Nuclear Security and Incident Response
On this Page:
- Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response
- Program Management, Policy Development and Analysis Staff
- Division of Security Policy
- Division of Security Operations
- Division of Preparedness and Response
Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response
Director: James WigginsDeputy Director: Marc Dapas
Develops overall agency policy and provides management direction for evaluation and assessment of technical issues involving security at nuclear facilities, and is the agency safeguards and security interface with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Intelligence and Law Enforcement Communities, Department of Energy (DOE), and other agencies. Develops emergency preparedness policies, regulations, programs, and guidelines for both currently licensed nuclear reactors and potential new nuclear reactors. Provides technical expertise regarding emergency preparedness issues and interpretations, conducts and directs the NRC program for response to incidents, and is the agency emergency preparedness and incident response interface with the DHS, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other Federal agencies.
Program Management, Policy Development and Analysis Staff
Director: (Vacant)
Deputy Director: (Vacant)
Provides leadership and manages strategic and long-range program planning, budget development, financial management, performance monitoring, internal control reviews, human resource analysis, information management, resource control, and other administrative services such as records management, Freedom of Information Act coordination, facilities coordination, and management of principal correspondence. Provides direction and coordination of general administrative matters, and information management and technology functions and responsibilities delegated to the office. Reviews and recommends general administrative procedures. Provides independent review of office policy papers and issues to ensure completeness, promptness, accuracy, and adherence to agency and office policy.
Division of Security Policy
Director: Christiana Lui
Deputy Director: Michael Layton
Oversees the development of security policy, guidance, and licensing activities for NRC licensees. License activities include conducting required reviews of licensee and applicant submitted security-related plans (cyber, physical protection, contingency, and training & qualification plans); licensing activities (e.g., processing 10 CFR 50.90 submittals and exemption requests, reviewing security plans submitted under 50.54(p)). Coordinates with the Division of Security Operations to ensure that all aspects of policy, oversight, and threat information are integrated into technical support activities to deter and protect against threats of radiological sabotage and theft or diversion of special nuclear material. Ensures security oversight at Materials, Fuel Cycle, and Spent Fuel facilities, and for Transportation Routes. Coordinates the planning and coordination of security contingencies at NRC-licensed facilities with the Department of Homeland Security.
Reactor Security Licensing Branch
Chief: Russell Felts
Plans, coordinates, and manages licensing reviews for currently licensed power reactors and reviews applications for early site permits, design certifications, and combined operating licenses for new and advanced reactors. Conducts technical reviews of licensee physical security plans, contingency plans, and training and qualification plans. Develops standard review plans to establish standards and ensure consistency in the review of licensing and application submittals. Evaluates the merits of endorsing industry-submitted documents that will serve as templates for reactor licensees to use so submittals are standardized and consistent.
Cyber Security and Integrated Response Branch
Chief: Craig Erlanger
Plans, coordinates, and manages agency-wide activities related to cyber security. Responsible for rulemaking, guidance, licensing and policy issues related to this new requirement. Works closely with other Federal agencies, particularly with the Department of Homeland Security, to coordinate and enhance integrated law enforcement integrated response activities.
Materials and Waste Security Branch
Chief: Sandra Wastler
Plans, coordinates, and manages the overall development and implementation
of policies, guidance, licensing, and oversight activities for security
at independent spent fuel storage installations, decommissioned power
reactors, other licensed radioactive material, waste processing, storage
and disposal facilities. Conducts physical protection technical and regulatory
reviews in support of regulatory programs, rulemaking and licensing activities
for the use, storage, and disposal of nuclear and radioactive materials.
Coordinates intergovernmental activities with the Departments of Homeland
Security, Energy, and State to and exchange security-related information
and support security initiatives.
Fuel Cycle and Transportation Security Branch
Chief: Robert Caldwell
Plans, coordinates, and manages the overall development and implementation of policies and oversight programs for transportation security and physical protection of fissile material at nuclear fuel-cycle facilities. Conducts technical and regulatory reviews in support of regulatory programs, rulemakings, and licensing. Plans, coordinates, and manages contingency planning and emergency response activities for safeguards events at fuel-cycle facilities and assesses fuel-cycle facility event reports. Participates in international activities including IAEA coordination, bilateral discussions with foreign nations on items of interest, and import and export notifications on nuclear materials and special nuclear materials transfers.
