The NRC has spent several weeks laying the groundwork for carrying out several recommendations of the agency’s Japan Near-Term Task Force, which looked at issues raised by the Fukushima nuclear accident in March. We’ve reached the point where we’re ready to start discussions with industry representatives and the public on how to best implement each of the recommendations.
The staff will hold its first implementation meeting this Thursday, Dec. 1, to discuss the recommendations that were subsequently categorized as “Tier 1,” or those to be implemented without unnecessary delay. The meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to noon in Room T2B3 of the Two White Flint North building at 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Md. Visitors must use the NRC’s main entrance in the One White Flint North Building at 11555 Rockville Pike.
The staff and industry representatives will discuss the general approach to implementing the “Tier 1” recommendations. The public will have the opportunity to ask the NRC staff questions about the process during the meeting, which will be webcast. You can also participate by phone — call 888-469-1349 and use passcode 2977606.
The NRC will hold more meetings to lay out initial schedules and milestones for specific recommendations. The first few of these meetings have tentatively been scheduled at NRC Headquarters for Dec. 15; Jan. 5 and 19, 2012; and Feb. 2, 2012. Notices for these meetings will be posted on the NRC’s public meeting schedule.
The task force issued its report and recommendations on July 12. The Commission directed the staff to identify which recommendations could be implemented without unnecessary delay, and the staff responded with a proposal Sept. 9. The Commission provided direction to the staff on Oct. 18 on how to carry out the proposal.
Scott Burnell Public Affairs Officer
U.S. NRC Blog 