(a) This part establishes the criteria, procedures, and methods for resolving questions concerning:

(1) The eligibility of individuals who are employed by or applicants for employment with NRC contractors, agents, and other individuals who are NRC employees or applicants for NRC employment, and other persons designated by the Deputy Executive Director for Materials, Waste, Research, State, Tribal, Compliance, Administration, and Human Capital Programs of the NRC, for access to Restricted Data under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, or for access to national security information;

(2) The eligibility of NRC employees, or the eligibility of applicants for employment with the NRC, for employment clearance; and

(3) The eligibility of individuals who are employed by or are applicants for employment with NRC licensees, certificate holders, holders of standard design approvals under part 52 of this chapter, applicants for licenses, certificates, and NRC approvals, and others who may require access related to a license, certificate, or NRC approval, or other activities as the Commission may determine, for access to Restricted Data under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, or for access to national security information.

(b) This part is published to implement the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as amended, Executive Order 10865, 25 FR 1583 (February 24, 1960) Executive Order 10450, 18 FR 2489 (April 27, 1954), and Executive Order 12968, 60 FR 40245 (August 2, 1995).

The criteria and procedures in this part shall be used in determining eligibility for NRC access authorization and/or employment clearance involving:

(a) Employees (including consultants) of contractors and agents of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and applicants for employment;

(b) NRC licensees, certificate holders and holders of standard design approvals under part 52 of this chapter, applicants for licenses, certificates, and standard design approvals under part 52 of this chapter, and their employees (including consultants) and applicants for employment (including consulting);

(c) NRC employees (including consultants) and applicants for employment; and

(d) Any other person designated by the Deputy Executive Director for Materials, Waste, Research, State, Tribal, Compliance, Administration, and Human Capital Programs of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

It is the policy of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to carry out its responsibility for the security of the nuclear energy program in a manner consistent with traditional American concepts of justice. To this end, the Commission has established criteria for determining eligibility for access authorization and/or employment clearance and will afford those individuals described in § 10.2 the opportunity for administrative review of questions concerning their eligibility for access authorization and/or employment clearance.

Access authorization means an administrative determination that an individual (including a consultant) who is employed by or an applicant for employment with the NRC, NRC contractors, agents, and licensees of the NRC, or other person designated by the Deputy Executive Director for Materials, Waste, Research, State, Tribal, Compliance, Administration, and Human Capital Programs, is eligible for a security clearance for access to Restricted Data or National Security Information.

Commission means the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of five members or a quorum thereof sitting as a body, as provided by section 201 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, or its designee.

Eligible or Eligibility means both initial eligibility and continued eligibility of an individual for access authorization and/or employment clearance.

Employment Clearance means an administrative determination that an individual (including a consultant) who is an NRC employee or applicant for NRC employment and other persons designated by the Deputy Executive Director for Materials, Waste, Research, State, Tribal, Compliance, Administration, and Human Capital Programs of the NRC is eligible for employment or continued employment pursuant to subsection 145(b) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended.

Hearing Counsel means an NRC attorney assigned by the General Counsel to prepare and administer hearings in accordance with this part.

Hearing Examiner means a qualified attorney appointed by the Director, Office of Administration, to conduct a hearing in accordance with this part.

National Security Information means information that has been determined under Executive Order 13526 or any predecessor or successor order to require protection against unauthorized disclosure and that is so designated.

NRC Personnel Security Review Panel means an appeal panel appointed by the Deputy Executive Director for Materials, Waste, Research, State, Tribal, Compliance, Administration, and Human Capital Programs and consisting of three members, two of whom shall be selected from outside the security field. One member of the Panel shall be designated as Chairman.

Personnel Security Review Examiners are persons designated by the Executive Director for Operations to conduct a review of the record in accordance with this part.

Restricted Data means all data concerning design, manufacture, or utilization of atomic weapons, the production of special nuclear material, or the use of special nuclear material in the production of energy, but shall not include data declassified or removed from the Restricted Data category pursuant to section 142 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended.