(a) Before a Regional Administrator can forward a State plan to the Deputy Administrator for the National Preparedness Directorate for approval, the State, together with all appropriate local governments, must conduct a joint exercise of that State plan, involving full participation1 of appropriate local government entities, the State and the appropriate licensee of the NRC. To the extent achievable, this exercise shall include participation by appropriate Federal agencies. This exercise shall be observed and evaluated by FEMA and by representatives of other Federal agencies with membership on the RACs and by NRC with respect to licensee response. Within 48 hours of the completion of the exercise, a briefing involving the exercise participants and Federal observers shall be conducted by the Regional Administrator to discuss the preliminary results of the exercise. If the exercise discloses any deficiencies in the State and local plans, or the ability of the State and local governments to implement the plans, the FEMA representatives shall make them known promptly in writing to appropriate State officials. To the extent necessary, the State shall amend the plan to incorporate recommended changes or improvements or take other corrective measures, such as remedial exercises,1 to demonstrate to the Regional Administrator that identified weaknesses have been corrected.

(b) The Regional Administrator shall be the FEMA official responsible for certifying to the Deputy Administrator for the National Preparedness Directorate that an exercise of the State plan has been conducted, and that changes and corrective measures in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section have been made.

(c) State and local governments that have fully participated in a joint exercise within one year prior to the effective date of this final rule will have continuing approval of their radiological emergency plans and preparedness by following the frequency indicated in paragraphs (c) (1) through (4) of this section. State and local governments that have not fully participated in a joint exercise within one year prior to the effective date of this final rule will follow the frequency indicated in paragraphs (c) (1) through (4) of this section after completion of a joint exercise in which they have fully participated. If, in developing exercise schedules with State and local governments to implement the requirements in paragraphs (c) (1) through (4) of this section, the Regional Administrator finds that unusual hardships would result, he may seek relief from the Deputy Administrator for the National Preparedness Directorate.

(1) Each State which has a commercial nuclear power site within its boundaries or is within the 10-mile plume exposure pathway Emergency Planning Zone of such site shall fully participate in an exercise jointly with the nuclear power plant licensee and appropriate local governments at least every two years.

(2) Each State with multiple sites within its boundaries shall fully participate in a joint exercise at some site on a rotational basis at least every 2 years. When not fully participating in an exercise at a site, the State shall partially participate2 at that site to support the full participation of appropriate local governments. Priority shall be given to new facilities seeking an operating license from the NRC and which have not fully participated in a joint exercise involving the State, local governments and the licensee at that site. State and local governments will coordinate the scheduling of these exercises with the appropriate FEMA and NRC Regional Offices and the affected licensees.

(3) Each appropriate local government which has a site within its boundaries or is within the 10-mile emergency planning zone shall fully participate in a joint exercise with the licensee and the State at least every two years. For those local governments that have planning and preparedness responsibilities for more than one facility, the Regional Administrator may seek an exemption from this requirement by recommending alternative arrangements for approval by the Deputy Administrator for the National Preparedness Directorate.

(4) States within the 50-mile emergency planning zone of a site shall exercise their plans and preparedness related to ingestion exposure pathway measures at least once every five years in conjunction with a plume exposure pathway exercise for that site.

(5) Remedial exercises may be required to correct deficiencies observed in exercises conducted for continued FEMA approval. Should this occur, the FEMA Regional Administrator will determine the participation required from the States and/or local governments.

(d) Within 48 hours of the completion of an exercise conducted for continued FEMA approval, a briefing involving the exercise participants and Federal observers shall be conducted by the Regional Administrator to discuss the preliminary results of the exercise. If the exercise discloses any deficiencies in the State and local plans, or the ability of the State and local governments to implement the plans, the FEMA representatives shall make them known promptly in writing to appropriate State officials. To the extent necessary, the State shall amend the plan to incorporate recommended changes or improvements or take other corrective measures, such as remedial exercises, to demonstrate to the Regional Administrator that identified weaknesses have been corrected. The Regional Administrator shall forward his or her evaluation of the exercise conducted for continued FEMA approval to the Deputy Administrator for the National Preparedness Directorate including the certification that changes and corrective measures have been made.

(e) Following the exercise conducted for continued FEMA approval, the Regional Administrator shall conduct a meeting in the vicinity of the nuclear power facility which will include the exercise participants, representatives from the NRC and other appropriate Federal agencies and the public and media as observers. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the evaluation of the exercise. At the discretion of the Regional Administrator, written comments from the public and media may be submitted at or after the meeting. These comments will be taken into consideration by the Regional Administrator in his or her evaluation.

(f) After FEMA approval of a State and local plan has been granted, failure to exercise the State and local plans at the frequency and participation described in this section shall be grounds for withdrawing FEMA approval. (See §350.13.)