NRC SEEKS INPUT ON OPEN GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE 

 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is asking the public for input on what information or 

data would be useful for the agency to publish online and what transparency, public participation 

and collaboration improvements NRC should consider in developing its Open Government Plan. 

Although the agency has a longstanding commitment to openness and transparency in conducting 

its business, it is taking this opportunity to expand and strengthen that commitment in serving the 

public and to support the Office of Management and Budget’s Open Government Directive. 

 The Directive, issued Dec. 8, helps implement the President’s Jan. 21 memorandum on 

transparency and open government. It calls for federal agencies to address four objectives for 

creating a more open government: 1) publish government information online, 2) improve the 

quality of government information available to the public, 3) create and institutionalize a culture of 

open government, and 4) create an enabling policy framework for open government. According to 

the Directive, each agency will also develop and publish an Open Government Plan that describes 

how the agency will improve transparency and integrate public participation and collaboration into 

its activities. The Plan is to have at least one specific, new “flagship” initiative as well as extensive 

public and employee engagement in the Plan’s formulation. 

 

 "Our mission of ensuring public health and safety and protecting the environment is best 

served by promoting public participation, providing high-quality and timely information, making 

decisions in a transparent manner, and building accountability into everything we do,” said NRC 

Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko. “Accordingly, we welcome this initiative and are committed to 

continuous improvement in our responsiveness, our communications, and our public engagement.” 

 The Directive is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/open/documents/open-governmentdirective. 

 As one of its initial steps, the NRC will launch an Open Government Web page on its site at: 

http://www.nrc.gov/open by Feb. 6, 2010, to serve as the gateway for agency activities related to the 

Open Government Directive. Through this Web page, the public will have an opportunity to provide 

input to the agency’s Open Government Plan as well as other open-government matters. 

 

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 

Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 

E-mail: opa.resource@nrc.gov

Site: http://www.nrc.gov

No. 10-007 January 11, 2010
 Because the Directive’s terms ask agencies to publish “high value” data by Jan. 22, 2010, 

comments on that topic should be submitted as soon as possible. However, late comments may be 

considered for additional data that NRC may publish at a later date. Comments pertaining to NRC’s 

Open Government Plan may be submitted either before or after the plan that is to be published by 

April 7. 

 The public may view the NRC Federal Register notice at: http://www.nrc.gov/readingrm/doc-collections/fedreg/notices/2010.html where there is detailed information on this initiative 

and how to submit comments. 

 Comments may be submitted electronically through the www.regulations.gov Web site 

using Docket ID: NRC-2010-0003; in writing to Michael T. Lesar, Chief, Rulemaking and 

Directives Branch, Administrative Services, Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 

Commission, Mail Stop TWB-05-B01M, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001; or by fax to (301) 492-

3446. Questions regarding the Open Government initiative’s implementation at NRC should be 

directed to James B. Schaeffer, (301) 415-7330, james.schaeffer@nrc.gov. 

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