State & Tribal Programs

State & Tribal Programs at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) encompass the areas following below. The Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards serves as the primary contact for NRC policy matters for these program areas, while the NRC's Headquarters and Regional Offices implement day-to-day program activities.

Agreement State Program

Through the Agreement State Program, 39 States have signed formal agreements with the NRC, under which those States have assumed regulatory responsibility over certain byproduct and source material, as well as small quantities of special nuclear material. The NRC assists States intending to become Agreement States, and reviews and approves new Agreements. NRC technical assistance to Agreement States continues after the agreement is signed. The NRC also reviews Agreement State programs for continued adequacy to protect public health and safety, and ensure compatibility with the agency's regulatory program. The NRC and Agreement States jointly develop new regulations, regulatory guidance, and other regulatory initiatives.

Federal and State Liaison Programs

The NRC works in cooperation with Federal, State, and local governments, and interstate organizations, through the Federal and State Programs This cooperation ensures that the NRC maintains effective relations and communications with these organizations. It also promotes greater awareness and mutual understanding of the policies, activities, and concerns of all parties involved, as they relate to radiological safety at NRC-licensed facilities. Under the NRC’s State Liaison Officer Program, every governor appoints a State Liaison Officer who works directly with the NRC’s Regional State Liaison Officers. The goal of the State Liaison Officer Program is to improve cooperation and two-way communication between the NRC and the States.

Tribal Liaison Program

 

The NRC shares the Federal government’s unique Trust Relationship with, and Trust Responsibility to, Indian Tribes. Under the Federal Trust Doctrine, the United States – and the individual agencies of the Federal government – owe a fiduciary duty to Indian Tribes. As the NRC does not hold in trust Tribal lands or assets or provide services to Federally recognized Tribes, it fulfills its Trust Responsibility through implementation of the principles of the Tribal Policy Statement, by providing protections under its implementing regulations, and through recognition of additional obligations consistent with other applicable treaties and statutory authorities. The NRC Tribal Liaison Program is comprised of a series of initiatives designed to ensure that the NRC fulfills this commitment. The program’s key functions include outreach, consultation, program development and management, and knowledge management and training.