NRC SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT ON PROMPT REMEDIATION OF RADIOACTIV

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NRC SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT ON PROMPT REMEDIATION OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION; WEBINAR TO BE HELD JULY 25
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking public input on a potential rulemaking to require prompt remediation of radioactive contamination during licensed operation of nuclear reactors and materials facilities. The agency will hold a public Webinar July 25 to facilitate thepublic’s interaction and discussion of these issues.The Webinar will be held from 1-5 p.m. on July 25. Participants will be able to view presentation slides prepared by NRC staff and submit comments and questions over the Internetand by teleconference. Instructions on how to register for and access the Webinar are contained in a Public Meeting Notice on the NRC’s Public Meeting Schedule page. Additional information on the Webinar, including a list of specific questions and how to submit comments was published July 18 in the Federal Register. The NRC recently published its final Decommissioning Planning Rule, which requires licensees to operate in a way to minimize spills, leaks, and other unplanned releases of radioactive contaminants into the environment. It also requires licensees to check periodically forradiological contamination throughout the site, including subsurface soil and groundwater. However, the Decommissioning Planning Rule does not require licensees to remediate radiological contamination during operations.To facilitate discussions, the NRC staff has developed a draft proposed technical basis outlining its preferred approach to the potential rulemaking to require prompt remediation. This document was included as part of the public meeting notice. It is also available in the NRC’s ADAMS online database by searching for ML111580353.The staff’s preferred approach would require licensees to promptly remediate radioactivespills and leaks when certain threshold limits are reached. Licensees could delay remediation under certain conditions, after performing analyses such as a dose assessment, risk assessments and/or cost-benefits analyses for the NRC’s review.NRC NEWSU.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONOffice of Public AffairsTelephone: 301/415-8200Washington, D.C. 20555-0001E-mail: opa.resource@nrc.gov Site: www.nrc.govBlog: http://public-blog.nrc-gateway.govNo. 11-133July 20, 2011
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Public comments will be accepted through Sept. 16. They may be submitted over thefederal rulemaking website at www.regulations.gov; by mail to Cindy Bladey, Chief, Rules, Announcements, and Directives Branch (RADB), Office of Administration, Mail Stop TWB-05-B01M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; or by faxto 301-492-3446.###