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Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

NRC Organization Chart

• Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
• Program Management, Policy Development and Analysis Staff
• Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards
• Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety
• Division of Waste Management
• Spent Fuel Project Office

Responsible for ensuring the public health and safety through licensing, inspection, and environmental reviews for all activities regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), except operating power and all non-power reactors, and for the safeguards technical review of all licensing activities, including export/import of special nuclear material, excluding reactors. Develops and implements NRC policy for the regulation of activities involving the use and handling of radioactive materials, such as: uranium recovery activities; fuel fabrication and development; medical, industrial, academic, and commercial uses of radioactive materials; safeguards activities; transportation of nuclear materials, including certification of transport containers, and reactor spent fuel storage; safe management and disposal of low-level and high-level radioactive waste; and management of related decommissioning. Safeguards responsibilities include developing overall agency policy, monitoring and assessing the threat to the environment including liaison with intelligence agencies as appropriate, and those licensing and review activities appropriate to deter and protect against threats of radiological sabotage and threats of theft or diversion of special nuclear material at fuel facilities and during transport. Identifies and takes action to control safety and safeguards issues for activities under its responsibility, including consulting and coordinating with international, Federal, State, and local agencies, as appropriate.

Staff Offices

Program Management, Policy Development and Analysis Staff

Director: John J. Linehan
Deputy Director: Daniel M. Gillen

Provides focus and management attention on major office programs and issues. Develops office policy in non-technical areas and conducts independent review of office programs, including management control reviews. Provides program management of the NRC's Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses. Provides management, control and coordination of the execution of the office's financial resources and associated contracting activities. Manages and provides leadership on strategic planning, short-range program planning, resource forecasting and allocation, and budgeting. Oversees the development and coordination of congressional testimony. Oversees, tracks, and coordinates special projects designated by the Office Director. Provides independent review of office-initiated policy papers and issues to ensure completeness, promptness, accuracy, and adherence to agency and office policy. Represents the office in conducting intra- and interagency special projects. Provides administrative and management support, including human resource management, training, information technology, systems analysis, and correspondence/action item control.

Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards

Director: Michael F. Weber
Deputy Director: Robert C. Pierson

Develops, implements, and evaluates overall agency safety and safeguards policy for fuel cycle, special nuclear material (SNM), uranium recovery (UR) and associated waste processing facilities licensed under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, or certified in accordance with the Energy Policy Act of 1992. Directs the NRC's principal licensing, certification, inspection, environmental reviews, and other regulatory activities associated with these facilities to assure adequate safety and safeguards. Reviews protection afforded weapons-usable SNM in the licensed and license-exempt sectors to maintain comparability. Develops NRC's design basis threats, assesses threats to the domestic environment based on domestic and foreign events and intelligence information. Identifies and takes action to resolve safety and safeguards issues, and directs NRC's contingency planning and emergency response operations dealing with accidents, events, incidents, threats, thefts, and radiological sabotage relating to licensed activities under its responsibility. Reviews the international safeguards and physical protection technical aspects of export licensing and retransfer requests. Conducts and coordinates NRC activities in support of implementation of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards at NRC licensed facilities. Conducts efforts to strengthen IAEA safeguards and safeguards in other countries. Provides technical support for training and guidance to NRC headquarters and regional office licensing and inspection staff. Serves as the NRC's lead for DOE's Remedial Action Plans, for Title I sites under the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA).

Fuel Cycle Licensing Branch

Chief: Melvyn N. Leach

Conducts safety and safeguards licensing reviews related to uranium fuel processing and fabrication facilities including uranium recovery facilities, natural uranium conversion plants, other source material processing facilities, other SNM facilities, and associated waste processing facilities. Conducts environmental assessments and prepares environmental impact statements related to licensing actions. Issues fuel cycle licenses, renewals, and amendments. Provides technical support and guidance to the Regions on fuel cycle, source material, SNM, and associated waste processing licensing activities. Reviews programmatic activities and identifies technical and policy options for regulations, regulatory guides, and policy statements associated with regulation of fuel cycle licensees.

Serves as the focal point for implementation and overall coordination of the Uranium Recovery (UR) Program, including interface with DOE, States, and licensees. Plans and implements the regulatory programs under UMTRCA. Manages, coordinates, and conducts the safety and environmental reviews of pre-licensing and licensing activities associated with UMTRCA Title II sites, and the review of documents related to the concurrence and licensing of UMTRCA Title I sites. Plans and directs the program for UR Title II site activities, including mill tailings management and decommissioning. Provides technical assistance to Agreement States on UR issues. Serves as the agency focal point for the Federal Dam Safety Program.

