The U.S. Commerce Department is seeking public comments on a proposed agreement between the United States and the International Atomic Energy Agency (see GSN, Nov. 5).

U.S. President George W. Bush sent the agreement — which governs international safeguards on nuclear material and is titled the Protocol Additional to the Agreement Between the United States and the IAEA for the Application of Safeguards in the United States of America — to the U.S. Senate May 9 for approval for ratification (see GSN, May 10).

If the agreement came into force, safeguards would apply to a variety of U.S. industries, including “nuclear mining and milling, nuclear-related equipment manufacturing, nuclear-related imports and exports and nuclear fuel cycle research and development,” says a release from the Commerce Department.

The department is trying to estimate the impact of the agreement on confidential industry information and the financial burden to companies that would have to comply with the protocol’s reporting and inspection requirements, according to the release (U.S. Commerce Department release, Nov. 20).

Commerce is also trying to determine what commercial facilities would be subject to the new protocols, which would enhance existing IAEA safeguards activity in the United States, according to the Federal Register.  Comments must be submitted by Jan. 21, 2003 (Federal Register, Nov. 20).

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