Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., Entergy Nuclear Indian Point 2, LLC, Entergy Nuclear Indian Point 3, LLC,: Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit Nos. 2 and 3; Notice of Consideration of Issuance of Amendment to Facility Operating License and Opportunity To Request a Hearing, and Order Imposing Procedures for Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information, 3497-3501 [2010-1077]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 13 / Thursday, January 21, 2010 / Notices 3497 ATTACHMENT 1—GENERAL TARGET SCHEDULE FOR PROCESSING AND RESOLVING REQUESTS FOR ACCESS TO SENSITIVE UNCLASSIFIED NON-SAFEGUARDS INFORMATION IN THIS PROCEEDING—Continued Day A + 60 ...... >A + 60 .... Event/activity (Answer receipt +7) Petitioner/Intervenor reply to answers. Decision on contention admission. [FR Doc. 2010–1080 Filed 1–20–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket Nos. 50–247 and 50–286; NRC– 2010–0006] Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., Entergy Nuclear Indian Point 2, LLC, Entergy Nuclear Indian Point 3, LLC,: Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit Nos. 2 and 3; Notice of Consideration of Issuance of Amendment to Facility Operating License and Opportunity To Request a Hearing, and Order Imposing Procedures for Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice of amendment and opportunity to request a hearing and to petition for leave to intervene. jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES DATES: Request for a hearing and/or petition for leave to intervene must be filed within 60 days after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. Any potential party as defined in 10 CFR 2.4 who believes access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information and/or Safeguards Information is necessary to respond to this notice must request document access within 10 days after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. I. Introduction The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is considering an application for amendment to Facility Operating License Nos. DPR–26 and DPR–64, issued to Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (Entergy) and Entergy Nuclear Indian Point 2, LLC, for operation of the Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit No. 2 (IP2) and to Entergy and Entergy Nuclear Indian Point 3, LLC, for operation of the Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit No. 3 (IP3), both located in Westchester County, New York. The proposed amendment would revise the IP2 and IP3 operating licenses to permit the transfer of spent fuel from VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:17 Jan 20, 2010 Jkt 220001 IP3 to IP2, using a newly-designed transfer cask, with plans for further transfer to the onsite independent spent fuel storage installation, on an asneeded basis as determined by Entergy’s fuel management needs. The July 8, 2009, application (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML091940177 and ML091940178), as supplemented by letters dated September 28 and October 26, 2009 (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML092950437 and ML093020080) contains proprietary information, which the Commission classifies as sensitive unclassified nonsafeguards information (SUNSI). 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. These findings will be documented in a Safety Evaluation Report and an Environmental Assessment and/or an Environmental Impact Statement. II. Opportunity To Request a Hearing Within 60 days after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register, any person(s) whose interest may be affected by this action and who desires to participate as a party to this action, may file a request for a hearing and a petition to intervene with respect to whether the amendment to the subject facility operating licenses should be issued. Requests for a hearing and petitions 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, ‘‘Hearing Requests, Petitions to Intervene, Requirements for Standing, and Contentions,’’ which is available at the Commission’s Public Document Room (PDR), located at One White Flint North, Room O1–F21, 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 PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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. III. Petitions for Leave To Intervene As required by 10 CFR 2.309, a petition for leave to intervene or request for hearing shall set forth with particularity the interest of the petitioner/requester 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 requester or petitioner; (2) the nature of the requester’s/ petitioner’s right under the Act to be made a party to the proceeding; (3) the nature and extent of the requester’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 requester’s/petitioner’s interest. The petition must also identify the specific contentions which the petitioner/requester seeks to have litigated in the proceeding. Each contention must consist of a specific statement of the issue of law or fact to be raised or controverted, as well as a brief explanation of the basis for the contention. The petitioner must demonstrate that the issue raised by each contention is within the scope