Summary of comments received at workshop on use of a Site Specific Advisory Board (SSAB) to facilitate public participation in decommissioning cases

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is conducting an enhanced participatory rulemaking to establish radiological criteria for the decommissioning of NRC-licensed facilities. As part of this rulemaking, On August 20, 1994 the NRC published a proposed rule for public comment. Paragraph 20.1406(b) of the proposed rule would require that the licensee convene a Site Specific Advisory Board (SSAB) if the licensee proposed release of the site for restricted use after decommissioning. To encourage comment the NRC held a workshop on the subject of $SABs on December 6, 7, and 8, 1994. This report summarizes the 567 comments categorized from the transcript of the workshop. The commenters at the workshop generally supported public participation in decommissioning cases. Many participants favored promulgating requirements in the NRC`s rules. Some industry participants favored relying on voluntary exchanges between the public and the licensees. Many participants indicated that a SSAB or something functionally equivalent is needed in controversial decommissioning cases, but that some lesser undertaking can achieve meaningful public participation in other cases. No analysis or response to the comments is included in this report