Proposed Generic Communication; Emergency Response Data System Upgrade From Modem to Virtual Private Network Appliance, 35208-35210 [E9-17164]
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35208
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 137 / Monday, July 20, 2009 / Notices
CALCULATIONS USED TO ESTIMATE OVERALL RESPONSE BURDEN FOR THE ISE ONLINE COLLECTION 1
Hours per
respondent
type
Number of
respondents
Respondent type
Initial submission:
PIs—Full-scale and Broad Implementation ..............................................................
PIs—Research, Pathways, CRPA ............................................................................
PIs—Conferences, EAGER, RAPID .........................................................................
Annual report:
PIs—Full-scale and Broad Implementation ..............................................................
PIs—Research, Pathways, CRPA ............................................................................
PIs—Conferences, EAGER, RAPID .........................................................................
Closeout report:
PIs—Full-scale and Broad Implementation ..............................................................
PIs—Research, Pathways, CRPA ............................................................................
PIs—Conferences, EAGER, RAPID .........................................................................
Total ...................................................................................................................
Annual person
hour total
23
17
15
24
16
16
552
272
240
69
51
0
8
4
N/A
552
204
0
23
17
15
16
10
10
368
170
150
230
............................
2,508
1 Estimates
are provided for a typical annual collection cycle. Hours per respondent type figures and annual person hour totals are based on
an average duration of 3.5 years for all award types excluding Conference, EAGER, and RAPID awards (i.e., 40 awards per year). Conference,
EAGER, and RAPID awards each have an average duration of 1 year. Therefore, the 69 Full-scale and Broad Implementation respondents listed
as completing an annual report are comprised of those projects who received Full-scale and Broad Implementation awards (23 each year) during
the prior three years. Similarly, the 51 Research, Pathways, and CRPA respondents listed as completing an annual report are comprised of
those projects who received these types of awards (17 each year) over the prior three years.
Dated: July 14, 2009.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science
Foundation.
[FR Doc. E9–17102 Filed 7–17–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555–01–P
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
Sunshine Federal Register Notice
AGENCY HOLDING THE MEETINGS: Nuclear
Regulatory Commission.
DATE: Week of July 20, 2009.
PLACE: Commissioners’ Conference
Room, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
Maryland.
STATUS: Public and Closed.
ADDITIONAL ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED:
Week of July 20, 2009
erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with NOTICES
Thursday, July 23, 2009
1:25 p.m. Affirmation Session (Public
Meeting) (Tentative).
a. Southern Nuclear Operating Co.
(Vogtle Electric Generating Plant,
Units 3 and 4), LBP–09–3 (Ruling
on Standing and Contention
Admissibility); Virginia Electric and
Power Co. (North Anna Unit 3),
LBP–08–15 (Ruling on Standing
and Contention Admissibility)
(Tentative).
b. Draft Notice and Order for Areva
Enrichment Services, LLC
(Tentative).
*
*
*
*
*
*The schedule for Commission
meetings is subject to change on short
VerDate Nov<24>2008
15:18 Jul 17, 2009
Jkt 217001
notice. To verify the status of meetings,
call (recording)—(301) 415–1292.
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION:
[NRC–2009–0317]
Rochelle Bavol, (301) 415–1651.
*
*
*
*
*
The NRC Commission Meeting
Schedule can be found on the Internet
at: https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/policymaking/schedule.html.
*
*
*
*
*
The NRC provides reasonable
accommodation to individuals with
disabilities where appropriate. If you
need a reasonable accommodation to
participate in these public meetings, or
need this meeting notice or the
transcript or other information from the
public meetings in another format (e.g.
braille, large print), please notify the
NRC’s Disability Program Coordinator,
Rohn Brown, at 301–492–2279, TDD:
301–415–2100, or by e-mail at
rohn.brown@nrc.gov. Determinations on
requests for reasonable accommodation
will be made on a case-by-case basis.
*
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*
*
*
This notice is distributed
electronically to subscribers. If you no
longer wish to receive it, or would like
to be added to the distribution, please
contact the Office of the Secretary,
Washington, DC 20555 (301–415–1969),
or send an e-mail to
darlene.wright@nrc.gov.
Dated: July 15, 2009.
