[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 248 (Monday, December 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71516-71517]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34246]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Inspection and Enforcement for U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission's Medical Use Licensees--Public Meeting
AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is developing new
initiatives to streamline both inspection and enforcement, for certain
medical use licensees. NRC will hold a public meeting on January 8,
1999, to obtain early public input in the development of this guidance.
DATES: The meeting will be held on January 8, 1999, from 9:00 a.m. to 5
p.m.
ADDRESSES: Two White Flint North, Room 2-B-3, 11545 Rockville Pike,
Rockville, MD 20852-2738.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronald E. Zelac, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and
Safeguards, telephone, 301-415-6316, e-mail rez@nrc.gov.
NRC plans to streamline both inspection and enforcement, for all
materials licensees. NRC will begin this new approach with a 1-year
pilot program for certain medical use licenses, specifically for
nuclear medicine programs (use under 10 CFR 35.100, 35.200, and
35.300), beginning in calendar year 1999. These licenses represent
approximately 30 percent of current NRC material licenses.
[[Page 71517]]
NRC is developing inspection and enforcement guidance for certain
medical use licensees (10 CFR 35.100, 200, 300). The guidance will
focus attention on elements of the licensee's program performance
having potential for significant health and safety outcomes. The
central element of this new approach will be the use of performance
indicators for program review. These indicators will consist of a
limited number of key factors, each related to an important health and
safety outcome. Collectively, they will be used to provide an overall
assessment of the adequacy and acceptability of the licensee's
radiation protection and materials control program performance. Lessons
learned in this area will be applied to inspection and enforcement
guidance for other areas.
This initiative is expected to improve the inspection and
enforcement process for both the licensees and NRC, by reducing the
impact of inspections and the regulatory burden on licensees, and more
effectively using NRC resources. The objective of this meeting is to
make the public aware of these initiatives and to provide it with an
opportunity for public input and comment.
Copies of the inspection guidance that is proposed for the pilot
program can be obtained from Ronald Zelac at the above address after
December 23, 1998. An electronic copy of the document will be posted to
NRC's Homepage (http://www.nrc.gov).
The meeting will be open to the public, on a space available basis.
Members of the public who are unable to attend the meeting can send
comments to Ronald E. Zelac, Rulemaking and Guidance Branch, Division
of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, Office of Nuclear Material
Safety and Safeguards, by January 15, 1999. Comments received after
this date will be considered if it is practical to do so.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 21st day of December 1998.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Frederick C. Combs,
Acting Director, Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety,
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 98-34246 Filed 12-24-98; 8:45 am]
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