Radiation Protection and Release Prevention

Radiation Protection & Release Prevention Program
Monthly Highlights
September 2006

If you would like a hard copy of the full monthly report, including appendices, please E-mail Betty Sigafoos.

The Bureau of Radiological Health reviewed numerous documents submitted by ARIBEX, manufacturer of the NOMAD hand-held dental device, in support of their petition to be exempted from radiation protection requirements that prohibit medical x-ray equipment from being hand-held. In addition, ARIBEX had to demonstrate to the Commission on Radiation Protection and the Department that use of the NOMAD would not exceed the operator radiation exposure limit of 2mR/hr. After review of the Bureau's findings and considerable discussion with ARIBEX representatives, the Commission, at its September 27, 2006 meeting, recommended to exempt the NOMAD from the regulatory requirement that prohibits medical x-ray devices from being hand-held. The Commission's recommendations will be forwarded to the Department's senior management for review. If approved by the Department, the NOMAD would be cleared for sale and use in New Jersey for dental radiography purposes.

On September 28, 2006, staff from the RMS participated along with other state, regional and federal agencies, in the Department of Homeland Security Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DHS DNDO) "Operation Intercept Functional Exercise 2006". The DHS DNDO and the State of New Jersey have developed policies and procedures to respond to a nuclear/radiological terrorism incident and the exercise was used to test these protocols. The scope of the exercise involved the deployment of personnel to test the radiological detection capability at all levels of the State's tiered response system including Person Radiation Detectors, radiological measuring/detection devices, and the Radiological Isotope Identification Devices.

In order to ensure the health and safety of our citizens during a nuclear event, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires the testing and evaluation of the New Jersey Radiological Emergency Response Plan (RERP). On the evening of September 12, 2006 DEP emergency response personnel tested the plan with the State Police Office of Emergency Management (SPOEM), Ocean County, and AmerGen in a federally graded exercise at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station in Lacey Township. DEP staff activated the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) located at State Police Headquarters in West Trenton, the Emergency Operations Facility (EOF) and the Joint Information Center (JIC) located in Toms River, and the Forward Command Post (FCP) located in Berkeley Township. Two states and one county Field Monitoring Teams (FMTs) also participated.

During the evaluated exercise, engineering and dose assessment were conducted at the EOF in order to formulate protective action recommendations (PARs). DEP staff presented accident assessment data and PARs at the EOC where the Governor's designee formulated protective action decisions for the public. Accident information and protection action decisions for the public were presented to the press at the JIC. Field monitoring teams characterized the extent of the radioactive plume and provided the FCP with field data. Each facility was evaluated against six evaluation areas outlined in DHS's evaluation methodology.

On September 15, 2006 DHS convened a post-exercise exit meeting to announce their preliminary assessment. They announced the DEPs emergency facilities and field teams successfully met all evaluation objectives. Specific reference was given to good communications and professionalism. A draft exercise report will be available in approximately sixty days.

On September 28, 2006 Public Service and Enterprise Group (PSEG) Nuclear, LLC hosted New Jersey and Delaware for the Annual States' Emergency Action Level Review at the White Clay Creek Country club, Wilmington, Delaware. The meeting included presentations by emergency response representatives of PSEG, The Bureau of Nuclear Engineering (BNE), Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA), and New Jersey State Police Office of Emergency Management (SPOEM). Emergency Action Levels and the Event Classification Guides were reviewed and used in practice scenarios. Protective Action Recommendations/Decisions (PARs/PADs) and the flow diagrams were presented by the various agencies. PSEG, BNE, and DEMA each presented their PARs/PADs decision tree for making recommendations and decisions for public safety. Security events, the response to terrorism, and the new state police operations center in New Jersey were presented and discussed by the various participants. Emergency declared events in the nuclear power industry and lessons learned for the past year were reviewed and discussed. The seminar was found to be beneficial for the participants by providing an opportunity for the various agencies to interact in a relaxed information sharing/classroom setting mode and on a personal basis.