Receipt of Petition for U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Action

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 26 (Tuesday, February 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 6386]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3094]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Receipt of Petition for U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Action

    Notice is hereby given that, by petition dated December 30, 1998, 
Mr. Thomas B. Cochran of the Natural Resources Defense Council has 
requested that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) take action 
with regard to Khosrow B. Semnani, former President, Envirocare of 
Utah, Inc. (Envirocare). The Petitioner requests that NRC issue an 
order to show cause why Mr. Semnani should not be prohibited 
permanently from participating in any NRC-licensed activity.
    As basis for this request, the Petitioner asserts that Mr. Semnani 
has been convicted of a federal crime--aiding and abetting in the 
filing of a false income tax return and fined $100,000. The Petitioner 
further asserts that this federal crime was committed in direct 
relation to the facilitation of a license authorized by the Atomic 
Energy Act. The Petitioner asserts that Mr. Semnani admitted under oath 
that: (1) He paid Mr. Larry F. Anderson, the Director of the Utah 
Bureau of Radiation Control and the Agreement State official 
responsible for radiological safety, cash, gold coins, and the deed to 
a ski condo in order to facilitate the first disposal license and the 
issuance of other favorable license actions, and (2) he knew these 
actions were inappropriate, but informed no governmental authorities of 
the payments.
    As further basis the Petitioner states that ``independent of the 
results of any criminal or civil proceeding against Mr. Semnani it is 
incumbent upon the NRC to take appropriate action to ensure the 
integrity of its own licensing process.'' In stating that a licensee's 
character is fundamental in the protection of public health the 
Petitioner cites several cases involving nuclear power reactor 
licensees where the character of the licensees was allegedly brought 
into question.
    The request has been referred to the Director of the Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. As provided by section 2.206, 
action will be taken on this petition within a reasonable time.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harold Lefevre, Uranium Recovery 
Branch, Division of Waste Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety 
and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Mail Stop T7-J9, 
Washington, DC 20555. Telephone 301/415-6678. A copy of the petition is 
available for inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room at 
2121 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20555.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 2nd day of February 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Carl J. Paperiello,
Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 99-3094 Filed 2-8-99; 8:45 am]
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