[en] The context for the working group's discussions was set by two papers: 'Lessons Learnt from the DECI project on different processes for Public Participation and Transparency in Decision making' and 'A New Siting Process in France for a URL in Granite: Lessons Learnt from the recently undertaken Consultation Mission (January-June 2000). As further evidence of change affecting the way waste managers and regulators communicate with their stakeholders, the group heard two presentations of specific case studies of waste disposal programmes encountering and responding to a new dynamic. (Belgium's revised approach to siting a low- and intermediate-level waste facility). Key factors in the new approach adopted by the Belgian government were the clear separation of ethical and technical choices, and the pursuit of partnerships with local municipalities. Many members of the working group were clearly impressed with the extent of trust and reliance placed on the decisions of the participating communities. Next, the group chairperson, discussed recent attempts by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to encourage greater public involvement in the development of new regulations for the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain. This was followed by an active and lively discussion among all members of the working group. Frequently the 'new dynamics of dialogue and decision making' were characterised as a shift from the traditional 'decide, announce and defend' approach for which the focus was almost exclusively on technical content, to one of 'engage, interact and co-operate' for which both technical content and quality of process are of comparable import to a constructive outcome. The session culminated with the identification of several possible means through which the FSC (Forum on Stakeholder Confidence) might contribute to and support member programmes as they endeavour to rise to the challenges posed y the new dynamics of dialogue. (author)

[en] A review of Licensee Event Reports filed by the operator of commercial nuclear power plants from 1981 through 1983 has revealed that approximately 3% pertain to systems that maintain or monitor control room habitability. Dominant contributors were deficiencies in normal and emergency trains of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and air cleaning systems (45%), deficiencies in atmospheric monitors for toxic and radioactive substances (27%) and deficiencies in fire protection systems (13%). To correct the situation revealed by these analyses and by information provided from other sources, it is recommended that the NRC incorporate into its program plan the development of information that anticipates the conditions within a control room during emergencies, and that criteria for habitability within the control room be better defined. In addition, it is suggested than an improved protocol for testing control room air-related systems be developed, that the required thickness and number of layers of charcoal adsorption beds for control room air cleaning systems be re-evaluated, and that steps be taken to improve the quality of heating, ventilating, air conditioning and air cleaning components. It is also recommended that greater emphasis be placed on maintaining nuclear power plant control rooms in a habitable condition during emergencies so that the operators can remain there and safely shut down the plant, in contrast to placing reliance on the use of remote shutdown panels or auxiliary control facilities

[en] The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has established a committee to examine the scientific and technical issues that underlie the health and safety standards for high-level waste (HLW) disposal. The NAS Committee is developing recommendations for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning an appropriate standard for evaluating a potential HLW repository at Yucca Mountain. Because of its regulatory role for the protection of public health and safety, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has a significant interest in the progress and outcome of the NAS study as well as in the form and content of any standards EPA ultimately promulgates. The NRC will be required to revise its regulations for consistency with EPA's environmental standards and, subsequently, to evaluate compliance of any proposed repository with NRC's regulations. This paper discusses those issues which, in the NRC staff's view, are critical to the formulation of disposal standards for high-level waste and spent fuel, and which the NAS and, eventually, EPA and NRC will need to address

[en] As with other licensing decisions, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) decision to grant or deny a license for a proposed repository at Yucca Mountain will be based on a combination of fact and judgment as set forth by the Department of Energy (DOE) in a license application. Subjective judgments of individual experts and, in some cases, groups of experts will be used by DOE to interpret data obtained during site characterization and to address the many technical issues and inherent uncertainties associated with predicting repository performance for thousands of years. The NRC has traditionally accepted expert judgment to evaluate and interpret the facts which support a license application. Recently, the Performance Assessment and High-level Waste Integration Branch of the NRC has developed regulatory guidance in the form of a draft branch technical position (BTP) that identifies circumstances which may warrant the use of a formal process for obtaining the judgments of more than one expert (i.e. expert elicitation) and describes acceptable procedures for conducting such expert elicitations

