Bill Overview
Title: NRC Survey Act
Description: This bill requires the inspector general of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to distribute surveys about NRC's efficiency and effectiveness. The inspector general must first draft and distribute an optional and anonymous survey to NRC's employees. If feasible, the inspector general must also draft and distribute a similar survey to stakeholders in the nuclear industry.
Sponsors: Rep. Donalds, Byron [R-FL-19]
Target Audience
Population: NRC employees and nuclear industry stakeholders
Estimated Size: 10000
- The bill involves distributing surveys to NRC employees and nuclear industry stakeholders.
- There are about 3,000 employees working directly for the NRC.
- The number of stakeholders in the nuclear industry could include a broad range from utility companies to contractors, but large enough to number in several thousands globally.
- Employees surveyed will be directly impacted as results could influence NRC policies affecting their jobs.
- Industry stakeholders could be indirectly impacted if survey results lead to regulatory changes.
Reasoning
- The population directly impacted by the policy includes both NRC employees and industry stakeholders.
- Given approximately 3,000 NRC employees and numerous US-based industry stakeholders, the policy is likely to affect this segment more directly than the general public.
- We selected a mix of people both directly and indirectly affected and also people from the general public who might perceive no visible impact.
- Surveys can influence internal policy adjustments, potentially impacting workflows and job satisfaction of employees.
- Stakeholders may see indirect impacts if regulatory changes arise from survey data insights.
- Wellbeing impacts will likely vary, with direct NRC employees and some active industry stakeholders experiencing higher effects due to closer policy alignment.
Simulated Interviews
NRC Safety Inspector (Washington, D.C.)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The survey might help highlight areas where the NRC can improve efficiency.
- I appreciate that it's anonymous, which encourages honest responses.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Nuclear Plant Manager (Richland, WA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The survey could lead to changes in regulatory compliance, affecting operations.
- Transparency from NRC is always a positive sign.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Nuclear Regulatory Consultant (Pittsburgh, PA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Regular feedback from NRC can provide clarity in rules, easing consulting work.
- Survey results might take a long time to translate into actual changes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Nuclear Engineer (Dallas, TX)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's good that stakeholders like us have an opportunity to voice opinions.
- Survey should occur regularly for consistent data collection.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired Nuclear Scientist (Augusta, GA)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Consultative process is always beneficial as it reflects commitment to improvement.
- I'm not directly impacted anymore, but it's good for internal morale.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Government Policy Analyst (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The survey data could guide policy shifts within the NRC, which I'm interested to see.
- It fosters a culture of feedback and improvement I think is essential.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Nuclear Regulatory Analyst (Charlotte, NC)
Age: 41 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Gap analysis from this survey could streamline regulations.
- Outcomes fully depend on how the NRC implements needed changes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Public Relations Specialist (New York, NY)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Transparency from the NRC can improve public perception.
- Clients may benefit from proactive adjustments suggested by survey results.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Nuclear Safety Officer (Chicago, IL)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The potential reforms from this increase job security by clarifying future regulatory demands.
- Immediate impacts seem limited but could accrue with time.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Nuclear Physicist (Los Alamos, NM)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe surveys like these build better relations between the NRC and stakeholders.
- Hope they've allocated enough budget and focus.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000 (Low: $400000, High: $600000)
Year 2: $450000 (Low: $350000, High: $550000)
Year 3: $400000 (Low: $300000, High: $500000)
Year 5: $350000 (Low: $250000, High: $450000)
Year 10: $300000 (Low: $200000, High: $400000)
Year 100: $300000 (Low: $200000, High: $400000)
Key Considerations
- The NRC Survey Act's financial impact is primarily focused on operational costs related to survey activities.
- Survey findings could lead to policy recommendations for improved NRC efficiency, indirectly affecting the nuclear industry.