NRC CHAIR RESPONDS TO SEN BOXER ON TRANSPARENCY CONCERNS

NRC Chair Allison Macfarlane responded last week that the NRC will continue to engage with Congressional oversight committees in a transparent and constructive manner in regards to its new sensitive document policy. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) had voiced concerns regarding the NRC’s new rule that would limit the release of sensitive documents to only the Chair and Ranking Member of any oversight committee. “Our revised procedures do not in any way restrict our responses to requests for sensitive documents made by the chairs and ranking members of our Congressional oversight committees,” Macfarlane wrote in a letter to Boxer. “We will continue our practice of providing prompt comprehensive briefings, updates, and publicly available information to individual members of Congress. Further, we have made no changes to the long-standing practice of being responsive to a member of Congress’ needs if there is an event or accident in her or his state or district,” she said. Boxer sent a letter two weeks ago saying that the new policy would hinder the ability of the committee’s members to oversee the actions of the Commission.