[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 7, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36721-36722]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-17191]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Pilot Program Evaluation Panel

AGENCY: U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of establishment of the Pilot Program Evaluation Panel 
(PPEP).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act of October 6, 
1972 (Pub. L. 94-463, Stat. 770-776) the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission (NRC) announces the Establishment of the Pilot Program 
Evaluation Panel (PPEP). The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has 
determined that establishment of the Panel is necessary and is in the 
public interest in order to obtain advice and recommendations on a 
revised regulatory oversight process for commercial nuclear power 
plants. This action is being taken in accordance with the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act after consultation with the Committee Management 
Secretariat, General Services Administration.
    The NRC has developed a revised regulatory oversight process for 
commercial nuclear power plant licensees as described in Commission 
paper SECY 99-007, ``Recommendations For Reactor Oversight Process 
Improvements,'' dated January 8, 1999, and SECY-99-007A, 
``Recommendations For Reactor Oversight Process Improvements (Follow-up 
to SECY-99-007),'' dated March 22, 1999. These Commission papers 
describe the scope and contents for performance indicator reporting, a 
new risk-informed baseline inspection program, a new streamlined 
assessment process, and a new enforcement policy. Commission paper 
SECY-99-007A also described a pilot program that would be performed at 
two sites per region to exercise these new oversight processes prior to 
full implementation.
    The PPEP will function as a management-level, cross-disciplinary 
oversight group to independently monitor and evaluate the results of 
the pilot effort. The PPEP will meet periodically during the pilot 
program to review the implementation of the oversight processes and the 
results generated by the PI reporting, baseline inspection, assessment, 
and enforcement activities. These meetings will be publically announced 
in advance, open to the public, and all material reviewed placed in the 
public document room. A meeting summary will be prepared following each 
meeting to document the results of the meeting
    The PPEP will evaluate the pilot program results against 
established

[[Page 36722]]

success criteria. For those success criteria that are intended to 
measure the effectiveness of the processes, and that generally do not 
have a quantifiable performance measure, the PPEP will serve as an 
``expert panel'' to review the results and evaluate how well the 
success criteria were met. At the end of the pilot program, the PPEP 
members will provide an evaluation as to whether each of the success 
criteria have been met. This report will include both the consensus 
view of the panel, along with the dissenting views of any of the panel 
members. The staff will use the PPEP evaluation to determine the need 
for any additional process development or improvements prior to full 
implementation.
    The Panel membership will including participants from NRC 
headquarters and regional management, a representative from the Nuclear 
Energy Institute, pilot plant licensee management representatives, a 
representative from the Union of Concerned Scientists (a public 
interest group), and a representative from the Illinois Department of 
Nuclear Safety.
    The establishment of the Panel is effective on June 30, 1999 with 
the filing of its charter with the Commission and with the standing 
committees of Congress having legislative jurisdiction over the NRC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew L. Bates, Office of the 
Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555: 
telephone 301-415-1963.

    Dated: June 30, 1999.
Andrew L. Bates,
Advisory Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-17191 Filed 7-6-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P