81_FR_15407 81 FR 15352 - Fees Development and Communications

81 FR 15352 - Fees Development and Communications

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 55 (March 22, 2016)

Page Range15352-15353
FR Document2016-06422

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is requesting information from the public on a number of issues associated with the development of the agency's fees. Specifically, the NRC would like stakeholder input regarding the general communications the NRC provides about its fees and the public's understanding of the NRC's fees. The information collected will be used by the NRC in developing ways to improve the transparency of its fees development and invoicing processes.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 55 (Tuesday, March 22, 2016) 
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 55 (Tuesday, March 22, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15352-15353]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06422]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2016-0056]


Fees Development and Communications

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is requesting 
information from the public on a number of issues associated with the 
development of the agency's fees. Specifically, the NRC would like 
stakeholder input regarding the general communications the NRC provides 
about its fees and the public's understanding of the NRC's fees. The 
information collected will be used by the NRC in developing ways to 
improve the transparency of its fees development and invoicing 
processes.

DATES: Submit information and comments by May 6, 2016. Information and 
comments received after this date will be considered if it is practical 
to do so, but the NRC is able to assure consideration only for 
information and comments received on or before this date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit information and comments by any of the 
following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2016-0056. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact 
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this document.
     Mail information and comments to: Cindy Bladey, Office of 
Administration, Mail Stop: OWFN-12-H08, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.
    For additional direction on obtaining and submitting information 
and comments, see ``Obtaining and Submitting Information and Comments'' 
in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

[[Page 15353]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anna Bradford, Office of the Chief 
Financial Officer, U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555-0001; telephone:
    301-415-1560; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Obtaining and Submitting Information and Comments

A. Obtaining Information

    Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2016-0056 when contacting the NRC 
about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain 
publicly-available information related to this action by any of the 
following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2016-0056.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly-available documents online in the 
ADAMS Public Documents collection at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and 
then select ``Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.'' For problems with ADAMS, 
please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 
1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to [email protected]. The 
ADAMS accession number for each document referenced (if it is available 
in ADAMS) is provided the first time that it is mentioned in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
     NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public 
documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

B. Submitting Information and Comments

    Please include Docket ID NRC-2016-0056 in your submission.
    The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact 
information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your 
submission. The NRC will post all submissions at http://www.regulations.gov as well as enter the submissions into ADAMS. The 
NRC does not routinely remove identifying or contact information.
    If you are requesting or aggregating information from other persons 
for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to 
include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be 
publicly disclosed in their submissions. Your request should state that 
the NRC does not routinely edit submissions to remove such information 
before making the submissions available to the public or entering the 
submission into ADAMS.

II. Background

    Each year, the NRC determines its hourly, annual, and flat fees via 
the rulemaking process. During that rulemaking process, the NRC 
receives public comments regarding the specific fees being proposed, 
and at times also receives more generalized comments regarding the 
processes that the NRC uses to calculate and communicate those fees--
such comments are outside the scope of the annual rulemaking process.
    In a January 30, 2015, paper to the Commission (SECY-15-0015, 
``Project Aim 2020 Report and Recommendations,'' ADAMS Accession No. 
ML15012A594), the NRC staff recommended that the Office of the Chief 
Financial Officer (OCFO) undertake an effort to: 1) Simplify how the 
NRC calculates its fees, 2) improve transparency, and 3) improve the 
timeliness of the NRC's communications about fee changes. These areas 
overlap with the out-of-scope comments that the NRC at times receives 
during its annual fee rulemaking. In addition, the NRC staff's paper 
recommended that the OCFO assess alternative methods of allocating 
fees; specifically, the paper recommended that the OCFO look at whether 
the NRC should continue to assess flat fees to materials licensees, and 
whether the NRC should use flat fees for other regulatory activities. 
The Commission approved these recommendations in a Staff Requirements 
Memorandum dated June 8, 2015 (ADAMS Accession No. ML15159A234).
    In accordance with the Commission's direction in June 2015, the NRC 
is now seeking input from its stakeholders. The focus of this 
information-gathering effort is to obtain information for the NRC to 
consider in evaluating the changes (if any) that the NRC can make to 
improve the transparency and the timeliness of its fees development and 
invoicing processes. Potential improvements identified as a result of 
this information-gathering effort may be implemented in a variety of 
ways, including during the development of future annual fee rulemakings 
or by making changes to other agency communication methods (e.g., by 
posting additional information to the public Web site regarding fees).

