The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has posted four "requests for public comment" in the past few weeks. I strongly encourage you to read all four, and provide your reasoned input. Make sure you follow the directions in the "requests for comment" explicitly.

Any letter that you write need not be long. In fact, the shorter the better. Whatever position you support, I would recommend that you say *why* you support your particular position. If you have a technical background, and can provide a technical basis for your views, so much the better!

I assure you, your comments will make a difference. You only need to review the public comments to NRC Draft Generic Letter 98-01, and then look at the final version of GL 98-01 to see the difference that public input made. Take this opportunity to make your voice heard.

Here's links to each of the comment requests:

1. NRC Contingency Plan, comments due 2/15/1999
2. Petition for rulemaking: Y2k Shutdown of Nuclear Facilities, comments due 2/24/1999
3. Petition for rulemaking: Y2k Emergency Planning, comments due 2/24/1999
4. Petition for rulemaking: Y2k Availability of Backup Power, comments due 2/24/1999

-- Rick Cowles (rcowles@waterw.com), February 07, 1999