[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 109 (Friday, June 6, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34010-34012]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-14280]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 71-0122, Approval No. 0122, EA-01-164]


J.L. Shepherd & Associates, San Fernando, California; 
Confirmatory Order Relaxing Order (Effective Immediately)

I

    J.L. Shepherd & Associates (JLS&A) was the holder of Quality 
Assurance (QA) Program Approval for Radioactive Material Packages No. 
0122 (Approval No. 0122), issued by the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission (NRC or Commission) pursuant to 10 CFR part 71, Subpart H. 
QA activities authorized by Approval No. 0122 include: design, 
procurement, fabrication, assembly, testing, modification, maintenance, 
repair, and use of transportation packages subject to the provisions of 
10 CFR part 71. Approval No. 0122 was originally issued January 17, 
1980. Based on JLS&A's failure to comply with 10 CFR part 71, QA 
Program Approval No. 0122 was withdrawn by the immediately effective 
NRC Order, dated July 3, 2001, (66 FR 36603, July 12, 2001).

II

    The NRC issued the July 3, 2001, Order (July 2001 Order) because 
the NRC lacked confidence that JLS&A would implement the QA Program 
approved by the NRC ( 71-0122, Revision No. 5) in accordance with 10 
CFR part 71, Subpart H, in a manner that would assure the required 
preparation and use of transportation packages in full conformance with 
the terms and conditions of an NRC Certificate of Compliance (CoC) and 
with 10 CFR part 71.
    Subsequent to the July 2001 Order, JLS&A requested interim relief 
on several occasions, from the July 2001 Order, based on JLS&A's 
proposed Near-Term Corrective Action Plan (NTCAP), to allow shipments 
in U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) specification packaging 
designated as 20WC. Based on a showing of good cause, the NRC issued 
Confirmatory Orders, dated September 19, 2001 (66 FR 49708, September 
28, 2001), December 13, 2001 (66 FR 67556, December 31, 2001), March 
29, 2002 (67 FR 16457, April 5, 2002), April 26, 2002 (67 FR 22462, May 
3, 2002), and June 6, 2002 (67 FR 41531, June 18, 2002), which relaxed 
the July 2001 Order. Each of the foregoing Confirmatory Orders allowed 
shipments to JLS&A customers in 20WC packages in accordance with 
JLS&A's NTCAP, provided JLS&A satisfactorily completed certain 
commitments, including the use of an Independent Auditor. The 
commitments ensured that JLS&A staff was properly trained and that the 
packaging used was in conformance with the regulations. The June 6, 
2002, Confirmatory Order allowed JLS&A to make shipments through May 
31, 2003.

III

    By letter dated February 7, 2003, JLS&A requested rescission of the 
July 2001 Order for the following reasons:
    [sbull] JLS&A has developed implementing procedures for its 
conditional QA Program Approval No. 0122, Revision No. 7.
    [sbull] JLS&A completed comprehensive training of all its staff 
(and all but one of its contractors) on the new implementing procedures 
between November and December 2002. JLS&A committed that prior to 
permitting the remaining contractor to engage in any activity for which 
an NRC-approved QA program is required, all prescribed training will be 
conducted.
    [sbull] J.L. Shepherd and the Independent Auditor provided 
certification under oath and affirmation that the procedures and 
training had been completed as stated above.
    [sbull] JLS&A has successfully implemented the interim procedures 
contained in the Near-Term Corrective Action Program over one year of 
shipping operations using DOT specification packaging, as attested to 
in the series of monthly and quarterly reports of the Independent 
Auditor.
    [sbull] JLS&A has reorganized and streamlined its operations and 
staffing, aligning its business functions with the requirements of 10 
CFR part 71, Subpart H, to include designation of positions directly 
related to QA activities and record keeping. The reorganization 
included requirements for the qualifications of the QA manager and for 
his/her separation from operational responsibility.
    [sbull] JLS&A has a compelling business need for rescission of the 
Order and for restoration of its ability to design, manufacture and 
ship devices larger than those that can be shipped in DOT specification 
packaging. JLS&A work involving these larger devices had accounted for 
about 20 percent of its annual revenues.
    [sbull] The Order has imposed a continuing and increasing economic 
penalty on JLS&A.
    [sbull] JLS&A states it is the only economical shipper for devices 
of its own design, and for various other manufacturers' devices, all of 
which