Safety and Safeguards Support Branch

Chief: Catherine Haney

Develops and directs implementation of policies and programs for inspection and oversight of fuel cycle facilities. Develops inspection procedures for and conducts criticality, chemical process safety, fire protection, and material control and accounting (MC&A) inspections at fuel cycle facilities. Reviews fuel facility regulatory documents for inspectability. Provides regional oversight, develops policies and procedures for assessing regional performance of fuel cycle inspection activities, and conducts such assessments. Provides technical support and guidance to the Regions on fuel cycle facility inspection activities. Reviews inspection reports to identify and address safety and safeguards issues. Plans, coordinates, and manages contingency planning and emergency response activities for safety and safeguards events at fuel cycle facilities and assesses fuel cycle facility event reports. Plans and coordinates Licensee Performance Reviews and screening process for the Senior Management Meetings.

Conducts safeguards reviews for uranium fuel processing and fabrication facilities, other source material processing facilities, other SNM facilities, and associated waste processing facilities, enrichment facilities including the gaseous diffusion facilities and plutonium fuel fabrication and processing facilities. Provides safeguards technical support to other NRC Offices and Divisions on licensing of spent fuel storage installations. Conducts licensing reviews of the application of IAEA Safeguards and the adequacy of physical protection for export licensing applications and retransfer requests. Conducts, with other U.S. Government Agencies, on-site reviews of foreign physical protection programs in support of export licensing reviews. Conducts efforts activities to strengthen IAEA safeguards and promote nuclear non-proliferation. Conducts and coordinates NRC activities in support of implementation of IAEA safeguards at selected NRC-licensed facilities. Conducts activities to enhance safeguards and safety programs in other countries, including the republics of the former Soviet Union. Supports international and U.S. non-proliferation activities associated with the disposition of excess nuclear weapons' materials. Provides NRC , with other U.S. Government agencies, oversight and management of the US national accounting system for tracking transfers and licensee possession of SNM.

Manages the sensitive compartmented information facility at Two White Flint North. Coordinates with the intelligence and law enforcement communities, assesses the threat environment affecting regulated activities, assesses illicit trafficking events, and reviews the adequacy of NRC's design basis threats based on domestic and foreign events and intelligence information. Conducts pattern and trend studies based on analysis of domestic and foreign events.

Special Projects Branch

Chief: Eric J. Leeds

Reviews programmatic activities and develops technical and policy options for regulations, regulatory guides, and policy statements associated with the licensing or certification of uranium enrichment facilities and mixed oxide and plutonium fuel fabrication and processing facilities. Conducts safety, reviews, environmental assessments and impact statements, and analyses associated with the regulation and licensing, certification or support to these special projects and activities. Develops and implements certification and review procedures for the gaseous diffusion plants and licensing and review procedures for other enrichment technology applications. Issues, renews, and amends certificates and licenses for uranium enrichment facilities. Provides technical support and guidance to the regions regarding licensing or certification of enrichment facilities. Provides technical support for incident management and emergency responses at fuel cycle facilities.

Conducts criticality licensing reviews for uranium fuel processing and fabrication facilities, other source material processing facilities, other SNM facilities, and associated waste processing facilities, enrichment facilities including the gaseous diffusion facilities and plutonium fuel fabrication and processing facilities. Develops and implements criticality review procedures, issues, renews, and amends the criticality portion of certificates and licenses for special nuclear material facilities. Performs criticality regulatory and technical assistance reviews of assigned facilities as required.

Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety

Director: Donald A. Cool
Deputy Director: Susan M. Frant

Directs the NRC's principal rulemaking and guidance development, licensing, inspection, event response and regulatory activities for material licensed under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, to ensure safety and quality associated with the possession, processing, and handling of nuclear material. Oversees health physics and radiation protection, nuclear safety review, and use of licensed materials in medicine, research, industry, and other purposes with a focus on assuring safety and the effective and efficient delivery of regulatory services. Plans, develops, monitors and directs technical rulemakings and regulatory guides, including those related to fuel cycle and materials, safeguards, transportation, decommissioning, the management of nuclear waste, and closure of uranium recovery facilities. Develops, documents and implements policies and procedures for developing regulations, regulatory actions and handling of petitions for rulemaking. Develops, implements, and evaluates material policies and the overall NRC materials regulatory program to assure program effectiveness and efficiency. Implements program improvements systematically and in an open manner with the support and input of internal and external stakeholders. Manages agency program for "exempt" use of radioactive material and for evaluation of sealed sources and devices. Provides technical support for training of regional and Agreement State licensing and inspection staffs. Provides technical support and guidance to the Regions on licensing, inspection, and enforcement activities and, upon request, to the Agreement States. Identifies and takes action to control safety issues; responds to allegations; and directs NRC contingency and response operations dealing with accidents, events, and incidents under its responsibility.