Rochelle C. Bavol,
Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9–17260 Filed 7–16–09; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Proposed Generic Communication;
Emergency Response Data System
Upgrade From Modem to Virtual
Private Network Appliance
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Notice of opportunity for public
comment.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) is proposing to issue
a regulatory issue summary (RIS) to
notify current and future power reactor
licensees of pending changes to the
technology used to transmit data from
power reactor facility sites to the
emergency response data system (ERDS)
server at NRC Headquarters (HQ) and to
solicit licensees to transition voluntarily
to the new technology.
The RIS is available through the
NRC’s Agencywide Documents Access
and Management System (ADAMS)
under accession number ML091350153.
DATES: Comment period expires
September 3, 2009. Comments
submitted after this date will be
considered if it is practical to do so, but
assurance of consideration cannot be
given except for comments received on
or before this date.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments
to the Chief, Rulemaking and Directives
Branch, Division of Administrative
Services, Office of Administration, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Mail
Stop TWB 5B01M, Washington, DC
20555–0001, and cite the publication
E:\FR\FM\20JYN1.SGM
20JYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 137 / Monday, July 20, 2009 / Notices
date and page number of this Federal
Register notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Robert Stransky, Senior Emergency
Response Coordinator, Operations
Branch, Division of Preparedness and
Response, Office of Nuclear Security
and Incident Response, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555. Telephone: (301) 415–6411;
fax number: (301) 415–6382; e-mail:
Robert.Stransky@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 2009–
XX; Emergency Response Data System
Upgrade From Modem to Virtual
Private Network Appliance
Addressees
All holders of operating licenses for
nuclear power reactors under the
provisions of Title 10 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50,
‘‘Domestic Licensing of Production and
Utilization Facilities,’’ except those that
have ceased operations and have
certified that fuel has been permanently
removed from the reactor vessel.
All holders of, and applicants for,
nuclear power plant construction
permits under the provisions of 10 CFR
Part 50, ‘‘Domestic Licensing of
Production and Utilization Facilities.’’
All holders of, and applicants for,
combined licenses under the provisions
of 10 CFR Part 52, ‘‘Licenses,
Certifications, and Approvals for
Nuclear Power Plants.’’
Intent
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) is issuing this
regulatory issue summary (RIS) to notify
current and future power reactor
licensees of pending changes to the
technology used to transmit data from
power reactor facility sites to the
emergency response data system (ERDS)
server at NRC Headquarters (HQ) and to
solicit licensees to transition voluntarily
to the new technology.
erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with NOTICES
Background
In Appendix E to 10 CFR Part 50, the
NRC requires power reactor licensees to
transmit ERDS data to a server at NRC
HQ. Licensees currently use analog
modulator/demodulators (modems) to
establish point-to-point data
connections. Although this technology
was state of the art when ERDS was first
implemented, it is now obsolete, and
replacement equipment is no longer
readily available. In addition, the use of
modems inherently introduces a cyber
security vulnerability to the systems to
which they are attached.
VerDate Nov<24>2008
15:18 Jul 17, 2009
Jkt 217001
As part of the NRC’s current effort to
modernize the ERDS infrastructure, the
NRC has been working with individual
licensees to develop an acceptable
solution to replace the existing modems.
The most promising technology
explored was virtual private network
(VPN) technology used to create a
secure point-to-point data pathway
between the licensee site and NRC HQ.
This VPN technology is a current,
stable, and reliable information
technology industry standard. In
addition, this technology will permit all
ERDS-enabled facilities to connect to
NRC HQ simultaneously, thus,
enhancing the NRC’s ability to respond
to incidents that may affect multiple
licensees simultaneously, such as grid
instability events.
From September 2008 through
December 2008, the NRC conducted
prototype testing with several licensees
(i.e., Exelon Nuclear Corporation,
Progress Energy, and the Tennessee
Valley Authority) to investigate the
viability of using a VPN for the secure
transmission of data from power reactor
facilities to the ERDS server located at
NRC HQ. The NRC provided VPN
appliances and configuration support to
these licensees. All major test objectives
were met. Based on the success of the
prototype testing and on the interest
expressed by numerous licensees, the
NRC intends to proceed with the
replacement of existing analog modems
with VPN devices. The purpose of this
RIS is to solicit licensees to transition
voluntarily to the VPN technology.
