[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31169-31171]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15397]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Conversion to the Metric System; Policy Statement
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Final policy statement.
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SUMMARY: On September 27, 1995, the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(NRC) published a request for public comment on its existing
metrication policy. This action was taken in accordance with the NRC's
policy statement of October 7, 1992, in which the Commission was to
assess the state of metric use by the licensed nuclear industry in the
United States after 3 years to determine whether the policy should be
modified. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the
Commission's decision that its Statement of Policy on Conversion to the
Metric System does not need to be modified, that it considers this
policy final, and that its conversion to the metric system is complete.
[[Page 31170]]
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 19, 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Frank A. Costanzi, Chairman, NRC
Metrication Oversight Committee, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555; telephone: (301) 415-6250; e-mail [email protected]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On September 27, 1995 (60 FR 49928), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) published a request for public comment on its policy
statement on Conversion to the Metric System 1 in the Federal
Register. This request for public comment was in accordance with the
Policy Statement published on October 7, 1992 (57 FR 46202), which
called for the Commission to determine, after 3 years, whether the
policy should be modified.
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\1\ The metric system refers to units belonging to the
Internationale System of Units, which is abbreviated SI (from the
French Le Systeme Internationale d'Unites), as interpreted or
modified for use in the United States by the Secretary of Commerce.
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Before the publication of the request for public comment, the NRC
staff contacted various industrial, standards, and governmental
organizations to determine their view of the policy. The organizations
contacted included the American National Standards Institute (ANSI),
the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), the American
Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Inc., the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI),
the Nuclear Utility Backfitting and Reform Group (NUBARG), the United
States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP), Inc., the Society of Nuclear
Medicine, and the Organization of Agreement States (OAS).
Comments Received
With few exceptions, these various organizations stated their
support for the current NRC policy. The nuclear power industry position
seems to be exemplified by the NEI comments in which they continue to
support the current NRC Metrication Policy and ``a transition to the
metric system that is market-driven and avoids a sudden or precipitous
move to conduct licensing and regulatory matters in metric units.''
As for the standards-setting groups, ASME strongly supports the
Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act 2 and believes that the NRC
policy is in accordance with those requirements. IEEE related that its
``standards are to be primarily metric beginning in 1998 and, with
minor exceptions, exclusively metric beginning in 2000.'' Also, IEEE
believes that the United States Government ``can and should do more
than it has done to further the metrication process in this country.''
In response to the NRC's request, IEEE provided the following three
comments relating directly to the NRC's position:
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\2\ On August 10, 1988, Congress passed the Omnibus Trade and
Competitiveness Act (the Act), (19 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.), which
amended the Metric Conversion Act of 1975, (15 U.S.C. 205a et seq.).
Section 5164 of the Act (15 U.S.C. 205a) designates the metric
system as the preferred system of weights and measures for the
United States trade and commerce. The Act also requires that all
Federal agencies convert to the metric system of measurement in
their procurements, grants, and other business-related activities by
the end of fiscal year 1992.
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(1) The NRC should drop the use of dual units in its publications
and to use ``metric units exclusively except where doing so would
clearly be detrimental to public health and safety.''
(2) The NRC policy of using the English system for all event
reporting and emergency response communications, although prudent in
1992, may now cause confusion and have a negative impact after various
relevant standards have been converted.
(3) The NRC should include the following statement in its policy:
``Nothing in this statement of policy should be interpreted to require
the use of the English system of measurement, or to forbid the use of
consensus based standards that are exclusively metric.'' This was
proposed so those in the private sector who wish to move faster than
the Government may be protected.
With respect to IEEE's first comment concerning the dropping of
dual units, the NRC believes that because of the relatively low number
of licensees operating in the metric system, it would not be beneficial
to make such a change, especially because it would not lead to any
improvement in the public health and safety. IEEE's second comment
calls for dropping that portion of the policy requiring event reporting
and emergency communication between licensees and any Government agency
to be in the English system of measurement. IEEE believes that the
English-only event reporting and emergency communication may have a
negative impact after various relevant standards have been converted to
the metric system. To consider such a change is premature, because the
standards referred to by IEEE have not been converted. The IEEE's last
comment calls for the insertion of a statement noting that use of the
English system is not required and that the use of metric standards is
not prohibited. This statement is consistent with the NRC policy as
written, with the exception of the use of the English system in event
reporting and emergency communication as discussed above.