Materials Safety and Inspection Branch

Chief: John W. Hickey

Responsible for the oversight and programmatic direction of materials uses associated with medical, academic, and industrial uses of byproduct materials including direction to the Regions regarding these activities. Responsible for incident response coordination and training, emergency preparedness policy and emergency response, and Operations Center coordination for nuclear materials events. Reviews licensee performance to determine the need for Information Notices, Bulletins and rulemaking. Provides regional coordination, allegation coordination, enforcement coordination, and event review and follow-up for the Office. Provides NMSS Radiation Safety Officer functions. Responsible for materials program budget formulation and Division operating plan maintenance. Identifies and resolves generic problems and policy issues. Develops policy and procedures for assessing regional performance of materials licensing and inspection activities, and coordinates Office participation in the Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program. Provides technical support for training of regional and Agreement State materials licensing and inspection staffs. Reviews programmatic activities and participates in the development of technical and policy operations for regulations, regulatory guides, and policy statements. Develops and implements technical and policy guidance related to sealed sources and devices for Headquarters, Regions and Agreement States. Conducts safety evaluation of sealed sources and devices. Conducts the exempt distribution licensing and the generally-licensed device registration programs. Maintains all licensing database management systems including the Sealed Source and Device Registry, the General License Data Base, the Reciprocity Tracking System, the License Tracking System, and the Inspection Follow-Up System.

Rulemaking and Guidance Branch

Chief: Patricia K. Holahan

Develops needed regulatory products (regulations, licensing and inspection guides, etc.) based on technical and scientific information; identified safety concerns; the potential for risks to workers, members of the public and the environment; and other information. Proposes or initiates rulemaking, as appropriate, and manages complex rulemakings that span the technical and organizational responsibilities of the Office, or that involve novel or complex questions of regulatory policy.Develops, documents, and implements policies and procedures needed for developingeffective, coherent, consistent, and understandable regulations. Prepares regulatory analyses, including cost analysis on the impact of proposed regulatory activities,and handles petitions for rulemaking. Considers risk significance of regulations. Coordinates the review and planning of all Office rulemaking activities and monitors and schedules rulemaking to ensure that rules are developed in time frame specific by Commission guidance. Manages the Regulatory Product Development Center and contracts necessary to support the development of regulatory products, and coordinates with other divisions, offices, government agencies, and national and international scientific and standards organizations having related responsibilities. Plans and coordinates all activities involving the Advisory Committee on Medical Uses of Isotopes. Tracks, develops, coordinates and analyzes new and revised OMB Clearances for all information collection requirements related to Office program areas.

Division of Waste Management

Director: John T. Greeves
Deputy Director: Josephine M. Piccone

Directs the NRC's program for the regulation of Low-Level Waste (LLW), Decommissioning, and the DOE High-Level Waste (HLW) repository program. Identifies and takes action to control safety issues under its responsibility. Develops, implements, and evaluates safety and environmental policies and long-range goals for these activities. Assumes lead responsibility for preparing Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) in the office, supporting all divisions in the preparation of Environmental Assessments (EAs), and establishing policy and guidance for environmental reviews in the office. Provides guidance for regional activities relating to waste management and decommissioning. Interacts with other NRC offices, Federal and State organizations, Indian tribes, and other jurisdictions on matters under its cognizance. Represents NRC in international waste management and decommissioning activities. Coordinates research to ensure regulatory commitments are achieved.

Decommissioning Branch

Chief: Larry W. Camper

Serves as the focal point for implementing the Decommissioning Program. Manages complex decommissioning activities including sites identified under the Site Decommissioning Management Plan. Conducts environmental and safety evaluations related to decommissioning. This responsibility includes providing technical support for reactor and materials facility decommissioning and terminating licenses when decommissioning is complete. Reviews materials licensee financial assurance plans for decommissioning and issues licenses and license amendments related to sites undergoing decommissioning. Reviews license termination plans submitted by power reactors, and manages power reactor decommissioning after spent fuel has been removed from the spent fuel pool. Implements an active interface program, including ongoing consultation with Federal, State, Indian tribe, and other entities to promote understanding of decommissioning programs and to identify and resolve concerns in a timely manner. Manages the program to inform industry and non-industry stakeholders about NRC's decommissioning program. Provides technical assistance to Agreement States on decommissioning issues.