of the proceeding and is material to the findings that the NRC must make to support the granting of the license amendment in response to the application. The petition must also include 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 must also provide references to those specific sources and documents of which the petitioner is aware and on which the petitioner intends to rely. E:\FR\FM\21JAN1.SGM 21JAN1 jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES 3498 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 13 / Thursday, January 21, 2010 / Notices Finally, the petition must include sufficient information to show that a genuine dispute exists with the applicant on a material issue of law or fact, including references to specific portions of the application for amendment that the petitioner disputes and the supporting reasons for each dispute, or, if the petitioner believes that the application for amendment fails to contain information on a relevant matter as required by law, the identification of each failure and the supporting reasons for the petitioner’s belief. Contentions shall be limited to matters within the scope of the license amendment under consideration. The contention must be one which, if proven, would entitle the petitioner/ requester to relief. A petitioner/ requester 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 with respect to resolution of that person’s admitted contentions, including the opportunity to present evidence and to submit proposed Board questions or a cross-examination plan for cross-examination of witnesses, consistent with NRC regulations, policies, and procedures. The Licensing Board, if one is appointed, will set the time and place for any prehearing conferences and evidentiary hearings. Non-timely petitions for leave to intervene and contentions, amended petitions, and supplemental petitions will not be entertained absent a determination by the Commission, the Licensing Board or a Presiding Officer that the petition should be granted and/ or the contentions should be admitted based on a balancing of the factors specified in 10 CFR 2.309(c)(1)(i)–(viii). A State, county, municipality, Federally-recognized Indian Tribe, or agencies thereof, may submit a petition to the Commission to participate as a party under 10 CFR 2.309(d)(2). The petition should state the nature and extent of the petitioner’s interest in the proceeding. The petition should be submitted to the Commission within 60 days after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. The petition must be filed in accordance with the filing instructions in section IV of this document, and should meet the requirements for petitions for leave to intervene set forth in this section, except that States and Federallyrecognized Indian tribes do not need to address the standing requirements in 10 VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:17 Jan 20, 2010 Jkt 220001 CFR 2.309(d)(1) if the facility is located within their boundaries. The entities listed above could also seek to participate in a hearing as a nonparty participant pursuant to 10 CFR 2.315(c). IV. Electronic Submissions (E-Filing) 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 EFiling 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 NRCissued 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 ESubmittal 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 PO 00000 Frm 00057 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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 plugin 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/esubmittals.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/esubmittals.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 email 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/esubmittals.html, by e-mail at MSHD.Resource@nrc.gov, or by a tollfree 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 E:\FR\FM\21JAN1.SGM 21JAN1 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 13 / Thursday, January 21, 2010 / Notices jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES 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 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. V. Hybrid Hearing Procedures The Commission hereby provides notice that this is a proceeding on an application for a license amendment falling within the scope of section 134 of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA), 42 U.S.C. 10154. Under section 134 of the NWPA, the Commission, at the request of any party to the proceeding, must use hybrid hearing procedures with respect to ‘‘any matter which the Commission determines to be in controversy among the parties.’’ VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:17 Jan 20, 2010 Jkt 220001 The hybrid procedures in section 134 provide for oral argument on matters in controversy, preceded by discovery under the Commission’s rules and the designation, following argument of only those factual issues that involve a genuine and substantial dispute, together with any remaining questions of law, to be resolved in an adjudicatory hearing. Actual adjudicatory hearings are to be held on only those issues found to meet the criteria of section 134 and set for hearing after oral argument. The Commission’s rules implementing section 134 of the NWPA are found in 10 CFR Part 2, Subpart K, ‘‘Hybrid Hearing Procedures for Expansion of Spent Fuel Storage Capacity at Civilian Nuclear Power Reactors.’’ Under those rules, any party to the proceeding may invoke the hybrid hearing procedures by filing with the presiding officer a written request for oral argument under 10 CFR 2.1109. To be timely, the request must be filed together with a request for hearing/ petition to intervene, filed in accordance with 10 CFR 2.309. If it is determined a hearing will be held, the presiding officer must grant a timely request for oral argument. The presiding officer may grant an untimely request for oral argument only upon a showing of good cause by the requesting party for the failure to file on time and after providing the other parties an opportunity to respond to the untimely request. If the presiding officer grants a request for oral argument, any hearing held on the application must be conducted in accordance with the hybrid hearing procedures. In essence, those procedures limit the time available for discovery and require that an oral argument be held to determine whether any contentions must be resolved in an adjudicatory hearing. If no party to the proceeding timely requests oral argument, and if all untimely requests for oral argument are denied, then the usual procedures in 10 CFR Part 2, Subpart L apply. For further details with respect to this license amendment application, see the application for amendment dated July 8, 2009, (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML091940177 and ML091940178), as supplemented by letters dated September 28 and October 26, 2009 (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML092950437 and ML093020080) which are available for public inspection at the Commission’s PDR, located at One White Flint North, Public File Area O1 F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible electronically from the ADAMS Public Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at the PO 00000 Frm 00058 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 3499 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, or 301– 415–4737, or by e-mail to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. Attorney for the licensee: William C. Dennis, Assistant General Counsel, Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., 440 Hamilton Avenue, White Plains, NY 10601. Order Imposing Procedures for Access to Sensitive Unclassified NonSafeguards Information 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 requester 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. E:\FR\FM\21JAN1.SGM 21JAN1 3500 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 13 / Thursday, January 21, 2010 / Notices (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 requester’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. 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 requester 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. H. Review of Grants of Access. A party other than the requester 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 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 14th day of January, 2010. 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. 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. 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). Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff informs the requester 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). If NRC staff finds no ‘‘need’’ or no likelihood of standing, the deadline for petitioner/requester 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. 10 ............. 60 ............. 20 ............. jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES 25 ............. 2 Any motion for Protective Order or draft NonDisclosure Affidavit or Agreement for SUNSI must be filed with the presiding officer or the Chief Administrative Judge if the presiding officer has not VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:17 Jan 20, 2010 Jkt 220001 yet been designated, within 30 days of the deadline for the receipt of the written access request. 3 Requesters should note that the filing requirements of the NRC’s E-Filing Rule (72 FR 49139; August 28, 2007) apply to appeals of NRC PO 00000 Frm 00059 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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. E:\FR\FM\21JAN1.SGM 21JAN1 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 13 / Thursday, January 21, 2010 / Notices 3501 ATTACHMENT 1—GENERAL TARGET SCHEDULE FOR PROCESSING AND RESOLVING REQUESTS FOR ACCESS TO SENSITIVE UNCLASSIFIED NON-SAFEGUARDS INFORMATION IN THIS PROCEEDING—Continued Day Event/activity 30 ............. 40 ............. Deadline for NRC staff reply to motions to reverse NRC staff determination(s). (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. 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. Deadline for filing executed Non-Disclosure Affidavits. Access provided to SUNSI consistent with decision issuing the protective order. 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. (Contention receipt +25) Answers to contentions whose development depends upon access to SUNSI. (Answer receipt +7) Petitioner/Intervenor reply to answers. Decision on contention admission. A .............. A + 3 ........ A + 28 ...... A + 53 ...... A + 60 ...... >A + 60 .... [FR Doc. 2010–1077 Filed 1–20–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES In accordance with the purposes of Sections 29 and 182b of the Atomic Energy Act (42 U.S.C. 2039, 2232b), the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) will hold a meeting on February 4–6, 2010, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. The date of this meeting was previously published in the Federal Register on Monday, October 14, 2009 (74 FR 52829–52830). Thursday, February 4, 2010, Conference Room T2–B1, Two White Flint North, Rockville, Maryland 8:30 a.m.–8:35 a.m.: Opening Remarks by the ACRS Chairman (Open)—The ACRS Chairman will make opening remarks regarding the conduct of the meeting. 8:35 a.m.–10 a.m.: Draft Final Revision 1 to Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.141, ‘‘Containment Isolation Provisions for Fluid Systems’’ (Open)— The Committee will hear presentations by and hold discussions with representatives of the NRC staff regarding draft final Revision 1 to RG 1.141, ‘‘Containment Isolation Provisions for Fluid Systems,’’ NRC staff’s resolution of public comments, and related matters. 10:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m.: Draft Final Regulatory Guide 1.217, ‘‘Guidance for the Assessment of Beyond-Design-Basis Aircraft Impacts’’ (Open/Closed)—The Committee will hear presentations by and hold discussions with representatives of the NRC staff regarding draft final RG 1.217, VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:17 Jan 20, 2010 Jkt 220001 ‘‘Guidance for the Assessment of Beyond-Design-Basis Aircraft Impacts,’’ NRC staff’s resolution of stakeholder comments, and related matters. [Note: A portion of this session may be closed to protect unclassified safeguards information pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(3).] 1:15 p.m.–2:45 p.m.: Draft Final Revision 1 to Regulatory Guide 1.62, ‘‘Manual Initiation of Protective Actions’’ (Open)—The Committee will hear presentations by and hold discussions with representatives of the NRC staff regarding draft final Revision 1 to RG 1.62, ‘‘Manual Initiation of Protective Actions,’’ NRC staff’s resolution of public comments, and related matters. 3 p.m.–4:30 p.m.: Proposed Revisions to NUREG–1520, ‘‘Standard Review Plan for Review of a License Application for a Fuel Cycle Facility’’ (Open)—The Committee will hear presentations by and hold discussions with representatives of the NRC staff regarding proposed revisions to NUREG 1520, ‘‘Standard Review Plan for Review of a License Application for a Fuel Cycle Facility,’’ and related matters. 4:45 p.m.–7 p.m.: Preparation of ACRS Reports (Open/Closed)—The Committee will discuss proposed ACRS reports on matters discussed during this meeting. [Note: A portion of this session may be closed to protect unclassified safeguards information pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(3).] Friday, February 5, 2010, Conference Room T2–B1, Two White Flint North, Rockville, Maryland 8:30 a.m.–8:35 a.m.: Opening Remarks by the ACRS Chairman (Open)—The ACRS Chairman will make opening remarks regarding the conduct of the meeting. PO 00000 Frm 00060 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 8:35 a.m.–10 a.m.: Status of Rulemaking for Disposal of Depleted Uranium and Other Unique Waste Streams (Open)—The Committee will hear presentations by and hold discussions with representatives of the NRC staff regarding the status of rulemaking efforts addressing disposal of depleted uranium and other unique waste streams, and related matters. 10:15 a.m.–11:45 a.m.: Future ACRS Activities/Report of the Planning and Procedures Subcommittee (Open/ Closed)—The Committee will discuss the recommendations of the Planning and Procedures Subcommittee regarding items proposed for consideration by the Full Committee during future ACRS meetings, including anticipated workload and member assignments, and related matters. [Note: A portion of this session may be closed pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(2) and (6) to discuss organizational and personnel matters that relate solely to internal personnel rules and practices of ACRS, and information the release of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.] 11:45 a.m.–12 p.m.: Reconciliation of ACRS Comments and Recommendations (Open)—The Committee will discuss the responses from the NRC Executive Director for Operations to comments and recommendations included in recent ACRS reports and letters. 1 p.m.–3 p.m.: Draft ACRS Report on the NRC Safety Research Program (Open)—The Committee will discuss the draft ACRS report on the NRC Safety Research Program. 3:15 p.m.–7 p.m.: Preparation of ACRS Reports (Open/Closed)—The Committee will discuss the proposed ACRS reports on matters discussed during this meeting. [Note: A portion of this session may be closed to protect E:\FR\FM\21JAN1.SGM 21JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 13 (Thursday, January 21, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3497-3501]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-1077]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-247 and 50-286; NRC-2010-0006]


Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., Entergy Nuclear Indian Point 2, 
LLC, Entergy Nuclear Indian Point 3, LLC,: Indian Point Nuclear 
Generating Unit Nos. 2 and 3; Notice of Consideration of Issuance of 
Amendment to Facility Operating License and Opportunity To Request a 
Hearing, and Order Imposing Procedures for Access to Sensitive 
Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of amendment and opportunity to request a hearing and to 
petition for leave to intervene.

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DATES: Request for a hearing and/or petition for leave to intervene 
must be filed within 60 days after the date of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. Any potential party as defined in 10 
CFR 2.4 who believes access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards 
Information and/or Safeguards Information is necessary to respond to 
this notice must request document access within 10 days after the date 
of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

I. Introduction

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is 
considering an application for amendment to Facility Operating License 
Nos. DPR-26 and DPR-64, issued to Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. 
(Entergy) and Entergy Nuclear Indian Point 2, LLC, for operation of the 
Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit No. 2 (IP2) and to Entergy and 
Entergy Nuclear Indian Point 3, LLC, for operation of the Indian Point 
Nuclear Generating Unit No. 3 (IP3), both located in Westchester 
County, New York.
    The proposed amendment would revise the IP2 and IP3 operating 
licenses to permit the transfer of spent fuel from IP3 to IP2, using a 
newly-designed transfer cask, with plans for further transfer to the 
onsite independent spent fuel storage installation, on an as-needed 
basis as determined by Entergy's fuel management needs. The July 8, 
2009, application (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS) Accession No. ML091940177 and ML091940178), as supplemented by 
letters dated September 28 and October 26, 2009 (ADAMS Accession Nos. 
ML092950437 and ML093020080) contains proprietary information, which 
the Commission classifies as sensitive unclassified non-safeguards 
information (SUNSI). 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. 
These findings will be documented in a Safety Evaluation Report and an 
Environmental Assessment and/or an Environmental Impact Statement.

II. Opportunity To Request a Hearing

    Within 60 days after the date of publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register, any person(s) whose interest may be affected by this 
action and who desires to participate as a party to this action, may 
file a request for a hearing and a petition to intervene with respect 
to whether the amendment to the subject facility operating licenses 
should be issued. Requests for a hearing and petitions 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, 
``Hearing Requests, Petitions to Intervene, Requirements for Standing, 
and Contentions,'' which is available at the Commission's Public 
Document Room (PDR), located at One White Flint North, Room O1-F21, 
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.

III. Petitions for Leave To Intervene

    As required by 10 CFR 2.309, a petition for leave to intervene or 
request for hearing shall set forth with particularity the interest of 
the petitioner/requester 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 requester or petitioner; 
(2) the nature of the requester's/petitioner's right under the Act to 
be made a party to the proceeding; (3) the nature and extent of the 
requester'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 requester's/petitioner's 
interest.
    The petition must also identify the specific contentions which the 
petitioner/requester seeks to have litigated in the proceeding. Each 
contention must consist of a specific statement of the issue of law or 
fact to be raised or controverted, as well as a brief explanation of 
the basis for the contention. The petitioner must demonstrate that the 
issue raised by each contention is within the scope of the proceeding 
and is material to the findings that the NRC must make to support the 
granting of the license amendment in response to the application. The 
petition must also include 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 must also provide references to those specific sources and 
documents of which the petitioner is aware and on which the petitioner 
intends to rely.

[[Page 3498]]

Finally, the petition must include sufficient information to show that 
a genuine dispute exists with the applicant on a material issue of law 
or fact, including references to specific portions of the application 
for amendment that the petitioner disputes and the supporting reasons 
for each dispute, or, if the petitioner believes that the application 
for amendment fails to contain information on a relevant matter as 
required by law, the identification of each failure and the supporting 
reasons for the petitioner's belief. Contentions shall be limited to 
matters within the scope of the license amendment under consideration. 
The contention must be one which, if proven, would entitle the 
petitioner/requester to relief. A petitioner/requester 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 with respect to resolution of that person's admitted 
contentions, including the opportunity to present evidence and to 
submit proposed Board questions or a cross-examination plan for cross-
examination of witnesses, consistent with NRC regulations, policies, 
and procedures. The Licensing Board, if one is appointed, will set the 
time and place for any prehearing conferences and evidentiary hearings.
    Non-timely petitions for leave to intervene and contentions, 
amended petitions, and supplemental petitions will not be entertained 
absent a determination by the Commission, the Licensing Board or a 
Presiding Officer that the petition should be granted and/or the 
contentions should be admitted based on a balancing of the factors 
specified in 10 CFR 2.309(c)(1)(i)-(viii).
    A State, county, municipality, Federally-recognized Indian Tribe, 
or agencies thereof, may submit a petition to the Commission to 
participate as a party under 10 CFR 2.309(d)(2). The petition should 
state the nature and extent of the petitioner's interest in the 
proceeding. The petition should be submitted to the Commission within 
60 days after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register. The petition must be filed in accordance with the filing 
instructions in section IV of this document, and should meet the 
requirements for petitions for leave to intervene set forth in this 
section, except that States and Federally-recognized Indian tribes do 
not need to address the standing requirements in 10 CFR 2.309(d)(1) if 
the facility is located within their boundaries. The entities listed 
above could also seek to participate in a hearing as a nonparty 
participant pursuant to 10 CFR 2.315(c).

IV. Electronic Submissions (E-Filing)

    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 a 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

[[Page 3499]]

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 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.

V. Hybrid Hearing Procedures

    The Commission hereby provides notice that this is a proceeding on 
an application for a license amendment falling within the scope of 
section 134 of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA), 42 U.S.C. 
10154. Under section 134 of the NWPA, the Commission, at the request of 
any party to the proceeding, must use hybrid hearing procedures with 
respect to ``any matter which the Commission determines to be in 
controversy among the parties.''
    The hybrid procedures in section 134 provide for oral argument on 
matters in controversy, preceded by discovery under the Commission's 
rules and the designation, following argument of only those factual 
issues that involve a genuine and substantial dispute, together with 
any remaining questions of law, to be resolved in an adjudicatory 
hearing. Actual adjudicatory hearings are to be held on only those 
issues found to meet the criteria of section 134 and set for hearing 
after oral argument.
    The Commission's rules implementing section 134 of the NWPA are 
found in 10 CFR Part 2, Subpart K, ``Hybrid Hearing Procedures for 
Expansion of Spent Fuel Storage Capacity at Civilian Nuclear Power 
Reactors.'' Under those rules, any party to the proceeding may invoke 
the hybrid hearing procedures by filing with the presiding officer a 
written request for oral argument under 10 CFR 2.1109. To be timely, 
the request must be filed together with a request for hearing/petition 
to intervene, filed in accordance with 10 CFR 2.309. If it is 
determined a hearing will be held, the presiding officer must grant a 
timely request for oral argument. The presiding officer may grant an 
untimely request for oral argument only upon a showing of good cause by 
the requesting party for the failure to file on time and after 
providing the other parties an opportunity to respond to the untimely 
request. If the presiding officer grants a request for oral argument, 
any hearing held on the application must be conducted in accordance 
with the hybrid hearing procedures. In essence, those procedures limit 
the time available for discovery and require that an oral argument be 
held to determine whether any contentions must be resolved in an 
adjudicatory hearing. If no party to the proceeding timely requests 
oral argument, and if all untimely requests for oral argument are 
denied, then the usual procedures in 10 CFR Part 2, Subpart L apply.
    For further details with respect to this license amendment 
application, see the application for amendment dated July 8, 2009, 
(ADAMS Accession Nos. ML091940177 and ML091940178), as supplemented by 
letters dated September 28 and October 26, 2009 (ADAMS Accession Nos. 
ML092950437 and ML093020080) which are available for public inspection 
at the Commission's PDR, located at One White Flint North, Public File 
Area O1 F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland. 
Publicly available records will be accessible electronically 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, or 301-415-4737, or by e-mail to 
pdr.resource@nrc.gov.
    Attorney for the licensee: William C. Dennis, Assistant General 
Counsel, Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., 440 Hamilton Avenue, White 
Plains, NY 10601.

Order Imposing Procedures for Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-
Safeguards Information 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 requester 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:
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    \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.

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[[Page 3500]]

    (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 requester'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 requester 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.
    H. Review of Grants of Access. A party other than the requester 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\
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    \3\ Requesters 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.
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    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 14th day of January, 2010.

    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
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          Day                            Event/activity
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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 requester 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 petitioner/
                         requester 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.

[[Page 3501]]

 
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. 2010-1077 Filed 1-20-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
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