The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said on May 15 it has received a bid from Indiana to become the 41st agreement state.
An agreement state enters into a deal with the NRC to assume regulatory authority over particular radioactive materials and do inspections within the respective state borders. The state also receives some license fee revenue to support the program. NRC periodically checks up on the state regulatory program.
If Indiana’s request is approved, then it would take responsibility for licensing, inspection and enforcement for nearly 200 users of radioactive materials, according to NRC’s press release, Affected users include hospitals, universities and industrial facilities. NRC will retain authority over about 20 licenses, as well as federal agencies and certain materials as required by law, the agency added.
NRC published the proposed agreement and its draft assessment of Indiana’s program May 15 in the Federal Register. Comments are due June 15.
While Indiana currently lacks any operating commercial nuclear power plant, it has approved legislation for small modular reactor (SMR) development costs, Senate Bill 424, and a SMR pilot program that allows for up to two SMRs to be deployed, Senate Bill 423.