Audit of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Enforcement Program

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations ensure the NRC conducts the required periodic regional assessments of the Enforcement Program, including monitoring, scheduling, and accountability measures to verify completion.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations develop and implement milestones governing the processing of potential escalated enforcement cases from the end of on-site inspections through the exit meetings with the licensees.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations enhance the NRC’s use of a centralized tracking mechanism, ARIES, to monitor, measure, and report on the progress of potential escalated cases from the end of on-site inspections through the exit meetings with the licensees. The tracking mechanism should facilitate end-to-end management oversight and include information on case status, milestone completion, and the timeliness of case processing.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations develop dedicated Cost Activity Codes and/or Enterprise Project Identifiers for Severity Level IV violations and comprehensive guidance for recording time spent on all SL IV enforcement activities.

The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations establish a comprehensive, structured training program for regional enforcement specialists.