NRC Headquarters Temporarily Closed Because of Bomb Threat

	NRC NEWS U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
	Office of Public Affairs	Telephone: 301/415-8200
	Washington, DC 20555-001	E-mail: opa@nrc.gov

No. 99-114
June 1, 1999

NRC HEADQUARTERS TEMPORARILY CLOSED BECAUSE OF BOMB THREAT

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission Headquarters in Rockville, Maryland has been closed today in response to a bomb threat. The anonymous threat was received at about 6 a.m. today, before most of the agency's workforce of about 2,000 had arrived. Subsequently, the facility, at 11545 and 11555 Rockville Pike, was evacuated and a decision was made at about 7:45 a.m. to close the offices for the day so that a search using bomb-sniffing dogs could be conducted by Montgomery County Police.

By noon the search was completed and no bombs were found. Business should return to normal tomorrow morning.

The Operations Center at the NRC's Headquarters is still being staffed and is available to answer calls regarding emergencies involving commercial nuclear power plants and other NRC license-holders. Routine calls, meanwhile, are being handled by the agency's Region I Office, in King of Prussia, Pa. The switchboard telephone numbers there are 1-800-432-1156 or (610) 337-5000.