[en] Recent recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) as well as current legislative proposals have distinct and significant implications for the regulation of high-level waste disposal at a proposed repository at Yucca Mountain. Although differences exist between the approach recommended by the NAS, those contemplated by the Congress, and that taken in NRC's existing regulations, the NRC staff believe that a safe repository can be licensed under any one of these approaches. Changes to NRC's regulatory framework will be necessary under any of the new approaches and will pose significant implementation and regulatory challenges

[en] The Eighteenth DOE Nuclear Airborne Waste Management and Air-Cleaning Conference was held Aug. 12-16, 1984, in Baltimore, Md. The 275 air-cleaning specialists who attended represented the US and 14 foreign countries. The change in title from previous conferences is an acknowledgement of the emphasis on airborne waste-management strategies and techniques. Major topics discussed during the conference were waste treatment, including volume reduction and storage; system and component response to operational stress and accident conditions; iodine adsorption; storage of noble gases; particulate filtration; treatment of off-gases from chemical- and fuel-reprocessing systems; and laboratory and in-place filter testing methods. Air-cleaning research appears to be slowing down in terms of new ventures. Projects are being completed, and researchers are turning their interests elsewhere. Research efforts in the US are continuing toward operational assessment and feedback, and many speakers encouraged better communication of technical information among the various organizations, including regulatory agencies. In European countries, research efforts continue to stress air-cleaning problems associated with the reprocessing of spent fuels. Work in this area is ready to progress to pilot plant studies using radioactive labeled materials

[en] The scientific and engineering aspects of waste management safety are no longer of exclusive importance. The ability of waste management organizations to communicate effectively and to adapt to an evolving social context within which waste management decisions are made, have emerged as critical contributors to public confidence. This changing context, along with examples of how waste management professionals and organizations are working to improve the quality of their communication about the safety of radioactive waste disposal facilities, are discussed. (author)

[en] Recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) as well as legislation recently passed in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have distinct and significant implications for the regulation of high-level waste disposal at a proposed repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada (YM). Although differences exist between the approach recommended by the NAS and those contemplated by the Congress, all will necessitate changes to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) regulatory framework - changes that are expected to present significant implementation and regulatory challenges. The Commission has directed its staff to pursue the development of site-specific, performance-based regulations to implement forthcoming Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for YM. To issue final regulations within the short time allotted under existing law (i.e. the Energy Policy Act of 1992), NRC's rulemaking development will have to be undertaken in parallel with the development of EPA's new standards for YM

[en] Building and maintaining public trust that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is an effective and independent regulator, is explicitly stated as a performance goal for the agency. To be fully effective in carrying out our mission to protect public health and safety and the environment, the public must view the NRC as a reliable, objective, open an efficient regulator. The NRC has always sought to afford the public access to our decision making process. More recently, however, we have come to better appreciate the value of dialogue with stake-holders and the importance of expanding the opportunities for public interaction and participation in our regulatory process. In particular, in developing new, site-specific regulations for a proposed geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, we have found the need to adapt and expand our efforts to inform and to involve the public in our decision-making process. The institutional changes made to carry out this new approach, and the positive, albeit preliminary, responses to these changes are discussed in this paper. (authors)

[en] Should the site be found suitable, DOE will apply to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission for permission to construct and then operate a proposed geologic repository for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and other high-level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain. In deciding whether to grant or deny DOE's license application for a geologic repository, NRC will closely examine the facts and expert judgment set forth in any potential DOE license application. NRC expects that subjective judgments of individual experts and, in some cases, groups of experts, will be used by DOE to interpret data obtained during site characterization and to address the many technical issues and inherent uncertainties associated with predicting the performance of a repository system for thousands of years. NRC has traditionally accepted, for review, expert judgment to evaluate and interpret the factual bases of license applications and is expected to give appropriate consideration to the judgments of DOE's experts regarding the geologic repository. Such consideration, however, envisions DOE using expert judgments to complement and supplement other sources of scientific and technical information, such as data collection, analyses, and experimentation. In this document, the NRC staff has set forth technical positions that: (1) provide general guidelines on those circumstances that may warrant the use of a formal process for obtaining the judgments of more than one expert (i.e., expert elicitation); and (2) describe acceptable procedures for conducting expert elicitation when formally elicited judgments are used to support a demonstration of compliance with NRC's geologic disposal regulation, currently set forth in 10 CFR Part 60. 76 refs