press release on proposed rule re reporting use of rad matls

[sandy_perle@email.fpl.com]

     FYI... 
     
     Sandy Perle
     Supervisor Health Physics
     Florida Power and Light Company
     Nuclear Division
     
     (407) 694-4219 Office
     (407) 694-3706 Fax
     
     sandy_perle@email.fpl.com
     
     HomePage: http://www.lookup.com/homepages/54398/home.html
     -----------------------------------------------------------



           United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission
                    Office of Public Affairs
                      Washington, DC 20555
              Phone 301-415-8200   Fax 301-415-2234
                      Internet:opa@nrc.gov


No.  96-28                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                    (Tuesday, February 6, 1996)


             NRC PROPOSES RULE REQUIRING REPORTING 
          OF UNAUTHORIZED USE OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS


     The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is proposing to amend its
regulations to add a new requirement that licensees notify the
NRC operations center no later than 24 hours after learning of
any intentional--or suspected intentional--diversion of
radioactive material from its intended or authorized use.

     The regulation would require reporting of such events that
cause, or have the potential to cause, exposure of individuals,
whether or not the exposure exceeds NRC regulatory limits.  It
also would require licensees to notify NRC when they are unable,
within 48 hours after discovery of such an event, to rule out
that the use was intentional.  

     NRC is proposing this action as the result of two recent
incidents " one at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda,
Maryland, and the other at Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Cambridge, Massachusetts " involving internal contamination of
individuals with phosphorus-32.  Both are under investigation.

     NRC is seeking public comments on the new rule, which was
published in the January 31 edition of the Federal Register. 
Comments should be submitted by March 1, although those received
after that date will be considered if it is practical to do so.

     Comments should be mailed to:  Secretary, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention:
Docketing and Service Branch.  They may be hand-delivered to NRC
at 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland, between 7:45 a. m.
and 4:15 p. m. on Federal workdays.  

     Documents related to this rulemaking may be examined at the
NRC Public Document Room, 2120 L Street NW (Lower Level),
Washington, DC.  They also may be accessed electronically on the
NRC FedWorld Electronic Bulletin Board, which may be used as well
for submitting comments.