[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 170 (Friday, August 31, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45972-45974]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-22017]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. A-2001-16; FRL-7042-4]


Draft Multi-Agency Radiological Laboratory Analytical Protocols 
Manual

AGENCY: Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Geological 
Survey, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of availability with request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Energy (DOE), 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration 
(FDA), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), National Institute of Standards 
and Technology (NIST), and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) are 
announcing for public comment the availability of a draft document, 
entitled the ``Multi-Agency Radiological Laboratory Analytical 
Protocols'' (MARLAP) Manual. MARLAP provides guidance for the planning, 
implementation and assessment phases of those projects which require 
laboratory analysis of radionuclides. The guidance is intended for 
project planners, managers and laboratory personnel. The MARLAP, when 
finalized, will be a multi-agency consensus document. The agencies are 
seeking public comment in order to receive feedback from the widest 
range of interested parties and to ensure that all information relevant 
to developing the document is received. The agencies will review public 
comments received on the draft MARLAP as well as comments from a 
concurrent, independent, scientific peer review. Suggested changes will 
be incorporated, where appropriate, in response to those comments.

DATES: Comments received by December 15, 2001 will be considered. 
Comments received after that date will be considered if it is practical 
to do so, but no assurance can be given for consideration of late 
comments.

ADDRESSES: Members of the public are invited and encouraged to submit 
comments to the following website http://www.eml.doe.gov/marlap/. 
Comments may also be submitted to either the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, ATTN: Air and Radiation Docket, Mail Stop 6102, 
Docket Number A-2001-16, Room M1500, First Floor Waterside Mall, 401 M 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460 or to the Chief, Rules and Directives 
Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Mail Stop T6D59, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. All comments 
received will be reviewed by the entire MARLAP Workgroup. Copies of the 
draft MARLAP manual and all comments received may be examined or copied 
for a fee at the EPA Docket Room M1500, Docket Number A-2001-16, First 
Floor Waterside Mall, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460; and the 
NRC Public Document Room, at U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Public 
Document Room, Washington, DC 20555. The EPA docket may be inspected 
from 8 am to 4 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays, 
in Room M1500 at the address above. The document is also available 
through the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). The NTIS 
document number is PB2001-106745, and the NTIS Sales Desk can be 
reached between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through 
Friday at 1-800-553-6847; TDD (hearing impaired only) at (703) 487-
4639.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any of the following points of contact 
for each agency for technical information: EPA: John Griggs, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air, 
NAREL, 540 South Morris Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36115-2601, Phone 
Number: (334)270-3450, Email: [email protected]; Eric 
Reynolds, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Emergency and 
Remedial Response, Phone Number: (703)603-9928, Email: 
[email protected], DoD: Air Force: Dale Thomas, Detachment 
1, Human Systems Center/OEBA, 2402 E. Drive, Brooks AFB, TX 78235-5114, 
Phone Number: (210)536-5816, Email:

[[Page 45973]]

