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	NRC NEWS U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
	Office of Public Affairs	Telephone: 301/415-8200
	Washington, DC 20555-001	E-mail: opa@nrc.gov

No. 99-132

June 24, 1999

NRC SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ISSUES RELATED TO RELEASE OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM LICENSED FACILITIES

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking public comment on issues associated with the release of solid materials having very small amounts of residual radioactivity from licensed facilities.

The agency is considering revising its regulations in Part 20 of Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, to establish requirements for release of these materials. The NRC currently evaluates licensee requests for release of solid materials on a case-by-case basis using existing guidance. NRC has release limits in Part 20 for air and liquid emissions.

A document entitled "Issues Related to Release of Solid Materials from Licensed Facilities" will be published shortly in the Federal Register. NRC is issuing it to foster public discussion about the issues and alternatives involved before the start of any formal rulemaking process. Copies of the paper will also be available from Roberta Gordon, Rulemaking and Guidance Branch, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 20555, 301/415-7555, and electronically from the NRC's Internet web page at http://ruleforum.llnl.gov/cgi-bin/rulemake.

The issues paper is also intended as a starting point for discussion at these four public meetings to solicit early public input on major issues associated with the release of solid materials:

Aug. 4-5: Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, 2233 South Martin Luther King Drive, Chicago.

Sept. 15-16: Radisson Miyako Hotel, 1625 Post Street, San Francisco.

Oct. 5-6: Crown Plaza Atlanta Powers Ferry, 6345 Powers Ferry Road NW, Atlanta.

Nov. 1-2: NRC Auditorium, Two White Flint North, 15545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland.

All meetings will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., local time. Interested persons are invited to attend the meetings or to submit written comments by November 15 to the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Attention: Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff. Comments may also be submitted electronically through the NRC's Internet website at http://ruleforum.llnl.gov/cgi-bin/rulemake.

Based on comments received in written and electronic form, and at the public meetings, the Commission will be in a better position to decide whether to develop a proposed rule on this subject or take some other regulatory action. If the Commission decides to proceed with a proposed rule, any proposals will be published in the Federal Register for public comment.