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# Privacy Policy and Security Notice

Thank you for visiting the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) Web site and reviewing our privacy policy. This is how we handle information about your visit to our site. The information we receive depends on what you do here.

On this page:
        - Information Collected and Stored Automatically
        - Use and Privacy of Information Submitted
        - Protection of Submitted Information from Public Disclosure
        - Children's Privacy
        - Use of Cookies
        - Use of Social Media 
        - Linking to Other Web Sites
        - Security
        - Privacy Impact Assessments Performed
        - Use of Web Measurement and Customization Technologies
        - NRC Plan to Eliminate the Unnecessary Collection and Use of Social Security Numbers
        - NRC Personally Identifiable Information Breach Notification Policy

## Information Collected and Stored Automatically

This website uses Google Analytics Premium. Please refer to the following policies on Google's website for more information:
        - Google's main privacy policy
        - Cookies & Google Analytics on Websites
        - Opt out of Google Analytics Cookies

When you visit our site, we automatically collect and store the following information about your visit:
        - The IP address (a number that is automatically assigned to your computer when you are using the Internet) from which you access our Web site;
        - The pages you visit; and
        - The date and time you access our site.

For site management, NRC maintains an operational log of site user addresses. This log is used to generate site usage statistics, track operational problems, and investigate suspected unauthorized activities. Information in this log about individual users is shared only with appropriate law enforcement entities, if necessary, to investigate or prosecute unlawful activities conducted on or against this site.

NRC is connected to the internet through one of the General Services Administration's vendor managed services which is fully compliant with the Trusted Internet Connection Initiative (Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) November 20, 2007, Memorandum M-08-05, “Implementation of Trusted Internet Connection.”)

## Use and Privacy of Information Submitted

## Submissions Are Voluntary

Information you submit through this Web site is voluntary, unless otherwise stated at the point of submission.

## Public Disclosure of Submitted Information

Your submissions **may** be made public unless, at the point of collection, we have stated the information will be maintained in an NRC Privacy Act system of records or unless you seek protection of the information under Section 2.390 of Title 10 of the *Code of Federal Regulations* (Public inspections, exemptions, requests for withholding).

If you send us an e-mail or online form that includes personally identifiable information (for example, your home e-mail address, home mailing address, or home telephone or personal cellular telephone number), your information will be used for the purposes described at the point of collection, such as to send information to you, or to respond to your questions or comments. Your submission may also be shared with other NRC offices to fully respond to your request or comment. Your submission, including personal information, may be shared, too, with other Federal or State agencies, the Congress, NRC licensees, or others, if necessary, to address matters raised in your submission.

Any comments submitted to the NRC will generally be made public, including any personally identifiable information included in a submission. Unless excluded pursuant to an order of the Commission, an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, or a Presiding Officer, documents submitted in adjudicatory proceedings will appear in NRC's Electronic Hearing Docket that is available to the public. Therefore, hearing participants should not include personal privacy information, such as social security numbers and dates of birth, in their filings.

## Protection of Submitted Information from Public Disclosure

## A. NRC Privacy Act System of Records

If any personal information you provide will be maintained in an NRC Privacy Act system of records you will be notified at the point of collection, through a Privacy Act statement, of the following: which system of records the information will be maintained in; the authority for and purpose of the system; statutorily-mandated disclosures and authorized routine uses; and the safeguards of the information, subject to the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a). The Privacy Act statement will also inform you whether providing information is mandatory or voluntary and the effects of not providing all or any part of the requested information. Information on NRC's Privacy Act regulations can be found at Part 9, Subpart B of Title 10 of the *Code of Federal Regulations*.

## B. Section 2.390 Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding

Under Section 2.390 of Title 10 of the *Code of Federal Regulations* NRC may make submissions of information to the NRC publicly available unless the submitter specifically requests the agency not to do so. To withhold information from public disclosure on the grounds that it contains trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential, an affidavit justifying the request to withhold information from public disclosure must accompany the submitted information, and the information must be appropriately marked.  Section 2.390 provides additional details regarding these requirements.

We do not sell any personal information to third parties.

## Retention and Disposal of Information Submitted at this Site

Retention and disposal of electronically submitted information depend on the subject matter and are handled according to the principles of the Federal Records Act and the regulations and records schedules approved by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

## Children's Privacy

We do not solicit information from children. If teachers or parents have questions or comments, they should contact an NRC Public Affairs Officer.

## Use of Cookies

"Cookies" are small bits of text that are used either for the length of a visit ("session cookies") or saved on a user's hard drive to identify that user, or information about that user, the next time the user logs on to a Web site ("persistent cookies"). We use "session cookies" as place-keepers to retain context during an individual user session. They assist with movement throughout the site during that visit without any capacity to track users over time and across different Web sites. Session cookies are deleted at the end of a visit or they expire in a short time. We do not use persistent cookies or other persistent tracking technologies at this Web site except for users of our site search and users who are prompted to take our site survey. The sole purpose of the site survey cookie is to reduce the frequency at which the survey is presented, thereby minimizing the effect of the survey on the user's experience at our site. You may disable cookies in the Web browser's preferences menu without affecting your ability to perform this type of search or complete the survey. Refer to your browser's preferences for more information on disabling cookies.

