Protecting People and the EnvironmentUNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
1
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
***
AFFIRMATION SESSION
***
PUBLIC MEETING
***
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Commission Hearing Room
11555 Rockville Pike
Rockville, Maryland
Tuesday, July 25, 2000
The Commission met in open session, pursuant to notice, at 3:25
p.m., Richard A. Meserve, Chairman, presiding.
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT:
RICHARD A. MESERVE, Chairman of the Commission
GRETA J. DICUS, Member of the Commission
NILS J. DIAZ, Member of the Commission
EDWARD MCGAFFIGAN, JR., Member of the Commission
JEFFREY S. MERRIFIELD, Member of the Commission
2
STAFF AND PRESENTERS SEATED AT THE COMMISSION TABLE:
ANNETTE L. VIETTI-COOK, Secretary
KAREN D. CYR, General Counsel
3
DISCLAIMER
This is an unofficial transcript of a meeting of the United
States Nuclear Regulatory Commission on July 25, 2000 in the Commission's office
at One White Flint North, Rockville, Maryland. The meeting was open to public
attendance and observation. This transcript has not been reviewed, corrected
or edited, and it may contain inaccuracies.
The transcript is intended solely for general information
purposes. As provided by 10 CFR 9.103, it is not part of the formal or informal
record of decision of the matters discussed. Expressions of opinion in this
transcript do not necessarily reflect final determination or beliefs. No
pleading or other paper may be filed with the Commission in any proceeding as
the result of, or addressed to, any statement or argument contained herein,
except as the Commission may authorize.
` 4
[3:25
p.m.]
P R O C E E D I N G S
CHAIRMAN MESERVE: Okay. Good afternoon. We're here this
afternoon for an Affirmation Session on two matters. Before I ask the Secretary
to proceed are there any comments anyone would like to make? Madam Secretary,
you may proceed.
MS. VIETTI-COOK: The Commission is being asked to act on a final
rule amending 10 CFR Part 72 to clarify which sections apply to general
licensees and certificate holders. This final rule will also eliminate
repetitive review of previously approved storage cask designs and add some
flexibility to begin cask fabrication before the NRC issues a certificate of
compliance. The Commission has voted to approve the publication and
implementation of this final rule subject to the attached changes. Would you
please affirm your votes?
CHAIRMAN MESERVE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER DICUS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER DIAZ: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MCGAFFIGAN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MERRIFIELD: Aye.
MS. VIETTI-COOK: The second item the Commission is being asked to
act on a final rule amending 10 CFR Part 70, Domestic Licensing of Special
Nuclear Material, for certain licensees authorized to possess a critical mass of
special nuclear material. The final rule identifies performance requirements
for prevention of accidents
5
or mitigation of their consequences, requires affected licensees to perform an
integrated safety analysis to identify potential accidents at the facility and
the items relied on for safety necessary to prevent these potential accidents
and/or mitigate their consequences, requires the implementation of measures to
ensure that the items relied on for safety are available and reliable to perform
their function when needed, requires the safety basis to be maintained and
changes reported to the NRC, allows licensees to make certain changes to their
safety program and facilities without prior NRC approval, requires reporting of
certain events and requires NRC to perform a backfit analysis under specified
conditions. The Commission has voted to approve the publication and
implementation of this final rule subject to the changes in the attachment. For
the reasons described in this vote, Commissioner McGaffigan would not have
adopted the substantial increase criterion in the backfit provision. Would you
please affirm your votes?
CHAIRMAN MESERVE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER DICUS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER DIAZ: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MCGAFFIGAN: Aye.
COMMISSIONER MERRIFIELD: Aye.
MS. VIETTI-COOK: That's all I have.
CHAIRMAN MESERVE: Good. Is there anything else to come before
us?
MS. VIETTI-COOK: No.
CHAIRMAN MESERVE: Good. With that, we're adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 3:30 p.m., the affirmation session was adjourned.]
6
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the attached description of a meeting of the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission entitled:
TITLE OF MEETING: Affirmation Session
(PUBLIC MEETING)
PLACE OF MEETING: Rockville, Maryland
DATE OF MEETING: July 25, 2000
was held as herein appears, is a true and accurate record of the meeting, and
that this is the original transcript thereof taken stenographically by me,
thereafter reduced to typewriting by me or under the direction of the court
reporting company.
Transcriber: DARLENE K. WRIGHT
Reporter: (TAPE RECORDING)