ML19248D516
| ML19248D516 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/19/1979 |
| From: | Carbon M Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards |
| To: | Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| ACRS-R-838, NUDOCS 7908160370 | |
| Download: ML19248D516 (1) | |
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UNITED STATES
! }$ y,g [,j NUCLEAR REGULF.3Y COMMISSION 1 * /.. E ADVISORY COMMITTEC 'W REACTOR SAFEGUARDS 8
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o July 19, 1979 Honorable Joseph M. Hendrie Chairman U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555
SUBJECT:
RESEARCH REQUEST REQUIREM,E"7FS
Dear Dr. Hendrie:
During the recent ACRS reviews of budgetary and technical aspebts of the' NFC program in safety research, questions have arisen concernirg the proper balance between adequate respnsiveness of the research program to regula-tory needs and freedom for the research office to sponsor research programs on its own initiative.
The Cccmittee believes it imprtant that the research program should be responsive to the identified needs of licensing, both short-and long-term, but that it try also to anticipate possible future safety issues and look for unidentified issues of ptential safety concern.
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During the past two years, fairly stringent controls on the flexibility of the research prcgram to explore long-range topics or to be responsive to meritorious unsolicited proposals have arisen frca the requirement that each research program be requested by or endorsed by one of the NRC " user" offices or approved by the EDO. As stated above, the ACiS be-lieves that the research prcgram rust be responsive to regulatory needs; however, the Committee believes that these procedures may have resulted in loss of the flexibility necessary to provide for an appropriate amount and kind cf exploratory research. N W S re w mends re-evaluation of the existim ine-rm1 NRC orocedures to assure that a crocer calance exists.
The Cccmittee believes that there is need for Nuclear Reactor Reculation and the other user offices to plan their research requests within scce broad framework of overall NRC needs, so that too much emphasis is not given, inadvertently, to a articular area, and so that imp rtant areas are not neglected because they are not currently active licensing issues. 'Itere is also need for increased interaction, on the formulation and application of the NRC research program, between the " user" offices and the research staff.
Sincerely,
/
Max W. Carbon c,. airman
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.!r%c UNITED STATES o
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ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON REACTOR SAFEGUARDS
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W ASHINGToN, o. C. 20555 o,
i-July 19, 1979
...s Honorable Joseph M. Hendrie Chairman U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 i
SUBJECT:
RESEARCH REQUEST REGUIRDETfS i
i
Dear Dr. Hendrie:
During the recent ACRS reviews of budgetary and technical aspects of the'
+
NRC program in safety research, questions have arisen concerning the proper balance between adequate resp nsiveness of the research program to regula-tory needs and freedom for the reseat-h office to sponsor research programs en its em initiative.
The Committee believes it important that the research program should be responsive to the identified needs of 31 censing, both short-and long-term, but that it try also to anticipati. P sible future safety issues and look for unidentified issues of potential safety concern.
During the past tw yea 7s, fairly' stringent controls ca the flexibility of the research program to explore long-range topics or to be responsive to meritorious unsolicited proposals have arisen from the requirement that each research program te requested by or endorsed by one cf the NRC " user" offices or approved by the EDO. As stated above, the ACRS be-lieves that the research program must be responsive to regulatory needs; however, the Com.ittee believes that these procedures may have resulted in loss of the flexibility necessary to provide for an appropriate amount and N aco9 rec r ends re-evaluation of the kind of exploratory research.
evistim irr-rml NRC trocedures to assure thau a crocer balance ex1h.
The Committee believes that there is need for Nuclear Reactor Regulation and the other user offices to plan their research requests within some broad framework of overall NRC needs, so that too much emphasis is not given, inadvertently, to a particular area, and so that important areas are not neglected because tMy are not currently active licensing issues. 'Ihere is also need for 11 reased interaction, on the focr.ulation and application of the NRC research program, between the " user" offices and the research staff.
Sincerely, h
vax W. Carben Cairman 7GOOM