[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 7, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 32198]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-15950]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2009-0279]


Solicitation for Public Comment on Potential Changes to the 
Agency's Radiation Protection Regulations

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Solicitation of Public Comment.

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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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7a281f1d4e080a3a140819541d150c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6a380f0d5e181a2a041809440d051c">[email protected]</span></a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Donald Cool, telephone (301) 415-
6347, e-mail, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#02466d6c636e662c416d6d6e426c70612c656d74"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e1a58e8f808d85cfa28e8e8da18f9382cf868e97">[email protected]</span></a> or Dr. Kimyata Morgan Butler, 
telephone (301) 415-0733, e-mail, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1f547672667e6b7e3152706d787e715d6a6b737a6d5f716d7c31787069"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1e557773677f6a7f3053716c797f705c6b6a727b6c5e706c7d30797168">[email protected]</span></a> 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


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