As part of NRC's effort to review and
improve emergency response program areas, the NRC intends to
conduct a telephone survey to assess public reaction to existing
protective action strategies, new protective action strategies, and
the effectiveness in which these strategies are conveyed to the
public. The survey will produce statistical descriptions of likely
public reaction to and acceptance of various protection action
strategies. The targets for the telephone survey are randomly
selected members of the public that reside within the 10 miles EPZs
around nuclear power plants. This is a nationwide survey of the
public residing within EPZs. The response to the surveys will be
used by the NRC in the development of enhancements to its guidance
for nuclear power protective actions recommendations and the means
by which this information is disseminated. The survey will also
improve the understanding of other areas related to protective
action implementation, such as the extent of shadow evacuations and
the expected usage of congregate care facilities.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC), under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended
(the Act), provides for the licensing and regulation of utilization
facilities (i.e., nuclear power plants). The regulations in 10 CFR
Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization
Facilities, allow the NRC to provide for the licensing and
regulation of production facilities and 10 CFR 50.47 contains 16
emergency planning standards that must be met in the onsite and
offsite emergency plans for a nuclear power reactor. These
standards include the establishment of notification procedures, and
periodic information for the public on how they will be notified
and what their initial actions should be in an accident. NRC
regulations require that nuclear plant operators immediately
recommend public protective actions to State/local officials in the
event of a serious accident. NRC has conducted a study of its
protective action recommendation guidance (the PAR Study) that has
identified enhancements that could increase the level of public
protection during accidents, but there is no current data available
regarding likely public reaction to such protective action
direction ordered by State/local officials within nuclear power
plant Emergency Planning Zones (EPZs). To improve understanding of
likely public reaction to protective action direction, the NRC
wishes to engage a federal contractor to conduct a telephone survey
to assess public reaction to existing protective action strategies,
new protective action strategies, and the effectiveness in which
these strategies are conveyed to the public. The survey is expected
to produce statistical descriptions of likely public reaction to
and acceptance of various protective action strategies, and will
target randomly selected members of the public that reside within
the 10-mile EPZs around nuclear power plants nationwide. The
response to the surveys will be used by the NRC in the development
of enhancements to its guidance for nuclear power plant protective
action recommendations and the means by which this information is
disseminated. The survey will also improve the understanding of
other areas related to protective action implementation, such as
the extent of shadow evacuations and the expected usage of
congregate care facilities.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
PARSurvey 3_03_08 (3).doc
NRC Survey of Public Response to Emergencies