[Federal Register: December 28, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 248)]
[Notices]               
[Page 71516-71517]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28de98-118]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

 
Inspection and Enforcement for U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission's Medical Use Licensees--Public Meeting

AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is developing new 
initiatives to streamline both inspection and enforcement, for certain 
medical use licensees. NRC will hold a public meeting on January 8, 
1999, to obtain early public input in the development of this guidance.

DATES: The meeting will be held on January 8, 1999, from 9:00 a.m. to 5 
p.m.

ADDRESSES: Two White Flint North, Room 2-B-3, 11545 Rockville Pike, 
Rockville, MD 20852-2738.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronald E. Zelac, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards, telephone, 301-415-6316, e-mail rez@nrc.gov.
    NRC plans to streamline both inspection and enforcement, for all 
materials licensees. NRC will begin this new approach with a 1-year 
pilot program for certain medical use licenses, specifically for 
nuclear medicine programs (use under 10 CFR 35.100, 35.200, and 
35.300), beginning in calendar year 1999. These licenses represent 
approximately 30 percent of current NRC material licenses.

[[Page 71517]]

    NRC is developing inspection and enforcement guidance for certain 
medical use licensees (10 CFR 35.100, 200, 300). The guidance will 
focus attention on elements of the licensee's program performance 
having potential for significant health and safety outcomes. The 
central element of this new approach will be the use of performance 
indicators for program review. These indicators will consist of a 
limited number of key factors, each related to an important health and 
safety outcome. Collectively, they will be used to provide an overall 
assessment of the adequacy and acceptability of the licensee's 
radiation protection and materials control program performance. Lessons 
learned in this area will be applied to inspection and enforcement 
guidance for other areas.
    This initiative is expected to improve the inspection and 
enforcement process for both the licensees and NRC, by reducing the 
impact of inspections and the regulatory burden on licensees, and more 
effectively using NRC resources. The objective of this meeting is to 
make the public aware of these initiatives and to provide it with an 
opportunity for public input and comment.
    Copies of the inspection guidance that is proposed for the pilot 
program can be obtained from Ronald Zelac at the above address after 
December 23, 1998. An electronic copy of the document will be posted to 
NRC's Homepage (http://www.nrc.gov).
    The meeting will be open to the public, on a space available basis. 
Members of the public who are unable to attend the meeting can send 
comments to Ronald E. Zelac, Rulemaking and Guidance Branch, Division 
of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, Office of Nuclear Material 
Safety and Safeguards, by January 15, 1999. Comments received after 
this date will be considered if it is practical to do so.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 21st day of December 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Frederick C. Combs,
Acting Director, Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, 
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 98-34246 Filed 12-24-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P