Exelon Generation Company, LLC; Notice of Consideration of Issuance of Amendment to Facility Operating License, Proposed No Significant Hazards Consideration Determination, and Opportunity for a Hearing and Order Imposing Procedures for Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information (SUNSI) for Contention Preparation, 66159-66163 [E9-29672]

Agencies

• NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 238 (Monday, December 14, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66159-66163]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-29672]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-461]


Exelon Generation Company, LLC; Notice of Consideration of 
Issuance of Amendment to Facility Operating License, Proposed No 
Significant Hazards Consideration Determination, and Opportunity for a 
Hearing and Order Imposing Procedures for Access to Sensitive 
Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information (SUNSI) for Contention 
Preparation

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License No. 
NPF-62 issued to Exelon Generation Company, LLC (the licensee) for 
operation of the Clinton Power Station, Unit No. 1 (CPS), located in 
DeWitt County, Illinois.
    The proposed amendment would modify License Condition 2.B.(6) and 
create new License Conditions 1.J and 2.B(7) as part of a pilot program 
to irradiate Cobalt (Co)-59 targets to produce Co-60, for the CPS. The 
licensee also requests an amendment to Appendix A, Technical 
Specifications (TS), of the CPS Facility Operating License, which would 
modify TS 4.2.1, ``Fuel Assemblies,'' to describe the isotope test 
assemblies being used. The amendment application dated June 26, 2009, 
contains sensitive unclassified non-safeguards information (SUNSI). The 
amendment application is supplemented by letters dated November 4, 2009 
(ADAMS Package No. ML093100316), November 17, 2009 (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML093210561), and November 20, 2009 (ADAMS Accession No. ML093280028).
    Before issuance of the proposed license amendment, the Commission 
will have made findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as 
amended (the Act), and the Commission's regulations.
    The Commission has made a proposed determination that the amendment 
request involves no significant hazards consideration. Under the 
Commission's regulations in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(10 CFR), Section 50.92, this means that operation of the facility in 
accordance with the proposed amendment would not (1) involve a 
significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident 
previously evaluated; or (2) create the possibility of a new or 
different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated; or 
(3) involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety. As required 
by 10 CFR 50.91(a), the licensee has provided its analysis of the issue 
of no significant hazards consideration, which is presented below:

    1. Does the proposed amendment involve a significant increase in 
the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated?
    Response: No.
    The proposed changes to the license conditions provide 
clarification and do not impact plant operation in any way. The 
handling of byproduct material (i.e., Co-60) will continue to be 
done in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR 30 and the 
requirements of the CPS Facility Operating License. The proposed 
change to TS 4.2.1 also provides clarification and additional 
description of the proposed ITAs to be used in the CPS core. These 
changes provide clarification and do not involve an increase in the 
probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated.
    The use of the GE14i ITAs, has been evaluated for impact on the 
previously evaluated transients and design basis accidents for CPS. 
GE-Hitachi report NEDC-33505P, ``Safety Analysis Report to Support 
Introduction of GE14i Isotope Test Assemblies (ITAs) in Clinton 
Power Station,'' dated June 2009, documents the results of the 
analyses completed to demonstrate the impact on operation following 
introduction of the ITAs in the CPS core. The use of these ITAs does 
not adversely affect accident initiators or precursors nor alter the 
design assumptions, conditions, and configuration or the manner in 
which the plant is operated and maintained. The Cycle 13 (i.e., the 
first cycle of operation with the GE14i assembly) core, and 
subsequent cores, will be designed so that the ITAs will be placed 
in non-limiting locations with respect to thermal limit margins and 
shutdown margins. The ITAs do not adversely affect the ability of 
any structures, systems or components (SSCs) to perform their 
intended safety function to mitigate the consequences of an 
initiating event within the assumed acceptance limits.
    In addition to evaluation of the impact to operation with the 
introduction of the GE14i assemblies, EGC has also evaluated the 
effects of these assemblies on post-irradiation conditions. The 
additional heat from the Co-60 decay is insignificant when compared 
to the total heat from a normal refueling discharge. The small 
amount of extra heat added by the cobalt isotope rods poses no 
additional risk of spent fuel pool (SFP) local boiling over that was 
previously analyzed. The maximum incident radiation due to an 
irradiated GE14i bundle placed one foot from the spent fuel pool 
walls is in excess of the radiation that would result in significant 
gamma heating of the concrete. However, analysis has demonstrated 
that at four feet, the energy deposition rate is well below that 
required to cause significant concrete heating. CPS procedures exist 
to guide placement of irradiated fuel bundles in the SFP to avoid 
gamma heating of the wall concrete. These procedures will be 
modified to specify that the irradiated GE14i bundles be stored at 
least four feet from the pool walls. With the four foot distance 
requirement in effect, there is no limitation on the amount of time 
an irradiated GE14i bundle may remain in the pool.
    Handling of the licensed transfer casks will be in accordance 
with the guidance in NUREG 0612, ``Control of Heavy Loads at Nuclear 
Power Plants,'' using the Fuel Building Crane. These precautions 
will support safe movement of the casks within the Fuel Building.
    The consequences of a previously analyzed event are dependent on 
the initial conditions assumed in the analysis, the availability and 
successful functioning of equipment assumed to operate in response 
to the analyzed event, and the setpoints at which these actions are 
initiated. The consequences of a previously evaluated accident are 
not significantly increased by the proposed change. As documented in 
NEDC-33505P, the proposed change does not affect the performance of 
any equipment credited to mitigate the radiological consequences of 
an accident. Evaluation of operation with the GE14i assemblies in 
the CPS core, demonstrated that the licensing basis radiological 
analyses are not impacted by the introduction of eight GE14i 
assemblies at CPS. This includes the analyses done for transients 
and design basis accident events.
    Therefore, the proposed change does not involve a significant 
increase in the probability or consequences of an accident 
previously evaluated.
    2. Does the proposed amendment create the possibility of a new 
or different kind of accident from any accident previously 
evaluated?
    Response: No.
    The proposed revision to the CPS license conditions and TS 4.2.1 
will not introduce