The USP pointed out that the use of dual units by NRC is in line
with USP's position and practice. However, the OAS position is that
``to be truly responsive to Congress the Commission now should go on
record as requiring the use of SI units in all its communication and
documentation.'' Also, OAS recommended that the NRC ``support the dual
citation standard with the SI unit appearing first and the English or
special units following in brackets or parentheses'' to accommodate the
editing style of the various States. As noted in the October 7, 1992,
Federal Register notice announcing the NRC's metrication policy, the
NRC believed and continues to believe that if metrication were made
mandatory by a rulemaking, no corresponding improvement in public
health and safety would result but costs would be incurred without
benefit. The editing style recommended by OAS is consistent with NRC
policy. Comments were not received from the remaining groups contacted
by the NRC staff.
Four letters were received in response to the September 27, 1995,
request for public comment. They were from NEI and three nuclear power
utilities. NEI's statement remained consistent with their earlier
positions on metrication, namely that they did not believe that it
would be in the best interest of safety for the NRC to require nuclear
power reactors to be operated using SI units. Also, NEI continues to
support the NRC's policy and recommended that the policy remain
unchanged.
With respect to the individual utilities which responded, one
requested that the NRC not change the part of the policy which requires
that all event reporting and emergency response communications between
licensees and any Government authority be in the English system of
measurement. Another utility endorsed NEI's position and believes the
existing policy is reasonable. The third utility also endorsed the NEI
position and ``strongly discourage(d)'' any change to that part of the
policy requiring event reporting and emergency response communications
between licensees and any Government authorities to be in the English
system of measurement.
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act
In accordance with the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement
Fairness Act of 1996, the NRC has
[[Page 31171]]
determined that this action is not a major rule and has verified this
determination with the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of
OMB.
Statement of Policy
The Commission's policy on Conversion to the Metric System remains
essentially as stated in the Federal Register (57 FR 46202) of October
7, 1992.
The NRC supports and encourages the use of the metric system of
measurement by licensed nuclear industry. In order to facilitate the
use of the metric system by licensees and applicants, beginning January
7, 1993, the NRC will publish the following documents in dual units:
New regulations, major amendments to existing regulations, regulatory
guides, NUREG-series documents, policy statements, information notices,
generic letters, bulletins, and all written communications directed to
the public.
Documents specific to a licensee, such as inspection reports and
docketed material dealing with a particular licensee, will be in the
system of units employed by the licensee. This protocol reflects a
general approach that only documents applicable to all licensees, or to
all licensees of a given type in which a licensee may operate in the
metric system will contain dual units. Otherwise, English or metric
units alone are permissible. In dual-unit documents, the first unit
presented will be in the International System of Units with the English
unit shown in brackets. The NRC will modify existing documents and
procedures as needed to facilitate use of the metric system by
licensees and applicants. In addition, the NRC will provide staff
training as needed. Further, through its participation in national,
international, professional, and industry standards organizations and
committees and through its work with other industry organizations and
groups, the NRC will encourage and further the use of the metric system
in formulating and adopting standards and policies for the licensed
nuclear industry.
However, if the NRC concludes that the use of any particular system
of measurement would be detrimental to the public health and safety,
the Commission will proscribe the use of that system by regulation,
order, or other appropriate means. In particular, all event reporting
and emergency response communications between licensees, the NRC, and
State and local authorities will be in the English system of
measurement. Further, the NRC will follow the Federal Acquisition
Regulation and the General Services Administration metrication program
in executing procurements. Lastly, the Commission considers this policy
final and conversion to the metric system complete. The Commission does
not intend to revisit this policy unless it is causing an undue burden
or hardship.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 12th day of June 1996.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John C. Hoyle,
Secretary of the Commission.
[FR Doc. 96-15397 Filed 6-17-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
