OAS News
Pennsylvania is 35th Agreement State
Baylor College of Medicine offers its Principles of Health Physics course
Minnesota is 34th Agreement State
Interim Licensing Guidance Available for Use:
National Materials Program Pilot Project 4 working group
Pennsylvania is 35th Agreement State
On March 31, 2008, Pennsylvania became the 35th state to assume regulatory authority from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission over certain byproduct, source and special nuclear materials. This agreement transfers approximately 650 licenses from the NRC to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Radiation Protection. The OAS would like to congratulate the State of Pennsylvania on their new status as an Agreement State. We look forward to working with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Radiation Protection and welcome their future contributions to our organization.
Baylor College of Medicine offers its Principles of Health Physics course
The course will be offered at the Texas Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine campus in Houston, TX, from Monday, June 2, 2007 to Friday, June 27, 2008. A two week, self-directed remote session will immediately preceed the four week in-Houston course session.
Visit the course website for more details in a new window
Click here to download a registration form.
Click here to download a course schedule
Minnesota is 34th Agreement State
On March 31, 2006, Minnesota became the 34th state to assume regulatory authority from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission over certain byproduct, source and special nuclear materials. The OAS would like to congratulate the State of Minnesota on their new status as an Agreement State. We look forward to working with the Minnesota Department of Health, Division of Environmental Protection, Section of Asbestos, Indoor Air, Lead and Radiation and welcome their future contributions to our organization.
LICENSING GUIDANCE AVAILABLE FOR USE
The OAS would like to announce the availability of guidance for licensing a new medical use of material, radioactive seed localization (RSL). RSL is used for localization of non-palpable lesions in breast tissue and offers advantages over the wire implantation technique used currently. For example, using RSL the bracketing of lesions and the post-localization mammograms is not impeded by wires and can be performed up to 5 days before surgery, minimizing schedule conflicts.
RSL uses radioactive seeds previously approved for the treatment of cancerous tumors. For instance, typically, iodine-125 and palladium-103 seeds between 200 – 300 mCi/seed are implanted into a breast lesion. Use of these seeds for the RSL procedure is regulated under 10 CFR 35.1000 or the equivalent agreement state regulations.
The guidance was developed by the National Materials Program Pilot Project 4 working group, which was led by the OAS. Membership of the working group included four Agreement State members and one regional NRC member. This licensing guidance is the first of its kind developed by the OAS as foreseen in the National Materials Program.
RSL Guidance Document: [Word Format] [pdf Format]
2005 HALL OF FAME AWARD
The 2005 OAS Hall of Fame Award was presented to not just one recipient, but two. On Monday, October 4, 2005, at the Annual Meeting held in San Diego, the award was presented to Greta J. Dicus and Paul H. Lohaus.
Greta Joy Dicus
Ms. Dicus is a Past Chair of the OAS, having served as Chair in 1990. From 1980 to 1994, Ms. Dicus worked in progressively responsible positions in the Division of Radiation Control and Emergency Management at the Arkansas Department of Health, serving as the Chief of Licensing from 1982 to 1984, and as the Director of the Division from 1985 to 1993. Later she served with distinction as a Commissioner of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) from 1996 to 2003, and was Chairman of NRC in 1999. Ms. Dicus is noted for her advocacy of the Agreement States program and of nuclear energy.
In 2001, Ms. Dicus was elected to the Main Commission of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). Her term was from July 2001 to July 2005. Ms. Dicus was noted for devoting herself to furthering ICRP's work in advancing the public's understanding of radiation protection by providing sound recommendations and guidance on all aspects of protection against ionizing radiation.
Paul H. Lohaus
Mr. Lohaus, Director of NRC's Office of State and Tribal Programs (OSTP) was recognized for his outstanding service to not only the Agreement States program, but also his service in furthering the health and safety and the common defense and security in the United States. In the early 1970's, Mr. Lohaus worked as a health physicist in the New York state radiation control program. He joined NRC in 1975 as a health physicist holding various positions in NRC's State relations and waste management programs. In 1984 he was assigned to Region I where he served as Regional State Agreements Officer, and later as Regional State Liaison Officer. In 1987, he joined the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS) as a Branch Chief, serving in the low-level waste and uranium recovery program areas, and served as Deputy Director of OSTP (then known simply as Office of State Programs) from January 1994 to 1999. On February 1, 1999, he was promoted to Director of OSTP.
Mr. Lohaus is commended for establishing and maintaining outstanding communications and working relationships between the NRC and the Agreements, and between the Agreement States and other federal agencies. Mr. Lohaus retired from NRC on October 28, 2005 following 30+ years service.
OAS BUSINESS UPDATES
New OAS Executive Board Members
During the September 24, 2007 business session of the 2007 OAS annual meeting, Julia Schmitt of Nebraska was elected to the office of Chair-Elect replacing Cindy Cardwell. Isabelle Busenitz of Kansas was elected to be the Secretary replacing Alice Rogers. After the meeting Lee Cox was selected by the Board to fill the remaining Director of Emerging Issues term replacing Julia Schmitt.
Please congratulate Julia, Isabelle and Lee for being selected for these positions!