2012 RICHARD S. HODES, M.D. HONOR LECTURE AWARDMr. Lawrence R. “Rick” Jacobi, received the 2012 Richard S. Hodes, M.D. Honor Lecture Award during the 2012 Waste Management Symposium in Phoenix Arizona. Mr. Jacobi received the award in recognition of his extraordinary leadership and development of innovative approaches to the design, siting and operation of low-level waste disposal facilities that strongly influenced later siting efforts in the nation, as well as safe, economical disposal solutions using municipal landfills for disposal of short-lived medical radioactive waste. “The radioactive waste compact system has not worked as originally envisioned. The only two new facilities to be built since 1980, Clive Utah and Andrews Texas, were developed either outside of the compact system or in spite of the compact system,” said Mr. Lawrence R. “Rick” Jacobi, “No new low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities are going to be developed in the future. We need to embrace that reality in going forward.” “The Southeast Compact Commission appreciates Mr. Jacobi sharing his perspective of the low-level radioactive waste industry. As a licensed nuclear engineer, health physicist, and attorney, he brings a unique perspective to the management of radioactive waste,” said Jack Storton, one of two Southeast Compact Commissioners from Virginia, who presented the Award to Mr. Jacobi. “His achievements clearly exemplify the innovative qualities that the Hodes Award is intended to recognize.” “The compacts are not going away. They serve an important political purpose. But, if they are going to continue to exist, they need to think about new and innovative ways to support our national waste disposal system,” Mr. Jacobi stated in his closing remarks. “Dr. Hodes encouraged innovation. I think he would fully support a re-assessment of the policy underlying the interstate radioactive waste compact system.” Jacobi is the principal and a consultant with the firm Jacobi Consulting. He has volunteered his expertise to numerous organizations, including the Health Physics Society, the Texas Medical Association, the US Department of Energy, and the Texas Radiation Advisory Board. The Commission would like to thank those individuals and organizations that participated in the 2012 awards program. Their participation has helped to assure the continued success of the Richard S. Hodes, M.D. Honor Lecture Award.
Nominations for the 2013 Hodes Honor Lecture Award are now being accepted. The deadline for submittal of nominations is June 30, 2012. Details are on the Commission website or you may contact Ted Buckner at 919/380-7780 or tedb@secompact.org.
LIAISONS PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICEMany organizations in the United States share common interests with the Southeast Compact Commission, such as the safe management of radioactive waste and the protection of public health and the environment. The Commission endeavors to stay abreast of the activities of organizations sharing common goals and interests through the use of volunteer liaisons. |
UPDATE ON THE ACTIVITIES IN TEXAS
The Southeast Compact Commission actively monitors the activities of the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission (TLLRWDCC), Waste Control Specialists (WCS), and the state regulatory agencies in Texas as they work toward the eventual operation of the low-level radioactive waste disposal facility licensed and constructed in Andrews County, Texas. On January 5, 2012, the TLLRWDCC proposed amend- ments to its rules related to the import of waste from a non-compact generator to meet the requirements established by the Texas legislature in 2011 and to develop an application form and an agreement form to be used in the import petition process. The proposed rules were published in the Texas Register on January 20, 2012. The full TLLRWDCC plans to meet on March 23, 2012 to possibly adopt the rules. In this case, the TLLRWDCC may be able to receive import applications as early as the day of that meeting on March 23, 2012. Therefore, it will likely be May before the first out-of-compact waste is approved to be disposed at the Texas Compact facility. Steps Necessary for Obtaining Access to the Texas Compact Facility In addition, there are several steps that an out-of-compact generator must complete before shipping waste to the Texas Compact facility. The generator must apply to the Texas Compact Commission for an import agree- ment, must obtain certification for transport from the Texas Department of State Health Services, and must learn how to use a WCS on-line program to develop waste profiles in accordance with the Waste Acceptance Criteria. Some generators may choose to contact a broker for assistance with completing these requirements. As of January 26, three brokers/transporters had a LLRW disposal contract with WCS and other companies were in the process of contract negotiations with WCS. For more information on brokers and transporters authorized to ship waste to the Texas Compact disposal site, please contact Mr. Jeff Havlicak of Waste Control Specialists at 435-649-3467. Tentative Plans for a Generator Workshop DIRECTORY OF BROKERS AND PROCESSORSThe Southeast Compact Commission maintains an electronic National Directory of Brokers and Processors at www.bpdirectory.com for use by compacts, states, federal agencies, and users of radioactive materials. It provides information about companies that package, transport, process or otherwise manage radioactive material in preparation for ultimate disposal. Access to the site and listing in the directory are free of charge. Attention Brokers and ProcessorsTo get a free listing in the directory or additional information, go to www.bpdirectory.com or contact: Linda Walters, Director of Special Projects |
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