Comment request letter on IAEA Draft Safety Guide DS470

February XX, 2021

ALL AGREEMENT AND NON-AGREEMENT STATES AND CONNECTICUT

STATE LIAISON OFFICERS

OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW AND COMMENT ON INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA) DRAFT SAFETY GUIDE DS470, “RADIATION SAFETY IN THE USE OF SOURCES IN RESEARCH AND EDUCATION” (STC-21-XXX)

Purpose: To provide States with the opportunity to review and comment on the Draft Safety Guide DS470, “Radiation Safety in the Use of Sources in Research and Education”_¹ by April 19, 2021, to the contact listed.

Background: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has made available the Draft Safety Guide DS470, “Radiation Safety in the Use of Sources in Research and Education” for Member State review and comment. Proposed changes from Member State review will be taken into account in the finalization of the safety standard. The objective of Draft Safety Guide DS470 is to provide recommendations on how to meet the relevant requirements of IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 3, Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards in the use of radiation sources in research and education. It provides guidance on the control of occupational exposure and of public exposure, and on safety measures specific to this practice.

Discussion: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is coordinating the U.S. review of this safety guide. Consolidated comments will be submitted to the IAEA by the NRC through established official channels. Please provide your comments to Cindy Flannery ([email protected]) by April 19, 2021. The attached IAEA comment template is provided for your use. Any comments provided should refer to the relevant paragraph number in the draft text being reviewed and should propose alternative text, as appropriate.

The review should focus on the following:

1) Are there any safety issues that may be inconsistent with States’ regulations or common practices?

2) Relevance and usefulness of this document — Are the stated objectives appropriate, and are they met by the draft text? Do you have any suggestions to include in the document?

3) Scope and completeness — Is the stated scope appropriate and is it adequately covered by the draft text?

4) Quality and clarity — Do the requirements and guidance in the document represent the current consensus among specialists in the field, and are they expressed clearly and coherently?

5) Are the requirements and guidance expressed clearly and coherently? If you have any questions regarding this correspondence?

Comments of an editorial nature will be considered; however, it should be noted that the draft text will be comprehensively edited by the IAEA Secretariat.

Enclosed is: (1) communication from the IAEA concerning Draft Safety Guide DS470 and its review, including an “Explanatory Note” regarding this document; (2) Draft Safety Guide DS470, “Radiation Safety in the Use of Sources in Research and Education;” and (3) blank template for comment preparation.

If you have any questions regarding this communication, please contact the individual named below:

POINT OF CONTACT: Cindy Flannery EMAIL: [email protected]

TELEPHONE: 301-415-0223

Kevin Williams, Director

Division of Materials Safety, Security, State

and Tribal Programs

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Enclosures:

1. Explanatory Note from IAEA

2. Draft Safety Guide DS470

3. IAEA Comment Template

1 This information request has been approved by OMB 3150-0029 expiration 2/28/2022. The estimated burden per response to comply with this voluntary collection is approximately 8 hours. Send comments regarding the burden estimate to the FOIA, Library, and Information Collections Branch (T-6 A10M), U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, or by e-mail to [email protected], and to the Desk Officer, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, NEOB-10202 (3150-0029), Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503, or by email to [email protected].  An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.