III. Requested Information and Comments

    The NRC is interested in obtaining stakeholder comments regarding 
the general communications the NRC provides about its fees and the 
public's understanding of the NRC's fees. In particular, the NRC is 
requesting answers to the following questions:
    1. What are some specific ways that the NRC can improve the 
public's understanding of its fees and how those fees relate to the 
agency's budget?
    2. What are some specific improvements that could be made to the 
fee-related work papers or forms that would assist in the public's 
understanding of those papers and forms? For example, can the NRC 
improve the clarity and content of NRC invoice forms? If so, how?
    3. How can the NRC improve its explanation of any changes to the 
annual fees or hourly rates in the annual fee rule?
    4. What additional information can the NRC provide along with the 
proposed fee rule and work papers to help explain how the NRC 
determines fees?
    5. Given the statutory requirement to base the NRC's fees on the 
annual appropriation enacted by Congress, are there any ways that the 
NRC can improve the timeliness of completing its annual fee rulemaking 
or communicating fee changes?
    6. Are there activities that the NRC should convert from fee-
billable to non-fee-billable (or vice versa) and, if so, why? For 
example, should hearings for new licenses be fee-billable, or should 
the NRC continue to recover those costs through 10 CFR part 171 annual 
charges?
    7. Are there activities or fee classes that are more suited to flat 
fees rather than hourly? For example, should reviews of topical reports 
be subject to a flat fee or is the level of effort associated with 
individual topical reports too variable?
    8. Are the current fee classes and categories appropriately 
defined? If not, how should they be revised and why?
    9. Is there general information that the NRC can add to its public 
Web site that would assist stakeholders in their understanding of the 
NRC's fees development and invoicing processes?

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 16th day of March, 2016.
    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Maureen E. Wylie,
Chief Financial Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-06422 Filed 3-21-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

