USG DOE/NNSA BILATERAL NUCLEAR EMERGENCY

UNCLAS RABAT 000047 SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/WMDT LOWE, LEWIS, STATE FOR ISN/NESS BURKART, FLADEBOE, KENAGY STATE FOR NEA/MAG JONES, PATTERSON VIENNA FOR DOE THOMAS, NRC - ASTWOOD DOE FOR NNSA/NA- 1 D'AGOSTINO, BARKER DOE FOR NNSA/NA-40 KROL, PAVETTO DOE FOR NNSA/NA-46 MCCLELLAND, HEINRICH, BUNTMAN, HOLLERAN, RIVERA, ZAGAYTOVA NRC FOR DOANE DHS FOR DNDO WHITROCK E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG TRGY TPHY SENV TNGD KNNP MO SP SUBJECT: USG DOE/NNSA BILATERAL NUCLEAR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COOPERATION WITH MOROCCO ¶1. SUMMARY: U.S Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA),Office of International Emergency Management and Cooperation (IEMC) personnel conducted bilateral nuclear emergency management discussions and training with Government of Morocco (GOM) officials January 12-15, ¶2010. The discussions and training included a team of nine DOE/NNSA personnel presenting training and information on: A) Nuclear Emergency Exercises; B) International Radiological Assistance Training; C) International Radiation Medical Assistance Training; D) Assisting Morocco with the Preparation and Conduct of a Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) Exercise; E) Atmospheric Plume Modeling; F) Emergency Preparedness and Response Equipment Demonstration and Training; and G) Emergency Operations Center Design. More than 80 Government of Morocco (GOM) representatives from the National Center for Nuclear Energy, Science and Technologies (CNESTEN),Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA),Civil Protection, National Police, Royal Gendarmerie, Ministry of Energy, and National Defense Administration participated in the training. The discussions focused on next steps regarding DOE/NNSA and GOM nuclear emergency management cooperation. END SUMMARY. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶2. At the June 2009, GICNT meeting in The Hague, Netherlands, Morocco proposed hosting a GICNT exercise in late 2010 or early 2011 and requested assistance from DOE/NNSA and the Government of Spain (GOS). The GICNT co-chairs (U.S and Russia) endorsed the exercise and assistance to be provided by DOE/NNSA and GOS. During preliminary discussions between DOE/NNSA and GOM officials, GOM asked for additional assistance, collaboration and cooperation in nuclear emergency preparedness and response. To foster this expanded collaboration and cooperation, DOE/NNSA and CNESTEN signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) regarding Nuclear and Radiological Emergency 
Management and Incident Response capabilities on September 15, 2009. The SOI provides for collaboration and exchange of experiences in training, exercises, development of national capabilities and GICNT. -------------- OPENING THE SEMINAR -------------- ¶3. Opening the seminar, Dr. Khalid El Mediouri, Director General of CNESTEN, stressed the importance of an effective nuclear emergency preparedness and response program and his appreciation of the USG and DOE/NNSA assistance and support. Dr. El Mediouri also expressed appreciation for Spanish involvement in providing assistance for the GOM-hosted GICNT exercise. ¶4. Mr. Abdelkrim El Yaagoubi, head of Civil Protection Inspectorate Division, stressed the importance of all countries having programs in place to counter terrorism and to address any type of emergency including natural disasters, nuclear, radiological, chemical, biological, and technological events. Mr. El Yaagoubi also expressed his appreciation for USG and (GOS) assistance. Mr. Carlos Torres Vidal, of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, provided remarks on the importance of nuclear emergency preparedness and response and cooperation under the GICNT. Mr. Vincent McClelland, IEMC Director, provided an overview of DOE/NNSA's nuclear emergency program. The opening session concluded with Mr.Mohamed Salami, Chief of Civil Protection's Planning and Prevention Division, providing an overview of the GOM emergency programs. -------------- JANUARY 12-15 ACTIVITIES -------------- -------------- ¶A. Nuclear Emergency Exercise -------------- ¶5. DOE/NNSA provided a two-day training session on exercise development, control and evaluation, entitled: Exercise Builder. Exercise Builder is a computer based program employing a step-by-step process for development, control, evaluation, and sharing lessons learned in the exercise development cycle. The Exercise Builder training session was attended by 26 representatives of the various GOM organizations. -------------- ¶B. Radiological Assistance Training -------------- ¶6. DOE/NNSA provided an overview of its international nuclear/radiological first responder training program, entitled "International Radiological Assistance Program Training for Emergency Response (I-RAPTER)." I-RAPTER, which is based on the DOE/NNSA's training program for state and local emergency response personnel, provides first responders with the basic knowledge of necessary actions when confronted by a situation involving nuclear/radiological material. The I- RAPTER overview was attended by 15 representatives of the various GOM organizations. -------------- ¶C. Radiation Medical Assistance Training -------------- ¶7. DOE/NNSA provided an overview of its international radiation medical response training, entitled "International Radiation Medical (I- Medical)." I- Medical, which is based on DOE/NNSA international medical training provided in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) and IAEA, provides medical personnel (doctors, nurses, hospital workers and emergency medical services) with training in medical care for radiation victims and instructs in methods to minimize and contain radioactive contamination of medical personnel, equipment, and facilities. The I-Medical overview was attended by 15 representatives of the various GOM organizations. -------------- ¶D. GICNT Exercise -------------- ¶8. Fourteen representatives of the various GOM organizations met with DOE/NNSA and GOS personnel to plan the GOM-hosted GICNT exercise. The GOS representative provided information and data on the GOS-hosted GICNT exercise conducted in 2008 and DOE/NNSA provided details on NNSA exercises, such as EMPIRE 09, as well as exercise assistance that NNSA can