ML20148E820
| ML20148E820 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/04/1988 |
| From: | Chilk S NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20148E825 | List: |
| References | |
| FRN-53FR7534, RULE-PR-50, RULE-PR-73 PR-880304, NUDOCS 8803250327 | |
| Download: ML20148E820 (6) | |
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DOCXET NUMBER PHOPOSE0 RULE Rf U r7590.n11 f '
(53 ff 75)f) L M Ci USW 0
N!) CLEAR RECULATORY COPNISSION 3 MR -9 A9 '43 10 CFR Parts 50 and 73 jfglUt U EF:.IAr. '
Nuclear Pnwer Plant Access Authorization Program; Pnl'cy tIhN AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Comissior.
ACTION: Proposed policy statement.
SUMMARY
- This proposed policy statement defines the policy of the Nuclear Regulatory Comission (NRC) regarding unescorted access to protected areas and vital areas at nuclear power plants. On August 1, 1984, the Nuclear Reguletory Comission published in the Federal Register for public coment a proposed rule to establish an access authorization progran. The nuclear industry responded to this request for coment by proposing industry guidelines for nuclear pnwer olant access authorization programs. The Comission has reviewed these guidelines and is considering either the issuance of a policy statement which endorses the industry-developed guidelines or the promulgation of a rule codifying access authorization provisiors. If the policy staterent option is selected, comitments to adhere to these guidelines would be formalized through amendments to the physical security plans for licensed nuclear power plants and be subject to inspection and enforcement by the NRC.
The Comission specifically invites public coment regarding the policy statenent vs. rulemaking option.
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DATE: Coment peried expires May 9, 1988 Comants received after this date will be considared if it is practical to do so, but assuranca of consideration cannot be given axcept as to coments raceived on or before this date.
Secratary, U.S. Nuclear Ragulatnry ADDRESSES: Mail written enments to:
Docketing and Sarvice Comission, Washington, DC 70555, Attention:
f Branch.
l Deliver coments to: Roon 1121, 1717 H Street, NW, Washington, DC, betwaen 7:30 a.n. and 4:15 p.n. wankdays.
f' Dr. Sandra D. Frattali, Division of FOR FURTHED INFORMATION CONTACT:
Regulatory Applications, Office of Fuclear Regulatory Rasaarch, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Comission, Washington, DC 20555, telephone (301) 492-3773; or, for infonnation of a legal nature, Robart L. Fonner, Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission, Fashington, DC 20555, telephone (301) 49?-1643.
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
1 On August 1,1984, the NRC published in the Federal Register (49 FR I 30726) proposed anendnents to 10 CFR Parts 50 and 73 of its regulations {
which would establir.h an employee screening program for individuals 2
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roouiring unescorted access to nuclear power plant protected and vital areas. Industry groups, including the Nuclear Utility Management and Resource Comittee (NUMARC), the Edison Electric Institute, and later, the Atomic Irdustrial Forum and r#C, Inc., recomended the rule be withdrawn and proposed that it be replaced with an industry-proposed initiative to voluntarily comit to industry guidelines for an access autberization program.
Tha Comission believes there may be merit in considering this approach and directed that a policy, statement be This proposed policy developed endorsing the NUMARC Guidelires statement and the NUMARC Guidelines are being published for public coment.
Proposad Statemant of Policy The Comission has concluded that it is appropriate for each licensee who operates a nuclear power plant to establish an access authorization program to ensure that individuals who r' ,uire unescorted access to protected areas or vital areas of their facilities are trustworthy, reliable, emotionally stable, and do not pose a threat to comit radiological sabotage. Accordinglv, the NRC published a proposed rule on August 1,1984, which would r* quire an acce s authorization program at nuclear power plants (49 FR 30726).
An alternative proposal by the Nuclear Utility Management and Resource Comittee (NUMARC) was submitted as a public coment on this proposed rule. The alternative proposed a voluntary industry comitmart to inplement an access authorization progran at nuclear power plants based upon industry cuidelines. The Comission endorses the program 3
'. f7590-011 develcped by NUMARC which is described in the document entitled, "Industry Guidelines for Nuclear Power Plant Access Authorization Pengram, Rev. 8" dated October 3,1986 (hereaf ter referred to,as the Guidelines). Major previsions of this program include background The investigation, psychological evaluation, and behavioral observation.
Guidelines are also being published in the Federal Register and follow this statement of policy.
The Commission recognizes that the availability of a review procedure for usa in the event the employrent of c permanent utility employee is or will be terminated as a direct result of a denial or revocation of unescorted access authorization is an important element of this program.
The Guidelines contain provision for such a review procedure.
Consistent with the requirerents of 10 CFR 50.70(h)(3), the Comission expects that individuals certified by the NRC as having met the requirements of a program essentially equivalent to the Guidelines will be granted unescorted access to prntected areas and vital areas without further investigation or screaning. Further, under emergency conditions, the provisions of 10 CFR 50.54(x) and fy) may be applied as needed by the licensee.
The Comission urderstands that all licensees who operate nuclear power plants are members of NUMARC and will incorporate the provisions of the Guidelines and of this policy statement into their NRC approved 4
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[7590-011 physical security plans. This expectation does not preclude the licensee fron comitting to or conducting more stringent screening of individuals, if so desired. The powar reactor utilities will submit by !?O days from the effective date of this notice amendments to their physical securi+.y These amendmar,ts will plans, including an irnplementation schedule.
include comitments to irplement and maintain access authorization programs consistent with this policy and the Guidelines within 180 davs of security plan amendment approval. The commitment will state, "All elenents of the NUMARC quidelinas, Industry Guidalires for Nuclear Power Plant Access _ Authorization Programs (Revision 8), or any NRC-approved future revisions will be irplemented in accorderce with the NRC policy statement, Nuclear Powar Plant Access Authorization Progran, (licensae insert date of publication and citation in the Federal Register)." Amended plans submitted in accordance with this comitment will be accepted by the NRC without further review. The NRC will monitor compliance with this program through its normal inspection and enforcement activities.
This policy is based upon a Comission understarding that to implement the Guidelines and policy in this statenent, nuclear powar !
plant licensees are prepared to comit voluntarily to a progran that is subject to NRC inspection and to enforcement action for noncompliance. Because this policy statenent will replace a proposal for l
rulemaking that had previously received backfit approval ar.d because 1 to the NRC staff considers the Guidelines to be equivalent in substanca the requirenents, benefits, and costs nf the proposed rulemaking, no additional backfit analysis for this policy statenent has been prepared.
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T7590-011 (Single copies of the backfit analysis may be obtained from Sandra 0.
Frattali, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission, Washington, DC ?0555, telechore (301) 497-3773.) ,
it is further understood that the provisions of the Industry Guidelinas will not supersede any requirements imposed by HRC regulations.
Dated at Washington, DC, this day of ( M 6 , 1988.-
or the Nuc ear Regulatory Comission.
b't v5aruel J. Chi V , 1 Secretary of the Comission.
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