98-6393. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Department of Energy; Public Meeting on NRC Regulatory Oversight of DOE Facilities

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 48 (Thursday, March 12, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 12116]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6393]



[[Page 12116]]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Department of Energy; Public 
Meeting on NRC Regulatory Oversight of DOE Facilities

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the U.S. 
Department of Energy (DOE) will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, March 
24, 1998, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to address issues related to the 
recently established pilot program for NRC's external regulation of 
certain DOE facilities.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Energy and the Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission will hold a joint public meeting to provide 
information on this pilot project on Tuesday, March 24, 1998, at 7:00 
P.M. at the American Museum of Science and Energy, 300 S. Tulane 
Avenue, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
    In June 1997, DOE and NRC agreed to pursue NRC external regulation 
of certain DOE facilities on a pilot program basis. A pilot program of 
NRC simulated regulation has been established to collect information on 
the desirability of NRC oversight and on whether to seek legislation to 
authorize such oversight. The DOE and the NRC expect to evaluate six to 
ten DOE facilities over the next two years under the pilot program. The 
Radiochemical Engineering Development Center at Oak Ridge National 
Laboratory (ORNL) has been chosen as one of the pilot sites.
    The major areas of discussion at this meeting will be:
     The overall pilot program and background information.
     The ORNL Work Plan.
     Major issues affecting NRC oversight (generic and site-
specific).
    One of the main purposes of the meeting is to describe the process 
through which stakeholders may participate in the pilot program. 
Stakeholders will be invited to ask questions and submit comments 
relevant to the objectives of the pilot program and the process by 
which those objectives are proposed to be addressed at the 
Radiochemical Engineering Development Center. Issues raised by 
stakeholders will be addressed in the final report following the pilot 
evaluation at ORNL.
    Since 1994, the Department of Energy (DOE) has been considering 
whether there are advantages to be gained from external regulation of 
existing DOE facilities. Two advisory groups recommended that the 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) be considered as the external 
regulator of nuclear and radiological safety at DOE sites. External 
regulation by the NRC may improve the efficiency and effectiveness of 
DOE's radiological safety programs. DOE facilities would be regulated 
consistent with other facilities of the same type engaged in similar 
activities, and the NRC could maintain complete independence because it 
has no responsibility for operating the facilities.
    A number of background documents pertaining to the issue of NRC 
oversight of DOE facilities are available or will be made available 
prior to the meeting. These include:
     A draft Pilot Program Work Plan for the Radiochemical 
Engineering Development Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
     A Memorandum of Understanding between NRC and DOE, dated 
November 21, 1997.
     An NRC Commission Paper entitled, ``Status Report of the 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Task Force On Oversight of the Department 
of Energy, In Response to COMSECY -96-053--DSI 2,'' SECY-97-206, dated 
September 12, 1997.
     An NRC Commission Paper entitled, ``Status Report of the 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Task Force On Oversight of the Department 
of Energy, In Response to COMSECY -96-053--DSI 2 (Report No. 2),'' 
SECY-97-301, dated December 29, 1997.
     NRC Staff Requirements Memorandum: COMSECY-96-053, 
``Oversight of the Department of Energy (DSI 2),'' dated March 28, 
1997.
     NRC Direction Setting Issue Paper ``Oversight of the 
Department of Energy'' (DSI 2) dated September 16, 1996.
     Report of the DOE Working Group on External Regulation, 
dated December 1996.
     Report of the DOE Advisory Committee on External 
Regulation of DOE Nuclear Safety, dated December 1995.
    You may view these documents at the DOE Oak Ridge Public Reading 
Room, American Museum of Science and Energy, 300 S. Tulane Avenue, Oak 
Ridge, TN 37830, [phone]. Copies may be obtained by contacting 
Amy Rothrock at [phone]. These documents are also available on 
the joint DOE/NRC Web Site at http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/NMSS/
doepilot.html. As documents are completed, they will be added to the 
web site. If you would like more information about this meeting, or 
need special accommodations to attend, please contact Walter Perry of 
the DOE Public Affairs Office at [phone].

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 6th day of March, 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Carl J. Paperiello,
Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 98-6393 Filed 3-11-98; 8:45 am]
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