[[Page 66160]]

any new or modified equipment since these changes are intended to 
provide clarification only. These clarifications will not result in 
operation of the facility in a different way than currently 
operated.
    While the proposed ITA program does result in the introduction 
of several modified fuel assemblies (i.e., the GE14i assembly), 
these assemblies are essentially the same as the GE14 assemblies 
currently in use in the CPS core. The only difference being the use 
of a number of isotope rods in place of fuel rods. The GE14i 
assembly was designed for mechanical, nuclear, and thermal-hydraulic 
compatibility with the GE14 fuel design. The details of the design 
differences between the GE14 and GE14i are documented in NEDC-
33505P. Use of the proposed ITAs does not involve the addition or 
modification of any plant equipment other than the assemblies 
modified to include the cobalt target rods. Also, use of the 
proposed ITAs will not alter the design configuration or method of 
operation of plant equipment beyond its normal functional 
capabilities. The ITA program does not create any new credible 
failure mechanisms, malfunctions or accident initiators.
    Therefore, the proposed change does not create the possibility 
of a new or different kind of accident from any previously 
evaluated.
    3. Does the proposed amendment involve a significant reduction 
in a margin of safety?
    Response: No.
    The proposed change to the CPS operating license conditions are 
intended to provide clarification as to how the generation of 
byproduct material in the CPS reactor core meets the requirements of 
10 CFR Part 30. The proposed change to TS 4.2.1 also provides 
clarification and additional description of the proposed ITAs to be 
used in the CPS core. These proposed changes would not affect the 
design or operation of any equipment important to safety. In 
addition, since the proposed changes to the license conditions and 
TS provide clarification only, these changes do not affect the 
results of any safety calculations.
    Cycle specific analyses will be performed for CPS Reload 12 
Cycle 13 to establish fuel operating limits for the ITAs that assure 
compliance with regulatory limits. Results of these analyses will be 
documented in the CPS Reload 12 Cycle 13 Supplemental Reload 
Licensing Report. Furthermore, licensing analyses will be performed 
for the ITAs for each cycle of their operation, wherein the effect 
of the ITAs is considered for each of the appropriate licensing 
events and anticipated operational occurrences (AOOs) to establish 
the appropriate reactor thermal limits for operation.
    The proposed introduction of the ITAs has no impact on equipment 
design or fundamental operation, other than the modifications made 
to the fuel assembly as part of the program. There are no changes 
being made to safety limits or safety system allowable values that 
would adversely affect plant safety as a result of the proposed 
ITAs. The performance of the systems important to safety is not 
significantly affected by the use of the proposed ITAs. The margin 
of safety can be affected by the thermal limits existing at the time 
of the postulated accident; however, the ITA design has been 
evaluated and demonstrated to have no significant effect on the 
calculated thermal limits as described above. The proposed change 
does not affect safety analysis assumptions or initial conditions 
and therefore, the margin of safety in the original safety analyses 
is maintained.
    As documented above, the proposed change does not involve a 
significant reduction in a margin of safety.