Security Programs Support Branch
Chief: Douglas Huyck
Coordinates power reactor security rulemaking and guidance development activities for the division to ensure that agency-established processes are being followed. Plans, coordinates, and manages the programs for access authorization and fitness for duty requirements at NRC-licensed facilities, limited work authorizations, and for licensed nuclear material. Manages contracts and budget execution activities for the division. Coordinates international activities among appropriate agency offices and other federal agencies related to the adequacy of radioactive source security, physical protection, export licensing reviews, including coordination with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Maintains office liaison with NRO for emerging developments in advanced reactors.
Division of Security Operations
Director: Patricia Holahan
Deputy Director: Barry Westreich
Directs implementation of the NRC safeguards and security programs at nuclear facilities and fuel cycle facilities. Oversees the development and implementation of the safeguards and security baseline inspection program at nuclear power reactors and fuel cycle facilities. Ensures the development and implementation of the performance-evaluation program for licensed facilities and activities to evaluate the effectiveness of security force response. Oversees the NRC oversight program to evaluate the implementation of NRC requirements and activities related to safeguards and security for NRC licensed facilities and activities. Ensures the implementation of the enforcement and allegations programs for safeguards and security. Ensures the protection of classified and sensitive unclassified information (SGI and PCII) at NRC facilities, NRC contractors, licensees, and certificate holders, including inspections and oversight of licensee information security programs. Ensures the development and implementation of Agency secure communications equipment and programs. Monitors and assesses the threat environment, including liaison with intelligence and law enforcement agencies. Ensures development and maintains the NRC' Design Basis Threats (DBTs) and threat attributes and adversary characteristics. Ensure appropriate assessment of the credibility of threats to NRC and NRC-licensed facilities and coordinates responses to the threats through the Information Assessment Team.
Reactor Security Oversight Branch
Chief: Ronald Albert
Develops and assesses the NRC's safeguards and security baseline inspection program to evaluate the implementation of NRC requirements and activities at licensed power reactor facilities. Oversight of licensee activities includes efforts to train, execute, and assess effectiveness of licensees' implementation of regulatory requirements for safeguards and security. Develops and oversees implementation of the Federal Security Coordinator Program in accordance with the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Serves as the primary liaison for the Deputy Director for Security Oversight with the Regions.
Security Performance Evaluation Branch
Chief: Robert Johnson
Develops and oversees the NRC program for performance-based evaluations of licensee security programs to assess the effectiveness of such programs, including force-on-force exercises and tabletop drills. Incorporates lessons-learned from these into ongoing programs to identify needed improvements to ensure licensee security programs are effective.
Security Training and Support Branch
Chief: Garmon West, Jr.
Develops and oversees Security Inspector training program. Coordinates the training of new DSO staff. Conducts and coordinates NSIR's allegations and enforcement programs. Acquires and manages resources to maximize, to the extent practicable, the effective simulation of security threats in force-on-force exercises. Establishes standards, procedures and guidance as well as assesses program implementation of the Force-on-Force Inspection Program. Develops and oversees implementation of the Target Set Inspection Program and participates in the Force-on-Force Inspection Program.
Intelligence Liaison and Threat Assessment Branch
Chief: Todd Masse
Assesses the threat environment affecting regulated activities, performs rapid assessment of the credibility of threats and security events, coordinates with the intelligence and law enforcement communities, assesses illicit trafficking events, and reviews the adequacy of NRC's design basis threats based on domestic and foreign events and intelligence information. Administers the NRC's counterintelligence awareness program. Maintains the NRC' Design Basis Threats and threat attributes and adversary characteristics. Coordinates with NRC' Federal Security Coordinators regarding communicating threat information.
Information Security Branch
Chief: Bernard Stapleton
Plans, coordinates, and manages the agency information security program to protect classified and sensitive unclassified information (SGI) and performs oversight of the protection of classified information at licensee facilities. Administers the NRC's secure telecommunications, declassification, technical security, foreign disclosure of information, foreign ownership, control or influence, and authorized classifiers and SGI designators programs. Provides daily classified communication support to agency offices and activities. Acts as the NRC Central Office of Record for communications security (COMSEC) material and operates the NRC's secure communications center. Maintains the certification of the NRC secure information facilities.
Division of Preparedness and Response
Director: Robert Lewis
Develops emergency preparedness policies, regulations, programs, and guidelines for both currently licensed nuclear reactors and potential new nuclear reactors. Provides technical expertise regarding emergency preparedness issues and interpretations, and conducts technical and regulatory reviews of emergency preparedness applications and amendments. Coordinates, as appropriate, with NMSS, NRR, and other NRC organizations on emergency preparedness matters. Coordinates, as appropriate, with DHS, FDA, EPA, and other federal and state government agencies on emergency preparedness matters. Develops and directs implementation of the policies and programs for the agency's response to incidents involving licensed facilities and materials. Exercises oversight of the regional response programs. Manages the NRC Operations Center. Coordinates incident response programs with Federal, State, and local governments and licensees.
