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![handle is hein.gao/gaobabccr0001 and id is 1 raw text is:
UNITED STATES GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE I ] 7 Q
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20548
GENERAL GOVERNMENT
DIVISION
B-180225
JULY 8, 1981
The Honorable Nunzio J. Palladino
Chairman, Nuclear Regulatory 1111111111
Commission 115722
Dear Dr. Palladino:
Subject: Need for Better Policy and Control over Public
Information Requests (GGD-81-70).
Prior to April 1, 1981, the Comptroller General was required
by the Federal Reports Act, as amended, to review independent regu-
latory agencies' plans and forms for the collection of informa-
tion from the public. The purpose of this review was to ensure
that the information requested did not duplicate information
already available within the Federal Government and was obtained
with a minimal burden on respondents. Agencies were required to
submit each information request and related documentation to the
Comptroller General for approval (clearance) in advance of adop-
tion or revision. These responsibilities were transferred to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) by the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-511, December 11, 1980).
In 1974, GAO, recognizing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's
(NRC's) responsibility for protecting the health and safety of
the public and the quality of the environment, granted the
Commission a special class exemption (generic) clearance which
permitted NRC to make certain information collections without
additional clearance. GAO intended that use of this clearance
be limited to instances where a health or safety incident at one
licensee's plant indicated an immediate potential for occurrence
at other licensees' plants which had the same type of system or
equipment. In 1977, GAO extended the clearance to July 31, 1980.
In July 1980, NRC requested that the clearance be extended
to July 1983. Because of a dramatic increase in the estimated
reporting burden--from 30,000 hours to 10,000,000 hours--we
reviewed NRC's controls over information requests made under the
generic clearance. We analyzed these as well as other informa-
tion requests made by NRC program offices. In addition, we
reviewed NRC policy related to the use of and control over
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