[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 200 (Thursday, October 16, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59643-59644]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-26135]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste; Procedures for Meetings

Background

    This notice describes procedures to be followed with respect to 
meetings conducted pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act by 
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) Advisory Committee on 
Nuclear Waste (ACNW). These procedures are set forth so that they may 
be incorporated by reference in future notices for individual meetings.
    The ACNW advises the NRC on technical issues related to nuclear 
materials and waste management. The bases of ACNW reviews include 10 
CFR parts 20, 60, 61, 63, 70, 71, and 72 and other applicable 
regulations and legislative mandates, such as the Nuclear Waste Policy 
Act as amended, the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act and 
amendments, and the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act, as 
amended. The Committee's reports become a part of the public record.
    The ACNW meetings are normally open to the public and provide 
opportunities for oral or written statements from members of the public 
to be considered as part of the Committee's information gathering 
process. The meetings are not adjudicatory hearings such as those 
conducted by the NRC's Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel as part 
of the Commission's licensing process. ACNW meetings are conducted in 
accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

General Rules Regarding ACNW Meetings

    An agenda is published in the Federal Register for each full 
Committee meeting and is available on the Internet at http://www.nrc.gov/ACRSACNW. There may be a need to make changes to the agenda 
to facilitate the conduct of the meeting. The Chairman of the Committee 
is empowered to conduct the meeting in a manner that, in his/her 
judgment, will facilitate the orderly conduct of business, including 
making provisions to continue the discussion of matters not completed 
on the scheduled day during another meeting. Persons planning to attend 
a meeting may contact the Designated Federal Official (DFO) specified 
in the individual Federal Register notice prior to the meeting to be 
advised of any changes to the agenda that may have occurred.
    The following requirements shall apply to public participation in 
ACNW meetings:
    (a) Persons who plan to make oral statements and/or submit written 
comments at the meeting should provide 35 copies to the DFO at the 
beginning of the meeting. Persons who cannot attend the meeting but 
wishing to submit written comments regarding the agenda items may do so 
by sending a readily reproducible copy addressed to the DFO specified 
in the Federal Register notice for the individual meeting in care of 
the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. Comments should be in the 
possession of the DFO prior to the meeting to allow time for 
reproduction and distribution. Comments should be limited to topics 
being considered by the Committee.
    (b) Persons desiring to make oral statements at the meeting should 
make a request to do so to the DFO. If possible, the request should be 
made five days before the meeting, identifying the topics to be 
discussed and the amount of time needed for presentation so that 
orderly arrangements can be made. The Committee will hear oral 
statements on topics being reviewed at an appropriate time during the 
meeting as scheduled by the Chairman.
    (c) Information regarding topics to be discussed, changes to the 
agenda, whether the meeting has been canceled or rescheduled, and the 
time allotted to present oral statements can be obtained by contacting 
the DFO specified in the individual Federal Register notice.
    (d) The use of still, motion picture, and television cameras will 
be permitted at the discretion of the Chairman and subject to the 
condition that the physical installation and presence of such equipment 
will not interfere with the conduct of the meeting. The DFO will have 
to be notified prior to the meeting and will authorize the installation 
or use of such equipment after consultation with the Chairman. The use 
of such equipment will be restricted as is necessary to protect 
proprietary or privileged information that may be in documents, 
folders, etc., in the meeting room. Electronic recordings will be 
permitted only during those portions of the meeting that are open to 
the public.
    (e) A transcript is kept for certain open portions of the meeting 
and will be available in the NRC Public Document Room (PDR), One White 
Flint North, Room O-1F21, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852-
2738. ACNW meeting agenda, transcripts, and letter reports are 
available through the NRC

[[Page 59644]]

Public Document Room at [email protected], by calling the PDR at 1-800-394-
4209, or from the Publicly Available Records System (PARS) component of 
NRC's document system (ADAMS) which is accessible from the NRC Web site 
at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html or http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/. A copy of the certified minutes of the 
meeting will be available at the same location up to three months 
following the meeting. Copies may be obtained upon payment of 
appropriate reproduction charges.
    (f) Video teleconferencing service is available for observing open 
sessions of some ACNW meetings. Those wishing to use this service for 
observing ACNW meetings should contact Mr. Theron Brown, ACNW Audio 
Visual Technician, (301-415-8066) between 7:30 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. 
eastern time at least 10 days before the meeting to ensure the 
availability of this service. Individuals or organizations requesting 
this service will be responsible for telephone line charges and for 
providing the equipment and facilities that they use to establish the 
video teleconferencing link. The availability of video teleconferencing 
services is not guaranteed.

ACNW Working Group Meetings

    From time to time the ACNW may sponsor an in-depth meeting on a 
specific technical issue to understand staff expectations and review 
work in progress. Such meetings are called Working Group meetings. 
These Working Group meetings will also be conducted in accordance with 
these procedures noted above for the ACNW meeting, as appropriate. When 
Working Group meetings are held at locations other than at NRC 
facilities, reproduction facilities may not be available at a 
reasonable cost. Accordingly, 25 additional copies of the materials to 
be used during the meeting should be provided for distribution at such 
meetings.

Special Provisions When Proprietary Sessions Are To Be Held

    If it is necessary to hold closed sessions for the purpose of 
discussing matters involving proprietary information, persons with 
agreements permitting access to such information may attend those 
portions of the ACNW meetings where this material is being discussed 
upon confirmation that such agreements are effective and related to the 
material being discussed.
    The DFO should be informed of such an agreement at least five 
working days prior to the meeting so that it can be confirmed, and a 
determination can be made regarding the applicability of the agreement 
to the material that will be discussed during the meeting. The minimum 
information provided should include information regarding the date of 
the agreement, the scope of material included in the agreement, the 
project or projects involved, and the names and titles of the persons 
signing the agreement. Additional information may be requested to 
identify the specific agreement involved. A copy of the executed 
agreement should be provided to the DFO prior to the beginning of the 
meeting for admittance to the closed session.

    Dated: October 9, 2003.
Andrew L. Bates,
Advisory Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-26135 Filed 10-15-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P