Statement of Robert Bernero, Deputy Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Accompanied by Robert Browning, Director, Division of High-Level Waste Management

Mr. Chairman, members of the Committee, thank you for this opportunity to present the views of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on the Department of Energy's (DOE) program for disposal of civilian high-level wastes. I have with me Mr. Robert Browning, Director of NRC's Division of High-Level Waste Management. As you know, we are in the pre-licensing consultation phase of the repository program. DOE has the responsibility to conduct site characterization activities to acquire data necessary to evaluate the suitability of each candidate site for an application to the Commission for construction authorization. I would like to discuss some of our concerns about site characterization at the three sites recommended to an approved by the President for characterization as candidate sites. It will then discuss our comments on DOE's Draft Mission Plan Amendment dated January, 1987 and, more generally, our interaction with DOE. Finally, I would like to describe our quality assurance activities. I will be happy to respond to any questions from the Committee