Aquatic Environmental Studies for Nuclear Power Stations, 7036-7037 [2015-02571]

Download as PDF 7036 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 26 / Monday, February 9, 2015 / Notices 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 at 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. The ADAMS accession number for each document referenced in this document (if that document is available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that a document is referenced. • 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. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John B. Hickman, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone: 301–415– 3017, email: John.Hickman@nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: INFORMATION CONTACT I. Background The ZNPS facility was shut down on February 21, 1997, and is currently in a permanently shut-down and defueled condition. ZionSolutions is the current holder of Facility Operating License Nos. DPR–39 and DPR–48, for ZNPS Units 1 and 2. The license, pursuant to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and 10 CFR part 50, allows ZS to possess but not operate the defueled ZNPS facility. ZionSolutions is currently in the process of decommissioning the ZNPS. mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES II. Request/Action By letter dated October 27, 2014, (ADAMS Accession Number ML14309A197) ZS requested an exemption from Part 20 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), appendix G, ‘‘Requirements for Transfers of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Intended for Disposal at Licensed Land Disposal Facilities and Manifests,’’ Section III. E. for ZNPS. Specifically, ZS is requesting that the time period for ZS to receive acknowledgement that the shipment has been received by the intended recipient be extended from 20 to 45 days for rail shipments from ZNPS. The NRC’s regulations in 10 CFR 20.2301 allow the Commission to grant exemptions if it determines the exemption would be lawful and would VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:39 Feb 06, 2015 Jkt 235001 not result in undue hazard to life or property. Inherent to the decommissioning process, large volumes of slightly contaminated debris are generated and require disposal. The licensee transports low-level radioactive waste from ZNPS Units 1 and 2 to distant locations such as a waste disposal facility operated by EnergySolutions in Clive, Utah, and waste processors in Texas. Experience with waste shipments from ZNPS and at other decommissioning reactor sites indicates that rail transportation time to waste disposal facilities frequently exceeds the 20-day reporting requirement. III. Discussion The Exemption Is Authorized by Law Pursuant to 10 CFR 20.2301, the Commission may, upon application by a licensee or upon its own initiative, grant an exemption from the requirements of regulations in 10 CFR part 20 if it determines the exemption is authorized by law and would not result in undue hazard to life or property. There are no provisions in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (or in any other Federal statute) that impose a requirement to investigate and report on low-level radioactive waste shipments that have not been acknowledged by the recipient within 20 days of transfer. Therefore, the NRC concludes that there is no statutory prohibition on the issuance of the requested exemption and the NRC is authorized to grant the exemption by law. The Exemption Would Not Result in Undue Hazard to Life or Property The NRC finds that the underlying purpose of 10 CFR part 20, Appendix G, Section III.E is to require licensees to investigate, report, and trace radioactive shipments that have not reached their destination, as scheduled, for unknown reasons. Data from San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station found that rail shipments took over 16 days on average, and on occasion, took up to 57 days. The NRC acknowledges that, based on the history of low-level radioactive waste shipments from the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and Humboldt Bay Power Plant sites, the need to investigate and report on shipments that take longer than 20 days could result in an excessive administrative burden on the licensee. For rail shipments, ZS will require electronic data tracking system interchange, or similar tracking systems that allow monitoring the progress of the shipments by the rail carrier on a daily basis. Because of the oversight and PO 00000 Frm 00092 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 monitoring of radioactive waste shipments throughout the entire journey from ZNPS to the disposal site, it is unlikely that a shipment could be lost, misdirected, or diverted without the knowledge of the carrier or ZS. Furthermore, by extending the elapsed time for receipt acknowledgment to 45 days before requiring investigations and reporting, a reasonable upper limit on shipment duration (based on historical analysis) is still maintained if a breakdown of normal tracking systems were to occur. Consequently, the NRC finds that there is no hazard to life or property by extending the investigation and reporting time for low-level radioactive waste shipments from 20 to 45 days for rail shipments. The NRC also finds that the underlying purpose of 10 CFR part 20, Appendix G, Section III.E will be met. IV. Conclusions Accordingly, the NRC has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 20.2301, the exemption is authorized by law and will not result in undue hazard to life or property. Therefore, the NRC hereby grants ZionSolutions, LLC an exemption from 10 CFR part 20, Appendix G. Section III.E to extend the requirement to investigate, trace, and report on rail shipments of low-level radioactive waste intended for disposal at a licensed land disposal facility that have not been received at the disposal facility within 20 days to 45 days after transfer. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 30th day of January 2015. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Larry W. Camper, Director, Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery, and Waste Programs, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. [FR Doc. 2015–02606 Filed 2–6–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC–2014–0256] Aquatic Environmental Studies for Nuclear Power Stations Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Draft regulatory guide; request for comment and extension of comment period. AGENCY: On December 11, 2014, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) solicited comments on draft regulatory guide (DG), DG–4023, ‘‘Aquatic Environmental Studies for Nuclear Power Stations.’’ The public SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\09FEN1.SGM 09FEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 26 / Monday, February 9, 2015 / Notices comment period was originally scheduled to close on February 9, 2015. The NRC has decided to extend the public comment period to allow more time for members of the public to develop and submit their comments. DATES: The due date of comments requested in the document published on December 11, 2014 (79 FR 73646) is extended. Comments should be filed no later than March 11, 2015. Comments received after this date will be considered, if it is practical to do so, but the Commission is able to ensure consideration only for comments received on or before this date. ADDRESSES: You may submit comment by any of the following methods (unless this document describes a different method for submitting comments on a specific subject): • Federal Rulemaking Web Site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2014–0256. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301–287–3422; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact the individual(s) listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document. • Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey, Office of Administration, Mail Stop: OWFN–12 H08, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555– 0001. For additional direction on accessing information and submitting comments, see ‘‘Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments’’ in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ryan Whited, Office of New Reactors, telephone: 301–415–1154, email: Ryan.Whited@nrc.gov and Edward O’Donnell, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, telephone: 301–251–7455, email: Edward.ODonnell@nrc.gov. Both are staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555– 0001. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments A. Obtaining Information Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2014– 0256 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You may obtain publicly-available information related to this action by the following methods: • Federal Rulemaking Web Site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2014–0256. • NRC’s Agencywide Documents Access and Management System VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:39 Feb 06, 2015 Jkt 235001 (ADAMS): You may obtain publiclyavailable documents online in the ADAMS Public Documents collection at 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. The DG is electronically available in ADAMS under Accession No. ML13186A085. • 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. B. Submitting Comments Please include Docket ID NRC–2014– 0256 in the subject line of your comment submission, in order to ensure that the NRC is able to make your comment submission available to the public in this docket. The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your comment submission. The NRC posts all comment submissions at https:// www.regulations.gov as well as entering the comment submissions into ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove identifying or contact information. If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove such information before making the comment submissions available to the public or entering the comment submissions into ADAMS. II. Discussion On December 11, 2014, the NRC solicited comments on draft regulatory guide, DG–4023, ‘‘Aquatic Environmental Studies for Nuclear Power Stations.’’ It is a proposed new regulatory guide, and it is temporarily identified by its task number, DG–4023. The draft guide provides technical guidance for aquatic environmental studies and analyses supporting decisions related to nuclear power stations by the NRC. For purposes of DG–4023, the term ‘‘aquatic’’ encompasses freshwater, estuarine, and marine environments. The draft guide PO 00000 Frm 00093 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 7037 addresses wetlands containing submerged aquatic vegetation but does not address wetlands also containing emergent vegetation. Instead, NRC’s Regulatory Guide 4.11, ‘‘Terrestrial Environmental Studies for Nuclear Power Stations,’’ addresses such wetland features, along with the terrestrial environment. Although the NRC is issuing separate regulatory guides addressing terrestrial and aquatic environmental studies, it recognizes that aquatic and terrestrial ecological issues often overlap and are often interrelated. The public comment period was originally scheduled to close on February 9, 2015. The NRC has decided to extend the public comment period on this document until March 11, 2015, to allow more time for members of the public to submit their comments. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 4th day of February, 2015. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Thomas H. Boyce, Chief, Regulatory Guidance and Generic Issues Branch, Division of Engineering, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research. [FR Doc. 2015–02571 Filed 2–6–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC–2015–0001] Sunshine Act Meeting Notice 9, 16, 23, March 2, 9, 16, 2015. Commissioners’ Conference Room, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. STATUS: Public and Closed. DATE: PLACE: Week of February 9, 2015 There are no meetings scheduled for the week of February 9, 2015. Week of February 16, 2015—Tentative Wednesday, February 18, 2015 9:30 a.m. Briefing on NRC International Activities (Closed— Ex.9) Week of February 23, 2015—Tentative There are no meetings scheduled for the week of February 23, 2015. Week of March 2, 2015—Tentative Thursday, March 5, 2015 10:00 a.m. Meeting with Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (Public Meeting); (Contact: Edwin Hackett, 301–415–7360) This meeting will be webcast live at the Web address—https://www.nrc.gov/. E:\FR\FM\09FEN1.SGM 09FEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 26 (Monday, February 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7036-7037]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02571]


