Request for Comments on the Draft Policy Statement on Volume Reduction and Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management, 50500-50502 [2011-20666]

Download as PDF 50500 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 157 / Monday, August 15, 2011 / Notices Further information with reference to these meetings can be obtained from Ms. Kathy Plowitz-Worden, Office of Guidelines & Panel Operations, National Endowment for the Arts, Washington, DC 20506, or call 202/682–5691. Dated: August 8, 2011. Kathy Plowitz-Worden, Panel Coordinator, Panel Operations, National Endowment for the Arts. Dated: August 10, 2011. Susanne Bolton, Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. 2011–20669 Filed 8–12–11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7555–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC–2011–0183] [FR Doc. 2011–20610 Filed 8–12–11; 8:45 am] Request for Comments on the Draft Policy Statement on Volume Reduction and Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management BILLING CODE 7537–01–P NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Request for public comment. AGENCY: srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Proposal Review Notice of Meetings In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92– 463, as amended), the National Science Foundation (NSF) announces its intent to hold proposal review meetings throughout the year. The purpose of these meetings is to provide advice and recommendations concerning proposals submitted to the NSF for financial support. The agenda for each of these meetings is to review and evaluate proposals as part of the selection process for awards. The review and evaluation may also include assessment of the progress of awarded proposals. The majority of these meetings will take place at NSF, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Virginia 22230. These meetings will be closed to the public. The proposals being reviewed include information of a proprietary or confidential nature, including technical information; financial data, such as salaries; and personal information concerning individuals associated with the proposals. These matters are exempt under 5 U.S.C. 552b(c), (4) and (6) of the Government in the Sunshine Act. NSF will continue to review the agenda and merits of each meeting for overall compliance of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. These closed proposal review meetings will not be announced on an individual basis in the Federal Register. NSF intends to publish a notice similar to this on a quarterly basis. For an advance listing of the closed proposal review meetings that include the names of the proposal review panel and the time, date, place, and any information on changes, corrections, or cancellations, please visit the NSF Website: https://www.nsf.gov. This information may also be requested by telephoning, 703–292–8182. VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:05 Aug 12, 2011 Jkt 223001 The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is revising its 1981 Policy Statement on Low-Level Waste (LLW) Volume Reduction. This statement encouraged licensees to take steps to reduce the amount of waste generated and to reduce its volume once generated. The purpose of the revised statement is to recognize that progress in reducing waste volume has been achieved since the 1981 Policy Statement was published and to acknowledge that factors other than volume reduction may be used by licensees to determine how best to manage their LLW. This draft Policy Statement is being issued for public comment. SUMMARY: Comments on the draft Policy Statement should be submitted by September 14, 2011. Comments received after this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the NRC is only able to ensure consideration of comments received on or before this date. DATES: Please include Docket ID NRC–2011–0183 in the subject line of your comments. For instructions on submitting comments and accessing documents related to this action, see Section I, ‘‘Submitting Comments and Accessing Information’’ in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document. You may submit comments by any one of the following methods. • Federal Rulemaking Web Site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for documents filed under Docket ID NRC–2011–0183. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher, telephone: 301–492–3668; e-mail: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. • Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey, Chief, Rules, Announcements, and Directives Branch (RADB), Office of ADDRESSES: PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Administration, Mail Stop: TWB–05– B01M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555– 0001. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donald Lowman, Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone: 301–415– 5452; e-mail: donald.lowman@nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Submitting Comments and Accessing Information Comments submitted in writing or in electronic form will be posted on the Federal rulemaking Web site https:// www.regulations.gov. Because your comments will not be edited to remove any identifying or contact information, the NRC cautions you against including any information in your submission that you do not want to be publicly disclosed. The NRC requests that any party soliciting or aggregating comments received from other persons for submission to the NRC inform those persons that the NRC will not edit their comments to remove any identifying or contact information, and therefore, they should not include any information in their comments that they do not want publicly disclosed. You can access publicly available documents related to this document using the following methods: • NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR): The public may examine and have copied, for a fee, publicly available documents at the NRC’s PDR, O1–F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. • NRC’s Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): Publicly available documents created or received at the NRC are available online in the NRC Library at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/ adams.html. From this page, the public can gain entry into ADAMS, which provides text and image files of the NRC’s public documents. If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC’s PDR reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by e-mail to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. • Federal Rulemaking Web Site: Public comments and supporting materials related to this notice can be found at https://www.regulations.gov by searching on Docket ID NRC–2011– 0183. II. Background In 1981, the NRC published a Policy Statement regarding the volume E:\FR\FM\15AUN1.SGM 15AUN1 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 