NRC COMMISSIONER MERRIFIELD WILL NOT SEEK THIRD TERM
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Commissioner Jeffrey S. Merrifield, one of five members of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, notified White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten on Friday that he would not be seeking a third term at the NRC. Commissioner Merrifield, a Republican, was first appointed by President Clinton to the NRC in October of 1998, and subsequently reappointed by President Bush in August of 2002.

Merrifield, whose term ends on June 30, 2007, informed Bolten that it was his intention to serve out the remainder of his term, but was notifying the President well in advance of his plans to leave the Commission to allow the Administration to have sufficient time to find a suitable replacement.

“It has been an honor to serve the nation as a Commissioner,” Merrifield commented. “NRC is an outstanding agency and I am proud to have served for over 8 years.” He also stated that it was a very difficult decision not to seek a third term but believes that the agency is strong and well prepared for the future. “Commissioner Merrifield has made extraordinary contributions to the work of the NRC and rendered exceptional service to the American people,” said NRC Chairman Dale Klein.

Merrifield has served with five NRC Chairmen -- Shirley Jackson, Greta Dicus, Richard Meserve, Nils Diaz and the current Chairman Klein -- and has been with the agency at a time of significant change in the outlook of the nuclear industry. Having served on the Commission during and after the events of September 11, 2001, Merrifield has been very involved in efforts to improve the agency’s security and emergency preparedness capabilities. These preparations served him well when he was Acting Chairman during the August 14, 2003, blackout when nine nuclear units shut down as part of the major grid disturbance that darkened the homes of 50 million people in North America.

Merrifield has toured all 103 operating nuclear power plants in the United States as well as over 120 nuclear plants outside of the U.S. in visits to 29 of the 31 countries that operate civilian nuclear generating facilities.

A New Hampshire native and an attorney by training, Merrifield previously served as a legislative assistant to two United States Senators from his home state - Gordon Humphrey and Bob Smith. Immediately before joining the Commission, Merrifield was the Majority Staff Director of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Control and Risk Assessment.

While he stated that he has no specific plans for what he will do when he leaves the Commission, Merrifield pledged, “I will be as active a Commissioner during my last eight months on the Commission as I was during my first eight months.”

www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/organization/commission/merrifield.html

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Monday, August 06, 2007