[[Page 34011]]

contain large quantities of Type B radioactive materials and require 
shipment in NRC-approved packages. JLS&A restrictions from making these 
shipments has meant that these devices have not been able to be 
relocated, decommissioned, or re-sourced.
    [sbull] JLS&A committed to NRC that JLS&A will not make further 
international Type B shipments requiring NRC-approved packages until it 
is able to ensure that its Type B package designs are in compliance 
with all NRC requirements, including changes made in response to the 
International Atomic Energy Agency's International Transportation 
Standard TS-R-1.
    [sbull] JLS&A committed to meeting obligations imposed by the part 
71 rulemaking which, if approved, will require JLS&A to re-evaluate 
existing designs and to submit applications containing revised bases 
for their approval.
    [sbull] JLS&A has at all times attempted to cooperate fully with 
the NRC staff in the enforcement action and investigation associated 
with the July 2001 Order. JLS&A has taken to heart the Commission's 
criticism of its QA program and has, in many ways, fundamentally 
redesigned its QA program to respond to the criticisms of the NRC staff 
and the Independent Auditor.
    The NRC staff reviewed JLS&A's request and JLS&A's safety 
performance under the above-mentioned relaxation Orders during an April 
22-24, 2003, inspection to determine whether to grant the request with 
assurances that public health and safety are maintained. As a result of 
the April 2003 inspection, the NRC identified one violation for a 
failure to follow procedures, concerns with the use of non-approved 
forms to document quality inspection activities, a weakness in 
maintaining proper configuration control of QA program documentation, 
and that specific training on the QA program had not been performed. 
While these findings were not as extensive as the events leading to the 
July 2001 Order, they are cause for concern. However, based on JLS&A's 
development of the new QA program and the progress shown, JLS&A has 
demonstrated good cause to relax certain provisions of the July 2001 
Order.
    On May 29, 2003, JLS&A consented to issuance of this Order granting 
interim relief from the July 2001 Order subject to the commitments as 
set forth in Section IV below, and agreed that this Order is to be 
effective upon issuance, and agreed to waive its right to a hearing on 
this action. Implementation of these commitments will provide assurance 
that sufficient resources will be applied to the QA program, and that 
the program will be conducted safely and in accordance with NRC 
requirements.
    I find that JLS&A's commitments as set forth in Section IV are 
acceptable and necessary and conclude that with these commitments, the 
public health and safety are reasonably assured. In view of the 
foregoing, I have determined that the public health and safety require 
that JLS&A's commitments be confirmed by this Order. Based on the above 
and JLS&A's consent, this Order is effective immediately upon issuance.

