NRC TO HOLD PUBLIC WORKSHOP ON POTENTIAL POLICY ISSUES RELATED TO 

NUCLEAR PLANT GROUNDWATER PROTECTION OCT. 4 IN ROCKVILLE, MD.

 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will host a public workshop Monday, Oct. 4, to hear 

from a variety of government, industry, academic and public experts to discuss potential policy 

issues and changes regarding NRC regulation of radioactive groundwater contamination at nuclear 

power plants. 

“We want to hear from external stakeholders before we determine whether there are policy 

changes needed for groundwater protection,” said Marty Virgilio, Deputy Executive Director for 

Reactor and Preparedness Programs. “Although the June 2010 Groundwater Task Force review 

determined the NRC is meeting its safety mission, we want to ensure that we have identified any 

policy issues that should be brought before the Commission.” 

Topics to be discussed at this workshop include: reassessing NRC’s regulatory framework, 

maintaining barriers as designed to confine licensed material, creating more reliable NRC responses 

and strengthening public trust. 

Recent incidents at several nuclear plants involving groundwater contamination have 

prompted plant owners and the NRC to look at the sources of the contamination. While the actions 

in each case have identified the sources and ensured that licensees correct problems, they have 

prompted the NRC to examine the adequacy of the actions and the agency’s regulatory framework. 

The workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Commission Hearing Room at the 

NRC Headquarters at 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Md. The meeting will be webcast and 

available by teleconference. The webcast can be viewed at the time of the meeting at: 

http://video.nrc.gov/live/ and the teleconference dial-in number is 800-369-2179 and the passcode is 

31690. All other questions should be directed to Barry Miller by email at Barry.Miller@nrc.gov or 

by phone at 301-415-4117. 

The meeting format will include a roundtable discussion by invited experts in an open 

forum. Each roundtable participant will have the opportunity to make a short presentation in their 

area of expertise followed by a facilitated open discussion. 

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. 10-172 September 29, 2010
The workshop will serve as a forum for members of the public to provide oral comments. 

Written comments will be accepted through Oct. 15. They may be submitted via the federal 

rulemaking website at www.Regulations.gov or by mail. All written comments should reference 

Docket ID NRC-2010-0302 and can be submitted to Cindy Bladey, Chief, Rules, Announcements 

and Directives Branch (RADB), Division of Administrative Services, Office of Administration, 

Mail Stop: TWB–05– B01M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, or 

by fax to RADB at (301) 492–3446. 

The document and public meeting agenda are available at this link: 

http://adamswebsearch2.nrc.gov/idmws/ViewDocByAccession.asp?AccessionNumber=ML102460

197. For more information about groundwater issues and documents visit the NRC website at 

http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/ops-experience/grndwtr-contam-tritium.html. 

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