    The NRC staff has reviewed the licensee's analysis and, based on 
this review, it appears that the three standards of 10 CFR 50.92(c) are 
satisfied. Therefore, the NRC staff proposes to determine that the 
amendment request involves no significant hazards consideration.
    The Commission is seeking public comments on this proposed 
determination. Any comments received within 30 days after the date of 
publication of this notice will be considered in making any final 
determination.
    Normally, the Commission will not issue the amendment until the 
expiration of 60 days after the date of publication of this notice. The 
Commission may issue the license amendment before expiration of the 60-
day period provided that its final determination is that the amendment 
involves no significant hazards consideration. In addition, the 
Commission may issue the amendment prior to the expiration of the 30-
day comment period should circumstances change during the 30-day 
comment period such that failure to act in a timely way would result, 
for example, in derating or shutdown of the facility. Should the 
Commission take action prior to the expiration of either the comment 
period or the notice period, it will publish in the Federal Register a 
notice of issuance. Should the Commission make a final No Significant 
Hazards Consideration Determination, any hearing will take place after 
issuance. The Commission expects that the need to take this action will 
occur very infrequently.
    Written comments may be submitted by mail to the Chief, Rulemaking 
and Directives Branch, TWB-05-B01M, Division of Administrative 
Services, Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001, and should cite the publication date and 
page number of this Federal Register notice. Written comments may also 
be faxed to the Chief, Rulemaking and Directives Branch at 301-492-
3446. Documents may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's 
Public Document Room (PDR), located at One White Flint North, Public 
File Area O1 F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, 
Maryland.
    Within 60 days after the date of publication of this notice, any 
person(s) whose interest may be affected by this action may file a 
request for a hearing and a petition to intervene with respect to 
issuance of the amendment to the subject facility operating license. 
Requests for a hearing and a petition for leave to intervene shall be 
filed in accordance with the Commission's ``Rules of Practice for 
Domestic Licensing Proceedings'' in 10 CFR Part 2. Interested person(s) 
should consult a current copy of 10 CFR 2.309, which is available at 
the Commission's PDR, located at One White Flint North, Public File 
Area O1F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland. 
Publicly available records will be accessible from the Agencywide 
Documents Access and Management System's (ADAMS) Public Electronic 
Reading Room on the Internet at the NRC Web site, https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/. If a request for a hearing or petition 
for leave to intervene is filed by the above date, the Commission or a 
presiding officer designated by the Commission or by the Chief 
Administrative Judge of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, 
will rule on the request and/or petition; and the Secretary or the 
Chief Administrative Judge of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board 
will issue a notice of a hearing or an appropriate order.
    As required by 10 CFR 2.309, a petition for leave to intervene 
shall set forth with particularity the interest of the petitioner in 
the proceeding, and how that interest may be affected by the results of 
the proceeding. The petition should specifically explain the reasons 
why intervention should be permitted with particular reference to the 
following general requirements: (1) The name, address and telephone 
number of the requestor or petitioner; (2) the nature of the 
requestor's/petitioner's right under the Act to be made a party to the 
proceeding; (3) the nature and extent of the requestor's/petitioner's 
property, financial, or other interest in the proceeding; and (4) the 
possible effect of any decision or order which may be entered in the 
proceeding on the requestor's/petitioner's interest. The petition must 
also identify the specific contentions which the petitioner/requestor 
seeks to have litigated at the proceeding.
    Each contention must consist of a specific statement of the issue 
of law or fact to be raised or controverted. In