157 / Monday, August 15, 2011 / Notices reduction of LLW. The Policy Statement addressed: • The need for a volume reduction policy; • Suggested volume reduction techniques; • That NRC would take expeditious action on requests for licensing of volume reduction systems; and • The need for waste generators to minimize the quantity of waste produced. The NRC issued the Policy Statement in response to a General Accounting Office (now U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)) report that recommended that NRC take this step to help preserve disposal facility space (GAO, 1980). The Policy Statement was issued when disposal space was scarce since two of the three operating low level radioactive waste (LLRW) disposal sites had been threatening to close, and one had recently reduced the annual amount authorized for disposal by half. Further, volume reduction techniques were not yet in widespread use and NRC‘s Policy Statement was meant to encourage the use of these techniques. On April 7, 2010, staff published SECY–10–0043, ‘‘Blending of Low-Level Radioactive Waste’’ and addressed the Policy Statement in response to stakeholder comments that large-scale blending may not be consistent with the Policy Statement because it would enable licensees to avoid the use of an available volume reduction technology. In the blending paper, staff stated in Option 2: srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES The staff believes that the Policy Statement could be updated to recognize the progress that has been achieved, and to acknowledge that other factors may be used by licensees in determining how best to manage their LLRW. Specifically, the Policy Statement could be revised to acknowledge that volume reduction continues to be important, but that risk-informed, performance-based approaches to managing waste are also appropriate in managing LLRW safely and that volume reduction should be evaluated in this light. In the Staff Requirements Memorandum for SECY–10–0043, the Commission approved Option 2, which included the staff’s proposed changes noted above. Consequently, a revised Policy Statement on Volume Reduction and Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management is being published for public comment. VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:05 Aug 12, 2011 Jkt 223001 III. Draft Policy Statement of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Volume Reduction and Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Summary In 1981, the Commission published a Policy Statement (46 FR 51100; October 16, 1981) regarding the volume reduction of LLW. On April 7, 2010, the NRC staff published SECY–10–0043 ‘‘Blending of Low-Level Radioactive Waste’’ in which it recommended updating the Policy Statement to acknowledge that volume reduction continues to be important, but that riskinformed, performance-based approaches to managing waste are also needed to safely manage LLRW. The Commission approved the staff’s recommendation thus the Policy Statement is being revised. Policy Statement The Commission recognizes the substantial progress made by licensees in reducing volumes of LLRW for disposal since the publication of the 1981 Volume Reduction Policy Statement. Nuclear industry groups have also played a central part in this effort by encouraging volume reduction practices among their members. Widespread use of these volume reduction practices has resulted in a significant reduction in the amount of LLW produced by licensees. The Commission recognizes that the high cost of disposal has been a factor, along with lack of disposal access, in the increased use of volume reduction techniques. The Commission continues to believe that volume reduction is an important component in the management of LLW; a continued focus on volume reduction will extend the operational lifetime of the existing commercial low-level disposal sites and reduce the number of waste shipments. Administrative controls and operational enhancements are the foundation of a successful radioactive waste management program. Therefore, the Commission encourages licensees to continue to adopt procedures that will reduce the volume of waste being transferred to disposal facilities. Additionally, as currently required by Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 20.1406, applicants for licenses shall describe in the application how facility design and procedures for operation will minimize, to the extent practicable, the generation of radioactive waste. The Commission also recognizes that volume reduction is only one aspect of an effective radioactive waste PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 50501 management program. While the Commission continues to favor the disposal of LLRW over storage, it recognizes that licensees may manage waste in a variety of ways, consistent with NRC regulations and guidance. In addition to ensuring public health and safety, licensees should consider operational efficiency, reductions in occupational exposures, security, and cost in determining how best to manage LLRW. As part of their radioactive waste management strategies, licensees should consider all means available to manage waste in a manner that is secure and protects public health and safety, such as: • Waste minimization. • Short-term storage and decay. • Long-term storage. • Use of the alternate disposal provision contained in 10 CFR 20.2002. • Use of waste processing technologies. • Use of licensed disposal facilities. The Commission understands that limited disposal access means that many licensees will be forced to store at least some of their LLW. Agreement State and NRC licensees must continue to ensure waste is safely and securely managed. However, disposal is considered the safest and most secure long-term management approach. Paperwork Reduction Act Statement This Policy Statement does not contain new or amended information collection requirements that are subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). These information collections were approved by the Office of Management and Budget, approval numbers 3150–0014 and 3150–0151. Public Protection Notification The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a request for information or an information collection requirement unless the requesting document displays a currently valid OMB control number. IV. Public Comments Based on the comments received in both written and electronic form, the Commission will then be in a better position to proceed with the issuance of a final Policy Statement. The final Policy Statement, when issued by the Commission, will be published in the Federal Register. