[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 138 (Friday, July 18, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38589-38590]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-18994]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Nuclear Byproduct Material Risk Review Group

AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Establishment of working group and notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Byproduct Material Risk Review Group, consisting 
of representatives from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and an 
Agreement State, has been formed in response to Commission direction in 
a Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM) dated April 15, 1997. The SRM 
instructed the staff to reexamine the applicability of risk-informed, 
performance-based or risk-informed, less prescriptive approaches to 
regulation of nuclear material. The working group will meet at NRC 
Headquarters in Rockville, Maryland from July 21 through July 24, 1997, 
in order to refine plans for a multi-dimensional characterization of 
the risk associated with nuclear byproduct material and to develop a 
statement of work for contractor evaluation of that risk.
DATES AND TIMES: The working group will meet in closed session on July 
21 and 22, 1997, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., to develop the statement 
of work. The working group will meet in open session on July 23, 1997, 
from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on July 24, 1997, from 7:30 a.m. to 
12:00 noon, to refine plans for a multi-dimensional characterization of 
the risk associated with nuclear byproduct material.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Two White Flint North, 
11545 Rockville Pike, Room T10A17, Rockville, MD, 20852-2738, on 
Monday, July 21, Tuesday, July 22, and Thursday, July 24, 1997. U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville 
Pike, Room O1F5, Rockville, MD, 20852-2738, on Wednesday, July 23, 
1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis I. Serig, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards, MS T8F5, Washington, DC 20555, telephone (301) 415-7901, e-
mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of the Commission's Strategic 
Assessment and Rebaselining efforts, an April 15, 1997, SRM related to 
NRC's Direction Setting Issue 12, Risk-Informed, Performance-Based 
Regulation, included, in part, Commission direction that the staff 
reexamine the applicability of risk-informed, performance-based or 
risk-informed, less prescriptive approaches to regulation of nuclear 
material. In response to that direction, the Nuclear Byproduct Material 
Risk Review Group will identify and document a technical basis for a 
risk-informed approach to the regulation of nuclear byproduct material, 
and will develop plans for a graded approach to nuclear byproduct 
material regulation based on risk information. The working group's 
activities encompass areas addressed in Title 10 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations Parts 30-36 and 39. The group's approach will involve 
systematic evaluations of the ``nuclear byproduct material systems.'' 
Nuclear byproduct material systems will be defined as broadly as is 
necessary to identify the real-world risks associated with them 
(encompassing part 39, Licenses and radiation safety requirements for 
well logging.
    The group's approach will involve systematic evaluations of the 
``nuclear byproduct material systems''. Nuclear byproduct material 
systems will be defined as broadly as is necessary to identify the 
real-world risks associated with them (ranging from normal use of

[[Page 38590]]

the material, to public perceptions during and after an event). The 
approach will include consideration of the activities of Agreement 
States' regulatory programs where appropriate, and the group will 
consider the effects of its recommendations on Agreement States.

Committee Organization and Operations

    Dennis Serig, NRC, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards, has been selected as chairman. Other members are Elizabeth 
Ullrich, NRC, Region I; John Lubinski, NRC, Office of Nuclear Material 
Safety and Safeguards; John Randall, NRC, Office of Nuclear Regulatory 
Research; and Nancy Daugherty, State of Colorado.

Committee Meetings

    The working group will meet at approximately monthly intervals in 
the Washington, DC, area, or at other locations agreed upon by the 
working group members. Meetings will be announced in advance through 
the NRC Public Meeting Notice System and, with some exceptions, will be 
open for public observation. Persons attending working group meetings 
will be welcome to provide comments to the working group for its 
consideration, either in written form or orally, at times specified by 
the working group chair.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 14th day of July, 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Frederick C. Combs,
Deputy Director, Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, 
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 97-18994 Filed 7-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P