Environmental and Performance Assessment Branch

Chief: Thomas H. Essig

Serves as the NMSS focus for the development of all Office EISs and the review of all Office EAs. Responsible for development of Office policy and guidance for National Environmental Policy Act implementation. As the center for technical expertise in health physics and performance assessment disciplines, develops the technical evaluation and assessment methodologies and codes used to assess compliance with regulatory requirements. Serves as division focal point for developing and implementing risk-informed, performance-based approach for waste management. Provides performance assessment support in the HLW, LLW, and decommissioning programs. Reviews regulatory requirements and relevant pre-licensing, licensing, and decommissioning documents. Responsible for international coordination of performance assessment activities. Serves as the focal point for implementation and overall coordination of the LLW Program. Provides technical assistance to Agreement States on LLW issues, as needed. Upon request, consults with Federal, State, and other entities to promote understanding of LLW programs and to resolve concerns. Upon request, provides assistance to other NRC programs on LLW issues, such as decommissioning, nuclear power plants, and rulemaking. Manages the regulatory program for approvals or denials of requests to dispose of radioactive waste at sites other than licensed LLW sites (i.e., 10 CFR 20.2002 requests). Serves as focal point for interactions with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Performs evaluations of DOE methodologies for stabilization of "incidental" waste at DOE sites.

High-Level Waste Branch

Chief: C. William Reamer

Serves as the focal point for project management, integration, technical evaluation, and overall coordination of the High-Level Waste (HLW) repository program consistent with the NRC Strategic Plan and associated Nuclear Waste Safety performance goals and strategies. Responsible for implementation of the regulatory program under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) of 1982, and implementation of the NRC and DOE procedural agreement governing pre-licensing consultation for HLW. As the center for technical expertise in earth sciences, geotechnical, mechanical, and structural engineering, and material sciences disciplines, and quality assurance and inspection activities, conducts risk informed technical reviews in the HLW program. Develops guidance with respect to specific technical information required for strategies and methodologies, as well as risk informed, performance based, technical evaluations that would be acceptable to demonstrate licensee compliance with applicable high-level waste regulations. Ensures technical completeness, accuracy, and consistency within assigned technical responsibilities. Interfaces with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and others in the development and implementation of environmental radiation protection standards for high-level waste management and disposal. Reviews regulatory requirements and relevant pre-licensing, and licensing documents. Responsible for international coordination of engineering and geoscience activities in the HLW area. Responsible for engaging in outreach activities to communicate with the public about the role of the NRC in the Nation's HLW program.

Spent Fuel Project Office

Director: E. William Brach

Develops and implements the agency's regulatory, licensing, and inspection program for the storage of nuclear reactor spent fuel and the domestic and international transportation of radioactive materials. Serves as the agency lead in spent fuel storage and transportation activities. Develops licensing, certification, and quality assurance review criteria and policies. Manages and conducts the safety and environmental reviews of: (1) commercial transportation cask designs under 10 CFR Part 71 and spent fuel storage cask designs under 10 CFR Part 72, including the certification of storage systems under the general license provisions of 10 CFR Part 72; and (2) interim spent fuel and high-level waste storage facilities, including the licensing of nuclear utility specific facilities, private facilities, and a Department of Energy (DOE) centralized facility. Manages and conducts the review of DOE applications for storage and transport systems for the civilian high-level radioactive waste program. Conducts safety inspections of transport packages and spent fuel storage system vendors. Conducts safety inspections at independent spent fuel storage installations. Conducts inspections of the implementation of quality assurance programs by users, suppliers, and fabricators of NRC-certified transport packages and dry storage systems. Approves quality assurance programs for transportation activities and for fabrication of transportation packagings. Develops policy, regulations, and guidance for designers, users, and fabricators of NRC-certified transportation packages and dry spent fuel storage casks. Provides technical and policy guidance to the NRC Regions and licensees on transportation and spent fuel storage. Coordinates and develops guidance with other U.S. Government and International Agencies on transportation policy and safety issues, and provides guidance to industry and the public. Participates in the development of international transportation and spent fuel storage safety standards. Reviews and provides guidance on transportation physical protection issues. Provides technical support for incident and emergency response.

