Environmental Issues Associated With New Reactors, 52373-52374 [2014-20976]

Download as PDF mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 170 / Wednesday, September 3, 2014 / Notices by convening stakeholders across sectors to partner in results-driven programs and projects. • Act as a matchmaker between the various academic, industry, and community stakeholders to help drive successful pilot programs for emerging Big Data technology. • Coordinate across multiple regions of the country, based on shared interests and industry sector engagement to enable dialogue and share best practices. • Aim to increase the speed and volume of technology transfer between universities, public and private research centers and laboratories, large enterprises, and SMB’s. • Facilitate engagement with opinion and thought leaders on the societal impact of Big Data technologies as to maximize positive outcomes of adoption while reducing unwanted consequences. • Support the education and training of the entire Big Data workforce, from data scientists to managers to data endusers. NSF seeks input from stakeholders across academia, state and local government, industry, and non-profits across all parts of the Big Data innovation ecosystem on the formation of Big Data Regional Innovation Hubs. Please submit a response of no more than two-pages to BIGDATA@nsf.gov outlining: 1. The goals of interest for a Big Data Regional Hub, with metrics for evaluating the success or failure of the Hub to meet that goal; 2. The multiple stakeholders that would participate in the Hub and their respective roles and responsibilities; 3. Plans for initial and long-term financial and in-kind resources that the stakeholders would need to commit to this hub; and 4. A principal point of contact. This announcement is posted solely for information and planning purposes; it does not constitute a formal solicitation for grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements. Background: Aiming to make the most of the fast-growing volume of digital data, in March 2012, the Obama Administration announced the ‘‘Big Data Research and Development Initiative.’’ By improving our ability to extract knowledge and insights from large and complex collections of digital data, the initiative promises to help solve some the Nation’s most pressing challenges. Beginning in the second VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:40 Sep 02, 2014 Jkt 232001 year of the National Big Data Initiative, the Administration encouraged multiple stakeholders including federal agencies, private industry, academia, state and local government, non-profits, and foundations, to develop and participate in Big Data innovation projects across the country. On November 12, 2013, dozens of public and private organizations met at a White House-sponsored ‘‘Data to Knowledge to Action’’ event to announce an inspiring array of Big Data related collaborations. These collaborations were the product and culmination of over a year of activities catalyzed by teams at OSTP, NITRD and Federal agencies to support the Big Data innovation ecosystem; such activities included workshops, one-on-one conversations with potential partners, Requests for Information, invited speaker lectures, and more. To sustain the forward momentum of the Data2Action event, The National Science Foundation is exploring the establishment of a national network of ‘‘Big Data Regional Innovation Hubs.’’ Submitted by the National Science Foundation August 27, 2014. Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation. [FR Doc. 2014–20806 Filed 9–2–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7555–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC–2013–0212] Environmental Issues Associated With New Reactors Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Interim staff guidance; issuance. AGENCY: The U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is issuing its final Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) Combined License and Early Site Permit (COL/ESP) No. 026 (COL/ESP–ISG– 026), ‘‘Environmental Issues Associated with New Reactors.’’ The purpose of this ISG is to clarify the NRC guidance and application of NUREG–1555, ‘‘Standard Review Plans for Environmental Reviews for Nuclear Power Plants: Environmental Standard Review Plan,’’ regarding the assessment of construction impacts, greenhouse gas and climate change, socioeconomics, environmental justice, need for power, alternatives, cumulative impacts, and SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00077 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 52373 cultural/historical resources as part of the preparation of environmental impact statements for early site permit (ESP) and combined license (COL) applications. The effective date of this COL/ ESP–ISG–026 is October 3, 2014. ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2013–0212 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You may obtain publicly-available information related to this document using any of the following methods: • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2013–0212. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301–287–3442; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document. • NRC’s Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): You may obtain publiclyavailable documents online in the ADAMS Public Documents collection https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/ adams.html. To begin the search, select ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. For the convenience of the reader, the ADAMS accession numbers are provided in a table in the ‘‘Availability of Documents’’ section of this document. • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public documents at the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. • The agency posts its issued staff guidance in the agency external Web page (https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/ doc-collections/isg). