NRC wants more private meetings for commissioners

WASHINGTON, March 1 (Reuters) - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said it wants to allow certain meetings of three or more commissioners to be held in private to improve "efficiency and collegiality."

Current regulations prohibit more than two of the agency's five commissioners from meeting to discuss business unless the session is open to the public.

The NRC said in a statement that it planned to propose a change in the regulations that would allow technical or informational briefings and "generalized 'big picture' discussions" to be held privately by several or all of the commissioners.

Any private meetings would not decide any public policy issues, the NRC said.

In 1985, the NRC proposed a similar change but dropped it after some members of Congress expressed concern.

To allay any concerns this time, the NRC said it would be willing to keep records for the first six months documenting the date, subject and participants in any private meetings of three or more commissioners. "After six months, the commission will consider whether the record-keeping practice might usefully continue," the NRC said.

Ahh yes, what's a few secrets between friends !!

-- Anonymous, March 01, 1999