[[Page 66161]]

addition, the petitioner/requestor shall provide a brief explanation of 
the bases for the contention and a concise statement of the alleged 
facts or expert opinion which support the contention and on which the 
petitioner intends to rely in proving the contention at the hearing. 
The petitioner/requestor must also provide references to those specific 
sources and documents of which the petitioner is aware and on which the 
petitioner intends to rely to establish those facts or expert opinion. 
The petition must include sufficient information to show that a genuine 
dispute exists with the applicant on a material issue of law or fact. 
Contentions shall be limited to matters within the scope of the 
amendment under consideration. The contention must be one which, if 
proven, would entitle the petitioner to relief. A petitioner/requestor 
who fails to satisfy these requirements with respect to at least one 
contention will not be permitted to participate as a party.
    Those permitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding, 
subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to intervene, 
and have the opportunity to participate fully in the conduct of the 
hearing.
    If a hearing is requested, the Commission will make a final 
determination on the issue of no significant hazards consideration. The 
final determination will serve to decide when the hearing is held. If 
the final determination is that the amendment request involves no 
significant hazards consideration, the Commission may issue the 
amendment and make it immediately effective, notwithstanding the 
request for a hearing. Any hearing held would take place after issuance 
of the amendment. If the final determination is that the amendment 
request involves a significant hazards consideration, any hearing held 
would take place before the issuance of any amendment.
    All documents filed in NRC adjudicatory proceedings, including a 
request for hearing, a petition for leave to intervene, any motion or 
other document filed in the proceeding prior to the submission of a 
request for hearing or petition to intervene, and documents filed by 
interested governmental entities participating under 10 CFR 2.315(c), 
must be filed in accordance with the NRC E-Filing rule (72 FR 49139, 
August 28, 2007). The E-Filing process requires participants to submit 
and serve all adjudicatory documents over the Internet, or in some 
cases to mail copies on electronic storage media. Participants may not 
submit paper copies of their filings unless they seek an exemption in 
accordance with the procedures described below.
    To comply with the procedural requirements of E-Filing, at least 
ten (10) days prior to the filing deadline, the participant should 
contact the Office of the Secretary by e-mail at 
hearing.docket@nrc.gov, or by telephone at (301) 415-1677, to request 
(1) a digital ID certificate, which allows the participant (or its 
counsel or representative) to digitally sign documents and access the 
E-Submittal server for any proceeding in which it is participating; and 
(2) advise the Secretary that the participant will be submitting a 
request or petition for hearing (even in instances in which the 
participant, or its counsel or representative, already holds an NRC-
issued digital ID certificate). Based upon this information, the 
Secretary will establish an electronic docket for the hearing in this 
proceeding if the Secretary has not already established an electronic 
docket.
    Information about applying for a digital ID certificate is 
available on NRC's public Web site at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals/apply-certificates.html. System requirements for accessing 
the E-Submittal server are detailed in NRC's ``Guidance for Electronic 
Submission,'' which is available on the agency's public Web site at 
https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html. Participants may 
attempt to use other software not listed on the Web site, but should 
note that the NRC's E-Filing system does not support unlisted software, 
and the NRC Meta System Help Desk will not be able to offer assistance 
in using unlisted software.
    If a participant is electronically submitting a document to the NRC 
in accordance with the E-Filing rule, the participant must file the 
document using the NRC's online, Web-based submission form. In order to 
serve documents through EIE, users will be required to install a Web 
browser plug-in from the NRC Web site. Further information on the Web-
based submission form, including the installation of the Web browser 
plug-in, is available on the NRC's public Web site at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html.
    Once a participant has obtained a digital ID certificate and a 
docket has been created, the participant can then submit a request for 
hearing or petition for leave to intervene. Submissions should be in 
Portable Document Format (PDF) in accordance with NRC guidance 
available on the NRC public Web site at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html. A filing is considered complete at the time the 
documents are submitted through the NRC's E-Filing system. To be 
timely, an electronic filing must be submitted to the E-Filing system 
no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date. Upon receipt of 
a transmission, the E-Filing system time-stamps the document and sends 
the submitter an e-mail notice confirming receipt of the document. The 
E-Filing system also distributes an e-mail notice that provides access 
to the document to the NRC Office of the General Counsel and any others 
who have advised the Office of the Secretary that they wish to 
participate in the proceeding, so that the filer need not serve the 
documents on those participants separately. Therefore, applicants and 
other participants (or their counsel or representative) must apply for 
and receive a digital ID certificate before a hearing request/petition 
to intervene is filed so that they can obtain access to the document 
via the E-Filing system.
    A person filing electronically using the agency's adjudicatory E-
Filing system may seek assistance by contacting the NRC Meta System 
Help Desk through the ``Contact Us'' link located on the NRC Web site 
at https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html, by e-mail at 
MSHD.Resource@nrc.gov, or by toll-free call at (866) 672-7640. The NRC 
Meta-System Help Desk is available between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern 
Time, Monday through Friday, excluding government holidays.
    Participants who believe that they have a good cause for not 
submitting documents electronically must file an exemption request, in 
accordance with 10 CFR 2.302(g), with their initial paper filing 
requesting authorization to continue to submit documents in paper 
format. Such filings must be submitted by: (1) First class mail 
addressed to the Office of the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: 
Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff; or (2) courier, express mail, or 
expedited delivery service to the Office of the Secretary, Sixteenth 
Floor, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 
20852, Attention: Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff. Participants 
filing a document in this manner are responsible for serving the 
document on all other participants. Filing is considered complete by 
first-class mail as of the time of deposit in the mail, or by courier, 
express mail, or expedited delivery service upon depositing the 
document with the provider of the

