[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 33 (Friday, February 16, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10762-10763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-3825]


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

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Public Workshop on Risk-Informed Regulation Implementation Plan 
(Reactor Safety Arena)

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of workshop.

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

SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will host a public 
workshop to provide an opportunity for a discussion of the NRC's Risk-
Informed Regulation Implementation Plan (RIRIP). The NRC issued a 
notice of availability and request for public comment on the RIRIP in 
the Federal Register on December 21, 2000. This workshop will focus on 
activities associated with regulating nuclear reactors.

DATES: The workshop will be held on Thursday, March 15, 2001 from 1:30 
p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Capital Hilton Hotel, 16th and K Streets, NW., Washington, 
DC 20036.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stewart Magruder, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555, telephone: (301) 415-3139, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NRC's 1995 policy statement on the use 
of probabilistic risk assessment provided the Commission's expectation 
on the use of risk information in its regulatory activities. The RIRIP 
provides guidance and describes the staff's plans for applying criteria 
to select regulatory requirements and practices to risk-inform, risk-
informing those requirements and practices, and developing the 
necessary data, methods, guidance, and training. The RIRIP is also 
intended to explain the agency's activities, philosophy, and approach 
to risk-informed regulatory policy to internal and external 
stakeholders. The RIRIP is available on the NRC web site at http://www.nrc.gov/RES/riskinfreg.htm.
    The purpose of this workshop is to discuss comments received in 
response to the December 21, 2000, notice in the Federal Register and 
to provide for an exchange of information with all stakeholders 
regarding the staff's efforts to risk-inform its regulatory 
requirements and practices. Although comments are welcome on the entire 
RIRIP, this workshop will focus on the implementation activities in the 
reactor safety arena portion of the RIRIP (Part 2, Chapter 1.)
    As noted in the December 21, 2000, feedback is especially requested 
on the following specific questions--
    1. Does the RIRIP include information activities that should not be 
undertaken? If so, why not?
    2. Does the RIRIP omit implementation activities that should be 
undertaken? Describe such activities and why they should be undertaken.
    3. How should the NRC measure its success in implementing risk-
informed regulation?
    4. Is the pace for implementing risk-informed regulation about 
right, or is it too fast or too slow?
    5. Are there concerns about the agency's ability to maintain safety 
while implementing risk-informed regulation? If so, describe the 
concerns and, if possible, their basis.
    6. How can risk-informed regulation increase public confidence?
    7. Are the screening criteria clear and sufficient? If applied 
properly, would they result in identifying those activities amenable 
for transition to risk-informed regulation?
    8. Will the implementation activities described in the RIRIP 
appropriately improve regulatory efficiency, effectiveness, and 
realism?
    9. Other than requests such as this for written comment and a 
public workshop, how can stakeholder participation in risk-informed 
regulation be enhanced?
    10. What communication activities would be desired to describe 
risk-informed regulation? What other interactions would be useful to 
provide

[[Page 10763]]

input to, and understanding of, risk-informed regulation?

Preliminary Agenda

1:30-2
    Introduction--purpose, agenda: NRC
2-3
    Presentations summarizing comments on RIRIP: Various Stakeholders
3-3:15
    Break
3:15-4:15
    Open discussion: All
4:15-4:30
    Closing Remarks/Adjourn: NRC

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 7th day of February 2001.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Cynthia A. Carpenter,
Chief, Generic Issues, Environmental, Financial and Rulemaking Branch, 
Division of Regulatory Improvement Programs, Office of Nuclear Reactor 
Regulation.
[FR Doc. 01-3825 Filed 2-15-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P