Press Release-95-024, NRC Initiates National Performance Review Phase 2 Study
| ML003705374 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/09/1995 |
| From: | Office of Public Affairs |
| To: | |
| Category:Press Release | |
| References | |
| Press Release-95-024 | |
| Download: ML003705374 (2) | |
Text
No. 95-24 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tel.301/415-8200 (Thursday, March 9, 1995)
NRC INITIATES NATIONAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW PHASE 2 STUDY The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has initiated a three-part study on how the objectives of Phase 2 of the National Performance Review can, without compromising public health and safety, best be implemented at the NRC.
Public comments are being solicited.
The National Performance Review is a program to examine the basic missions of the federal government, including the federal regulatory process, by looking at every government program and agency to find and eliminate things that do not absolutely need to be done.
It also is intended to determine how best to do the things that the government should continue to do.
During Phase I, the NRC streamlined its procurement practices, reduced the number of employees in supervisory positions and continued an on-going program to remove regulations that do not have a substantial benefit to safety and to change current regulations to a risk-based approach.
The NRC also has taken a number of steps over the past few years that are consistent with the administration's and the Congress' intent to improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary regulatory burden as well as improve the agency's internal processes.
They include: surveys of licensees, annual regulatory information exchange workshops, expanded use of public workshops and an on-going enhanced participatory rulemaking on radiological standards for decommissioning.
In connection with Phase 2, President Clinton has specifically asked federal regulators to meet with people affected by their regulations; conduct a page-by-page review to determine which rules are obsolete and to look for better alternatives; change the way agency performance is measured to focus on results, not process and punishment; and work with states, localities and private companies to achieve a goal of more negotiation and less litigation.
The first part of the Phase 2 study, to be conducted by the staff and an ad-hoc steering committee, will review current regulations and the NRC's regulatory agenda to identify regulations that are:
obsolete, unnecessarily burdensome, too prescriptive or overlap or duplicate the regulations of other agencies.
The Executive Director for Operations will use the results of this effort to make recommendations to the Commission in early May and the Commission plans to send a report to the White House by June 1.
The second part of the study will focus primarily on identifying those NRC functions or activities that could best be done by other organizations, or those that need not be done at all, with the Executive Director planning to make recommendations to the Commission by July 1.
The third part, which is scheduled for completion by June 1 next year, will center on improving the efficiency of those functions and activities that will be continued by the agency.
As part of its review, the steering committee, at the request of the Nuclear Energy Institute, has scheduled an open public meeting March 16 to discuss the nuclear industry's views on how the objectives of Phase 2 of the National Performance Review should be implemented at the NRC.
The two-hour meeting is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in the Commission's Two White Flint North Building (Room 7-A1) located at 11545 Rockville Pike in Rockville, Maryland.
The steering committee is willing to meet with other organizations and individuals to discuss their views.
Requests for meetings or written comments should be addressed to Jack Roe, Director, National Performance Review Phase 2 Steering Committee, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D. C.
20555 (Mail Stop O-13-E4).
He also can be contacted by telephone on 301/415-1354, via Internet to JWR@NRC.GOV, or via facsimile on 301/415-3861.
Comments should be provided by April 17.