Summary of Issues
This RIS informs licensees of a
voluntary program that they can
participate in to upgrade the technology
used to transmit plant information to
the ERDS server in order to address the
following two issues:
(1) The modem technology currently
employed to transmit ERDS data from
power reactor sites to NRC HQ is
obsolete. In addition, replacement
modems are no longer readily available.
(2) The use of modems inherently
introduces cyber security vulnerabilities
to the systems to which they are
attached.
Based on the success of the prototype
testing, the NRC has decided to enter
into a voluntary program with
individual licensees to replace the
current NRC-supplied modem with an
NRC supplied VPN appliance. As of
May 1, 2009, licensees representing 19
sites have already expressed interest in
transitioning to the VPN solution.
Although ongoing implementation of
the ERDS modernization project will
change the device used to transmit data,
PO 00000
Frm 00055
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
35209
it does not affect the criteria for
transmitting ERDS data, the
transmission frequency, the data point
library, or any other aspect of ERDS
implementation as described in 10 CFR
50.72(a)(4); Appendix E, ‘‘Emergency
Planning and Preparedness for
Production and Utilization Facilities,’’
to 10 CFR Part 50; and NUREG–1394,
Revision 1, ‘‘Emergency Response Data
System Implementation,’’ published in
June 1991. The NRC staff also notes that
the use of an NRC-provided VPN
appliance, when properly configured, is
consistent with guidance provided in
Regulatory Guide 5.71, ‘‘Cyber Security
Programs for Nuclear Facilities,’’
(Official Use Only-Security Related
Information)
Licensees interested in participating
in the voluntary program to replace
their modems with an NRC-supplied
VPN appliance are encouraged to
contact the ERDS support desk by
telephone at (301) 415–0467 or through
e-mail at ERDS.Resource@nrc.gov. The
NRC will support licensee requests in
the order in which they are received.
Backfit Discussion
The intent of this RIS is to inform
stakeholders of a change to the data
transmission technology for ERDS
information. This change is a part of the
continuing ERDS modernization project,
and it will provide improved technology
and cyber security for both licensees
and the NRC. This RIS informs
stakeholders of the change to the
technology to transmit ERDS data to the
NRC in accordance with 10 CFR Part 50
and to solicit voluntary participation by
licensees in a program to replace
obsolete technology with modern
equipment.
This RIS provides licensees an
opportunity to schedule a replacement
of NRC-provided obsolete modems with
NRC-provided VPN technology. The
staff is not imposing any new positions
on licensees. This RIS is not providing
any new regulatory requirements. This
RIS only conveys the NRC’s plan to
address issues with the current ERDS
modem technology. No action is
required on the part of any licensee;
therefore, this document does not
constitute a backfit under 10 CFR
50.109, ‘‘Backfitting.’’ Consequently, the
staff did not perform a backfit analysis.
Federal Register Notification
Although this RIS is informational
and does not represent a departure from
current regulatory requirements, a
notice of opportunity for public
comment on this RIS was published in
the Federal Register (74 FR xxxxx).
E:\FR\FM\20JYN1.SGM
20JYN1
35210
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 137 / Monday, July 20, 2009 / Notices
Congressional Review Act
This RIS is not a rule as designated by
the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C.
801–808) and, therefore, is not subject to
the Act.
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement
This RIS does not contain information
collections and, therefore, is not subject
to the requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501,
et seq.).
Public Protection Notification
Contact
Please direct any questions about this
matter to one of the technical contacts
listed below:
Glenn M. Tracy, Director, Division of
Construction Inspection and
Operational Programs, Office of New
Reactors;
Timothy J. McGinty, Director, Division
of Policy and Rulemaking, Office of
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
Technical Contacts:
Roberto Figueroa, (301) 415–6075, Email: roberto.figueroa@nrc.gov.
Robert Stransky, (301) 415–6411, Email: robert.stransky@nrc.gov.
erowe on DSK5CLS3C1PROD with NOTICES
End of Draft Regulatory Issue Summary
Documents may be examined, and/or
copied for a fee, at the NRC’s Public
Document Room at One White Flint
North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor),
Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available
records will be accessible electronically
from the Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System
(ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading
Room on the Internet at the NRC Web
site, https://www.nrc.gov/NRC/ADAMS/
index.html. If you do not have access to
ADAMS or if you have problems in
accessing the documents in ADAMS,
contact the NRC Public Document Room
(PDR) reference staff at 1–800–397–4209
or 301–415–4737 or by e-mail to
pdr@nrc.gov.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 13th day
of July 2009.