[[Page 66162]]

service. A presiding officer, having granted an exemption request from 
using E-Filing, may require a participant or party to use E-Filing if 
the presiding officer subsequently determines that the reason for 
granting the exemption from use of E-Filing no longer exists.
    Documents submitted in adjudicatory proceedings will appear in 
NRC's electronic hearing docket which is available to the public at 
https://ehd.nrc.gov/EHD_Proceeding/home.asp, unless excluded pursuant 
to an order of the Commission, or the presiding officer. Participants 
are requested not to include personal privacy information, such as 
social security numbers, home addresses, or home phone numbers in their 
filings, unless an NRC regulation or other law requires submission of 
such information. With respect to copyrighted works, except for limited 
excerpts that serve the purpose of the adjudicatory filings and would 
constitute a Fair Use application, participants are requested not to 
include copyrighted materials in their submission.
    Petitions for leave to intervene must be filed no later than 60 
days from December 14, 2009. Non-timely filings will not be entertained 
absent a determination by the presiding officer that the petition or 
request should be granted or the contentions should be admitted, based 
on a balancing of the factors specified in 10 CFR 2.309(c)(1)(i)-
(viii).
    For further details with respect to this license amendment 
application, see the application for amendment dated June 24, 2009, 
which is available for public inspection at the Commission's PDR, 
located at One White Flint North, File Public Area O1 F21, 11555 
Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available 
records will be accessible from the ADAMS Public Electronic Reading 
Room on the Internet at the NRC Web site, https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. Persons who do not have access to ADAMS or who encounter 
problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, should contact 
the NRC PDR Reference staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-
4737, or by e-mail to pdr.resource@nrc.gov.
    Attorney for Licensee: Mr. Bradley J. Fewell, Associate General 
Counsel, Exelon Generation Company, LLC, 4300 Winfield Road, 
Warrenville, IL 60555.

Order Imposing Procedures for Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-
Safeguards Information (SUNSI) for Contention Preparation