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day of August, 2011. E:\FR\FM\15AUN1.SGM 15AUN1 50502 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 157 / Monday, August 15, 2011 / Notices For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Cynthia A. Carpenter, Acting Director, Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs. the places specified in Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant parts of such statements. [FR Doc. 2011–20666 Filed 8–12–11; 8:45 am] A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s Statement of the Purpose of, and the Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change BILLING CODE 7590–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34–65065; File No. SR– NYSEArca–2011–56] Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Amending NYSE Arca Rule 7.10, Clearly Erroneous Executions, To Extend the Effective Date of the Pilot Until January 31, 2012 August 9, 2011. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) 1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ‘‘Act’’) 2 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,3 notice is hereby given that, on August 5, 2011, NYSE Arca, Inc. (the ‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘NYSE Arca’’) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II, below, which Items have been prepared by the self-regulatory organization. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons. srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change The Exchange proposes to amend NYSE Arca Rule 7.10, which governs clearly erroneous executions, to extend the effective date of the pilot by which portions of such Rule operate until January 31, 2012. The pilot is currently scheduled to expire on August 11, 2011. The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange, the Commission’s Public Reference Room, and https://www.nyse.com. II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change In its filing with the Commission, the self-regulatory organization included statements concerning the purpose of, and basis for, the proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The text of those statements may be examined at 1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). U.S.C. 78a. 3 17 CFR 240.19b–4. 2 15 VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:05 Aug 12, 2011 Jkt 223001 1. Purpose The Exchange proposes to amend NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.10, which governs clearly erroneous executions, to extend the effective date of the pilot by which portions of such Rule operate, until January 31, 2012.4 On September 10, 2010, the Commission approved, on a pilot basis, market-wide amendments to exchanges’ rules for clearly erroneous executions to set forth clearer standards and curtail discretion with respect to breaking erroneous trades. In connection with this pilot initiative, the Exchange amended NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.10(c), (e)(2), (f), and (g). The amendments provide for uniform treatment of clearly erroneous execution reviews (1) In Multi-Stock Events 5 involving twenty or more securities, and (2) in the event transactions occur that result in the issuance of an individual security trading pause by the primary market and subsequent transactions that occur before the trading pause is in effect on the Exchange.6 The amendments also eliminated appeals of certain rulings made in conjunction with other exchanges with respect to clearly erroneous transactions and limited the Exchange’s discretion to deviate from Numerical Guidelines set forth in the Rule in the event of system disruptions or malfunctions. If the pilot were not extended, the prior versions of paragraphs (c), (e)(2), (f), and (g) of NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.10 would be in effect, and NYSE Arca would have different rules than other exchanges and greater discretion in connection with breaking clearly 4 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 62886 (September 10, 2010), 75 FR 56613 (September 16, 2010) (SR–NYSEArca–2010–58). See also Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 63482 (December 9, 2010), 75 FR 78331 (December 15, 2010) (SR– NYSEArca–2010–113) and 64234 (April 7, 2011), 76 FR 20399 (April 12, 2011) (SR–NYSEArca–2011– 15). 5 Terms not defined herein are defined in NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.10. 6 Separately, the Exchange has proposed extend [sic] the effective date of the trading pause pilot under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.11, which requires to [sic] the Exchange to pause trading in an individual security listed on the Exchange if the price moves by a specified percentage as compared to prices of that security in the preceding fiveminute period during a trading day. See SR– NYSEArca–2011–55. PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 erroneous transactions. The Exchange proposes to extend the pilot amendments to NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.10 until January 31, 2012 in order to maintain uniform rules across markets and allow the pilot to continue to operate without interruption during the same period that the Rule 7.11 trading pause rule pilot is also in effect. Extension of the pilot would permit the Exchange, other national securities exchanges and the Commission to further assess the effect of the pilot on the marketplace, including whether additional measures should be added, whether the parameters of the rule should be modified or whether other initiatives should be adopted in lieu of the current pilot. 2. Statutory Basis The proposed rule change is consistent with Section 6(b) 7 of the Act, in general, and furthers the objectives of Section 6(b)(5) 8 in particular in that it is designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in facilitating transactions in securities, to remove impediments to and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market and a national market system and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest. More specifically, the NYSE Arca believes that the extension of the pilot would help assure that the determination of whether a clearly erroneous trade has occurred will be based on clear and objective criteria, and that the resolution of the incident will occur promptly through a transparent process. The proposed rule change would also help assure consistent results in handling erroneous trades across the U.S. markets, thus furthering fair and orderly markets, the protection of investors and the public interest. B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s Statement on Burden on Competition The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others No written comments were solicited or received with respect to the proposed rule change. 7 15 8 15 E:\FR\FM\15AUN1.SGM U.S.C. 78f(b). U.S.C. 78f(b)(5). 15AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 157 (Monday, August 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50500-50502]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20666]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2011-0183]