[email protected]; Army: Ronald Swatski, U.S. Army, Center for 
Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Attn: MCHB-TS-LRD, 5158 
Blackhawk Road APG, MD 21010-5403, Phone Number: (410)436-3983, Email: 
[email protected]; Navy: Captain David Farrand, Navy Sea 
Systems Command, SEA04N (CDR Farrand), 2531 Jefferson Davis Highway, 
Arlington, VA 22241-5260; Army Corps of Engineers: Jan Dunker, U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers, (Attn: CENWO-HX-C), 12565 West Center Road, 
Omaha, NE 68144-3869, Phone Number: (402)697-2566, Email: 
[email protected]; DOE: Mary Verwolf, U.S. Department of 
Energy, National Analytical Management Program, MS4149, 850 Energy 
Drive, Idaho Falls, ID 83402, Phone Number: (208)526-7001, Email: 
[email protected]; Emile Boulos, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of 
Environmental Policy and Assistance, Air, Water and Radiation Division 
(EH-412), Room 3G-089, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 
20585, Phone Number: (202)586-1306, Email: [email protected]; 
NRC: Rateb (Boby) Abu Eid, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Mail 
Stop T-7J10, Washington, DC 20555, Phone Number: (301)415-5811, Email: 
[email protected]; NIST: Kenneth Inn, National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, Building 245, Room C114, MS 8462, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-
8462, Phone Number: (301)975-5541, Email: [email protected]; USGS: 
Ann Mullin, U.S. Geological Survey, National Water Quality Lab, P.O. 
Box 25046, Denver Federal Center, Bldg. 95 Ent E3, Mail Stop 407, 
Denver, CO 80225-0046, Phone Number: (303)236-3480, Email: 
[email protected]; FDA: Edmond Baratta, U.S. Food and Drug 
Administration, Winchester Engineering and Analytical Center, 109 
Holton Street, Winchester, MA 01890, Phone Number: (781)729-5700 
(x728), Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MARLAP provides guidance for the 
planning, implementation and assessment phases of those projects which 
require the laboratory analysis of radionuclides. This guidance is 
intended for project planners, managers and laboratory personnel. The 
manual's basic goal is to provide guidance to ensure that 
radioanalytical laboratory data will meet a project's or program's data 
requirements and needs. The document uses a performance-based approach 
and will support a wide range of data collection activities including 
site characterization and cleanup; compliance demonstration; 
decommissioning of nuclear facilities; remedial and removal actions; 
environmental monitoring; and waste management activities. The MARLAP, 
when finalized, will be a multi-agency consensus document. MARLAP was 
developed collaboratively over the past five years by the technical 
staffs of seven Federal agencies. State participation in the 
development of the manual involved contributions from representatives 
from the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the State of California. 
Contractors to the DOE, EPA, and NRC, and members of the public have 
been present during the open meetings of the MARLAP work group.
    Although Federal agency personnel are involved in the preparation 
of this document, the manual does not represent the official position 
of any participating agency at this time. An earlier draft of the 
document has been reviewed within the Federal agencies. The public 
review is a necessary step in the development of a final multi-agency 
consensus document. The document will also receive formal technical 
peer review. The draft has not been approved by the participating 
agencies for use in part or in whole and should not be used, cited, or 
quoted except for the purposes of providing comments as requested. In 
addition to providing comments on individual chapters and appendices, 
reviewers are also requested to address the following questions listed 
below while reviewing the MARLAP manual.
    (1) Is the performance-based approach used in MARLAP for the 
planning, implementation and assessment phases of projects technically 
sound and is the approach reasonable in terms of ease of implementation 
by project managers and laboratories? Does the approach effectively 
link the three phases of a project and is the guidance on quality 
control appropriate and supportive of a performance-based approach?
    (2) Is the guidance on laboratory operations in the Part II 
chapters technically accurate and useful?
    (3) Are the concepts covered under measurement statistics, 
specifically measurement uncertainty, detection and quantification 
capability, presented accurately and appropriately?
    (4) Is the information understandable and presented in logical 
sequence? How can the presentation of material be modified to improve 
the manual?
    (5) Does the MARLAP manual provide benefits that are not currently 
available through other approaches? What are the costs associated with 
implementing the guidance in MARLAP in comparison with currently 
available alternatives?
    Commentors are encouraged to use the website listed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this notice for their review. The website has 
detailed instructions on how to submit comments and has several 
features that should aid the review process.
    Written comments may also be submitted. Commentors are encouraged 
to submit their written comments using the same general approach 
described in the website, http://www.eml.doe.gov/ marlap/. Comments 
should be accompanied by supporting bases, rationale, or data. To 
ensure efficient and complete comment resolution, commentors are 
requested to reference the page number and the line number of the 
MARLAP to which the comment applies. All comments received will be 
reviewed by the MARLAP Workgroup.

    For the Department of Defense, dated this 16th day of August, 
2001.
Patrick J. Meehan, Jr.,
Acting Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Environment).

    For the Department of Energy, dated this 23rd day of July, 2001.
Raymond P. Berube,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment.

    For the Department of Energy, dated this 6th day of August, 
2001.
Randal S. Scott,
Director, Office of Safety, Health and Security, Office of 
Environmental Management.

    For the Environmental Protection Agency, dated this 20th day of 
July, 2001.
Mary U. Kruger,
Acting Director, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air.

    For the Environmental Protection Agency, dated this 28th day of 
July, 2001.
Larry G. Reed,
Acting Director, Office of Emergency and Remedial Response.

    For the Food and Drug Administration, dated this 26th day of 
July, 2001.
Michael C. Olson,
Director, Division of Field Science, Office of Regulatory Affairs.

    For the U.S. Geological Survey, dated this 1st day of August, 
2001.
Robert M. Hirsch,
Associate Director for Water, U.S. Geological Survey.

    For the National Institute of Standards and Technology, dated 
this 17th day of July, 2001.
Bert M. Coursey,
Chief, Ionizing Radiation Division.


[[Page 45974]]


    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, dated this 8th day of 
August, 2001.
John T. Greeves,
Director, Division of Waste Management, Office of Nuclear Material 
Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 01-22017 Filed 8-30-01; 8:45 am]
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