Licensing and Inspection Directorate

Deputy Director: Charles L. Miller

Manages and coordinates the safety and environmental reviews of transportation cask designs under 10 CFR Part 71 and spent fuel storage cask designs under 10 CFR Part 72, including the certification of storage systems under the general license provisions of 10 CFR Part 72. Manages and coordinates inspections and reviews of transportation packages, spent fuel storage system vendors, and independent spent fuel storage installations to assess compliance with provisions of licenses or certificates. Directs the development of policy, regulations and guidance for designers, users and fabricators of NRC-certified transportation packages and spent fuel storage casks, and participates in the development of international transportation and spent fuel storage safety standards.

Licensing Section

Chief: Vacant

Manages and coordinates the safety and environmental reviews and issues certificates of compliance for commercial transportation cask designs under 10 CFR Part 71. This includes transportation containers for spent fuel, UF6, fresh fuel, oxides, contaminated waste, sealed sources, and Naval Reactor shipments. Manages and coordinates the safety and environmental reviews and issues licenses for spent fuel storage cask designs under 10 CFR Part 72, including the certification of storage systems under the general license provisions of 10 CFR Part 72. Manages and coordinates the safety and environmental reviews and issues licenses for the interim spent fuel and high-level waste storage facilities under 10 CFR Part 72, including the licensing of nuclear utility specific facilities, private facilities, and a Department of Energy (DOE) centralized facility. Manages and coordinates the safety and environmental reviews and issues licenses for DOE applications for storage and transport systems for the civilian high-level radioactive waste program. Issues and maintains technical guidance for the design, analysis, fabrication, and operation of spent fuel and non-spent fuel shipping containers under 10 CFR Part 71, and spent fuel storage cask designs, and interim spent fuel and high-level waste storage facilities under 10 CFR Part 72.

Transportation and Storage Safety and Inspection Section

Chief: Michael Tokar

Develops policy, regulations, and guidance for designers, users, and fabricators of NRC certified transportation packages and dry spent fuel storage casks. Coordinates the issuance of technical and policy guidance to the NRC Regions and licensees on transportation and spent fuel storage. Conducts safety inspections of transport packages and spent fuel storage system vendors to assess compliance with provisions of the license or certificate. Conducts safety inspections at independent spent fuel storage installations. Conducts inspections of the implementation of quality assurance programs by users, suppliers, and fabricators of NRC certified transportation packages and dry storage systems. Approves quality assurance programs for transportation activities and for fabrication of transportation packagings. Develops guidance with other U.S. Government and International Agencies on transportation policy and safety issues, and provides guidance to industry and the Public. Participates in the development of international transportation and spent fuel storage safety standards. Reviews and provides guidance on transportation physical protection issues. Provides technical support for incident and emergency response.

Technical Review Directorate

Deputy Director: M. Wayne Hodges

Conducts the technical safety review of commercial transportation cask designs under 10 CFR Part 71. Conducts the technical safety review of spent fuel storage cask designs under 10 CFR Part 72, including the certification of storage systems under the general license provisions of 10 CFR Part 72. Conducts the technical safety review of interim spent fuel and high-level waste storage facilities under 10 CFR Part 72. Conducts the technical safety review of DOE applications for storage and transport systems for the civilian high-level radioactive waste program. Develops technical guidance under 10 CFR Parts 71 and 72. Provides technical support for issuance of technical and policy guidance and technical support for incident and emergency response.

Technical Review Sections A and B

Chief, Section A: Earl P. Easton
Chief, Section B: Jack Guttman

Conducts the technical safety review of commercial transportation cask designs under 10 CFR Part 71. This includes transportation containers for spent fuel, UF6, fresh fuel, oxides, contaminated waste, sealed sources, and Naval Reactor shipments. Conducts the technical safety review of spent fuel storage cask designs under 10 CFR Part 72, including the certification of storage systems under the general license provisions of 10 CFR Part 72. Conducts the technical safety review of interim spent fuel and high-level waste storage facilities under 10 CFR Part 72, including the licensing of nuclear utility specific facilities, private facilities, and a Department of Energy (DOE) centralized facility. Conducts the technical safety review of DOE applications for storage and transport systems for the civilian high-level radioactive waste program. Develops technical guidance for the design, analysis, fabrication, and operation of spent fuel and non-spent fuel shipping containers under 10 CFR Part 71, and spent fuel storage cask designs, and interim spent fuel and high-level waste storage facilities under 10 CFR Part 72. Provides technical support for issuance of technical and policy guidance to the NRC Regions and licensees on transportation and spent fuel storage. Provides technical support for incident and emergency response. Develops the technical bases for risk-informing regulatory programs for spent fuel transportation and storage.