15:18 Jul 17, 2009
Jkt 217001
POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. N2009–1; Order No. 244]
Postal Retail Network Consolidation
Postal Regulatory Commission.
Notice related to postal retail
network consolidation initiative.
AGENCY:
The NRC may not conduct or sponsor,
and a person is not required to respond
to, a request for information or an
information collection requirement
unless the requesting document
displays a current valid Office of
Management and Budget control
number.
VerDate Nov<24>2008
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Martin C. Murphy,
Chief, Generic Communications Branch,
Division of Policy and Rulemaking, Office
of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. E9–17164 Filed 7–17–09; 8:45 am]
ACTION:
SUMMARY: This document addresses a
recent Postal Service filing seeking
Commission action on matters related to
a retail network consolidation plan
affecting certain postal stations and
branches and postal patrons, primarily
through consolidation of facilities. It
includes information on several related
procedural steps, including intervention
and a prehearing conference.
DATES: Deadline for notices of
intervention, requests for hearings, and
required statements: July 28, 2009;
prehearing conference (9:30 a.m.): July
30, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Submit filings electronically
via the Commission’s Filing Online
system at https://www.prc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Stephen L. Sharman, general counsel,
202–789–6820.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 2,
2009, the United States Postal Service
(Postal Service) filed a request with the
Postal Regulatory Commission
(Commission) asking for a
determination whether a plan to
optimize the postal retail network by
consolidating the operations of some
retail stations and branches into nearby
facilities constitutes a change in the
nature of postal services, substantially
on a nationwide basis, within the
meaning of 39 U.S.C. 3661(c).1 The
Postal Service describes the plan as the
Postal Service Station and Branch
Optimization and Consolidation
Initiative (Initiative). Request at 1.
If the Commission determines that the
Initiative will likely generate changes in
the nature of postal services on a
substantially nationwide basis, the
Postal Service then requests that the
Commission issue an advisory opinion
under section 3661(c) which concurs
1 Request of the United States Postal Service for
an Advisory Opinion on Changes in Postal Services,
July 2, 2009; and Notice of the United States Postal
Service of Filing Erratum to Request [Erratum], July
2, 2009 (Request).
PO 00000
Frm 00056
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
that such service changes would
conform to the policies reflected in title
39 of the United States Code. Id. at 2.
The Postal Service states that the
Initiative already began in May with the
examination of the portion of the retail
network consisting of stations and
branches that report to Postmasters at or
above the USPS Executive &
Administrative Schedule level 24 pay
grade. USPS–T–2 at 8. It asserts that the
stations and branches that meet this
criterion are located primarily in urban
and suburban population centers and
comprise approximately two-thirds of
the over 4,800 stations and branches
nationwide. Request at 5–6. The stated
objective of the Initiative is to ‘‘realign
the postal retail network with current
and future postal customer service
needs, to reduce inefficiency and
redundancy, and to capture the
resulting cost savings.’’ Id. at 6. The
results will be used to inform any
decisions on whether to expand the
Initiative to a broader pool of stations
and branches. Id. The Postal Service
states that if the Initiative results in a
decision to change the nature of any
postal service provided at any postal
facility, such changes will not be
implemented before October 2, 2009. Id.
at 7.
The Postal Service’s Request is
accompanied and supported by two
pieces of testimony and four library
references. The Postal Service states that
the reasons underlying the pursuit of
the objectives contained within the
Initiative are described in the Direct
Testimony of Alice M. VanGorder on
Behalf of United States Postal Service
(USPS–T–1), July 2, 2009. It states that
the process to be employed in making
decisions to achieve the objectives are
described in the Direct Testimony of
Kimberly I. Matalik on Behalf of United
States Postal Service (USPS–T–2), July
2, 2009. The library references provide
public and non-public versions of the
official records for the closings of the
Buhl, PA classified station 2 and the
Washburn, IA classified branch.3
The Request and all supporting public
materials are on file in the
2 USPS–LR–N2009–1/1 Official Record to Close
the Buhl, PA Classified Station, Docket No. 16146
(Public Version); and USPS–LR–N2009–1/NP1
Official Record to Close the Buhl, PA Classified
Station, Docket No. 16146 (Non-Public Version).
