ML20134L343

the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Fact Sheet

ML20134L343
Person / Time
Issue date:	01/31/1997
From:	NRC OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS (OPA)
To:
References
NUREG-BR-0099, NUREG-BR-0099-R08, NUREG-BR-99, NUREG-BR-99-R8, NUDOCS 9702190045
Download: ML20134L343 (4)

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1: THE NUCLEA

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Fact Sheet FFAIRS

/ USNRC OFFICE WASHINGTON, OF PUBLIC DC 205 A 55 00 l

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NRC Mission- To Protect ThreatBasic hunctions Public Health and Safety Performed by Agency .

Tha Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulates the The NRC has about 3000 employees and a budget of civilian uses of nuclear materials in the United States less than $500 million to carry out the three basic to protect the public health and safety, the environment functions listed below. In addition, the NRC is respon-and the common defense and security. This mission is sible for licensing the export and import of nuclear.

accomplished through: licensing of nuclear facilities facilities, equipment and materials.

and the possession, use and disposal of nuclear materials; the development and implementation of Licensing- The agency reviews and issues licenses requirements governing Ecensed activities; and inspec- for the construction and operation of nuclear power )

tion and enforcement activities to assure compliance plants and other r; clear facilities and it licenses the l with these requirements. possession and use of nuclear materials for medical, l industrial, educational, research and other purposes.

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The NRC was created as an independent agency by Regulatory authority for nuclear materials licensing has .

the Energy Reorganization Act, signed into law been transferred to 29 states under the NRC's Agree- )

October 11,1974, which abolished the Atomic Energy ment States Program.

Commisr: i. The NRC, which took over the regulatory functior .he AEC, formally came into being on inspection and Enforcement- The NRC conducts

, Janua3 -,1975. The Energy Research and various kinds of inspections and investigations de-Development Administration, also created by the Energy signed to assure that activities are conducted in strict Reorganization Act, took over the other functions of the compliance with the terms of the license and the AEC and is now part of the Department of Energy. agency's regulaHons and other requirements, and enforce 7 compliance as necessary.

When he signed the legislation, President Gerald Ford said, in part: "The highly technical nature of our nuclear Under law, the responsibility for assuring safe opera-facilities and the special potential hazards which are tions rests with the licensee, whose performance is involved in the use of nuclear fuels fully warrant the monitored by the NRC.

. creation of an independent and technically competent

, regulatory agency to assure adequate protection of Regulatory Research and Standards Develop-

. public health and safety. NRC will be responsible for ment- The NRC is mandated by law to conduct an the licensing and regulation of the nuclear industry extensive confirmatory research program in the areas under the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act.This l of safety, safeguards and environmental assessment. '

maans that NRC will be fully empowered to see to it in addition, the agency establishes regulations, stan-that reactors using nuclear materials will be properly dards and guidelines governing the various licensed and safety designed, constructed and operated to uses of nuclear facilities and materials.

guarantee against hazards to the public from leakage or accident. NRC will also exercise strengthened The Commission is headquartered in Rockville, '

i authority to assure that the public is fully safeguarded Maryland. Its four regional offices are in King of from hazards arising from the storage, handling and Prussia, Pennsylvania; Atlanta, Georgia; Lisle, Illinois; r transportation of nuclear materials being used in power and Arlington, Texas; with a field office in Walnut

reactors, hospitals, research laboratories or for any Creek, California.

1 other purpose."

Under the Energy Policy Act of 1992, the NRC is also Tha Nuclear Regulatory Commission is headed by five required to regulate two gaseous diffusion uranium Commissioners appointed by the President and con- enrichment facilities which the U.S. Enrichment firmed by the Senate for five year terms. The Chairman Corporation leases from the Department of Energy.

of the Commission is Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson. The oth:r Commiscioners are Kenneth C. Rogers, Greta J.

Dicus, Edward McGaffigan, Jr., and Nils J. Diaz.

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ing the application of physical security and Interna-Three Operating Offices Conduct tional Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards for the Major Re.gulatory Activities use of U.S.-origin nuclear materialin foreign countries.

Th3 first major reorganization of the NRC since it was The office also is responsible for directing the imple-l cstablished in 1975 was implemented in April 1987. mentation of the agency's responsibilities under the The reorganization reflected changes which had taken Nuckar Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended, which place over the previous 12 years-progressively less governs the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes; involvement with the construction of large, complex Low Rahaie Wasm Mcy Act of M nuclear facilities and a greatly increased involvement and the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amend-with the operation and maintenance of these facilities. ments Act of 1985 which govern the disposal of low-Additional preparations have been made to consider evel radioactive wastes; and the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978, as amended. In addi-applications to renew existing nuclear power plant tion, the office is respncsible for inspection policy and operating licenses and review applications to certify ,

advanced nuclear power reactor designs, for coucting inspections of materials licensees to assure compliance with all NRC requ,rements i and Three operating offices direct the NRC's major regula- regul tions and for assuring the implementation of the tory functions: U.S.-IAEA Safeguards Agreement at licensed facilities.

