ML20211F635
| ML20211F635 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 08/16/1999 |
| From: | Dicus G, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Garrick B NRC ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NUCLEAR WASTE (ACNW) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20211F640 | List: |
| References | |
| NACNUCLE, NUDOCS 9908310041 | |
| Download: ML20211F635 (6) | |
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UNITED STATES
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August 16, 1999 CHAIRMAN Dr. B. John Garrick, Chairman Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555
Dear Dr. Garrick:
On April 29,1999, the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste submitted its self-assessment evaluation for fiscal year (FY) 1998, including identification of its metrics and evaluation of its performance using these metrics. The Commission supports the Committee's continued preparation of annual self-assessments and provides the following observations that should be addressed in future self-assessments. In addition, please note that Commission direction provided in the enclosed SRM on COMSECY-99-018 allows the Committee to combine its self-assessment report with its Operating Plan to be submitted to the Commission for review on an annual basis.
We appreciate the initiative the Committee has taken to evaluate and report on its performance relative to its FY 1998 strategic plan (currently referred to as the action plan). In particular, its emphasis on measuring outcomes relative to its goals is consistent with the new approach that has been piloted for some agency programs, using the Arthur Andersen assessment process.
We agree with the Committee's general conclusion that significant progress has been made in achieving the desired effectiveness and timeliness of its activities. This improvement has been achieved, in part, as a result of the Committee's enhanced planning, including use of tools such as the strategic plan arid this self-assessment. In addition, the tracking system the Committee developed to track its recommendations and the staff's responses provides a basis for evaluations of performance.
Our first observation is related to how the Committee has defined its effectiveness metric (Appendix A on page A-1). One measure of effectiveness identified is based on whether the Committee's advice !s incorporated into the Nuclear Regulatory Commission policies, approaches, and regulations. Another measure is whether the advice triggers Commission action. There needs to be a recognition in this metric that full implemeMation of some of the
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Committee's advice might be limited by budget constraints. It should ofw be recognized that in
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addition to the existing measure of triggering Commission action, Corr.mittee advice would be effective if it resulted in changes to staff plans or positions or even if th9 advice agreed with existing staff plans or positions, thereby adding independent technical support.
7 We also have an observation regarding the Committee's conclusion regarding the effectiveness h
'1 metric. On page 3 of the letter, the Committee summarizes examples where Committee advice did not result in any action by the staff. It is our understanding that while the staff has addressed 9908310041 990816 PDR COPMS IWtCC CORRESPONDENCE PDR i
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2 each of these areas, additional discussions appear to be necessary and hopefully will be useful in reaching an agreeable resolution or a mutual understanding. The Committee has noted that it plans to pursue further discussions with the staff in these areas in 1999. We understand that the staff had informal discussions with the Committee in many of these areas in preparation for the Committee meeting in June 1999 at the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses. We encourage both the Committee and staff to continue addressing these areas appropriately.
Sincerely,
/Li$L tb eta Joy Dieus
Enclosure:
SRM on COMSECY-99-018 4
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August 6, 1999 SECRETARY MEMORANDUM TO:
John T. Larkins, Executive Director Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste FROM:
Annette L. Vietti-Cook, Secretary 6'
SUBJECT:
STAFF REQUIREMENTS - COMSECY-99-018 - SELF ASSESSMENT OF ACRS AND ACNW PERFORMANCE The Commission has agreed that the periodic self-assessment report and the ACRS and ACNW Operating Plan can be combined into one annual report to the Commission that should include self assessment summary matrices.
In future reports, ACRS and ACNW should continue to specifically highlight, where appropriate, areas identified for improvement and planned actions and should highlight the degree of improvement observed in areas identified in previous self assessments.
cc:
Chairman Dieus Commissioner Diaz Commissioner McGaffigan Commissioner Merrifield EDO OGC CIO CFO OCA OlG PDR DCS i
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