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tanya Hood, Office of New Reactors, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone at 301–415–1387 or email at Tanya.Hood@nrc.gov. DATES: Availability of Documents The documents identified in the following table are available to interested persons through one or more of the following methods, as indicated. E:\FR\FM\03SEN1.SGM 03SEN1 52374 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 170 / Wednesday, September 3, 2014 / Notices Proposed Revision ADAMS Accession No. Document title Interim Staff Guidance–026, Environmental Issues Associated with New Reactors ...................... Attachment 1—Staff Guidance for Greenhouse Gas and Climate Change Impacts ...................... Attachment 2—Staff Guidance for Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice ........................... Attachment 3—Staff Guidance for Cultural and Historical Resources ........................................... Attachment 4—Staff Guidance for Cumulative Impacts .................................................................. Attachment 5—Staff Guidance for Need for Power ........................................................................ Attachment 6—Staff Guidance for Alternatives ............................................................................... ADAMS Accession No. ML14049A011 ........... ML13347B127 ........... mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ML13350A059. ML13350A134. ML13350A399. ML13347B223. ML13347B214. ML13350A444. ML13347B173. Document title Interim Staff Guidance 26–27 Comment Resolution Summary Table. Interim Staff Guidance 26–27 Comment Resolution Detailed Table. The NRC staff issues COL/ESP–ISGs to facilitate timely implementation of current staff guidance and to facilitate activities associated with review of applications for ESPs, design certifications, and COLs by the Office of New Reactors. The NRC staff intends to incorporate the final approved COL/ ESP–ISG–026 into the next revision of the Environmental Standard Review Plan and related guidance documents. The NRC posts all final ISGs on the NRC’s public Web page at https:// www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doccollections/isg/, which is where the public may easily obtain access to COL/ ESP–ISG–026. Backfitting and Issue Finality Issuance of this ISG does not constitute backfitting as defined in § 50.109 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) (the Backfit Rule), or be regarded as backfitting under Commission and Executive Director for Operations guidance, and is not otherwise inconsistent with the issue finality provisions in 10 CFR part 52. The NRC staff’s position is based upon the following considerations. 1. The ISG positions do not constitute backfitting, inasmuch as the ESRP is internal guidance to NRC staff The ISG provides interim guidance to the staff on how to review an application for NRC regulatory approval in the form of licensing. Changes in internal staff guidance are not matters for which either nuclear power plant applicants or licensees are protected under either the Backfit Rule or the issue finality provisions of 10 CFR part 52. 2. Backfitting and issue finality do not—with limited exceptions not applicable here—protect current or future applicants Applicants are not, with certain exceptions, protected by either the Backfit Rule or any issue finality VerDate Mar<15>2010 ML14092A402 ML14100A157 ML14100A535 ML14100A025 ML14100A454 ML14100A461 ML14100A471 Redline ADAMS Accession No. 17:40 Sep 02, 2014 Jkt 232001 provisions under 10 CFR part 52. This is because neither the Backfit Rule nor the issue finality provisions under 10 CFR part 52—with certain exclusions discussed below—were intended to apply to every NRC action which substantially changes the expectations of current and future applicants. The exceptions to the general principle are applicable whenever an applicant references a 10 CFR part 52 license (e.g., an ESP) and/or NRC regulatory approval (e.g., a design certification rule) with specified issue finality provisions. The staff does not, at this time, intend to impose the positions represented in the ISG in a manner that is inconsistent with any issue finality provisions. If, in the future, the staff seeks to impose a position in the ISG in a manner which does not provide issue finality as described in the applicable issue finality provision, then the staff must address the criteria for avoiding issue finality as described in the applicable issue finality provision. 3. The NRC’s consideration of environmental impacts to address the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) are outside the scope of matters subject to backfitting protection, and are not a violation of issue finality provisions The NRC’s consideration of environmental impacts to address the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and an applicant’s submission of environmental information needed to support the NRC’s consideration of environmental impacts under NEPA, do not fall within the scope of matters which constitute backfitting. Consideration of environmental impacts to address NEPA compliance falls within the scope of matters protected under issue finality provisions of an ESP and a COL application referencing an ESP. However, this protection PO 00000 Frm 00078 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 applies only after an ESP is issued, or if a COL application references an ESP. The NRC staff does not intend to apply the guidance to already-issued ESPs or COL applications referencing an ESP. Therefore, issuance of this ISG does not constitute a violation or inconsistency of the issue finality provisions applicable to ESPs or COL applications referencing an ESP. Congressional Review Act This ISG is a rule as defined in the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801–808). However, the Office of Management and Budget has not found it to be a major rule as defined in the Congressional Review Act. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 25th day of August, 2014. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Joseph Colaccino, Chief, Policy Branch, Division of Advanced Reactor and Rulemaking, Office of New Reactors. [FR Doc. 2014–20976 Filed 9–2–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC–2014–0142] Conducting the Section 106 Process of the National Historic Preservation Act for Uranium Recovery Licensing Actions Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Draft interim staff guidance; extension of public comment period. AGENCY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published on June 18, 2014, a notice requesting public comment on draft Interim Staff Guidance (ISG), FSME–ISG–02, ‘‘Guidance for Conducting the Section 106 Process of the National Historic Preservation Act for Uranium Recovery SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\03SEN1.SGM 03SEN1

