Nuclear Advisory Committee Reform Act

Nuclear Advisory Committee Reform Act

This bill modifies requirements governing the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), including by allowing the committee to decline to review certain license applications (e.g., applications for commercial nuclear power plants) issued by the NRC.

Specifically, the committee may decline to review license applications regarding certain commercial, industrial (e.g., utilization and production facilities), medical (e.g., therapy, such as radiation treatment), or research and development purposes if it determines that such applications do not (1) contain issues that are unique, novel, or noteworthy; or (2) raise issues that warrant review by the committee.

The bill also directs the committee to focus on issues that (1) directly relate to reactor design, (2) are safety significant, (3) are novel, and (4) have not been previously acted on by the committee.

In addition, it directs the NRC to maintain or modify policies to ensure efficient and timely action by the committee.

Finally, the bill requires the membership of the committee to reflect a diverse background of technical expertise relevant to the NRC's mission.