15352 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 55 / Tuesday, March 22, 2016 / Notices Planning Staff, Two Constitution This Committee is subject to the OGIS will notify nominees selected Square, 145 N Street NE., Suite 3E.405B, Federal Advisory Committee Act for appointment to the Committee in the Washington, DC 20530. (FACA), the FOIA, and the Government summer of 2016. Dated: March 17, 2016. in the Sunshine Act (GISA). Dated: March 16, 2016. Jerri Murray, II. Charter and Membership Patrice Little Murray, Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S. Appointment Terms Committee Management Officer. Department of Justice. [FR Doc. 2016–06319 Filed 3–21–16; 8:45 am] [FR Doc. 2016–06383 Filed 3–21–16; 8:45 am] We first chartered the Committee on BILLING CODE 7515–01–P May 20, 2014, and we anticipate BILLING CODE 4410–09–P renewing the charter for another two- year term beginning in May 2016. Member appointment terms run for two NUCLEAR REGULATORY NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS years, concurrently with the Committee COMMISSION ADMINISTRATION charter. [NRC–2016–0056] Office of Government Information III. Committee Membership Services Fees Development and The Committee includes at least eight Communications [NARA 2016–022] Government and seven non-Government AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory representatives. We select Committee FOIA Advisory Committee; Solicitation Commission. members so that the Committee for Committee Member Nominations membership includes the following ACTION: Request for information. AGENCY: National Archives and Records range of representatives, at a minimum: SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Administration. Government members: Three FOIA Commission (NRC) is requesting ACTION: Notice. professionals from Cabinet-level information from the public on a Departments; three FOIA professionals number of issues associated with the SUMMARY: The National Archives and from non-Cabinet agencies; one development of the agency’s fees. Records Administration (NARA) seeks representative from the Department of Specifically, the NRC would like member nominations for our Freedom of Justice, Office of Information Policy; stakeholder input regarding the general Information Act (FOIA) Advisory and one representative from NARA. communications the NRC provides Committee (Committee). Non-Government Members: Two about its fees and the public’s DATES: We must receive nominations for individuals representing the interests of understanding of the NRC’s fees. The Committee membership before 5 p.m. non-Governmental organizations that information collected will be used by EDT on April 30, 2016. advocate on FOIA matters; one the NRC in developing ways to improve ADDRESSES: Email nominations to OGIS individual representing the interests of the transparency of its fees development at foia-advisory-committee@nara.gov, FOIA requesters who qualify for the ‘‘all and invoicing processes. fax them to Kate Gastner’s attention at other’’ FOIA requester fee category; one DATES: Submit information and 202–741–5769, or mail them to Kate individual representing the interests of comments by May 6, 2016. Information Gastner; National Archives and Records requesters who qualify for the ‘‘news and comments received after this date Administration; Office of Government media’’ FOIA requester fee category; one will be considered if it is practical to do Information Services; 8601 Adelphi individual representing the interests of so, but the NRC is able to assure Road; College Park, MD 20740–6001. requesters who qualify for the consideration only for information and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kate ‘‘commercial’’ FOIA requester fee comments received on or before this Gastner by phone at 202–741–5770, by category; one individual representing date. mail at National Archives and Records the interests of historians and history- related organizations; and one ADDRESSES: You may submit Administration; Office of Government information and comments by any of the Information Services; 8601 Adelphi individual representing the interests of academia. following methods: Road; College Park, MD 20740–6001, or • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to by email at foia-advisory-committee@ IV. Nomination information http://www.regulations.gov and search nara.gov. for Docket ID NRC–2016–0056. Address All nominations for Committee SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: membership should provide the questions about NRC dockets to Carol following information: Gallagher; telephone: 301–415–3463; I. Background email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For 1. Your name, title, and relevant We established the Committee under technical questions, contact the contact information (including phone, the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 individual listed in the FOR FURTHER fax, and email address); U.S.C. App., to advise NARA on INFORMATION CONTACT section of this improvements to the FOIA and to study 2. The nominee’s name, title, and document. the current FOIA landscape across the relevant contact information, and the • Mail information and comments to: executive branch. We also established Committee position for which you are Cindy Bladey, Office of Administration, the Committee in accordance with the submitting the nominee; Mail Stop: OWFN–12–H08, U.S. asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES second United States Open Government 3. A short paragraph or biography Nuclear Regulatory Commission, National Action Plan released on about the nominee (fewer than 250 Washington, DC 20555–0001. December 5, 2013, and the directive in words), summarizing their resumé or For additional direction on obtaining the FOIA, 5 U.S.C. 552(h)(1)(C), that the otherwise highlighting the contributions and submitting information and Office of Government Information the nominee would bring to the comments, see ‘‘Obtaining and Services (OGIS) within NARA Committee; and Submitting Information and Comments’’ ‘‘recommend policy changes . . . to 4. The nominee’s resumé or in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION improve’’ FOIA administration. curriculum vitae. section of this document. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:34 Mar 21, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00133 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\22MRN1.SGM 22MRN1