Agencies

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 3, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52373-52374]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20976]

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

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2013-0212]

Environmental Issues Associated With New Reactors

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Interim staff guidance; issuance.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is issuing
its final Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) Combined License and Early Site
Permit (COL/ESP) No. 026 (COL/ESP-ISG-026), ``Environmental Issues
Associated with New Reactors.'' The purpose of this ISG is to clarify
the NRC guidance and application of NUREG-1555, ``Standard Review Plans
for Environmental Reviews for Nuclear Power Plants: Environmental
Standard Review Plan,'' regarding the assessment of construction
impacts, greenhouse gas and climate change, socioeconomics,
environmental justice, need for power, alternatives, cumulative
impacts, and cultural/historical resources as part of the preparation
of environmental impact statements for early site permit (ESP) and
combined license (COL) applications.

DATES: The effective date of this COL/ESP-ISG-026 is October 3, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2013-0212 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You
may obtain publicly-available information related to this document
using any of the following methods:
Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2013-0212. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-287-
3442; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of
this document.
NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly-available documents online in the
ADAMS Public Documents collection https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and
then select ``Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.'' For problems with ADAMS,
please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at
1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. For
the convenience of the reader, the ADAMS accession numbers are provided
in a table in the ``Availability of Documents'' section of this
document.
NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public
documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
The agency posts its issued staff guidance in the agency
external Web page (https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/isg).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tanya Hood, Office of New Reactors,
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001;
telephone at 301-415-1387 or email at Tanya.Hood@nrc.gov.

Availability of Documents

The documents identified in the following table are available to
interested persons through one or more of the following methods, as
indicated.

[[Page 52374]]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Proposed Revision ADAMS Accession
Document title No. Redline ADAMS Accession No.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interim Staff Guidance-026, ML14092A402........................ ML13350A059.
Environmental Issues Associated with
New Reactors.
Attachment 1--Staff Guidance for ML14100A157........................ ML13350A134.
Greenhouse Gas and Climate Change
Impacts.
Attachment 2--Staff Guidance for ML14100A535........................ ML13350A399.
Socioeconomics and Environmental
Justice.
Attachment 3--Staff Guidance for ML14100A025........................ ML13347B223.
Cultural and Historical Resources.
Attachment 4--Staff Guidance for ML14100A454........................ ML13347B214.
Cumulative Impacts.
Attachment 5--Staff Guidance for Need ML14100A461........................ ML13350A444.
for Power.
Attachment 6--Staff Guidance for ML14100A471........................ ML13347B173.
Alternatives.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADAMS Accession No. Document title
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ML14049A011........................... Interim Staff Guidance 26-27
Comment Resolution Summary
Table.
ML13347B127........................... Interim Staff Guidance 26-27
Comment Resolution Detailed
Table.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