Request for Comments on the Draft Policy Statement on Volume 
Reduction and Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Request for public comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is revising its 
1981 Policy Statement on Low-Level Waste (LLW) Volume Reduction. This 
statement encouraged licensees to take steps to reduce the amount of 
waste generated and to reduce its volume once generated. The purpose of 
the revised statement is to recognize that progress in reducing waste 
volume has been achieved since the 1981 Policy Statement was published 
and to acknowledge that factors other than volume reduction may be used 
by licensees to determine how best to manage their LLW. This draft 
Policy Statement is being issued for public comment.

DATES: Comments on the draft Policy Statement should be submitted by 
September 14, 2011. Comments received after this date will be 
considered if it is practical to do so, but the NRC is only able to 
ensure consideration of comments received on or before this date.

ADDRESSES: Please include Docket ID NRC-2011-0183 in the subject line 
of your comments. For instructions on submitting comments and accessing 
documents related to this action, see Section I, ``Submitting Comments 
and Accessing Information'' in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of 
this document. You may submit comments by any one of the following 
methods.
     Federal Rulemaking Web Site: Go to  https://www.regulations.gov and search for documents filed under Docket ID NRC-
2011-0183. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher, 
telephone: 301-492-3668; e-mail: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov.
     Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey, Chief, Rules, 
Announcements, and Directives Branch (RADB), Office of Administration, 
Mail Stop: TWB-05-B01M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, 
DC 20555-0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donald Lowman, Office of Federal and 
State Materials and Environmental Management Programs, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-
5452; e-mail: donald.lowman@nrc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Submitting Comments and Accessing Information

    Comments submitted in writing or in electronic form will be posted 
on the Federal rulemaking Web site https://www.regulations.gov. Because 
your comments will not be edited to remove any identifying or contact 
information, the NRC cautions you against including any information in 
your submission that you do not want to be publicly disclosed. The NRC 
requests that any party soliciting or aggregating comments received 
from other persons for submission to the NRC inform those persons that 
the NRC will not edit their comments to remove any identifying or 
contact information, and therefore, they should not include any 
information in their comments that they do not want publicly disclosed.
    You can access publicly available documents related to this 
document using the following methods:
     NRC's Public Document Room (PDR): The public may examine 
and have copied, for a fee, publicly available documents at the NRC's 
PDR, O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, 
Maryland 20852.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): Publicly available documents created or received at the NRC 
are available online in the NRC Library at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. From this page, the public can gain entry into ADAMS, 
which provides text and image files of the NRC's public documents. If 
you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are problems in accessing 
the documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC's PDR reference staff 
at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by e-mail to pdr.resource@nrc.gov.
     Federal Rulemaking Web Site: Public comments and 
supporting materials related to this notice can be found at https://www.regulations.gov by searching on Docket ID NRC-2011-0183.

II. Background

    In 1981, the NRC published a Policy Statement regarding the volume

[[Page 50501]]

reduction of LLW. The Policy Statement addressed:
     The need for a volume reduction policy;
     Suggested volume reduction techniques;
     That NRC would take expeditious action on requests for 
licensing of volume reduction systems; and
     The need for waste generators to minimize the quantity of 
waste produced.
    The NRC issued the Policy Statement in response to a General 
Accounting Office (now U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)) 
report that recommended that NRC take this step to help preserve 
disposal facility space (GAO, 1980). The Policy Statement was issued 
when disposal space was scarce since two of the three operating low 
level radioactive waste (LLRW) disposal sites had been threatening to 
close, and one had recently reduced the annual amount authorized for 
disposal by half. Further, volume reduction techniques were not yet in 
widespread use and NRC`s Policy Statement was meant to encourage the 
use of these techniques.
    On April 7, 2010, staff published SECY-10-0043, ``Blending of Low-
Level Radioactive Waste'' and addressed the Policy Statement in 
response to stakeholder comments that large-scale blending may not be 
consistent with the Policy Statement because it would enable licensees 
to avoid the use of an available volume reduction technology. In the 
blending paper, staff stated in Option 2:

