 The 1940s saw the dawn of the atomic age. American scientists achieved the first sustained nuclear chain reaction, paving the way for nuclear weapons the U.S. would use to hasten the end of World War II. In the years that followed, scientists and engineers worked to understand the many peaceful uses of this energy, from providing commercial power to preserving food to offering new medical therapies. Congress passed the Atomic Energy Act in 1954, setting a goal of developing widespread commercial nuclear power and other beneficial uses of nuclear materials. The law also recognized the need to protect the public from the hazards of radiation. During the 1950s, Congress recognized that the state programs were maturing, particularly with regard to radiation protection. And the states were very interested in regulating the new uses of radioactive materials. Through a series of hearings, meetings with industry, meetings with the states, came up with Section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act, which was adopted to law in 1959. That new section clearly laid out the roles and responsibilities of what the federal government would do and what the states would do. And Congress decided that nuclear power, dual facilities, and any ways that nuclear fuel was made would be left with the federal government, and the states could take over other uses of radioactive materials such as academic, industrial, medical, and commercial ventures. Congress allowed the NRC to relinquish authority to regulate certain types of radioactive materials to states that have equally protective and compatible regulatory programs. Today, 37 states regulate radiography cameras, gauges, academic and research users, and technicians and facilities that diagnose and treat patients using radioisotopes. These states sign legally binding agreements with the NRC and are known as agreement states. The arrangement keeps the federal government in control of the most hazardous materials and uses of radiation, while the state regulators oversee the radioactive materials in more widespread use. All states also regulate machine produced radiation, including x-rays. When a state becomes an agreement state, it allows the state to have local authority, jurisdiction patrol over entities inside their boundaries instead of relying on the NRC to license and regulate radioactive control use. States see a variety of benefits to assuming this regulatory authority. It also allows for a typically quick return on time for license amendments or renewals or applications. It also allows for staff to be on scene in a timely fashion even to just do a site visit for inspections or just to discuss and answer questions from a licensee. Having a state regulatory program can also facilitate local emergency response should it be required. And even before an emergency happens, the State Radiation Protection Office can train not only licensees but local responders as well. That advanced preparation helps all the responders to know who is who and what expertise and capabilities are available, allowing for a quicker and more effective response. The Commonwealth of Kentucky became the first agreement state in 1962, followed quickly by California, Mississippi and New York. Other states were added over the decades that followed. In all, the 37 agreement states regulate nearly 9 out of every 10 radioactive materials users in the United States. Just like the NRC, these states receive and review applications for licenses to possess and use radioactive materials. The states conduct inspections to ensure licensees are complying with the regulations and the requirements of their license. They develop and implement new rules as needed and they address and resolve any safety issues that may arise. Before a state can assume regulatory authority, the governor must request an agreement. The state must hire and train a staff and develop regulations and procedures for the NRC to review. The NRC also takes public comment on the state's program before the commissioners vote on whether to approve it. Only after these steps are completed will the governor sign an agreement with the NRC chairman, but the NRC's involvement does not stop there. We train approximately 400 to 450 state people a year. We offer about 40 to 50 courses a year. We view this as a very important aspect of our program because it ensures a level of consistency across the entire country. The NRC works directly with radiation protection officials in state and local governments to address any issues that may arise. They are more likely to see new emerging technologies and they quite often will have questions revolving around that and they leverage our national resources to come up with a solution that's protective of public health and safety. We also review state programs to ensure that they are effectively implementing their regulatory authority. NRC has an oversight program called MPEP, which stands for the Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program. That review process takes place approximately every four years. We have a team of specialists that go to each one of the states. They include NRC headquarters, NRC regional folks, and agreement state staff who are inspectors, license reviewers themselves, and they review key elements of the program. So they verify that our programs are in place, our regulations are in place, they're adequate and compatible, and our staff are knowledgeable and expertise that are needed for the agreement. The agreement states also assist each other by sharing experiences and information through an association known as the Organization of Agreement States. Annually we meet as an organization with all 37 agreement states and the NRC and other federal partners where we discuss the use and licensing and regulation of radioactive materials. And we also discuss any upcoming issues, new therapy uses, new uses of materials, including new security enhancements that have been put in place since 2001. This level of cooperation, both between the federal government and the states, and among the states themselves, ensures the effectiveness of the agreement state program. And because they are so close to the actual users, state regulators ease the way for radioactive materials to be used to improve industrial processes, assist with oil and gas exploration, and help save lives through nuclear medicine. Because they do an effective job doing this, it has been a very big benefit to society that we've been able to use radioactive materials safely.