NRC Comment Period for Revised Radioactive Materials Security Requirements Now Open

 


The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its regulations to establish security requirements for the use and transport of category 1 and category 2 quantities of radioactive material, which the NRC considers to be risk-significant and therefore to warrant additional protection.  The objective of this proposed rule is to provide reasonable assurance of preventing the theft or diversion of category 1 and category 2 quantities of radioactive material.  The proposed rule would affect any licensee that is authorized to possess category 1 or category 2 quantities of radioactive material and any licensee that transports these materials using ground transportation.

 

The announcement, proposed revision and discussion, where to send comments and other information can be found on the Federal Register home page at  < span style='color:#0040A1'>www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/inde x.html.  In the “2010 (Volume75) Only” search field, type in “10 CFR 37” and on the page that comes up, select Item # 2, “fr15jn10P Physical Protection of Byproduct Material”.    A copy of the Proposed Rules may be downloaded from the “NRC Proposed Rules” Page below.

 

 

NRC TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETINGS IN TEXAS AND MARYLAND ON PHYSICAL PROTECTION RULES FOR RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS

 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold two public meetings, in Austin, Texas, and Rockville, Md., to solicit public comment on draft guidance for implementing new security requirements for certain radioactive materials.

 

The first meeting will be held Sept. 1 at the Doubletree Hotel, 6505 Interstate Highway 35 North, in Austin. The second meeting will be Sept. 20 at the NRC Auditorium, Two White Flint North, 11545 Rockville Pike, in Rockville. Both meetings will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

Participants may join the Rockville meeting on Sept. 20 online at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/join/22130 5272 and by calling (888) 469-1280 (passcode 56389) for the audio.  Participants wishing to participate virtually are urged to contact Amanda Noonan in advance at (301) 415-2551 or amanda.no onan@nrc.gov to ensure that sufficient phone lines are available.

 

The NRC published proposed regulations for the physical protection of Category 1 and Category 2 radiation sources in the Federal Register on June 15. These sources, as categorized by the International Atomic Energy Agency, are considered the most risk-significant from a safety and a security standpoint. The public comment period for the proposed rule ends Oct. 13.

 

The agency published a notice of availability for the draft implementation guidance on July 14. The draft guidance is available through the NRC’s ADAMS online database at http://www.nrc.gov/reading- rm/adams/web-based.html by using accession number ML101470684, and can also be found at http://www.reg ulations.gov by searching on Docket ID: NRC-2010- 0194.

 

Additional information is contained in the pages below, including the comments from the Organization of Agreement States to the proposal.