Enclosure 

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

Statement of Regulatory Priorities for Fiscal Year 2017 

 

I. Introduction 

Under the authority of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and the Energy 

Reorganization Act of 1974, as amended, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) 

regulates the possession and use of source, byproduct, and special nuclear material. Our 

regulatory mission is to license and regulate the Nation’s civilian use of byproduct, source, and 

special nuclear materials to ensure adequate protection of public health and safety, promote the 

common defense and security, and protect the environment. As part of our mission, we 

regulate the operation of nuclear power plants and fuel-cycle plants; the safeguarding of nuclear 

materials from theft and sabotage; the safe transport, storage, and disposal of radioactive 

materials and wastes; the decommissioning and safe release for other uses of licensed facilities 

that are no longer in operation; and the medical, industrial, and research applications of nuclear 

material. In addition, we license the import and export of radioactive materials. 

As part of our regulatory process, we routinely conduct comprehensive regulatory analyses that 

examine the costs and benefits of contemplated regulations. We have developed internal 

procedures and programs to ensure that we impose only necessary requirements on our 

licensees and to review existing regulations to determine whether the requirements imposed are 

still necessary. 

Our regulatory priorities for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 reflect our complex mission and will enable us 

to achieve our two strategic goals described in NUREG-1614, Volume 6, “Strategic Plan: Fiscal 

Years 2014–2018 (http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr1614/v6/): (1) 

to ensure the safe use of radioactive materials and (2) to ensure the secure use of radioactive 

materials. 

II. Regulatory Priorities 

This section contains information on some of our most important regulatory actions that we are 

considering issuing in proposed or final form during FY 2017. For additional information on 

these regulatory actions and on a broader spectrum of the NRC’s upcoming regulatory actions, 

see the NRC’s portion of the Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. 

A. Proposed Rules 

2015 Edition of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Code (RIN 3150-AJ74; 

NRC-2016-0082): This proposed rule would amend the NRC’s regulations to incorporate, by 

reference, the 2015 American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel 

Code and Code for Operation and Maintenance of nuclear power plants. 

Cyber Security for Fuel Facilities (RIN 3150-AJ64): This proposed rule would assure that 

NRC-licensed fuel cycle facilities provide reasonable assurance that digital assets associated 

with safety, security, emergency preparedness, and material control and accountability are 

adequately protected from cyber-attacks. 
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B. Final Rules 

Modified Small Quantities Protocol (SQP) (RIN 3150-AJ70): The final rule would amend the 

NRC’s regulations to ensure that the U.S. Government can meet its international obligations 

under INFCIRC/366 and the modified SQP. The NRC is responsible for ensuring compliance by 

the licensees in the U.S. Caribbean Territories. 

Performance-Based Emergency Core Cooling System Acceptance Criteria (RIN 3150-AH42; 

NRC-2008-0332): This final rule would amend the NRC’s regulations that specify the fuel 

cladding acceptance criteria for emergency core cooling system (ECCS) loss-of-coolant 

accidents (LOCA) evaluations. The ECCS acceptance criteria would be performance-based, 

and reflect recent research findings that identified new embrittlement mechanisms for fuel rods 

with zirconium alloy cladding under LOCA conditions. 

Enhanced Weapons, Firearms Background Checks, and Security Event Notifications (RIN 

3150-AI49; NRC-2008-0465, NRC-2011-0018): This final rule would amend the NRC’s 

regulations by implementing the authority in Section 161A of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as 

amended. The rule would enable access to enhanced weapons with associated firearms 

background checks at power reactor facilities, at-reactor Independent Spent Fuel Storage 

Installations, and Category I strategic special nuclear materials facilities. This final rule would 

also modify physical security event notification provisions for most classes of NRC licensees 

with physical security programs. 

Mitigation of Beyond Design Basis Events (RIN 3150-AJ49; NRC-2011-0189, NRC-2014-0240): 

This final rule would enhance mitigation strategies for nuclear power reactors for 

beyond-design-basis external events. 

Revision of Fee Schedules: Fee Recovery for FY 2017 (RIN 3150-AJ73; NRC-2016-0081): 

This final rule would amend the NRC’s fee schedules for licensing, inspection, and annual fees 

charged to its applicants and licensees.