245 



Copies of that report are also sent to all interested agencies of the 

 Federal and State Governments, and comments are obtained on it. I 

 previously testified before this conunittee concerning the Commission's 

 regulations on tliis. Based on the comments, and on the original 

 report, the regulatory staff then puts out a final environmental state- 

 ment, analyzing the environmental impact of a proposed nuclear 

 powerplant. 



The regulatory staff also, as I mentioned, reviews the safety anal- 

 ysis report which the utility has submitted on radiological safety 

 aspects. 



The applicant's safety analysis report and these environmental 

 statements go through sort of a four-part process in the Comission's 

 regulatory consideration of the license application. 



First, the safety analysis report is reviewed by the Commission's 

 regulatory staff. Then there is review by our Advisory Committee on 

 Heactor Safeguards, which is a 



Mr. Keith. May I interrupt ? 



It sounds quite impressive — and may in fact be. The thing that con- 

 cerns me a little bit and I have seen it in the advisory commissions 

 statute, it says that the Atomic Energy Commission shall consult. 



Now, in these procedures you have outlined, is there any agency 

 of Federal or State Government that can say stop, or are you the 

 filial authority? 



Mr. Ramey. Well, this licensing authority that the Conunission is 

 exercising is essentially a quasi-judicial function. I had not gotten 

 quite to that, but the Conunission has Atomic Safety and Licensing 

 Boards. We have a mandatory hearing process on each nuclear power- 

 plant before this Board. It is an independent board, independent of 

 our regulatory staff, and its decisions are reviewed by an appeal board, 

 under limited conditions. 



It can be reviewed by the Commission, and then can ultimately go 

 to the courts. 



Mr. Keith. Somebody over here asked if you would kindly say, 

 "Yes" or "No." 



Mr. Eamey. Unfortunately it is not a question that one can give 

 a yes or no answer to, because it is a quasi-judicial process, similar to 

 any other regulatory proceeding. 



Mr. Keith. May I interrupt ? 



If a State agency, or another agency of the Federal Government 

 disagreed with yom^ decision to put a plant in a particular place, would 

 that agency then have to take it to the administrative procedure in 

 order to adjudicate the difference of opinion ? 



Mr. Ramey. On the question 



Mr. Keith. Yes or no : is that correct ? 



Is the Administrative Procedures Act the recourse that the other 

 agencies of Government have for appealing a decision you have made ? 



Mr. Ramey. Generally, where a Government agency appears as a 

 party before the Licensing Board, on the question of the radiological 

 safety of the plant, and the adequacy of the site from the radiological 

 safety standpoint 



Mr. Keith. Is "Yes" the answer in those areas ? 



Mr. Ramey. In those areas ; yes, sir. 



Mr. Kjkth. I appreciate your generosity with your time. 