The NRC staff issues COL/ESP-ISGs to facilitate timely
implementation of current staff guidance and to facilitate activities
associated with review of applications for ESPs, design certifications,
and COLs by the Office of New Reactors. The NRC staff intends to
incorporate the final approved COL/ESP-ISG-026 into the next revision
of the Environmental Standard Review Plan and related guidance
documents.
The NRC posts all final ISGs on the NRC's public Web page at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/isg/, which is where the public
may easily obtain access to COL/ESP-ISG-026.

Backfitting and Issue Finality

Issuance of this ISG does not constitute backfitting as defined in
Sec. 50.109 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR)
(the Backfit Rule), or be regarded as backfitting under Commission and
Executive Director for Operations guidance, and is not otherwise
inconsistent with the issue finality provisions in 10 CFR part 52. The
NRC staff's position is based upon the following considerations.
1. The ISG positions do not constitute backfitting, inasmuch as the
ESRP is internal guidance to NRC staff
The ISG provides interim guidance to the staff on how to review an
application for NRC regulatory approval in the form of licensing.
Changes in internal staff guidance are not matters for which either
nuclear power plant applicants or licensees are protected under either
the Backfit Rule or the issue finality provisions of 10 CFR part 52.
2. Backfitting and issue finality do not--with limited exceptions
not applicable here--protect current or future applicants
Applicants are not, with certain exceptions, protected by either
the Backfit Rule or any issue finality provisions under 10 CFR part 52.
This is because neither the Backfit Rule nor the issue finality
provisions under 10 CFR part 52--with certain exclusions discussed
below--were intended to apply to every NRC action which substantially
changes the expectations of current and future applicants.
The exceptions to the general principle are applicable whenever an
applicant references a 10 CFR part 52 license (e.g., an ESP) and/or NRC
regulatory approval (e.g., a design certification rule) with specified
issue finality provisions. The staff does not, at this time, intend to
impose the positions represented in the ISG in a manner that is
inconsistent with any issue finality provisions. If, in the future, the
staff seeks to impose a position in the ISG in a manner which does not
provide issue finality as described in the applicable issue finality
provision, then the staff must address the criteria for avoiding issue
finality as described in the applicable issue finality provision.
3. The NRC's consideration of environmental impacts to address the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA)
are outside the scope of matters subject to backfitting protection, and
are not a violation of issue finality provisions
The NRC's consideration of environmental impacts to address the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA),
and an applicant's submission of environmental information needed to
support the NRC's consideration of environmental impacts under NEPA, do
not fall within the scope of matters which constitute backfitting.
Consideration of environmental impacts to address NEPA compliance falls
within the scope of matters protected under issue finality provisions
of an ESP and a COL application referencing an ESP. However, this
protection applies only after an ESP is issued, or if a COL application
references an ESP. The NRC staff does not intend to apply the guidance
to already-issued ESPs or COL applications referencing an ESP.
Therefore, issuance of this ISG does not constitute a violation or
inconsistency of the issue finality provisions applicable to ESPs or
COL applications referencing an ESP.

Congressional Review Act

This ISG is a rule as defined in the Congressional Review Act (5
U.S.C. 801-808). However, the Office of Management and Budget has not
found it to be a major rule as defined in the Congressional Review Act.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 25th day of August, 2014.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Joseph Colaccino,
Chief, Policy Branch, Division of Advanced Reactor and Rulemaking,
Office of New Reactors.
[FR Doc. 2014-20976 Filed 9-2-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.