    The staff believes that the Policy Statement could be updated to 
recognize the progress that has been achieved, and to acknowledge 
that other factors may be used by licensees in determining how best 
to manage their LLRW. Specifically, the Policy Statement could be 
revised to acknowledge that volume reduction continues to be 
important, but that risk-informed, performance-based approaches to 
managing waste are also appropriate in managing LLRW safely and that 
volume reduction should be evaluated in this light.

    In the Staff Requirements Memorandum for SECY-10-0043, the 
Commission approved Option 2, which included the staff's proposed 
changes noted above. Consequently, a revised Policy Statement on Volume 
Reduction and Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management is being published 
for public comment.

III. Draft Policy Statement of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
on Volume Reduction and Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management

Summary

    In 1981, the Commission published a Policy Statement (46 FR 51100; 
October 16, 1981) regarding the volume reduction of LLW. On April 7, 
2010, the NRC staff published SECY-10-0043 ``Blending of Low-Level 
Radioactive Waste'' in which it recommended updating the Policy 
Statement to acknowledge that volume reduction continues to be 
important, but that risk-informed, performance-based approaches to 
managing waste are also needed to safely manage LLRW. The Commission 
approved the staff's recommendation thus the Policy Statement is being 
revised.

Policy Statement

    The Commission recognizes the substantial progress made by 
licensees in reducing volumes of LLRW for disposal since the 
publication of the 1981 Volume Reduction Policy Statement. Nuclear 
industry groups have also played a central part in this effort by 
encouraging volume reduction practices among their members. Widespread 
use of these volume reduction practices has resulted in a significant 
reduction in the amount of LLW produced by licensees. The Commission 
recognizes that the high cost of disposal has been a factor, along with 
lack of disposal access, in the increased use of volume reduction 
techniques.
    The Commission continues to believe that volume reduction is an 
important component in the management of LLW; a continued focus on 
volume reduction will extend the operational lifetime of the existing 
commercial low-level disposal sites and reduce the number of waste 
shipments.
    Administrative controls and operational enhancements are the 
foundation of a successful radioactive waste management program. 
Therefore, the Commission encourages licensees to continue to adopt 
procedures that will reduce the volume of waste being transferred to 
disposal facilities. Additionally, as currently required by Title 10 of 
the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 20.1406, applicants for 
licenses shall describe in the application how facility design and 
procedures for operation will minimize, to the extent practicable, the 
generation of radioactive waste.
    The Commission also recognizes that volume reduction is only one 
aspect of an effective radioactive waste management program. While the 
Commission continues to favor the disposal of LLRW over storage, it 
recognizes that licensees may manage waste in a variety of ways, 
consistent with NRC regulations and guidance. In addition to ensuring 
public health and safety, licensees should consider operational 
efficiency, reductions in occupational exposures, security, and cost in 
determining how best to manage LLRW. As part of their radioactive waste 
management strategies, licensees should consider all means available to 
manage waste in a manner that is secure and protects public health and 
safety, such as:
     Waste minimization.
     Short-term storage and decay.
     Long-term storage.
     Use of the alternate disposal provision contained in 10 
CFR 20.2002.
     Use of waste processing technologies.
     Use of licensed disposal facilities.
    The Commission understands that limited disposal access means that 
many licensees will be forced to store at least some of their LLW. 
Agreement State and NRC licensees must continue to ensure waste is 
safely and securely managed. However, disposal is considered the safest 
and most secure long-term management approach.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

    This Policy Statement does not contain new or amended information 
collection requirements that are subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). These information collections were 
approved by the Office of Management and Budget, approval numbers 3150-
0014 and 3150-0151.

Public Protection Notification

    The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to 
respond to a request for information or an information collection 
requirement unless the requesting document displays a currently valid 
OMB control number.

IV. Public Comments

    Based on the comments received in both written and electronic form, 
the Commission will then be in a better position to proceed with the 
issuance of a final Policy Statement. The final Policy Statement, when 
issued by the Commission, will be published in the Federal Register.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day of August, 2011.


[[Page 50502]]


    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Cynthia A. Carpenter,
Acting Director, Office of Federal and State Materials and 
Environmental Management Programs.
[FR Doc. 2011-20666 Filed 8-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
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