180 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 14, § 027

Current through September 17, 2024

Section 180-14-027 - NOTIFICATION OF INCIDENTS AND LOST SOURCES; ABANDONMENT PROCEDURES FOR IRRETRIEVABLE SOURCES

Licensees must:

(A) Immediately notify the Department by telephone and subsequently, within 30 days, by confirmatory letter if the licensee knows or has reason to believe a sealed source has been ruptured. The letter must designate the well or other location, describe the magnitude and extent of the escape of radioactive materials, assess the consequences of the rupture, and explain efforts planned or being taken to mitigate these consequences;

(B) Notify the Department of the theft or loss of radioactive materials, radiation overexposures, excessive levels and concentrations of radiation, and certain other accidents as required by 180 NAC 4-057, 4-058, 4-059, and 180 NAC 3-026;

(C) If a sealed source becomes lodged in a well, and when it becomes apparent that efforts to recover the sealed source will not be successful:

(i) Notify the appropriate Department by telephone of the circumstances that resulted in the inability to retrieve the source and

(1) Obtain Department approval to implement abandonment procedures; or

(2) That the licensee implemented abandonment before receiving Department approval because the licensee believed there was an immediate threat to public health and safety; and

(ii) Advise the well owner or operator, as appropriate, of the abandonment procedures under 180 NAC 14-004.01 and 004.03; and

(iii) Ensure either abandonment procedures are implemented within 30 days after the sealed source was classified as irretrievable or request an extension of time if unable to complete the abandonment procedures; and

(D) Within 30 days after a sealed source has been classified as irretrievable, make a report in writing to the Department the following information:

(i) Date of occurrence;

(ii) Description of the irretrievable well logging source involved including the radionuclide and its quantity, chemical, and physical form;

(iii) Surface location and identification of the well;

(iv)Results of efforts to immobilize and seal the source in place;

(v) Brief description of the attempted recovery effort;

(vi) Depth of the source;

(vii) Depth of the top of the cement plug;

(viii) Depth of the well;

(ix) The immediate threat to public health and safety justification for implementing abandonment if prior to Department approval was not obtained according to this section; and

(x) Any other information, such as a warning statement, contained on the permanent identification plaque.

180 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 14, § 027

Amended effective 6/26/2021

Amended effective 6/14/2023