Current through 2024-51, December 18, 2024
Section 144-221-1.0 - GENERAL PROVISIONS1.1 Purpose. The purpose of this section is to establish and maintain a continuous airborne radiation monitoring system consisting of volunteers who shall report their findings to the Radiation Control Program.1.2 Statutory Authority. 22 MRSA S6741.3 Definitions. a. Airborne Radioactive Material - Any radioactive material dispersed in the air in the form of dusts, fumes, mists, vapors or gases.b. Airborne Release - Any release of radioactive materials to the atmosphere. Releases may be those permitted under U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulation or those which occur as unscheduled, unplanned or accidental releases.c. Alarm Event - For the Geiger Rate meter, a discrete happening, wherein the detected radiation per unit time, counts per minute, exceeds a predetermined set point. This set point, or alarm level, will be established based upon the actual background reading at the specific site. The alarm setting will generally be 3 times background readings.d. Background count - Background count means the level of radiation detected by the radiation monitors through natural radioactivity.e. Compass Sector - For a circle, with center at Maine Yankee Atomic Power Plant, any one of the 16 sectors of 22 1/2[DEGREE] of arc, centered on the cardinal compass points. (North, North North East, North East, Fast North East, East, East South East, South Fast, South South East, South, South South West, South Nest, West South West, West, West North West, North West and North North West)f. Maine Yankee - Maine Yankee Atomic Power Plant.g. Monitoring Devices - For the purpose of interpreting these rules, radiation monitoring equipment means a radiation monitoring device in which the detector is of the type commonly known as Geiger, Geiger-Mueller, or GM Tube.h. Monitoring Network - A network of volunteer monitors located around Maine Yankee. for the purpose of monitoring airborne releases of radioactivity.i. Radioactivity - The transformation of unstable atomic nuclei by emission of radiation.j. Radiation - Ionizing radiation, which, for the purpose of these rules includes: 1. beta particles - charged particle emitted from the nucleus of an atom, with a mass and charge equal in magnitude to that of the electron.2. gamma ray - short wavelength electromagnetic radiation of nuclear origin (range of energy from 10 KeV to 9 MeV) emitted from the nucleus.k. Radiation Control Program - The designated state agency within the Department of Human Services responsible for environmental surveillance monitoring and general oversight of the operations of Maine Yankee. l. Volunteers - Those individuals who volunteer to participate in the monitoring network. The monitors participate without financial compensation and agree to abide by these rules.10-144 C.M.R. ch. 221, § 1.0