ML21209A505
| ML21209A505 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/19/2021 |
| From: | Office of Public Affairs |
| To: | |
| References | |
| News Release-21-015 | |
| Download: ML21209A505 (1) | |
Text
No: 21-015 March 19, 2021 CONTACT: Scott Burnell, 301-415-8200 NRC Revises Policy on Enhancing Participation in Public Meetings The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has revised its policy statement regarding how the agency conducts staff-sponsored public meetings between the NRC and outside parties.
The revised policy is effective today, following its publication in the Federal Register. The NRC staff expects to update the agencys procedures to incorporate the new policy later this year.
The agencys public meeting schedule will reflect the new policy in the near future. The revision defines new public meeting categories:
- Observation Meeting - an opportunity for attendees to observe NRC interactions with representatives from one or more groups (such as licensees, applicants or non-governmental organizations). Attendees other than those meeting with the agency can ask questions of NRC staff or make comments about the meeting topic at designated points on the agenda.
This type of meeting does not actively seek comments on regulatory decisions.
- Information Meeting with a Question and Answer Session - an opportunity for the NRC to share information and discuss applicable regulatory issues and NRC actions with meeting attendees. Attendees can ask questions of NRC staff or comment about the meeting topic.
This type of meeting (such as an open house) does not actively seek comments on regulatory decisions.
- Comment-Gathering Meeting - the NRC meets directly with interested individuals to receive comments and solicit feedback on regulatory issues and agency actions (such as a draft environmental impact statement).
The revised policy states that the NRC will provide meeting information (date, time, location, teleconferencing options, etc.) as soon as the staff is reasonably confident the details have been finalized. This will generally occur no fewer than 10 days before a meeting. When a meeting must be scheduled but cannot be announced within the 10-day timeframe, the NRC staff will provide as much advance notice as possible. The policy does not cover non-NRC meetings where staff might participate and includes certain exceptions, such as for NRC meetings involving other government or tribal officials. The policy describes the NRCs expectations for respectful, civil discussions during public meetings and reiterates the agencys commitment to transparency.