The public version excludes the names of
customers and postal patrons providing comments
to the Postal Service.
3 USPS–LR–N2009–1/2 Official Record to Close
the Washburn, IA Classified Branch, Docket No.
50706 (Public Version); and USPS–LR–N2009–1/
NP2 Official Record to Close the Washburn, IA
Classified Branch, Docket No. 50706 (Non-Public
Version). The public version excludes the names of
customers and postal patrons providing comments
to the Postal Service.
E:\FR\FM\20JYN1.SGM
20JYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 137 (Monday, July 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35208-35210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17164]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[NRC-2009-0317]
Proposed Generic Communication; Emergency Response Data System
Upgrade From Modem to Virtual Private Network Appliance
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice of opportunity for public comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to
issue a regulatory issue summary (RIS) to notify current and future
power reactor licensees of pending changes to the technology used to
transmit data from power reactor facility sites to the emergency
response data system (ERDS) server at NRC Headquarters (HQ) and to
solicit licensees to transition voluntarily to the new technology.
The RIS is available through the NRC's Agencywide Documents Access
and Management System (ADAMS) under accession number ML091350153.
DATES: Comment period expires September 3, 2009. Comments submitted
after this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but
assurance of consideration cannot be given except for comments received
on or before this date.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to the Chief, Rulemaking and
Directives Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Office of
Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Mail Stop TWB
5B01M, Washington, DC 20555-0001, and cite the publication
[[Page 35209]]
date and page number of this Federal Register notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Stransky, Senior Emergency
Response Coordinator, Operations Branch, Division of Preparedness and
Response, Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555. Telephone: (301)
415-6411; fax number: (301) 415-6382; e-mail: Robert.Stransky@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 2009-XX; Emergency Response Data System
Upgrade From Modem to Virtual Private Network Appliance
Addressees
All holders of operating licenses for nuclear power reactors under
the provisions of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR)
Part 50, ``Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization
Facilities,'' except those that have ceased operations and have
certified that fuel has been permanently removed from the reactor
vessel.
All holders of, and applicants for, nuclear power plant
construction permits under the provisions of 10 CFR Part 50, ``Domestic
Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities.'' All holders of,
and applicants for, combined licenses under the provisions of 10 CFR
Part 52, ``Licenses, Certifications, and Approvals for Nuclear Power
Plants.''
Intent
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this
regulatory issue summary (RIS) to notify current and future power
reactor licensees of pending changes to the technology used to transmit
data from power reactor facility sites to the emergency response data
system (ERDS) server at NRC Headquarters (HQ) and to solicit licensees
to transition voluntarily to the new technology.
Background
In Appendix E to 10 CFR Part 50, the NRC requires power reactor
licensees to transmit ERDS data to a server at NRC HQ. Licensees
currently use analog modulator/demodulators (modems) to establish
point-to-point data connections. Although this technology was state of
the art when ERDS was first implemented, it is now obsolete, and
replacement equipment is no longer readily available. In addition, the
use of modems inherently introduces a cyber security vulnerability to
the systems to which they are attached.
As part of the NRC's current effort to modernize the ERDS
infrastructure, the NRC has been working with individual licensees to
develop an acceptable solution to replace the existing modems. The most
promising technology explored was virtual private network (VPN)
technology used to create a secure point-to-point data pathway between
the licensee site and NRC HQ. This VPN technology is a current, stable,
and reliable information technology industry standard. In addition,
this technology will permit all ERDS-enabled facilities to connect to
NRC HQ simultaneously, thus, enhancing the NRC's ability to respond to
incidents that may affect multiple licensees simultaneously, such as
grid instability events.
From September 2008 through December 2008, the NRC conducted
prototype testing with several licensees (i.e., Exelon Nuclear
Corporation, Progress Energy, and the Tennessee Valley Authority) to
investigate the viability of using a VPN for the secure transmission of
data from power reactor facilities to the ERDS server located at NRC
HQ. The NRC provided VPN appliances and configuration support to these
licensees. All major test objectives were met. Based on the success of
the prototype testing and on the interest expressed by numerous
licensees, the NRC intends to proceed with the replacement of existing
analog modems with VPN devices. The purpose of this RIS is to solicit
licensees to transition voluntarily to the VPN technology.