    A. This Order contains instructions regarding how potential parties 
to this proceeding may request access to documents containing Sensitive 
Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information (SUNSI).
    B. Within 10 days after publication of this notice of hearing and 
opportunity to petition for leave to intervene, any potential party who 
believes access to SUNSI is necessary to respond to this notice may 
request such access. A ``potential party'' is any person who intends to 
participate as a party by demonstrating standing and filing an 
admissible contention under 10 CFR 2.309. Requests for access to SUNSI 
submitted later than 10 days after publication will not be considered 
absent a showing of good cause for the late filing, addressing why the 
request could not have been filed earlier.
    C. The requestor shall submit a letter requesting permission to 
access SUNSI to the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and 
Adjudications Staff, and provide a copy to the Associate General 
Counsel for Hearings, Enforcement and Administration, Office of the 
General Counsel, Washington, DC 20555-0001. The expedited delivery or 
courier mail address for both offices is: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. The e-mail 
address for the Office of the Secretary and the Office of the General 
Counsel are Hearing.Docket@nrc.gov and OGCmailcenter@nrc.gov, 
respectively.\1\ The request must include the following information:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ While a request for hearing or petition to intervene in this 
proceeding must comply with the filing requirements of the NRC's 
``E-Filing Rule,'' the initial request to access SUNSI under these 
procedures should be submitted as described in this paragraph.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (1) A description of the licensing action with a citation to this 
Federal Register notice;
    (2) The name and address of the potential party and a description 
of the potential party's particularized interest that could be harmed 
by the action identified in C.(1);
    (3) The identity of the individual or entity requesting access to 
SUNSI and the requestor's basis for the need for the information in 
order to meaningfully participate in this adjudicatory proceeding. In 
particular, the request must explain why publicly-available versions of 
the information requested would not be sufficient to provide the basis 
and specificity for a proffered contention;
    D. Based on an evaluation of the information submitted under 
paragraph C.(3) the NRC staff will determine within 10 days of receipt 
of the request whether:
    (1) There is a reasonable basis to believe the petitioner is likely 
to establish standing to participate in this NRC proceeding; and
    (2) The requestor has established a legitimate need for access to 
SUNSI.
    E. If the NRC staff determines that the requestor satisfies both 
D.(1) and D.(2) above, the NRC staff will notify the requestor in 
writing that access to SUNSI has been granted. The written notification 
will contain instructions on how the requestor may obtain copies of the 
requested documents, and any other conditions that may apply to access 
to those documents. These conditions may include, but are not limited 
to, the signing of a Non-Disclosure Agreement or Affidavit, or 
Protective Order \2\ setting forth terms and conditions to prevent the 
unauthorized or inadvertent disclosure of SUNSI by each individual who 
will be granted access to SUNSI.
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    \2\ Any motion for Protective Order or draft Non-Disclosure 
Affidavit or Agreement for SUNSI must be filed with the presiding 
officer or the Chief Administrative Judge if the presiding officer 
has not yet been designated, within 30 days of the deadline for the 
receipt of the written access request.
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    F. Filing of Contentions. Any contentions in these proceedings that 
are based upon the information received as a result of the request made 
for SUNSI must be filed by the requestor no later than 25 days after 
the requestor is granted access to that information. However, if more 
than 25 days remain between the date the petitioner is granted access 
to the information and the deadline for filing all other contentions 
(as established in the notice of hearing or opportunity for hearing), 
the petitioner may file its SUNSI contentions by that later deadline.
    G. Review of Denials of Access.
    (1) If the request for access to SUNSI is denied by the NRC staff 
either after a determination on standing and need for access, or after 
a determination on trustworthiness and reliability, the NRC staff shall 
immediately notify the requestor in writing, briefly stating the reason 
or reasons for the denial.
    (2) The requestor may challenge the NRC staff's adverse 
determination by filing a challenge within 5 days of receipt of that 
determination with: (a) The presiding officer designated in this 
proceeding; (b) if no presiding officer has been appointed, the Chief 
Administrative Judge, or if he or she is unavailable, another 
administrative judge, or an administrative law judge with jurisdiction 
pursuant to 10 CFR 2.318(a); or (c) if another officer has been 
designated to rule on information access issues, with that officer.

[[Page 66163]]

    H. Review of Grants of Access. A party other than the requestor may 
challenge an NRC staff determination granting access to SUNSI whose 
release would harm that party's interest independent of the proceeding. 
Such a challenge must be filed with the Chief Administrative Judge 
within 5 days of the notification by the NRC staff of its grant of 
access.
    If challenges to the NRC staff determinations are filed, these 
procedures give way to the normal process for litigating disputes 
concerning access to information. The availability of interlocutory 
review by the Commission of orders ruling on such NRC staff 
determinations (whether granting or denying access) is governed by 10 
CFR 2.311.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ Requestors should note that the filing requirements of the 
NRC's E-Filing Rule (72 FR 49139; August 28, 2007) apply to appeals 
of NRC staff determinations (because they must be served on a 
presiding officer or the Commission, as applicable), but not to the 
initial SUNSI request submitted to the NRC staff under these 
procedures.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I. The Commission expects that the NRC staff and presiding officers 
(and any other reviewing officers) will consider and resolve requests 
for access to SUNSI, and motions for protective orders, in a timely 
fashion in order to minimize any unnecessary delays in identifying 
those petitioners who have standing and who have propounded contentions 
meeting the specificity and basis requirements in 10 CFR Part 2. 
Attachment 1 to this Order summarizes the general target schedule for 
processing and resolving requests under these procedures.
    It is so ordered.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day of December 2009.