provide. The session outcome was very positive, resulting in the development of GOM concept and objectives, planning format, and exercise timeline. The GOM GICNT exercise scenario will involve a stolen radioactive source and will be presented in three modules over one and a half days plus a one day practical demonstration. -------------- ¶E. Atmospheric Plume Modeling -------------- ¶9. A two day training session and practical demonstration of the International Exchange Program (IXP) atmospheric plume modeling for nuclear/radiological events was provided. The IXP enables countries to use DOE/NNSA's National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center (NARAC) modeling capabilities at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in the event of a nuclear/radiological release. The IXP can also be used to support exercises. Eight GOM representatives attended the training and will have access to the IXP system as needed to support GOM exercises and incidents. -------------- ¶F. Emergency Preparedness and Response -------------- ¶10. DOE/NNSA provided training to ten GOM representatives on various types of radiation detection equipment to include: radiation pagers, backpacks, idetifiers, and mobile (SPARC) systems. The training also provided an overview of various types of detection equipment available and effective utilization of equipment. The GOM representatives expressed their interested in improving and enhancing their radiation detection equipment to ensure they have the necessary capabilities to effectively respond to any nuclear/radiological event. A two hour demonstration of the equipment was provided to all GOM participants on January 15. -------------- ¶G. Emergency Operation Center -------------- ¶11. CNESTEN and Civil Protection requested assistance in design and infrastructure development to establish an effective emergency center for response to any nuclear or radiological event. CNESTEN is in the process of enhancing its emergency center capabilities and is proposing to network to the crisis center being developed by Civil Protection. Discussion involved 10 representatives of CNESTEN and Civil Protection and focused on developing effective voice, data, and video information exchange between the two organizations and with the IAEA. -------------- MEETING WITH MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS -------------- ¶12. DOE/NNSA IEMC Director Vincent McClelland and Deputy Director Ann Heinrich met with MFA United Nations and International Organizations Directorate Head Mr. Azzeddine Farhane. Mr. Farhane, who is also the GOM lead for GICNT, expressed his appreciation for the USG and especially DOE/NNSA assistance in enhancing the GOM nuclear/radiological emergency preparedness and response program and support for the GOM hosted GICNT exercise. Mr. Farhane stated that he would brief the GICNT exercise planning group on the status of the exercise at the upcoming GICNT meeting in Hungary. Mr. Farhane expressed his desire to work cooperatively with the USG and stated that the SOI between DOE/NNSA and CNESTEN and the GICNT provided the tools to fully establish greater cooperation. McClelland responded that our collaboration to date had been very rewarding, that the GOM representatives participating in the workshop proved very knowledgeable and eager to learn and share experiences, and that continued cooperation in the specific areas is being discussed and next steps are being developed. -------------- RESULTS -------------- ¶13. The results of the training seminar and discussions provided detailed information regarding roles and responsibilities for nuclear/radiological emergencies, including terrorism, within the GOM. The sessions also provided information on existing GOM capabilities and the desire of the GOM to improve its capabilities and to establish enhanced cooperation and collaboration with DOE/NNSA in the area of nuclear emergency preparedness and response. -------------- NEXT STEPS -------------- ¶14. The proposed next steps for enhanced collaboration between CENESTEN and DOE/NNSA include: -- A four day I-RAPTER train-the-trainer course will be conducted in Morocco either the week of March 15 or 22, exact week to be determined. -- A second GICNT exercise planning meeting will be scheduled the week of the I-RAPTER Training. -- Additional training on the SPARC system will be provided in March and a SPARC unit will be provided to CNESTEN for training. -- CNESTEN, Civil Protection and IEMC will discuss enhancement to the GOM nuclear/radiological plans and procedures. -- GOM will schedule a two hour briefing of proposed enhancements to the GOM nuclear/radiological program for senior representatives of all organizations involved with nuclear and radiological emergency response and invite NNSA to provide an overview of DOE/NNA programs. -- DOE/NNSA will invite GOM to an international radiological search and consequence management workshop in the U.S the week of May 17, 2010. -- A second four day I-RAPTER and a four day I- Medical train-the-trainer course will be conducted in Morocco the week of June 6, 2010. -- A third GICNT exercise planning meeting will be scheduled the week of June 6 2010. -- Follow-up of equipment, emergency center and additional training will be discussed during the June 6, 2010, meeting. -------------- LONG TERM ACTIONS -------------- ¶15. DOE/NNSA will support GOM's GICNT exercise and provide a demonstration of DOE/NNSA emergency response equipment. Other USG organizations will be invited to participate in the demonstration. Additionally, DOE/NNSA will initiate, in accordance with the SOI, exchange of information and experiences and planning for a Joint CNESTEN/NNSA exercise. Other enhancements and a detailed work plan will be developed in the March through June 2010 timeframe. ¶16. DOE/NNSA Participants in the January 12-15, 2010 Activities: - Vincent McClelland, IEMC Director - Ann Heinrich, IEMC Deputy Director - Steven Buntman, IEMC Project Manager - Richard Maurer, DOE/Nevada Remote Sensing Laboratory (RSL) - Troy Waterman, DOE/Nevada RSL - Kevin Marah, DOE/Nevada RSL - Michael Bradley, DOE/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) - John Mitchell, DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) - Mark Breitinger, DOE/Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) KAPLAN