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 55 / Tuesday, March 22, 2016 / Notices 15353 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: remove such information before making general communications the NRC Anna Bradford, Office of the Chief the submissions available to the public provides about its fees and the public’s Financial Officer, U.S Nuclear or entering the submission into understanding of the NRC’s fees. In Regulatory Commission, Washington, ADAMS. particular, the NRC is requesting DC 20555–0001; telephone: II. Background answers to the following questions: 301–415–1560; email: Each year, the NRC determines its 1. What are some specific ways that Anna.Bradford@nrc.gov. hourly, annual, and flat fees via the the NRC can improve the public’s SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: rulemaking process. During that understanding of its fees and how those I. Obtaining and Submitting rulemaking process, the NRC receives fees relate to the agency’s budget? Information and Comments public comments regarding the specific 2. What are some specific A. Obtaining Information fees being proposed, and at times also improvements that could be made to the receives more generalized comments fee-related work papers or forms that Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2016– regarding the processes that the NRC would assist in the public’s 0056 when contacting the NRC about uses to calculate and communicate understanding of those papers and the availability of information for this those fees—such comments are outside forms? For example, can the NRC action. You may obtain publicly- the scope of the annual rulemaking improve the clarity and content of NRC available information related to this process. action by any of the following methods: invoice forms? If so, how? In a January 30, 2015, paper to the • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to Commission (SECY–15–0015, ‘‘Project 3. How can the NRC improve its http://www.regulations.gov and search Aim 2020 Report and explanation of any changes to the for Docket ID NRC–2016–0056. Recommendations,’’ ADAMS Accession annual fees or hourly rates in the annual • NRC’s Agencywide Documents No. ML15012A594), the NRC staff fee rule? Access and Management System recommended that the Office of the 4. What additional information can (ADAMS): You may obtain publicly- Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) the NRC provide along with the available documents online in the undertake an effort to: 1) Simplify how proposed fee rule and work papers to ADAMS Public Documents collection at the NRC calculates its fees, 2) improve help explain how the NRC determines http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/ transparency, and 3) improve the fees? adams.html. To begin the search, select timeliness of the NRC’s communications ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then about fee changes. These areas overlap 5. Given the statutory requirement to select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS with the out-of-scope comments that the base the NRC’s fees on the annual Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS, NRC at times receives during its annual appropriation enacted by Congress, are please contact the NRC’s Public fee rulemaking. In addition, the NRC there any ways that the NRC can Document Room (PDR) reference staff at staff’s paper recommended that the improve the timeliness of completing its 1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by OCFO assess alternative methods of annual fee rulemaking or email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The allocating fees; specifically, the paper communicating fee changes? ADAMS accession number for each recommended that the OCFO look at 6. Are there activities that the NRC document referenced (if it is available in whether the NRC should continue to should convert from fee-billable to non- ADAMS) is provided the first time that assess flat fees to materials licensees, fee-billable (or vice versa) and, if so, it is mentioned in the SUPPLEMENTARY and whether the NRC should use flat why? For example, should hearings for INFORMATION section. fees for other regulatory activities. The new licenses be fee-billable, or should • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and Commission approved these the NRC continue to recover those costs purchase copies of public documents at recommendations in a Staff through 10 CFR part 171 annual the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One Requirements Memorandum dated June charges? White Flint North, 11555 Rockville 8, 2015 (ADAMS Accession No. Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. ML15159A234). 7. Are there activities or fee classes In accordance with the Commission’s that are more suited to flat fees rather B. Submitting Information and than hourly? For example, should direction in June 2015, the NRC is now Comments reviews of topical reports be subject to seeking input from its stakeholders. The Please include Docket ID NRC–2016– focus of this information-gathering effort a flat fee or is the level of effort 0056 in your submission. is to obtain information for the NRC to associated with individual topical The NRC cautions you not to include consider in evaluating the changes (if reports too variable? identifying or contact information that any) that the NRC can make to improve 8. Are the current fee classes and you do not want to be publicly the transparency and the timeliness of categories appropriately defined? If not, disclosed in your submission. The NRC its fees development and invoicing will post all submissions at http:// how should they be revised and why? processes. Potential improvements www.regulations.gov as well as enter the identified as a result of this information- 9. Is there general information that the submissions into ADAMS. The NRC gathering effort may be implemented in NRC can add to its public Web site that does not routinely remove identifying or a variety of ways, including during the would assist stakeholders in their contact information. development of future annual fee understanding of the NRC’s fees If you are requesting or aggregating development and invoicing processes? asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES rulemakings or by making changes to information from other persons for other agency communication methods Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 16th day submission to the NRC, then you should (e.g., by posting additional information of March, 2016. inform those persons not to include to the public Web site regarding fees). For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. identifying or contact information that III. Requested Information and Maureen E. Wylie, they do not want to be publicly disclosed in their submissions. Your Comments Chief Financial Officer. request should state that the NRC does The NRC is interested in obtaining [FR Doc. 2016–06422 Filed 3–21–16; 8:45 am] not routinely edit submissions to stakeholder comments regarding the BILLING CODE 7590–01–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:34 Mar 21, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00134 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\22MRN1.SGM 22MRN1


Document Created: 2018-02-02 15:15:52
Document Modified: 2018-02-02 15:15:52
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionRequest for information.
DatesSubmit information and comments by May 6, 2016. Information and comments received after this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the NRC is able to assure consideration only for information and comments received on or before this date.
ContactAnna Bradford, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone:
FR Citation81 FR 15352 
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