The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was formed to oversee:

• A. A private energy company
• B. An international organization for nuclear safety
• C. Government organization formed in 1974 to oversee the civilian uses of nuclear materials
• D. A university research center

Answer: (C)

Regulatory oversight of civilian nuclear materials by a U.S. federal agency. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission was created by Congress in 1974 (beginning operations in 1975) to take over the licensing and regulation of civilian nuclear energy and materials from the Atomic Energy Commission. Its job is to ensure safety and compliance—issuing licenses for nuclear power plants and for uses of radioactive materials in medicine, industry, and research; conducting inspections; enforcing safety standards; and overseeing security and emergency preparedness. It is a government agency, not a private company, not an international organization, and not a university research center.