1	NRC and Nuclear Technologies Regulating the Risks and Enabling the Benefits Presentation to WERC A Consortium for Environmental Education and Technology Development Peter B. Lyons Commissioner U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission April 5, 2006
2	Task Force on the Future of American Innovation – 2005 The number of science and engineering positions in the U.S. workforce has grown since 1980 at almost 5 times the rate of the U.S. civilian workforce as a whole. The number of science and engineering degrees earned by U.S. citizens is growing at a rate below the growth in the total U.S. civilian workforce. “It’s a creeping crisis, and it’s not something the American psyche responds to well. It’s not a Sputnik shot, . . .” Craig Barrett, Chairman, Intel Corporation
3	"On investment in education and..." On investment in education and research in the US: “It is the unanimous view of our committee that America today faces a serious and intensifying challenge with regard to its future competitiveness and standard of living. Further, we appear to be on a losing path.” Norm Augustine testifying before the U.S. House of Representatives on behalf of the National Academy of Sciences report entitled, “Rising above the Gathering Storm”
4	NRC: Who We Are NRC established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 Congress abolished the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC): AEC regulatory duties were assigned to the newly-formed NRC Other AEC functions were assigned to the Department of Energy (DOE) NRC is headed by five Commissioners, appointed by the President, and confirmed by the Senate for five-year terms.
5	NRC: What We Do We regulate the commercial and industrial uses of nuclear materials to protect: The environment Public health and safety The Security of these materials
6	Commercial Power Reactors
7	Nuclear Materials & Waste
8	NRC: Summary INDEPENDENT Federal agency, with CONGRESSIONAL oversight, and RESPONSIBLE for: Establishing Rules/Regulations Safety and security reviews Environmental reviews Issuing Licenses Inspections and Enforcement Evaluating Operational Experience Regulatory Research
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12	Combined Licenses, Early Site Permits, and Standard Design Certifications
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14	U.S. Industry COL Interest (as of March 31, 2006)
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16	NRC: How We Regulate Agreement States Program NRC may relinquish its authority to regulate certain types of nuclear materials to States that establish an agreement with NRC. NRC transfers to Agreement States authority to regulate: Source material (natural uranium or thorium ores) Byproduct material (for medical, academic, or industrial use) Small amounts of special nuclear material Currently, there are 34 Agreement States in the U.S. Two additional States are in the process of becoming Agreement States.
17	NRC: What We Do – Nuclear Materials NRC regulates the following: 22 uranium milling and in-situ leach facilities 1 uranium conversion, 2 enrichment, and 6 fuel fabrication facilities 2 new gas centrifuge uranium enrichment plants (first of their kind in the U.S.) applications are under review
18	"and" and: Mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel fabrication facility (Blends surplus weapons-grade plutonium with uranium and used as fuel in commercial nuclear power plants) Medical and Industrial Use of Nuclear Materials Approx. 21,809 licenses issued and inspected: 17,298 by Agreement States, 4,511 by NRC
19	NRC: What We Do – Nuclear Waste Safety NRC regulates the following nuclear waste: High-Level Radioactive Waste Repository Yucca Mountain, Nevada, is the proposed site Spent Fuel Storage Installations For the interim storage of spent nuclear fuel from reactors Wet (spent fuel pools) and dry storage (casks) and reactor plant sites Approx. 34 spent fuel storage sites in the U.S.
20	NRC: What We Do – Nuclear Waste Safety NRC’s responsibilities also include: Certification of spent fuel storage and transportation cask designs Certification of transportation packages for nuclear materials and waste
21	Facility Decommissioning “To remove (as a facility) safely from service and reduce radioactivity to a level that permits: Release of the property for unrestricted use and termination of the license; or Release of the property under restricted conditions and termination of the license”
22	NRC’s Decommissioning Universe 20 Power Reactors 17 Research and Test Reactors 40 “Complex” Materials Sites 14 Uranium Recovery Sites 3 Fuel Cycle Sites with Partial Decommissioning
23	Maine Yankee - Before
24	Maine Yankee - During
25	Maine Yankee - After
26	Team Expertise
27	Information Gathering
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29	The Challenges Ahead
30	Careers at NRC Blending Technical Innovation with Public Policy Location Options: HQ (Washington DC), Four Regional Offices (PA, GA, IL, TX), Training Center (TN), 64 Reactor Sites (for reactor inspectors limited to 7 year tours) One of the Top Ten Federal Workplaces Wide Range of Technical Fields Allows for Specialization or Broadening Depending on Career Interests
31	Applying to the NRC For permanent positions use NRCareers Go to www.nrc.gov Look under “Employment at NRC” For summer positions Go to www.nrc.gov Look under “Employment at NRC – Student Programs”