Summary

Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) new rule on the revision of fee schedules and 100 percent fee recovery for fiscal year (FY) 1997. GAO noted that: (1) the rule would implement for FY 1997 section 6101 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, as amended which would require the Commission to recover from its applicants and licensees approximately 100 percent of its budget authority, less amounts appropriated from the Nuclear Waste Fund; (2) for FY 1997, the Commission must collect approximately $462 million through these fees, which are charged for specific services, such as inspections and licensing reviews, that are provided by the Commission, and to recover generic costs that cannot be attributed to licensees; and (3) the Commission complied with the applicable requirements in promulgating the rule.