Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: 5e2766ae-dd3b-4b1a-a6bb-48bde2dcbf97
Document Type: regulatory_guide
Title: Performance-Based Emergency Preparedness for Small Modular Reactors, Non-Light-Water Reactors, and Non-Power Production or Utilization Facilities
Source: NRC Regulatory Guide Division 1
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1808/ML18082A044.pdf
Revision Date: 2023-06
Chapter: 
Section ID: RG-1.242
CFR Part: 
CFR Title: 

Content:
State resources that have been developed since the 1970s are available for the intermediate and late phases of the response, whether or not actions are pre-planned in a specific area. Therefore, SMRs, non-LWRs, and NPUFs that choose to comply with 10 CFR 50.160 do not need an IPZ because there are additional resources available and there is a better understanding of the process and timing for identifying and removing radiologically contaminated goods from food chains. Nonetheless, State, local, and Tribal response organizations can issue precautionary actions to the public, such as to wash all produce from gardens or to use stored feed for livestock for those areas in the downwind direction of a release. State, local, and Tribal response organizations do not need completed analyses to make a precautionary recommendation to interdict food or put livestock on stored feed. States and Federal agencies frequently issue such precautionary actions for non-radiological contamination of foods. None of these precautionary actions require an IPZ. Background Discussion on EPA PAGs The performance-based approach to EP utilizes protective action guides (PAGs) as a consequence-based factor in establishing EPZ size. A PAG, as defined in the 2017 EPA PAG Manual (Ref. 16), is the projected dose to an individual from a release of radioactive material at which a specific protective action to reduce or avoid that dose is recommended. The performance-based approach to EP requires that the plume exposure pathway EPZ should be established as the area in which public dose is projected to exceed 10 mSv (1 rem) total effective dose equivalent (TEDE) over the first 96 hours from the release of radioactive materials from a spectrum of credible accidents for the facility. This is consistent with the 2017 EPA PAG Manual guidance that the duration of early phase protective actions would begin at the actual or projected start of a release and generally last up until four days (i.e., 96 hours).