The NRC weighs public input on plant cleanup standards

Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · Public Utilities Fortnightly; (United States)

OSTI ID:6235360

Simpson, J

In the wake of seven public [open quotes]work-shops[close quotes] held around the country over the past several months, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is preparing to develop radiological criteria for decommissioning nuclear power plants. The criteria will apply to plants that operate for their normal lifespan, those that shut down prematurely, as well as a range of other NRC-licensed facilities, including materials licensees, fuel reprocessing and fabrication plants, and independent spent fuel storage installations. The criteria have been years in the making, and their progress is being monitored closely by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which shares with the NRC the authority to regulate radiological hazards. Both agencies have made abortive attempts to promulgate standards in the past. The EPA's most recent proposal, dating from 1986, has yet to reach the final rule stage. The NCRC's 1990 policy statement, [open quotes]Below Regulatory Concern,[close quotes] was overturned by the Energy Policy Act of 1992, a setback that prompted the Commission's call for [open quotes]enhanced participatory rulemaking[close quotes]-a.k.a., public meetings-last December. In its Rulemaking Issues Paper, the NRC outlined for discussion four [open quotes]fundamental[close quotes] objectives as a basis for developing decommissioning criteria: (1) establishing limits above which the risks to the public are deemed [open quotes]unacceptable[close quotes]; (2) establishing [open quotes]goals[close quotes] below which the risks to the public are deemed [open quotes]trivial[close quotes]; (3) establishing criteria for what is achievable using the [open quotes]best available[close quotes] cleanup technology; and (4) removing all radioactivity attributable to plant activity. The NRC expects to publish a proposed rule and a draft generic environmental impact statement in April 1994; the final rule is scheduled for May 1995.

• OSTI ID: 6235360
• Journal Information: Public Utilities Fortnightly; (United States), Journal Name: Public Utilities Fortnightly; (United States) Vol. 131:13; ISSN PUFNAV; ISSN 0033-3808
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

056000* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Legislation & Regulations-- (1987-)
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290600 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
DECOMMISSIONING
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
MATERIALS
MEETINGS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
POWER PLANTS
PUBLIC OPINION
RADIATION HAZARDS
REACTOR DECOMMISSIONING
REACTOR MATERIALS
REGULATIONS
REMEDIAL ACTION
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
US EPA
US NRC
US ORGANIZATIONS