AW: AW: AW: [ RadSafe ] Chernobyls Reduced Impact

[BLHamrick at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/18/2005 8:23:43 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
crispy_bird at yahoo.com writes:

<<Of course, the real point is whether or not these
protest  will affect regulations. The policy of the NRC
and other Federal agencies  is to allow for public
participation. We may not like hearing about  the
protests, but that is how our society  works.>>



It did affect the regulations in the case of the Control of Solid  Materials. 
 The Commission then chose to reject the rulemaking proposed by  staff, and 
go back to business as usual (i.e., releases that are defined through  license 
condition, not rulemaking).  It has affected a lot of policy and  rulemaking, 
and while I agree that public participation is important, letting an  
uninformed majority (i.e., the squeaky wheels) influence technical regulation  does 
not in the end serve the public at large.  A good regulatory framework  should 
not simply "take a vote" on whether or not a technical standard is  appropriate.
 
Barbara