[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]



=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Conversion to the Metric System; Policy Statement

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Final policy statement.

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

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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (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