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation ~ The primary Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research-This office responsibilities of this office are to ccaduct the inspec- has three primary responsibilities: (1) to plan, recom.

tion and licensing activities associated with operating mend and implement programs of nuclear regulatory research, standards development and resolution of power reactors that are necessary to protect the public safety issues for nuclear power plants and other h:alth and safety and to establish a sound regulatory facilities regulated by the NRC; (2) to develop and fram work for the future. The office also is responsible for evaluating applications to build and operate new promulgate all technical regulations; (3) and to coord,e riate research activities within and outside the agency pow r reactors, for extending current operating li-c nses, for inspection and licensing activities related including appointment of staff to committees and to the construction and operation of research and coqerences. The office also coordinates NRC staff p rticipation in standards-related activities of the t':st reactors, and for licensing reactor operators, and for requirements to decommission nuclear power plants. Wemadonal Atomic Energy Agency and serves as a pnncipal point of contact fer the Comm,ss, i ion with the in addition, the office is responsible for conducting American National Standards Institute and technical and professional societies on matters concerning insp :ctions of NRC-licensed activities under its juris-nuclear standards.

diction to assure that they comply with all NRC regula-tions and requirements, important elements of this program, as it applies to the operation of nuclear powsr plants, include resident inspectors and system-atic assessment of licensee performance (SALP).

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards-This office is responsible for licensing fuel cycle facilities such as uranium mills and fuel fabrication plants; for licensing the possession and academic, m: dical and commercial uses of radioactive materials; for ragulating the packaging of radioactive materials for transport; for developing agency-wide policies govem-2 ing the safeguarding of nuclear facilities and materials at fixed sites and nuclear materials in transport from radiological sabotage, theft or diversion; for certifying saf ty of two gaseous diffusion plants and for review-

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Operating Data and Enforcement investigators Advisory Committees

' and Licensing Boards Serve the Commission Office for Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Two separate offices are responsible for investigations Data- This office analyzes and evaluates operational of possible wrongdoing.

safety data associated with NRC-licensed activities to identify issues that require NRC or industry action. It Office of Investigations- This office is responsible for also identifies agency requirements for operational the conduct of investigatior.s of licensees, applications, data and related technicalinformation and provides the contractors or vendors. This responsibility includes NRC focal point for coordination of generic operational investigating all allegations of wrongdoing by individu-safety data and systems with the industry and other als or organizations other than NRC employees and l i

agencies. In addition, AEOD manages and conducts NRC contractors. In addition, the office keeps abreast the support functions for the NRC's Committee to of inquiries and inspections and advises on the need Review Generic Requirements. Its other responsibili- for formal investigations. It also keeps other compo-ties include the development and management of the nents of the agency informed of matters under investi-reactor performance indicators program and the gation as they affect safety matters.

management and direction of programs for the diag-nostic evaluations and investigations of significart Office of Inspector General- The inspector General operational events, and the conduct of technical is a statutory post mandated by the inspector General training for the NRC staff through the Technical Amendments Act of 1988. The office is responsible Training Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for conduct.ag independent reviews and appraisals of internal programs and for the conduct of investiga-This office also is responsible for developing policy and tions of alleged wrongdoing by NRC employees and I maintaining capability for and initiating the NRC's its contractors.

response to incidents and accidents involving NRC-licensed facilities and materials. When necessary, the Three independent groups serve the Commission.

NRC Operations Center is activated and an emer- They are:

gency response team f m a regional office is dis-patched to the scene. The NRC's role is to (1) monitor Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards-This and evaluate the situation; and (2) provide advice and statutory body of scientists and engineers reviews and information to the licensee, the Federal Emergency makes recommendations to the Commission on all Management Agency (FEMA), other Federal agcncies, applica: ions to build or operate nuclear power reactors State and local governments and the public, and on related nuclear safety matters.

Office of Enforcement- This office develops policies Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste- This and programs for enforcement of NRC requirements. independent advisory committee provides the Com-It manages major enfoicement actions and assesses mission with advice and recommendations concerning the effectiveness and uniformity of enforcement all aspects of nuclear waste management for which the actions taken by the regional offices. Enforcement NRC has responsibility.

powers include notices of violations, fines, and orders for lic6nse modifications, suspension or revocation. Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel-Three-member licensing boards are drawn from this panel. They are made up of lawyers and others with expertise in various technical and environmei, al fields to conduct public hearings on applications to build and operate nuclear power plants and other matters related to the possession and use of nuclear facilities and materials.

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For AdditionalInformation,

Contact:

Office of Public Affaits U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission i

Washington, DC 20555-0001 3

l Tel. (301) 415-8200

Fax (301) 415-2234

j internet

OPA@ NRC. GOV Regional Public Affairs Offices 4

i Region I -

475 Allendale Road l King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415

- (610) 337-5330 Region 11 - 101 Marietta Street Suite 2900 Atlanta, GA 30323-0199 (404) 331-5503

l Region ill - 801 Warrenville Road Lisle, IL 60532-4351 (630) 829-9663

! Region IV - 611 Ryan Plaza Drive Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011-8064 (817)860-8128 Walnut Creek Field Office 1450 Maria Lane Walnut Creek, CA 94596-5368 (510)975-0346 1

1 1?r55513*"31 1 10N US nIV NRC-0ADMF.

FOIA PUBLICATICNS SVCS TcS-POP-NUREG i 2VFN-6E7 .

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! DC w t. SH I N G T O N NUREG/BR-0099, Rev. 8 January 1997 l . . . .