ML19208C533
| ML19208C533 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/14/1979 |
| From: | Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Simpson A SENATE |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19208C534 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7909260569 | |
| Download: ML19208C533 (2) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES
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FUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION n
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WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 T/
September 14, 1979 OJA %
CHAIRMAN C o92
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.Th'e Honorable Alari K. Mmpson[D.:.i_..
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United States Senate --
Washington,' D. C.
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Dear Senator impson:
i Thank you for your letter of July 26, 1979 in which you provided us with the opportunity to coment on the Amendment to the NRC Authorization Bill which would require th Comission to include demographic requirements in its siting regulations for nuclear power plants. The substance of this Amend-ment appears now as Section 108 of S.562 as passed by the Senate on July 17, 1979.
Inasmuch as the Comission's Task Force on Siting Policy has only recently completed its report which addresses, among others, the subjects included in
.the Amendment, and the Comission has not had an opportunity to study fully the recomendations of the Task Force, we are unable to provide specific comments at this time.
I have enclosed a copy of this Task Force's report for your information.
We would, however, recomend that the prescribed time limitation on any such rule change be revised from 180 days for having a rule to 270 days for having a proposed rule after enactment of the Bill.
Within 270 days after enactment it would be possible to have a proposed regulation published for public comtnt.
It is most unlikely, however, that an effective rule could be put in place within the time. frame specified in the Amendment as now written. This is because major proposed rules would, in NRC practice, have
.a minimum coment period of 60 days.
For controversial rules such as this
'one, it is.likely that the coment period would be extended for an additional 30 to-45 days as a resdit of extensive public comment on the proposed rule, much of which.is technically complex.. All public coments received wou1d have to be examined carefully as part of the process by which the effective 7-~ ~_
. rule is fomulated. -In addition, such a proposed regulation would have to be assessed._for its potential. impact on the environment and may require the preparation of an environmental impact statement. L.astly, in what is likely to be a controversial rulemaking, sound public administration policy may require that a public hearing be held in order to assure meaningful and effective citizen participation in the decision. As you can see, the events described above would require a substantial staff effort and could very likely extend the period for promulgation of the final rule to two or three years.
P00aDRGiML 98CE7
The Honorable Alan K. Simpson We thank you for this opportunity to cormient on the Amendments and will keep you infomed of our progress on the report of the Siting Policy Task Force.
- Smcerely,
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seph Hendrie
Enclosure:
As stated cc:
Sen. Gary Hart m
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