Deputy Director for Incident Response
Deputy Director: Scott Morris
Develops and directs implementation of the policies and programs for the agency's response to incidents involving licensed facilities and materials. Exercises oversight of the regional response programs. Manages the NRC Operations Center. Receives, screens, and promptly communicates operational event information reported to the Operations Center in support of NRC Headquarters and the regions, as appropriate, to provide for timely response by the responsible offices. Coordinates incident response programs with Federal, State, and local governments and licensees.
Coordination Branch
Chief: Jane Marshall
Develops NRC policy, plans, program requirements, and procedures for the NRC response to incidents. Ensures that the NRC response is consistent with the NRC role and licensee responsibilities and is coordinated with Federal and State response activities. Maintains, and integrates NRC response plans, procedures, and training of personnel and organizations. Conducts exercises to achieve and test readiness objectives. Serves as the agency focal point for incident response interface with FEMA and other Federal agencies. Provides response planning and procedural guidance to regional offices and assesses regional office response capabilities. Develops, maintains, and integrates NRC plans, procedures, and training for response to domestic and international radiological events and to any incidents that threaten the continuity of government (COG) or continuity of NRC operations (COOP).
Operations Branch
Chief: William Gott
Manages the NRC Operations Center. Provides operational support for Headquarters response activities. Provides Agency “first- responders” to licensee events by ensuring continuous shift staffing of the Operations Center. Provides adequate staff, procedures, and equipment readiness for the receipt of reports of reactor events, materials events, and other information at the Operations Center. Provides prompt feedback to NRC Headquarters and the regions regarding reported events that require immediate regulatory attention. Notifies other Federal agencies of significant events. Initiates, monitors and maintains communications with licensees during events, drills and exercises to ensure effective communication flow.
Deputy Director for Emergency Preparedness
Deputy Director: Mark Thaggard
Develops emergency preparedness policies, regulations, programs, and guidelines for both currently licensed nuclear reactors and potential new nuclear reactors. Provides technical expertise regarding emergency preparedness issues and interpretations, and conducts technical and regulatory reviews of emergency preparedness applications and amendments. Coordinates, as appropriate, with NMSS, NRR, and other NRC organizations on emergency preparedness matters. Coordinates, as appropriate, with DHS, FDA, EPA, and other federal and state government agencies on emergency preparedness matters and evaluates FEMA findings and determinations regarding off-site emergency preparedness of state and local governments. Manages emergency preparedness communication with internal and external stakeholders including the public, industry, the international nuclear community, and federal and state government agencies. Provides oversight and technical direction for the emergency preparedness cornerstone of the reactor oversight program. Provides emergency preparedness technical support for incident response activities regarding actual incidents and exercises, as well as support for inspection activities.
New Reactor Licensing Branch
Chief: Kevin Williams
Implements emergency preparedness (EP) policies, regulations, programs, and guidelines for new nuclear reactor licensing actions. Provides EP technical expertise regarding EP issues and interpretations, and conducts technical and regulatory reviews of EP applications and amendments associated with new reactor license applications.
Operating Reactor Licensing and Outreach Branch
Chief: Joseph Anderson
Manages emergency preparedness (EP) communication with internal and external stakeholders including the public, industry, the international nuclear community, and federal and state government agencies. Implements EP policies, regulations, programs, and guidelines for operating nuclear reactor licensing actions. Provides EP technical expertise regarding EP issues and interpretations, and conducts technical and regulatory reviews of EP applications and amendments associated with operating reactor license applications.
Inspection and Regulatory Improvements Branch
Chief: Robert Kahler
Coordinates, as appropriate, with DHS, FDA, EPA, and other federal and state government agencies on emergency preparedness matters and evaluates DHS findings and determinations regarding off-site emergency preparedness of state and local government’s authorization and fitness for duty of licensee employees at NRC-licensed facilities and for licensed nuclear material. Provides oversight and technical direction for the emergency preparedness cornerstone of the reactor oversight program. Provides emergency preparedness technical support for incident response activities regarding actual incidents and exercises, as well as support for inspection activities. Develops emergency preparedness policies, regulations, programs, and guidelines for both currently licensed nuclear reactors and potential new nuclear reactors.