IV

    Accordingly, pursuant to Sections 62, 81, 161b, 161i, 182 and 186 
of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and the Commission's 
regulations in 10 CFR Section 2.202 and 10 CFR parts 71 and 110, it is 
hereby ordered, effective immediately, that the July 2001 Order is 
relaxed to grant JLS&A interim relief, to effect shipments in 
accordance with 10 CFR 71.7, 71.12, 71.13, 71.14 or 71.16 and revision 
7 TO QA program approval No. 0122, through June 1, 2005, provided:
    1. JLS&A fully implements and complies with Revision No. 7 of the 
conditionally approved QA Program Approval No. 0122;
    2. JLS&A fully train JLS&A's staff, contractors, and sub-
contractors, in Revision No. 7 of the conditionally approved QA program 
plan and implementing procedures, prior to any shipments or design, 
procurement, fabrication, assembly, testing, modification, maintenance, 
repair or use of packaging covered by Revision No. 7;
    3. JLS&A uses an Independent Auditor, approved by the Commission, 
to ensure that Revision No. 7 of conditionally approved QA program plan 
is fully and completely implemented. Additionally, the Independent 
Auditor shall conduct monthly QA program audits and provide NRC with a 
report by the 20th of each month. These monthly audits shall continue 
for a period of seven (7) months from the date of this Order. After the 
seven (7) month period, audits shall be performed on a quarterly basis, 
with a report provided to the NRC by the 20th of the month following 
each quarter. The Independent Auditor shall verify the compliance of 
the conduct of shipping operations with Revision No. 7 of the 
conditionally approved QA program plan and implementing procedures;
    4. JLS&A shall stop all shipping operations if the audit conducted 
by the Independent Auditor identifies safety concerns associated with 
the JLS&A conduct of shipping operations. In such an event, JLS&A shall 
inform the NRC of the audit findings and JLS&A proposed corrective 
actions within 3 business days of the identification of the audit 
findings to JLS&A by the Independent Auditor. JLS&A shall suspend all 
shipping operations until the safety concerns are corrected and the 
Independent Auditor has found the corrective action acceptable. The 
Independent Auditor shall inform NRC of the audit findings, JLS&A 
corrective actions, and the results of the Independent Auditor's review 
of the corrective actions in its audits; and
    5. During the two-year interim relief period, the NRC will conduct 
an inspection of JLS&A operations and implementation of the JLS&A QA 
program, Revision No. 7. Implementation of QA Program Approval No. 
0122, Revision No. 7, without restrictions, may be permitted after NRC 
has verified JLS&A performance through an NRC inspection program in 
which no violations or only minor non-conformances are identified.
    The Director, Office of Enforcement, or the Director, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, may in writing, relax or 
rescind this Order upon demonstration of good cause by JLS&A.

V

    In accordance with 10 CFR 2.202, any person, other than JLS&A, 
adversely affected by this Order may request a hearing within 20 days 
of its issuance. Where good cause is shown, consideration will be given 
to extending the time to request a hearing. A request for extension of 
time must be made in writing to the Director, Office of Enforcement, 
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, and include a 
statement of good cause for the extension. Any request for a hearing 
shall be submitted to the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, ATTN: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff, Washington, DC 
20555. Copies of the hearing request also should be sent to the 
Director, Office of Enforcement, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555, to the Director, Office of Nuclear Material 
Safety and Safeguards at the same address, to the Assistant General 
Counsel for Materials Litigation and Enforcement at the same address, 
to the Regional Administrator, NRC Region IV, 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, 
Suite 400, Arlington, TX 76011, and to JLS&A. Because of continuing 
disruptions in delivery of mail to United States Government offices, it 
is requested that answers and requests for hearing be

[[Page 34012]]

transmitted to the Secretary of the Commission either by means of 
facsimile transmission to 301-415-1101 or by e-mail to 
[email protected] and also to the Office of the General Counsel 
either by means of facsimile transmission to 301-415-3725 or by e-mail 
to [email protected]. If such person requests a hearing, that 
person shall set forth with particularity the manner in which his or 
her interest is adversely affected by this Order and shall address the 
criteria set forth in 10 CFR 2.714(d).
    If a hearing is requested by a person whose interest is adversely 
affected, the Commission will issue an Order designating the time and 
place of any hearing. If a hearing is held, the issue to be considered 
at such hearing shall be whether this Order should be sustained.
    In the absence of any request for hearing, or written approval of 
an extension of time in which to request a hearing, the provisions 
specified in Section IV above shall be final 20 days from the date of 
this Order without further order or proceedings. If an extension of 
time for requesting a hearing has been approved, the provisions 
specified in Section IV shall be final when the extension expires if a 
hearing request has not been received. A request for hearing shall not 
stay the immediate effectiveness of this order.

    Dated this 30th day of May, 2003.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
James G. Luehman,
Deputy Director, Office of Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 03-14280 Filed 6-5-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P