[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 75 (Tuesday, April 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20837-20838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9627]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Workshop Concerning the Revision of the Oversight Program for 
Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

ACTION: Notice of public workshop.

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SUMMARY: NRC will hold a public workshop at the Nuclear Energy 
Institute (NEI), 1776 I Street, NW (Republic Place), in Washington, DC 
to provide the public, those regulated by the NRC, and other 
stakeholders, with information about and an opportunity to

[[Page 20838]]

provide views on how NRC plans to revise its oversight program for 
nuclear fuel cycle facilities. This public workshop follows the recent 
public stakeholder workshop held on March 22-23, 2000. Presentations 
and other documents provided at each workshop are placed on the NRC 
Internet web page (http://www.nrc.gov/NMSS/FCSS/FCOB/INSP/REVISED/fcindex.htm).
    Similar to the revision of the oversight program for commercial 
nuclear power plants, NRC initiated an effort to improve its oversight 
program for nuclear fuel cycle facilities. This is described in SECY-
99-188 titled, ``Evaluation and Proposed Revision of the Nuclear Fuel 
Cycle Facility Safety Inspection Program.'' SECY-99-188 is available in 
the Public Document Room and on the N R C Web Page at http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/COMMISSION/SECYS/index.html.

Purpose of Workshop

    To obtain stakeholder views for improving the NRC oversight program 
for ensuring licensee and certificate holders maintain protection of 
worker and public health and safety, protection of the environment, and 
safeguards for special nuclear material and sensitive information and 
material in the interest of national security. The oversight program 
applies to nuclear fuel cycle facilities regulated under 10 CFR parts 
40, 70, and 76.
    The facilities currently include gaseous diffusion plants, highly 
enriched uranium fuel fabrication facilities, low-enriched uranium fuel 
fabrication facilities, and a uranium hexafluoride (UF6) 
production facility. These facilities possess large quantities of 
materials that are potentially hazardous (i.e., radioactive, toxic, 
and/or flammable) to the workers, public, and environment. In revising 
the oversight program, the goal is to have an oversight program that: 
(1) provides earlier and more objective indications of acceptable and 
changing safety and national security related performance, (2) 
increases stakeholder confidence in the NRC, and (3) increases 
regulatory effectiveness, efficiency, and realism. In this regard, the 
NRC desires the revised oversight program to be more risk-informed and 
performance-based and more focused on significant risks and poorer 
performers.
    The public workshop will focus on:
     Plans for communicating revision of the oversight program 
with stakeholders internal and external to the NRC.
     Cornerstones of safety and national security for meeting 
the NRC mission.
     Performance indicators for monitoring licensee/
certificatee performance within each cornerstone area.

DATES: Members of the public and other stakeholders are invited to 
attend and participate in the workshop, which is scheduled for 9:00 
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 24, and Thursday, May 25, 2000.

ADDRESSES: NEI, 1776 I Street (Republic Place), Washington, DC. Visitor 
parking around NEI is limited; however, the public meeting site may be 
reached from Rockville by taking the Red line metro to Farragut North, 
and exiting at K Street. Farragut Park will be in front of you. Notice 
that 17th Street is parallel to the park. Walk one block along 17th 
Street to I Street, turn right, walk one more block. NEI is on the left 
on corner of 18th and I Streets, NW From Reagan National Airport, NEI 
may be reached by taking the Blue line train towards Addison Road to 
Farragut West. Exit to 18th Street, and NEI is diagonally across the 
street on the corner of 18th and I Streets, NW.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Walter Schwink, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555, telephone (301) 415-7156, e-mail [email protected].

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 13th day of April 2000.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Philip Ting,
Chief, Operations Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 00-9627 Filed 4-17-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P