No. I-09-031 

Contact: Diane Screnci, 610/337-5330 

 Neil Sheehan, 610/337-5331 

May 27, 2009 

E-mail: opa1@nrc.gov

NRC, FEMA TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETINGS ON JUNE 2 IN KING OF PRUSSIA, PA., 

ON PROPOSAL TO AMEND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS 

Staff from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Federal Emergency 

Management Agency (FEMA) will conduct a pair of public meetings on Tuesday, June 2 in King 

of Prussia (Montgomery County), Pa., to provide information on a proposed agency rule that 

would change emergency preparedness requirements for operating nuclear power plants, for any 

that might be licensed and built in the future, and for research and test reactors. 

The meetings are scheduled for 2 to 4:30 p.m. and 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Park Ridge Hotel 

and Conference Center, 480 N. Gulph Road in King of Prussia. NRC representatives will discuss 

changes included in the proposed rule and in the supporting emergency preparedness program 

guidance. FEMA representatives will present information on a proposed supplement to a joint 

FEMA/NRC document that addresses criteria for preparing and evaluating emergency response 

plans for nuclear power plants, and on a draft revision of the Radiological Emergency 

Preparedness Program Manual. 

Developed over many years and with public inputs, the proposed NRC rule would limit 

the duties of a plant’s on-site emergency responders to ensure they are not overburdened during 

an emergency event, and require specific provisions to protect them and other plant personnel 

during a hostile action event. In addition, the proposed rule would require all nuclear power 

plants to incorporate hostile action security scenarios in their drills and exercises, which at 

present focus primarily on nuclear safety-related scenarios. New requirements for back-up 

measures for alerting and notification systems are also included in the proposed rule. 

Attendees are encouraged to read the documents associated with the proposed rule on 

http://www.regulations.gov (Docket Nos. NRC-2008-0122 and FEMA-2008-0022) prior to the 

meeting. The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on May 18. It can be viewed 

at: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-10947.pdf. 

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs, Region I 

475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406 

Site: http://www.nrc.gov
Comments on the proposed rule must be submitted by Aug. 3. Citizens can submit 

comments over the federal e-Rulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov; by e-mail to 

Rulemaking.Comments@nrc.gov; or by mail to Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 

Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001, ATTN: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff; or 

by fax to 301-492-3466. 

Interested members of the public unable to attend the meetings may participate via tollfree teleconference or webconferencing. For details, call Annette Stang at 1-800-368-5642 or 

send an e-mail to: Emergencypreparedness.resource@nrc.gov no later than May 28. 

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