A Guide to Open 

Commission 

Meetings

Welcome to NRC Open Commission Meetings

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is 

committed to conducting its business in an open and 

transparent way. One way this is done is through 

public Commission meetings, when the Commission 

hears from NRC staff and invited panelists, and 

discusses issues of significant interest to the 

Commission, stakeholders, and members of the 

public. The NRC has five Commissioners, each 

of whom has an equal vote. The Chairman has 

additional administrative responsibilities that include 

being the spokesperson for the Commission and 

chairing the meetings.

About 50 Commission meetings take place each year 

in the NRC’s headquarters building in Rockville, MD. 

During these meetings, the Commission is briefed on 

various topics. There is often considerable discussion 

during the meetings. NRC staff and invited panelists 

brief the Commission, and the Commissioners 

question the presenters and talk with one another 

as they deliberate on the issues before them. They 

frequently assume an advocacy or opposition role 

to stimulate conversation, and their remarks do not 

necessarily reflect their official views. 

We hope this guide will help you understand what 

takes place during Commission meetings.

Commission Hearing Room

One White Flint North

11555 Rockville Pike

Rockville, MD

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20555-0001

NUREG/BR-0128, Rev. 5

February 2016

Presenters
WHO IS AT THE TABLE?

COMMISSIONERS: The Chairman sits in the 

center. Other Commissioners sit to his or her left 

and right. 

GENERAL COUNSEL: The General Counsel 

sits at one end of the table and advises the 

Commissioners on legal matters that may arise. 

SECRETARY: The Secretary of the Commission 

sits at the other end of the table. The Secretary’s 

office coordinates the meetings and records 

Commission decisions for public (open) and 

closed meetings. 

NRC STAFF: NRC staff members briefing the 

Commission sit at the table across from the 

Commission. Supporting staff are seated 

behind the briefers to assist them as needed. 

Questions raised by the Commission are 

referred to appropriate staff members. The 

Executive Director for Operations, who is the 

chief executive officer of the staff and the 

Commission’s agent in directing and coordinating 

staff activities, sometimes briefs the Commission 

as well. When that occurs, he or she sits at 

the center of the table directly across from the 

Chairman. 

STAKEHOLDERS: Outside individuals who have 

shown interest in a particular meeting topic 

and could assist the Commission in making its 

decisions are often invited to give presentations 

at Commission meetings. Examples include 

officials from other Federal agencies, States 

and local communities, Tribal Governments, as 

well as subject matter experts, representatives 

from organizations, industry representatives, and 

individuals who represent a broad spectrum of 

views and perspectives. 

CONDUCT IN THE HEARING ROOM 

So that the business of the Commission can be administered 

in a fair and orderly fashion, a few standards have been 

established for behavior in the Commission Hearing Room:

a. The public may observe, but members of the public are 

not allowed to participate in Commission meetings unless 

specifically requested to participate by the Commission in 

advance of the meeting. According to Federal regulation 

(41 CFR 102-74.390) disorderly conduct or other conduct 

that creates loud or unusual noise or a nuisance, impedes 

or disrupts the performance of official duties by the 

Commission or its staff, or interferes with the orderly 

conduct of the scheduled presentations, may result in 

expulsion from the meeting room.

b. All signs, banners, posters, etc., smaller than 18 inches 

square are permitted, but cannot be waved, held over 

one’s head, or generally moved about while in the 

meeting room. Signs, banners, or posters larger than 

18 inches square are not permitted in the meeting room, 

as they can be disruptive to the participants and the 

audience. Additionally, signs, banners, posters, etc., 

affixed to any sticks, poles, or other similar devices are 

not permitted in the meeting room.

c. Eating, drinking, or smoking is prohibited in the 

Commission Hearing Room.

d. Members of the public may record the meetings from 

their seats with a battery-operated device. They may also 

film, photograph, or videotape meetings using cameras 

in designated fixed positions without additional lighting. 

Filming by the media is coordinated in advance with the 

NRC Office of Public Affairs, 301-415-8200.

Copies of slides and other materials used in the 

presentations are available at the meeting room entrances 

and are generally available about 5 business days in 

advance of the meeting on the NRC public Web site (www.

nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/commission/tr/). They 

are also available about 48 hours after the meeting through 

ADAMS and through the NRC’s Public Document Room. In 

some instances, the Commission will make the principal 

staff papers available before the meeting through ADAMS 

and the NRC’s public Web site. 

HOW TO FIND OUT ABOUT MEETINGS

ANNOUNCING MEETINGS: A listing of 6 weeks of 

Commission meetings is published each week in the 

Federal Register and posted on the NRC’s public Web 

site (www.nrc.gov/public-involve/public-meetings/

schedule.html). The announcements include the 

time, place, and subject matter of the meeting, and 

give the contact name and telephone number. Public 

Commission meetings are also listed on the public 

meeting schedule (meetings.nrc.gov/pmns/mtg). If an 

unanticipated meeting is required, the NRC issues an 

announcement as soon as possible. 

OPEN AND CLOSED MEETINGS: Members of 

the public are welcome to attend and observe all 

Commission meetings, with some exceptions. There 

are 10 exceptions to an open meeting rule specified 

in the Sunshine Act. The NRC generally will close 

meetings for these reasons/exemptions: classified 

information, internal personnel matters, information 

that is exempted by statute, trade secrets, personal 

privacy, investigatory records, or adjudicatory matters. 

IF YOU CAN’T ATTEND IN PERSON: Most open 

Commission meetings can be viewed through the 

NRC public Web site (www.nrc.gov), while the 

meeting is actually taking place (live webcasting with 

closed captioning), and they are also archived for 

viewing at a later date. Transcripts of open meetings 

are posted on the NRC’s public Web site and are 

also available to the public through the NRC’s online 

document system (Agencywide Documents Access 

and Management System (ADAMS)), and the NRC’s 

Public Document Room.

WHAT HAPPENS AT MEETINGS

DIRECTION TO STAFF: The Chairman may 

summarize the issues discussed in the meeting 

and, in coordination with the Commissioners, direct 

certain action, issue instructions to the staff, or direct 

the staff to submit additional data at some later date. 

AFFIRMATION SESSIONS: The Secretary describes 

the item on which formal voting is to take place, 

noting the position taken by the Commission. The 

Commissioners affirm their votes on final rules and 

orders. Votes are recorded by the Secretary and 

included in staff requirements memoranda, which are 

the official minutes of the meeting. 

SECURITY REQUIREMENTS: All visitors are screened 

through metal detectors, and their packages are 

x-rayed. All visitors age 18 and older are required to 

present a valid government picture identification card. 

The NRC provides reasonable accommodation to

participate in these public meetings to individuals

with disabilities. Please notify Kimberly Meyer,

NRC Disability Program Manager, at 301-287-0739,

by videophone at 240-428-3217, or by e-mail at

Kimberly.Meyer-Chambers@nrc.gov.

LEGAL CITATIONS: 

a. Government in the Sunshine Act 5 U.S.C 552B. 

b. NRC Rules of Regulations Title 10, Code of Federal 

Regulations, which includes sections 9.100-

9.109, NRC’s Government in the Sunshine Act 

Regulations.

c. General Services Administration Rules, 

41 CFR 102-74.390. 

For more information about the Commission and its 

work, visit the NRC Web site at www.nrc.gov or visit 

the Public Document Room, which is adjacent to the 

Commission Hearing Room, First Floor, One White 

Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD.