Status of Recent and Ongoing Nuclear Regulatory Commission Rulemaking Efforts

Since the formation of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), our mission has been to license civilian, peaceful uses of radioactive material but, at the same time, to ensure adequate protection of the public health and safety, and to promote the common defense and security, and protection of the environment. The events of September 11, 2001, heightened our concerns about the use of special nuclear material, spent nuclear fuel, or radioactive materials in a malevolent act. The theft or diversion of such materials, in risk-significant quantities, from a facility or during transport could lead to their use in a malicious act. Since 2001, the NRC evaluated its regulations, identified areas where security could be improved and, as an interim solution, issued several orders imposing additional security beyond the existing requirements found in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). With an interim solution in place, the NRC is moving forward with several rulemaking efforts to put in place additional in-transit security requirements to the CFR. This paper will describe the rulemaking efforts in the safeguards and security areas for NRC licensed materials at fixed sites and in transit.