2: Security
Ensure adequate protection in the secure use and management of radioactive materials. Other Information:
Discussion: The NRC must remain vigilant of the security of nuclear facilities and materials. The agency achieves its common
defense and Security goal using licensing and oversight programs similar to those employed in achieving its safety goal. The
aim is to allow licensees to realize the benefits of nuclear materials through their secure use, while at the same time placing
only necessary regulatory requirements on those licensees. The NRC also requires that licensees maintain controls over high-risk
radiation sources and other risk-significant radioactive materials and successfully implement tracking and accounting systems.
These systems help ensure that the radioactive materials used by licensees are stored and maintained securely. Maintaining
a stable and predictable security environment is one of the NRC’s major continuing challenges. It requires ensuring adequate
security without unduly limiting the beneficial use of radioactive materials. To attain this balance, the NRC must upgrade
its infrastructure for protecting and sharing classified and safeguards information, and for sharing sensitive information,
as appropriate, with licensees, members of the public, and other Federal, State, local, and Tribal authorities and international
stakeholders. Another major task is implementing the authorities granted to the NRC in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 for enhancing
the security of nuclear facilities and radioactive material. The NRC is in the process of completing rulemakings and other
actions recommended by the multiagency Task Force on Radiation Source Protection and Security, which was established by this
Act. In August 2006, the Task Force issued its first report containing recommendations for improving the security of radioactive
sources. Subsequent reports are due not less than once every 4 years. The NRC also has completed the process of identifying
vulnerabilities at licensed facilities and developing strategies to mitigate those vulnerabilities. The agency is now working
with licensees to implement those strategies. The design-basis threat is used to assess the level of threat against which
licensees must realistically be expected to defend with high assurance. The NRC also currently maintains its role in international
activities related to the security of radioactive materials and facilities, including (1) contributing to the formulation
of foreign policy guidance, (2) providing international assistance in nuclear security, material control and accounting, and
safeguards, (3) reviewing applications and issuing import and export licenses for nuclear materials and equipment, and (4)
cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Nuclear
Energy Agency on nuclear safeguards, nonproliferation, and international regulatory standards. Security Goal Strategies: 1.
Use relevant intelligence information and security assessments to maintain realistic and effective security requirements and
mitigation measures. 2. Share security information with appropriate stakeholders and international partners. 3. Oversee licensee
security performance through inspections and force-on-force exercises. 4. Control the handling and storage of sensitive security
information and the communication of information to licensees and Federal, State, and local partners. 5. Support Federal response
plans that employ an approach to the security of nuclear facilities and radioactive material that integrates the efforts of
licensees and Federal, State, local, and Tribal authorities. 6. Use a risk-informed approach to implement appropriate regulatory
controls for the possession, handling, import, export, and transshipment of radioactive materials. 7. Enhance the programs
to control of the security of radioactive sources and strategic special nuclear materials commensurate with their risk, including
enhancements required by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. 8. Promote U.S. national security interests and nuclear nonproliferation
policy objectives for NRC-licensed imports and exports of source and special nuclear materials and nuclear equipment. Means
to Support Security Strategies: To maintain the secure use and management of radioactive materials, the NRC conducts a number
of programs and initiatives, including the following: - Assess the threat environment to maintain an adequate regulatory framework,
using new information from domestic research and cooperative research programs with international partners. [Supports Strategies
1, 4, 5, 6, and 8.] - Conduct inspections to assess licensees’ security performance. The NRC will conduct followup reviews,
inspections, or investigations as needed when security problems are identified. [Supports Strategies 2, 3, and 6.] - On a
3-year cycle, conduct security performance evaluations at each applicable nuclear facility to assess each licensee’s protective
strategy capabilities and to evaluate support functions provided by Federal, State, and local law enforcement and emergency
planning officials for each licensee. [Supports Strategies 1, 3, 4, and 5.] - As necessary, conduct security assessments and
determine the consequences of a range of threats against existing safety, safeguards, and security requirements. The NRC will
share the results with Federal partners to support an integrated national posture for protecting of the Nation’s critical
infrastructure. [Supports Strategies 1, 4, and 5.] - Work with the Homeland Security Council, the Department of Homeland Security,
and the intelligence community to define, develop, and implement integrated security response plans and the National Response
Plan, which incorporates Federal, State, local, and Tribal government assets. [Supports Strategies 4, 5, and 8.] - Work with
States on safety and security measures related to NRC- and State-licensed facilities and activities within their borders.
[Supports Strategies 4 and 5.] - Collaborate with the DOE, Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies and State governments
to develop and implement a national registry of radioactive sources. Improve the controls on high-risk radioactive materials,
including enhancements required by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and recommended by the Task Force on Radiation Source Protection
and Security, to prevent their harmful use. [Supports Strategies 1, 4, 6, and 7.] - Continue to support and participate in
international security activities, including support of International Atomic Energy Agency nonproliferation initiatives and
bilateral physical security initiatives undertaken with countries that receive special nuclear materials and equipment from
the United States. [Supports Strategy 8.] - Identify and obtain access to critical electronic channels of security information
maintained by other Federal agencies to ensure that the NRC and its licensees maintain a current awareness of potential threats
to licensed facilities and activities. [Supports Strategies 1 and 4.] - Identify and develop key information technology investments,
including secure electronic document and records management capabilities, that will enhance the storage, handling, and communication
of sensitive security information both within and external to the agency. [Supports Strategy 4.] - Support U.S. Government
goals to secure nuclear materials internationally through bilateral agreements to support material control and accounting
programs. [Supports Strategies 2, 7, and 8.]
Objective(s):
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