). The cost of this

program for 1995 is $195,000.

The environmental monitoring portion of the program was

specifically chosen for elimination because of the excellent record

maintained by NRC-licensed facilities in controlling the release of

radiological effluents into the environment within regulatory

limits. In addition, the elimination of the data supplied by the

States will not adversely affect NRC's ability to effectively

monitor and regulate NRC licensees in this area.

The NRC recognizes the excellent service and cooperation the

States have provided under this program. However, the need to

constantly examine and adjust programs to ensure that public health

and safety is protected in the most cost-effective manner has

necessitated the reduction in this program.

[FR Doc. 95-8871 Filed 4-10-95; 8:45 am]

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