## Use of Social Media

NRC's use of third party social media services enables the NRC to conduct its Open Government activities in new and innovative ways, while complying with applicable laws, policies and regulations. The use of social media represents a strategic communication mechanism to help the NRC expand outreach efforts to engage new audiences and enable two-way dialogue with the public. These tools will be used to help individuals and organizations better understand the NRC's mission, roles, responsibilities, actions, and policies as well as provide them with more easily accessible information on specific topics of interest. NRC will not collect or solicit personally identifiable information (PII) through these outlets, but may occasionally come into contact with unsolicited PII due to circumstances beyond our control. As a result, NRC reserves the right to moderate or remove comments that offer PII. To protect your privacy, do not include PII in your comments or responses. Social media platforms currently being used by the NRC:

## Linking to Other Web Sites

The NRC Web site includes hypertext links to information created and maintained by other agencies and organizations.  NRC provides these links solely for your information and convenience. When you select a link to an outside Web site, you are leaving the NRC site and are subject to the privacy and security policies of the owners/sponsors of the outside Web site.
        - The NRC does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness of information contained on a linked Web site.
        - The NRC does not endorse the organizations sponsoring linked Web sites and we do not endorse the views they express or the products/services they offer.
        - The NRC does not and cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked Web sites.  Users must request such authorization from the sponsor of the linked Web site.
        - The NRC is not responsible for transmissions users receive from linked Web sites.
        - The NRC does not guarantee that outside Web sites comply with the requirements of Section 508 (Accessibility Requirements) of the Rehabilitation Act.

## Security

For site security purposes and to ensure that this site remains available to all users, NRC employs software programs that monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information or to otherwise cause damage. Unauthorized attempts to upload information or change information on this server are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under Federal law (see Section 1030 of Title 18 of the United States Code).

Except for authorized law enforcement investigations and the gathering of site usage statistics, no other attempts are made to identify individual users or their usage habits. Raw data logs are used for no other purposes and are scheduled for regular destruction in accordance with guidelines approved by NARA.

## Privacy Impact Assessments Performed

Access our Privacy Impact Assessment page for assessments made by NRC before developing or procuring information technology (IT) that collects, maintains, or disseminates personal information in identifiable form about members of the public.

## Use of Web Measurement and Customization Technologies

NRC uses a Web measurement survey to provide visitors to its Web site the opportunity to engage with NRC by sharing feedback on their Web site visit experience. This feedback is used to assess and inform continuous improvement efforts. Tier 1 – Single session cookie technology is used. This technology “remembers” the online interactions within a single session or visit to a single Web site; they let our server know that a person is continuing a visit to our site and connect the person's activities for analysis. Any information related to a particular visit to the Web site is deleted from the person's computer immediately after the session. Ratings are collected from Web site visitors about their experiences on the Web site, for example, the ease of navigation, look and feel of the design, ability to find what the visitor is looking for, overall satisfaction with the Web site and whether the visitor would recommend the Web site to others. Additional questions of a descriptive nature are sometimes asked to aid in understanding the interests and needs of Web site visitors. The information is used by those managing the Web site and agency communications efforts to assess and inform continuous improvement efforts, to track progress over time, and, where appropriate, understand how the specific Web site is rated compared to other similar Web sites among federal agencies or among companies in the private sector. Information is aggregated for analysis and reporting purposes and provided to managers of the Web site and to those involved in agency communications efforts. No personally identifiable information is collected and ratings are only reported in the aggregate. Web site visitor ratings are retained in the aggregate for the life of the measurement to facilitate tracking change/improvement over time. The Web measurement survey is offered randomly to Web site visitors. By offering the survey randomly, the results can be generalized to the population of visitors to the Web site. Those managing the Web site decide whether the random survey is offered *during* or *immediately after* the Web site visitor's experience on the site. Web site visitors who do not wish to participate in the survey may opt out simply by closing the dialogue box in which the invitation to take the survey appears. Completing the survey is entirely voluntary. Web site visitors who opt out of completing the survey are still able to access all the information or services provided on the Web site. The Web measurement survey data is collected via a third-party provider (ForeSee Results) using an OMB cleared survey.

## NRC Plan to Eliminate the Unnecessary Collection and Use of Social Security Numbers

In response to the OMB May 22, 2007, memorandum (M-07-16), "Safeguarding Against and Responding to the Breach of Personally Identifiable Information," the NRC established a plan (ML072270611) to eliminate the unnecessary collection and use of the Social Security number (SSN) by November 22, 2008, in compliance with OMB's eighteen month time frame. All actions identified in the plan have been completed. To build on the efforts identified in its plan, the NRC continues to implement actions to identify and eliminate or reduce the unnecessary collection and use of all personally identifiable information, which includes the SSN.

## NRC Personally Identifiable Information Breach Notification Policy

In accordance with established policy, the NRC actively protects personally identifiable information from access by, or disclosure to, unauthorized individuals. The purpose of the NRC Personally Identifiable Information Breach Notification Policy is to reiterate policy and establish standardized response and notification procedures for breaches of that policy. In the event of a breach in PII security requirements, agency personnel are to comply with the specified procedures for response and notice to affected individuals, other Federal agencies, and the media, as appropriate. These policies and procedures govern breaches by agency personnel that may result in unauthorized access, either internal or external to the NRC, whether involving electronic systems or paper documents. For more details, please see ML14036A058.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, October 19, 2022

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Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, October 19, 2022