Previously, the NRC could take action against its licensees for violation of security requirements resulting from the unlawful introduction of weapons onto the site
– By Linton Levy –
The NRC has issued a final rule that will make it a federal crime to introduce, without authorization, weapons or explosives into specified classes of facilities designated by the NRC.
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 gave the NRC the ability to issue the regulation and to require that it be posted “conspicuously” at each affected location.
Previously, the NRC could take action against its licensees for violation of security requirements resulting from the unlawful introduction of weapons onto the site, but the Department of Justice could not bring a criminal prosecution against the individual who brought the weapons on site without authorization. Instead, any criminal sanctions had to be sought by the state under state law.
The NRC sought public comments on a previous draft of the rule in 2008.
The rule applies to NRC-licensed facilities that have “protected areas” or other areas that contain special nuclear material, byproduct material or source material. Such facilities include nuclear power plants, high-level waste storage and disposal facilities, independent spent fuel storage installations, and uranium enrichment, uranium conversion and fuel fabrication facilities.
The rule will go into effect in 180 days. The entire final rule can be found at: http://www.regulations.gov and search for documents filed under Docket ID [NRC-2008-0458].