    For the Commission.
Annette L. Vietti-Cook,
Secretary of the Commission.

   Attachment 1--General Target Schedule for Processing and Resolving
Requests for Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information
                           in this Proceeding
------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Day                            Event/activity
------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.............................  Publication of Federal Register notice
                                 of hearing and opportunity to petition
                                 for leave to intervene, including order
                                 with instructions for access requests.
10............................  Deadline for submitting requests for
                                 access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-
                                 Safeguards Information (SUNSI) with
                                 information: Supporting the standing of
                                 a potential party identified by name
                                 and address; describing the need for
                                 the information in order for the
                                 potential party to participate
                                 meaningfully in an adjudicatory
                                 proceeding.
60............................  Deadline for submitting petition for
                                 intervention containing: (i)
                                 Demonstration of standing; (ii) all
                                 contentions whose formulation does not
                                 require access to SUNSI (+25 Answers to
                                 petition for intervention; +7
                                 petitioner/requestor reply).
20............................  Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
                                 staff informs the requestor of the
                                 staff's determination whether the
                                 request for access provides a
                                 reasonable basis to believe standing
                                 can be established and shows need for
                                 SUNSI. (NRC staff also informs any
                                 party to the proceeding whose interest
                                 independent of the proceeding would be
                                 harmed by the release of the
                                 information.) If NRC staff makes the
                                 finding of need for SUNSI and
                                 likelihood of standing, NRC staff
                                 begins document processing (preparation
                                 of redactions or review of redacted
                                 documents).
25............................  If NRC staff finds no ``need'' or no
                                 likelihood of standing, the deadline
                                 for requestor/petitioner to file a
                                 motion seeking a ruling to reverse the
                                 NRC staff's denial of access; NRC staff
                                 files copy of access determination with
                                 the presiding officer (or Chief
                                 Administrative Judge or other
                                 designated officer, as appropriate). If
                                 NRC staff finds ``need'' for SUNSI, the
                                 deadline for any party to the
                                 proceeding whose interest independent
                                 of the proceeding would be harmed by
                                 the release of the information to file
                                 a motion seeking a ruling to reverse
                                 the NRC staff's grant of access.
30............................  Deadline for NRC staff reply to motions
                                 to reverse NRC staff determination(s).
40............................  (Receipt +30) If NRC staff finds
                                 standing and need for SUNSI, deadline
                                 for NRC staff to complete information
                                 processing and file motion for
                                 Protective Order and draft Non-
                                 Disclosure Affidavit. Deadline for
                                 applicant/licensee to file Non-
                                 Disclosure Agreement for SUNSI.
A.............................  If access granted: Issuance of presiding
                                 officer or other designated officer
                                 decision on motion for protective order
                                 for access to sensitive information
                                 (including schedule for providing
                                 access and submission of contentions)
                                 or decision reversing a final adverse
                                 determination by the NRC staff.
A + 3.........................  Deadline for filing executed Non-
                                 Disclosure Affidavits. Access provided
                                 to SUNSI consistent with decision
                                 issuing the protective order.
A + 28........................  Deadline for submission of contentions
                                 whose development depends upon access
                                 to SUNSI. However, if more than 25 days
                                 remain between the petitioner's receipt
                                 of (or access to) the information and
                                 the deadline for filing all other
                                 contentions (as established in the
                                 notice of hearing or opportunity for
                                 hearing), the petitioner may file its
                                 SUNSI contentions by that later
                                 deadline.
A + 53........................  (Contention receipt +25) Answers to
                                 contentions whose development depends
                                 upon access to SUNSI.
A + 60........................  (Answer receipt +7) Petitioner/
                                 Intervenor reply to answers.
>A + 60.......................  Decision on contention admission.
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[FR Doc. E9-29672 Filed 12-11-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P