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

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2014-0256]


Aquatic Environmental Studies for Nuclear Power Stations

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Draft regulatory guide; request for comment and extension of 
comment period.

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

SUMMARY: On December 11, 2014, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
(NRC) solicited comments on draft regulatory guide (DG), DG-4023, 
``Aquatic Environmental Studies for Nuclear Power Stations.'' The 
public

[[Page 7037]]

comment period was originally scheduled to close on February 9, 2015. 
The NRC has decided to extend the public comment period to allow more 
time for members of the public to develop and submit their comments.

DATES: The due date of comments requested in the document published on 
December 11, 2014 (79 FR 73646) is extended. Comments should be filed 
no later than March 11, 2015. Comments received after this date will be 
considered, if it is practical to do so, but the Commission is able to 
ensure consideration only for comments received on or before this date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comment by any of the following methods 
(unless this document describes a different method for submitting 
comments on a specific subject):
     Federal Rulemaking Web Site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2014-0256. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-287-
3422; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact 
the individual(s) listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section 
of this document.
     Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey, Office of Administration, 
Mail Stop: OWFN-12 H08, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, 
DC 20555-0001.
    For additional direction on accessing information and submitting 
comments, see ``Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments'' in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ryan Whited, Office of New Reactors, 
telephone: 301-415-1154, email: Ryan.Whited@nrc.gov and Edward 
O'Donnell, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, telephone: 301-251-
7455, email: Edward.ODonnell@nrc.gov. Both are staff of the U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments

A. Obtaining Information

    Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2014-0256 when contacting the NRC 
about the availability of information regarding this document. You may 
obtain publicly-available information related to this action by the 
following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web Site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2014-0256.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly-available documents online in the 
ADAMS Public Documents collection at 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. The 
DG is electronically available in ADAMS under Accession No. 
ML13186A085.
     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.

B. Submitting Comments

    Please include Docket ID NRC-2014-0256 in the subject line of your 
comment submission, in order to ensure that the NRC is able to make 
your comment submission available to the public in this docket.
    The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact 
information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your 
comment submission. The NRC posts all comment submissions at https://www.regulations.gov as well as entering the comment submissions into 
ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove 
identifying or contact information.
    If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons 
for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to 
include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be 
publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should 
state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to 
remove such information before making the comment submissions available 
to the public or entering the comment submissions into ADAMS.

II. Discussion

    On December 11, 2014, the NRC solicited comments on draft 
regulatory guide, DG-4023, ``Aquatic Environmental Studies for Nuclear 
Power Stations.'' It is a proposed new regulatory guide, and it is 
temporarily identified by its task number, DG-4023. The draft guide 
provides technical guidance for aquatic environmental studies and 
analyses supporting decisions related to nuclear power stations by the 
NRC. For purposes of DG-4023, the term ``aquatic'' encompasses 
freshwater, estuarine, and marine environments. The draft guide 
addresses wetlands containing submerged aquatic vegetation but does not 
address wetlands also containing emergent vegetation. Instead, NRC's 
Regulatory Guide 4.11, ``Terrestrial Environmental Studies for Nuclear 
Power Stations,'' addresses such wetland features, along with the 
terrestrial environment. Although the NRC is issuing separate 
regulatory guides addressing terrestrial and aquatic environmental 
studies, it recognizes that aquatic and terrestrial ecological issues 
often overlap and are often interrelated.
    The public comment period was originally scheduled to close on 
February 9, 2015. The NRC has decided to extend the public comment 
period on this document until March 11, 2015, to allow more time for 
members of the public to submit their comments.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 4th day of February, 2015.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Thomas H. Boyce,
Chief, Regulatory Guidance and Generic Issues Branch, Division of 
Engineering, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. 2015-02571 Filed 2-6-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
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