Summary of Issues
This RIS informs licensees of a voluntary program that they can
participate in to upgrade the technology used to transmit plant
information to the ERDS server in order to address the following two
issues:
(1) The modem technology currently employed to transmit ERDS data
from power reactor sites to NRC HQ is obsolete. In addition,
replacement modems are no longer readily available.
(2) The use of modems inherently introduces cyber security
vulnerabilities to the systems to which they are attached.
Based on the success of the prototype testing, the NRC has decided
to enter into a voluntary program with individual licensees to replace
the current NRC-supplied modem with an NRC supplied VPN appliance. As
of May 1, 2009, licensees representing 19 sites have already expressed
interest in transitioning to the VPN solution.
Although ongoing implementation of the ERDS modernization project
will change the device used to transmit data, it does not affect the
criteria for transmitting ERDS data, the transmission frequency, the
data point library, or any other aspect of ERDS implementation as
described in 10 CFR 50.72(a)(4); Appendix E, ``Emergency Planning and
Preparedness for Production and Utilization Facilities,'' to 10 CFR
Part 50; and NUREG-1394, Revision 1, ``Emergency Response Data System
Implementation,'' published in June 1991. The NRC staff also notes that
the use of an NRC-provided VPN appliance, when properly configured, is
consistent with guidance provided in Regulatory Guide 5.71, ``Cyber
Security Programs for Nuclear Facilities,'' (Official Use Only-Security
Related Information)
Licensees interested in participating in the voluntary program to
replace their modems with an NRC-supplied VPN appliance are encouraged
to contact the ERDS support desk by telephone at (301) 415-0467 or
through e-mail at ERDS.Resource@nrc.gov. The NRC will support licensee
requests in the order in which they are received.
Backfit Discussion
The intent of this RIS is to inform stakeholders of a change to the
data transmission technology for ERDS information. This change is a
part of the continuing ERDS modernization project, and it will provide
improved technology and cyber security for both licensees and the NRC.
This RIS informs stakeholders of the change to the technology to
transmit ERDS data to the NRC in accordance with 10 CFR Part 50 and to
solicit voluntary participation by licensees in a program to replace
obsolete technology with modern equipment.
This RIS provides licensees an opportunity to schedule a
replacement of NRC-provided obsolete modems with NRC-provided VPN
technology. The staff is not imposing any new positions on licensees.
This RIS is not providing any new regulatory requirements. This RIS
only conveys the NRC's plan to address issues with the current ERDS
modem technology. No action is required on the part of any licensee;
therefore, this document does not constitute a backfit under 10 CFR
50.109, ``Backfitting.'' Consequently, the staff did not perform a
backfit analysis.
Federal Register Notification
Although this RIS is informational and does not represent a
departure from current regulatory requirements, a notice of opportunity
for public comment on this RIS was published in the Federal Register
(74 FR xxxxx).
[[Page 35210]]
Congressional Review Act
This RIS is not a rule as designated by the Congressional Review
Act (5 U.S.C. 801-808) and, therefore, is not subject to the Act.
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement
This RIS does not contain information collections and, therefore,
is not subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.).
Public Protection Notification
The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a request for information or an information collection
requirement unless the requesting document displays a current valid
Office of Management and Budget control number.
Contact
Please direct any questions about this matter to one of the
technical contacts listed below:
Glenn M. Tracy, Director, Division of Construction Inspection and
Operational Programs, Office of New Reactors;
Timothy J. McGinty, Director, Division of Policy and Rulemaking, Office
of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
Technical Contacts:
Roberto Figueroa, (301) 415-6075, E-mail: roberto.figueroa@nrc.gov.
Robert Stransky, (301) 415-6411, E-mail: robert.stransky@nrc.gov.
End of Draft Regulatory Issue Summary
Documents may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's
Public Document Room at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike
(first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records will be
accessible electronically from the Agencywide Documents Access and
Management System (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading Room on the
Internet at the NRC Web site, https://www.nrc.gov/NRC/ADAMS/.
If you do not have access to ADAMS or if you have problems in accessing
the documents in ADAMS, contact the NRC Public Document Room (PDR)
reference staff at 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737 or by e-mail to
pdr@nrc.gov.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 13th day of July 2009.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Martin C. Murphy,
Chief, Generic Communications Branch, Division of Policy and
Rulemaking, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. E9-17164 Filed 7-17-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
