NRC: Staff Requirements - SECY-07-0155 - Denial of a Petition for Rulemaking to Reconcile NRC Generic Environmental Impact Statement for Nuclear Power Plant Operating License Renewal Applications with the National Academy of Sciences Health Risks from Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation: Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation Vii, Seventh Ed., 2005 Report (PRM-51-11)

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November 15, 2007

MEMORANDUM TO:	Luis A. Reyes Executive Director for Operations
FROM:	Annette L. Vietti-Cook, Secretary /RA/
SUBJECT:	STAFF REQUIREMENTS - SECY-07-0155 - DENIAL OF A PETITION FOR RULEMAKING TO RECONCILE NRC GENERIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT OPERATING LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATIONS WITH THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES HEALTH RISKS FROM EXPOSURE TO LOW LEVELS OF IONIZING RADIATION: BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF IONIZING RADIATION VII, SEVENTH ED., 2005 REPORT (PRM-51-11)

The Commission has approved the staff's recommendation to deny the subject petition for rulemaking, PRM-51-11. The Commission agrees that the NRC's existing regulations continue to be protective of public health and safety and the environment and that none of the findings in the BEIR VII report warrant initiating any immediate change to NRC regulations or guidance.

The Commission has approved publication of the Federal Register notice and dispatch of the letter to the petitioner subject to incorporation of the change noted below:

On page 11 of the Federal Register, edit the last sentence of the third full paragraph to express a complete thought.
(EDO)	(SECY Suspense: 11/30/07)

If the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) final recommendations differ substantively from what has already been considered by the staff, then the staff should provide recommendations to the Commission on whether such differences warrant making changes to NRC radiological protection standards and methods.

The petitioner and other stakeholders should be apprised that the staff is in the process of updating the Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants (GEIS) through a planned rulemaking to include lessons learned from reviewing plant specific environmental impact reports and recent scientific studies, including the BEIR VII report.

SECY NOTE:

This SRM, SECY-07-0155, and the related Commission Voting Record will be released to the public 5 working days after dispatch of the letter to the petitioner.

cc:	Chairman Klein Commissioner Jaczko Commissioner Lyons OGC CFO OCA OPA Office Directors, Regions, ACRS, ACNW, ASLBP (via E-Mail) PDR