Public Involvement in Licensing
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has a long-standing practice of conducting its regulatory responsibilities in an open manner, and keeping the public informed of the agency's regulatory, licensing, and oversight activities. For that reason, the NRC is committed to informing the public about its licensing activities, and providing opportunities for the public to participate in the agency’s decisionmaking process. For more information, see the following topics on this page:
Involvement in Licensing Actions
The public can become involved in the licensing of a facility and can make their views known to the Commission at various stages in the process. In the pre-licensing stage, the public is notified through the Federal Register, press releases, and local advertisements that an application has been received.
Notices regarding opportunities for hearings or public comment on all reactor licensing actions, including amendments to a facility's operating license, or license renewal proceedings are published in the Federal Register.
If local interest is strong, the NRC may hold public meetings in the vicinity of a proposed facility. Notices of meetings may be mailed to citizens' groups and civic and government leaders in the community and may be advertised in local newspapers.
For nuclear power plants, individuals who are directly affected by the proceeding may participate in a formal hearing. For materials licensees and fuel facilities, however, most hearings are informal. See Public Involvement in Hearings and the Licensing Actions section of the Documents for Comment page for more information on how to participate.
Information on opportunities and requests for a hearing for major licensing and regulatory actions involving nuclear power reactors can be found at Hearing Opportunities and License Applications. Hearing requests and intervention petitions ordinarily must be filed within 60 days of the date of Federal Register publications of the "Notice of Opportunity for Hearing," 10 CFR 2.309.
Involvement in Environmental Impact Reviews
The NRC considers impacts on the environment while reviewing any proposals for new major facilities or other major actions. An Environmental Assessment is usually prepared, which describes the need for a proposed action and a list of the agencies and experts consulted. If the assessment indicates the proposed facility or action will have a significant effect on the environment, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is also developed by the NRC staff. Both documents are published in the Federal Register.
The EIS includes information on the physical characteristics of the area — geology, water, and air — the ability of the transportation systems to support the facility, and local population data.
Scoping meetings are held in the vicinity of the affected community to provide a forum for members of the public to express their opinion and provide information for the environmental review. These meetings are often held to help the NRC identify issues to be addressed in an Environmental Impact Statement and typically involve state and local agencies, Indian Tribes, or other interested people who request participation.
For additional information, see Materials Environmental Reviews and Frequently Asked Questions About NRC's Role Under the National Environmental Policy Act.
Involvement in Petitions to Modify the Terms and Conditions of the Combined License Under 10 CFR 52.103(f)
In accordance with 10 CFR 52.103(f), members of the public may submit petitions to modify the terms and conditions of combined licenses for 10 CFR Part 52 reactors. This petition opportunity is similar to, but separate from, the opportunity to submit petitions under 10 CFR 2.206. The 10 CFR 52.103(f) process governs petitions to modify the terms and conditions of combined licenses that relate to licensed operational activities (such as fuel loading, low power testing, etc.) and are filed prior to the Commission's finding under 10 CFR 52.103(g). For additional information on this process, see Petition the NRC To Modify The Terms And Conditions Of The Combined License.