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ACRS Charter

United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Charter Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards

(Pursuant to Section 9 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act)

1. The Committee's official designation:

Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS)

2. The Committee's objectives and the scope of its activity:

1. Section 29 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, provides:

"There is hereby established an Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards consisting of a maximum of fifteen members appointed by the Commission for terms of four years each. The Committee shall review safety studies and facility license applications referred to it and shall make reports thereon, shall advise the Commission with regard to the hazards of proposed or existing reactor facilities and the adequacy of proposed reactor safety standards, and shall perform such other duties as the Commission may request. One member shall be designated by the Committee as its Chairman. The members of the Committee shall receive a per diem compensation for each day spent in meetings or conferences, or other work of the Committee, and all members shall receive their necessary traveling or other expenses while engaged in the work of the Committee. The provisions of Section 163 shall be applicable to the Committee."

2. Section 182 b. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, provides:

"The Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards shall review each application under section 103 or section 104 b. for a construction permit or an operating license for a facility, any application under section 104 c. for a construction permit or an operating license for a testing facility, any application under section 104 a. or c. specifically referred to it by the Commission, and any application for an amendment to a construction permit or an amendment to an operating license under section 103 or 104 a., b., or c. specifically referred to it by the Commission, and shall submit a report thereon which shall be made part of the record of the application and available to the public except to the extent that security classification prevents disclosure."

3. Chapter 21, Section 313(f), of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (by Public Law 100-456, The National Defense Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1989), established the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board and provides that:

"With the consent of and under appropriate support arrangements with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Board may obtain the advice and recommendations of the staff of the Commission on matters relating to the Board's responsibilities and may obtain the advice and recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards on such matters."

4. 10 CFR 1.13 provides that the ACRS:

". . . upon request of the Department of Energy (DOE), reviews and advises with regard to the hazards of DOE nuclear activities and facilities; reviews any generic issues or other matters referred to it by the Commission for advice. The Committee, on its own initiative, may conduct reviews of specific generic matters or nuclear facility safety-related items."

5. The Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as amended by Section 6 of Public Law 95-209, added the ACRS Fellowship Program providing that:

"To assist the ACRS in carrying out its function, the Committee shall establish a fellowship program under which persons having appropriate engineering or scientific expertise are assigned particular tasks relating to the functions of the Committee. Such fellowships are for two-year periods and the recipients of such fellowships shall be selected pursuant to such criteria as may be established by the Committee."

6. 10 CFR 52.23, 10 CFR 52.53, and 10 CFR 52.87 provide that the application for Early Site Permits, Standard Design Certifications, and Combined Licenses, respectively, be referred by the Commission to the ACRS and that the ACRS report on those portions of the applications which concern safety.
7. 10 CFR 54.25 provides that each application for the renewal of an Operating License for a nuclear power plant be referred to the ACRS and that the ACRS review and report on each application.

3. The time period necessary for the Committee to carry out its purposes:

The Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards is a continuing Committee, as provided in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (see Item 2, above).

4. Agency or official to whom this Committee reports:

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

5. Agency responsible for providing necessary support for the Committee:

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

6. A description of the duties for which the Committee is responsible, and, if such duties are not solely advisory, a specification of the authority for such functions:

The duties of the Committee are set forth in Item 2, above.

7. The estimated annual operating costs in dollars and staff years for the Committee¹:

1. $5,310,831.00

2. 29

8. The estimated number and frequency of Committee meetings:

Frequency of meetings: 10 meetings per year of the full Committee; and an estimated 30 meetings per year of ACRS subcommittees.

9. The Committee's termination date, if less than two years, from the date of establishment:

Not applicable. See Item 3, above.

Filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission:

December 12, 2006

    /RA/

Andrew L. Bates
Advisory Committee Management Officer

_____________________
    ¹Figures are as reported in the Annual FACA report. Committee operating costs include compensation to members, staff and consultants, travel and administrative costs such as rent, graphics, mail, etc.

 

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Wednesday, February 21, 2007