Document Headings

                    Document headings vary by document type but may contain                    the following:                  
                -                       the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document                    
                -                       the number of the CFR title and the number of each part                      the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly                      related to                    
                -                       the agency docket number / agency internal file number                    
                -                       the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in                      the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory                      Actions                    

                    See the                                          Document Drafting Handbook                                        for more details.                  

###### Nuclear Regulatory Commission

          - [NRC-2009-0279]

# AGENCY:

Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

# ACTION:

Solicitation of Public Comment.

# SUMMARY:

                        The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is seeking public comment on potential changes to the NRC's current radiation protection regulations to achieve greater alignment between the regulations and the 2007 recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) contained in ICRP Publication 103. Stakeholders and the public are encouraged to submit comments concerning potential impacts, burdens, benefits, and concerns electronically to                         *http://www.regulations.gov.*

## Background

ICRP Publication 103 (December 2007) contains the latest in a series of revised ICRP recommendations for radiation protection. On December 18, 2008, the NRC staff provided a Policy Issue Notation Vote Paper (SECY-08-0197) to the Commission which presented the regulatory options of moving, or not moving, towards a greater degree of alignment of the NRC regulatory framework with ICRP Publication 103. In a Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM) dated April 2, 2009, the Commission approved the staff's recommendation to begin engagement with stakeholders and interested parties to initiate development of the technical basis for possible revision of the NRC's radiation protection regulations, as appropriate and where scientifically justified, to achieve greater alignment with the recommendations in ICRP Publication 103.

## Discussion

The Commission believes that the current NRC regulatory framework continues to provide adequate protection of health and safety of workers, the public, and the environment. From a safety regulation perspective, ICRP Publication 103 proposes measures that go beyond what the NRC believes are needed to provide adequate protection. In order to ensure that the NRC is well informed of all the benefits and burdens associated with further alignment of NRC's current radiation protection regulations with ICRP Publication 103, the NRC is soliciting input from stakeholders and interested parties on the technical and regulatory issues associated with such changes. The NRC will utilize this feedback in developing the appropriate technical basis for any proposed rulemaking.

An overview of possible changes to both material and reactor-based radiation protection regulations is provided in SECY-08-0197, which is publically available in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) under accession No. ML083360582. The SRM to SECY-08-0197 is also publically available in ADAMS under accession No. ML090920103. In addition, stakeholders and interested parties may introduce other options, issues, and information for the NRC's consideration.

                        In an effort to facilitate public involvement, the staff will give presentations at a number of radiation protection related conferences and meetings including the Society of Nuclear Medicine Annual Meeting (July 13-17, 2009; Toronto, Canada), Fuel Cycle Information Exchange (June 23-25, 2009), and the Health Physics Society Annual Meeting (July 12-16, 2009); In addition, a Web site dedicated to the potential changes to the NRC's radiation protection regulations is available at                         *http://www.nrc.gov/​about-nrc/​regulatory/​rulemaking/​opt-revise.html.*                         Please submit any comments or questions by March 31, 2010 to                         *Regulations.gov*                         or                         *Reg4rp@nrc.gov.*

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

                        Dr. Donald Cool, telephone (301) 415-6347, e-mail,                         *Donald.Cool@nrc.gov*                         or Dr. Kimyata Morgan Butler, telephone (301) 415-0733, e-mail,                         *Kimyata.MorganButler@nrc.gov*                         of the Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.                    

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 25th day of June 2009.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Mark R. Shaffer,

Director, Division of Intergovernmental Liaison and  Rulemaking, Office of Federal and State Materials  and Environmental Management Programs.  

[FR Doc. E9-15950 Filed 7-6-09; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590-01-P