[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 238 (Monday, December 13, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69574-69575]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32190]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Development of Guidelines for Voluntary Industry Initiatives and 
Notice of Public Meeting With the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) and 
Members of the Public

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requests public 
participation and input in the development of Guidelines for Voluntary 
Industry initiatives. The NRC in a staff requirements memorandum (SRM) 
dated May 27, 1999 (http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/COMMISSION/SRM/1999-
063srm.html) approved the use of voluntary industry initiatives as an 
appropriate substitute for NRC regulatory action. The voluntary 
initiatives may be used where the action to be taken is needed to meet 
existing requirements, or for cases where a substantial increase in 
overall protection can be achieved with costs of implementation 
justifying the increased protection. The SRM was issued in response to 
SECY-99-063, ``The Use by Industry of Voluntary Initiatives in the 
Regulatory Process,'' dated March 2,1999 (http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/
COMMISSION/SECYS/1999-063scy.html).

DATES: December 21, 1999, from 8:30 am to 12:00 noon.

ADDRESSES: Nuclear Regulatory Commission, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852-2738, in Room 0-8-B-4.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 27, 1999, a stakeholders meeting 
was held in Rosemont, Illinois, to obtain input from the industry, the 
Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), and the public for the development of a 
regulatory framework to support the implementation of voluntary 
industry initiatives. The NRC staff presented an outline of a process 
for the development of guidelines in order to facilitate discussion. 
The meeting emphasis was focused on nine areas, as specified in SECY-
99-063:
     Definition and initiation of voluntary industry 
initiatives,
     Identification of staff and industry roles,
     Tracking of licensee commitments,
     Planning and resource allocation,
     Fee management,
     Developing inspection and monitoring guidelines,
     Public participation,
     Developing enforcement procedures, and
     Schedule for finalizing guidelines/process.
    The meeting summary is available through ADAMS.

Meeting Information

    The NRC staff intends to conduct a follow-up meeting with 
interested members of the industry, NEI, and the public, on Tuesday, 
December 21, 1999, from 8:30 a.m -12:00 p.m., at the U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission Headquarters. This meeting will solicit 
additional information related to the development of guidelines to 
allow the drafting of a regulatory framework that supports the 
implementation of voluntary industry initiatives.
December 21, 1999--Agenda
    Agenda: Preliminary agenda is as follows (a final agenda will be 
available at the meeting):

8:30 a.m.  Introduction
8:45-9:00  Overview of issues
9:00-11:30  Discussion of specific points, including:
    1.NRC Regulatory Actions
    a. Imposition of new regulatory requirements based upon current 
regulations/compliance (design and licensing basis)
    b. Emergent technical/regulatory issues
    c. Safety significance
    d. Regulatory scope--within and outside of current regulatory 
requirements
    2. NRC use of voluntary industry initiatives ``. . . as an 
appropriate substitute for regulatory action.'' Industry initiatives 
and guidelines:
    a. Endorsed by NRC as acceptable means to meet the requirement of a 
regulation
    b. Endorsed by NRC as acceptable means for addressing an NRC issue 
or concern
    c. Not endorsed by NRC, but recognized as an acceptable means for 
addressing an NRC issue or concern
    d. Non-regulatory issues
    e. Licensee commitments
    f. Inspection and enforcement
    3. NRC credits industry action in implementing voluntary industry 
initiatives
    4. NEI's input to process development
11:30-11:45  Wrap-up discussion

    Location: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Headquarters, One 
White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852-2738, in 
Room O-8-B-4.
    Registration: No registration fee for meeting; however, 
notification of attendance is requested so that adequate space, etc., 
for the meeting can be arranged. Persons interested in additional 
information regarding, attending or participating in this meeting 
should notify C. E. Carpenter, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, M/
S O-7-D-4, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC, 20555-
0001, 301-415-2169, email [email protected].
    Solicitation of Comments from Stakeholders: The NRC staff is 
soliciting additional stakeholder comments from interested parties on 
both the technical and regulatory aspects related to the development of 
guidelines to allow the drafting of a regulatory framework that 
supports the implementation of voluntary industry initiatives. The 
staff

[[Page 69575]]

requests that all such comments be forwarded to the below contact no 
later than January 30, 2000, for consideration in the final proposal 
that will be submitted for Commission approval by May 30, 2000. 
Comments submitted after this date will be considered if it is 
practical to do so, but assurance of consideration cannot be given 
except for comments received on or before this date.
    To Submit Comments: Submit written comments to C. E. Carpenter, 
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, M/S O-7-D-4, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC, 20555-0001, 301-415-2169, email 
[email protected]. Written comments may also be delivered to 11545 Rockville 
Pike, Rockville, Maryland, between 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Federal 
workdays. Copies of written comments received may be examined at the 
NRC Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW (Lower Level), Washington, 
DC.
    Contact: C. E. Carpenter, 301-415-2169, email [email protected].

    Dated at Rockville, MD this 3rd day of December, 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Jack R. Strosnider,
Director, Division of Engineering, Office of Nuclear Reactor 
Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-32190 Filed 12-10-99; 8:45 am]
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