ML20210Q824
| ML20210Q824 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 08/18/1997 |
| From: | Shirley Ann Jackson, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Mcdade J SENATE, APPROPRIATIONS |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9709020167 | |
| Download: ML20210Q824 (2) | |
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/#% t UNITED STATES NUCLEAR RECULATORY COMMISSION
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August 18, 1997 ee .**
CHAIRMAN The Honorable Joseph M. McDade, Chairman Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development Committee on Appropnations United States House of Representatives -
Washington D.C. 20515
Dear Mr. Chairman:
On July 16,1997, the Senate passed the FY1998 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill (S.1004). S.1004 would appropriate $481.3 million to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as requested in the FY1998 President's budget. On July 25,1997, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2203, FY1998 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill. I want to bring to your attention two concems about the $14.8 million reduction to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's FY 1998 budget coctelned in H.R. 2203.
Our first concem is that H.R. 2203 would appropriate $13 million in Nuclear Waste Funds to NRC - $4 million less than the $17 million NRC believes is the minimum appropriate prelicensing program. This 24 percent reduction will adversely affect the NRC's ability to maintain a strong independent scientifiu capability to review the Department of Energy's high-level waste activities, in addition, this level of reduction could jeopardize NRC's ability to complete a timely review of DOE's viability assessment, and in the longer term, would impact NRC's ability to keep pace with the national high-level waste program. Timely resolution to the high-level waste problem is important to th9 nation as well as the nuclear industry. We urge you to support S.1004 and restore the $4 million reduction included in irtR. 2203.
Our second concem is the $10.8 million reduction to the part of the agency's budget that is recoverer) from fees. I would note that our budget h 'est took into account the workload reductions due to decommissioning power reactors und ih3 increase in the number of Agreement States. It also made other workload related reductions in areas such as advanced reactor certification, As a result of these and other cost-cutting efforts, NRC's
. budget has been reduced approximately $60 million end 400 FTE over the past five years.
The effect of a further $10.8 mittion reduction on the fee-based portion of our budget will mean the postponement of initiatives which are expected to create efficiencies and make the agency more effective in the future. This includes delaying the implementation of our Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS), which is essential to improving the cost efficiency and safety effectiveness of our licensing and inspection capabilities, it is also an important component in addressing the agency's electronic Freedom of Information Act responsibilities as well as avoiding needlessly spending up to j 9709020167 970818 PDR COMMS NRCC CORRESPONDENCE PDR , g%
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2-51 million to correct year 2000 problems with existing systems that ADAMS will replace. My fellow Commissioners and I believe that further reductions willlikely include the early elimination of funds for States to perform independent environmental and radiation monitoring in emergency planning zones at power reactor sites; delaying Information that could be used by some licensees in the longer term to decide whether to pursue renewal of their reactor licenses; and eliminating NRC's severe reactor accident risk research, ending our capability to resolve remaining uncertainties about accidents similar to the one at TMI 2 and to develop mitigating measures. These are not reductions which the Commission would recommend be taken at this time. Therefore, we strongly urge that you support 8.1004 and restore the
$10.8 million reduction included in H.R. 2203.
The Cornmission looks forward to implementing a pilot program for external regulation of the Department of Energy's nondefense facilities as specified in both the Senate and House reports accompanying S.1004 and lj.R. 2203. To enhance our ability to efficiently implement this pilot, we request that you include the $1 million for the NRC activities in support of the pilot in the NRC appropriation as is done in H.R. 2203.
I appreciate the opportunity that we have been given to express our concerns and to describe the impacts that H.R. 2203 will have on our programs. I would be pleased to discuss our concerns in more detail with you.
Sincerely, j&
Shirley Ann Jackson cc: Representative Vic Fazio m.