NRC NEWS

 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 

 Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200

 Washington, DC 20555-0001 E-mail: opa@nrc.gov 

 Web Site: www.nrc.gov

No. 02-093 August 22, 2002

NRC AMENDING RULES ON HOW LICENSEES, APPLICANTS AND MEMBERS OF

PUBLIC MAY SUBMIT DOCUMENTS ELECTRONICALLY

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is revising its rules on when and how licensees, applicants,

vendors and members of the public may submit documents electronically to the agency. The NRC is

modifying numerous provisions in its regulations to make clear it will accept electronic

communications, if they comply with agency guidance. 

The revised procedures provide for voluntary electronic submissions to the agency through such

means as CD-ROM, e-mail, and the agency’s Electronic Information Exchange (EIE). The EIE enables

the submission of documents electronically in a secure Web-based environment. However, the NRC

also will continue to accept paper documents. The NRC will conduct a public meeting to discuss its

proposal and guidance document on October 3 in the NRC Auditorium at Two White Flint North,

11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Md., from 8:30 a.m. until 12 noon. 

The NRC is seeking public comment on both the revised rule and the accompanying guidance

document, which explains how to submit documents to the agency electronically and identifies those

methods which may not be used. When the revised rule becomes effective, the new guidance document

will supersede the agency’s earlier guidance on electronic submissions, which included a Regulatory

Issues Summary that informed licensees regulated under Part 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations that

they may use the Electronic Information Exchange to submit electronically signed documents. The

revised rule also will supersede the August 10 letter of last year issued to certain fuel cycle facilities

providing them the option of electronic submissions. 

The revised rule and guidance do not address the submission of documents in hearings under

NRC regulations in Part 2 and other parts that govern hearings. However, the NRC is currently

conducting a pilot program for electronic filings in one adjudicatory proceeding. At the conclusion of

the program, the agency will seek public comment on a separate rule and guidance governing

procedures for electronic filings in adjudicatory proceedings. Until then, adjudicatory documents

submitted to the Atomic Safety and Licensing Boards will continue to be filed in paper, unless

electronic filing is authorized on a case-by-case basis. 

The rule will become effective 90 days after publication in the Federal Register, expected

shortly, unless significant adverse comments on the rule are received within 45 days after publication in
the Register. The NRC is publishing a direct final rule because it views this as a non-controversial

action and anticipates few, if any, significant adverse comments on the rule itself. The guidance

document the NRC is issuing as an appendix to the Federal Register Notice will be available on the

agency’s web site, at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/eie.html , by calling 301-415-6030, or via e-mail to

EIE@nrc.gov . 

Written comments may be mailed to the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,

Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff. Deliver comments to:

11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. on Federal workdays. 

Comments may also be submitted via the NRC’s interactive rulemaking Web site at

http://ruleforum.llnl.gov . For information about the interactive rulemaking site, contact Carol

Gallagher at 301-415-5905, or CAG@nrc.gov .

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