American Centrifuge Lead Cascade Facility; American Centrifuge Operating, LLC, 1276-1278 [2018-00255]

Download as PDF 1276 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 7 / Wednesday, January 10, 2018 / Notices and providing comments virtually via GoToWebinar or an audio-only connection are outlined below and the process for providing comments will be explained during the LSNARP meeting. daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES Instructions for Virtual Attendance at the February 27–28, 2018, LSNARP Meeting by Members of the Public via GoToWebinar LogMeIn, Inc.’s GoToWebinar will be the primary method for virtual (i.e., remote) attendance by members of the public (i.e., anyone other than a designated primary/secondary representative of an LSNARP member organization) 1 to view and participate in, when appropriate, the February 27– 28, 2018, LSNARP meeting. Additionally, audio-only attendance will be offered to members of the public via a toll-free telephone connection. Instructions for Viewing via GoToWebinar Registration is required to view the meeting using GoToWebinar. To register, members of the public should access the following link at least several days before the meeting: https:// attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/ 4882474129139440898. Once registered for the meeting at this link, a member of the public will receive a confirmation email that will contain the link and other connection information to be used to view the meeting. A member of the public viewing the LSNARP meeting via GoToWebinar will be able to hear speaker presentations and any discussion with/among LSNARP member organization representatives through his/her computer/tablet speakers or telephone, but will not be able to talk to the presenters or LSNARP member representatives directly, as that audio connection will be muted until instances during the meeting when public comments/questions are requested. When afforded an opportunity to comment and/or ask written questions, a member of the public connected via GoToWebinar and using (1) headphones or a microphone/speakers; or (2) the GoToWebinar-provided toll telephone connection will be able to employ the ‘‘Raise Your Hand’’ feature that will allow meeting organizers to recognize him/her by unmuting his/her audio so that the comment/question can be provided orally to all those attending the meeting in person and remotely. 1 LSNARP member organization representatives have been contacted separately and provided information on how to make video/audio connections if they wish to attend the LSNARP meeting virtually rather than in person. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:23 Jan 09, 2018 Jkt 244001 Alternatively, a member of the public viewing the meeting via GoToWebinar can submit a written comment/question using the GoToWebinar ‘‘Questions’’ feature, which permits text messages to be sent to meeting organizers who, in turn, will forward comments/questions for appropriate consideration during the meeting. Members of the public with questions regarding the use of GoToWebinar should visit the GoToWebinar customer support page at https://support. logmeininc.com/gotowebinar. It is also recommended that members of the public run a computer system check (available on the GoToWebinar customer support page) prior to the LSNARP meeting. residing in the ADAMS LSN Library, https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/lsn/ index.html. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Russell Chazell, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Mail Stop O–16B33, Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone 301–415–7469; email Russell.Chazell@nrc.gov or LSNARP@nrc.gov. Instructions for Audio-Only Remote Attendance NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION A member of the public wishing to participate via audio-only (both to listen and, when appropriate, to talk) can do so using the following toll-free telephone number and access code: (888) 395–2501/4652554. The telephone connection of a member of the public using this toll-free number to attend the LSNARP meeting will be muted until an opportunity for public comments/ questions is afforded during the meeting. During the meeting, instructions will be given on how a member of the public attending via an audio-only connection can make a comment/ask a question. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The LSN was an internet-based electronic discovery database developed to aid the NRC in complying with the schedule for the decision on the construction authorization for the high-level waste repository contained in Section 114(d) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended. In 1998, the NRC Rules of Practice in title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) part 2, subpart J, were modified to provide for the creation and operation of the internet-based LSN as the technological solution for the submission and management of documentary material relating to the licensing of a geologic repository for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste (63 FR 71729). Pursuant to 10 CFR 2.1011(d), the agency authorized the creation of the LSNARP, a FACA advisory committee chartered to provide advice to the NRC on, among other things, fundamental issues relating to LSN design, operation, maintenance, and compliance monitoring. In 2011, the original LSN was decommissioned, with the documentary material contained therein preserved by the NRC and currently [Docket No. 70–7003; NRC–2018–0002] PO 00000 Frm 00044 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 4th day of January, 2018. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Annette L. Vietti-Cook, Secretary of the Commission. [FR Doc. 2018–00226 Filed 1–9–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P American Centrifuge Lead Cascade Facility; American Centrifuge Operating, LLC Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Exemption; issuance. AGENCY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued an exemption in response to an August 22, 2017, request from the American Centrifuge Operating, LLC (ACO) for a one-time exemption from the requirement to conduct a biennial Emergency Preparedness (EP) onsite exercise. The ACO requested to postpone conducting the exercise from calendar year (CY) 2017, to the third quarter of CY 2018. ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2018–0002 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You may access publicly-available information related to this document using any of the following methods: • Federal Rulemaking website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2018–0002. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301–287–3422; 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 at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/ adams.html. To begin the search, select ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\10JAN1.SGM 10JAN1 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 7 / Wednesday, January 10, 2018 / Notices 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 (if it is available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that it is mentioned in 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. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yawar H. Faraz, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone: 301–415–7220, email: Yawar.Faraz@ nrc.gov. The following sections include text from the exemption issued to ACO. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background The ACO is the holder of License No. SNM–7003, which authorizes it to possess source, byproduct, and special nuclear material at the American Centrifuge Lead Cascade Facility (LCF). Until February 2016, ACO operated the LCF at a Department of Energy (DOE) site in Piketon, Ohio. Since March 2016, ACO has been in the process of decommissioning the LCF. The site includes other facilities that are currently operating, shutdown or undergoing decommissioning. II. Request/Action daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES Section 70.22(i)(3)(xii) of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), requires emergency plans submitted under 10 CFR 70.22(i)(1)(ii) to include provisions for conducting an emergency preparedness (EP) onsite exercise every 2 years. In accordance with 10 CFR 70.22(i)(3)(xii), ACO’s Emergency Plan, requires that plant personnel conduct biennial EP onsite exercises. The last EP onsite exercise conducted at the LCF site was held in June 2015. By letter dated August 22, 2017 (ADAMS Accession No. ML17244A210), ACO requested that the NRC approves a one-time exemption allowing ACO to postpone the EP onsite exercise from CY 2017, to the third quarter of CY 2018. III. Discussion Section 70.22(i)(3)(xii) requires ACO to conduct biennial EP onsite exercises to test their response to simulated emergencies. The ACO is required to invite offsite response organizations to participate in the biennial EP onsite VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:23 Jan 09, 2018 Jkt 244001 exercises. However, participation of offsite response organizations in biennial EP onsite exercises, although recommended, is not required. Exercises must use accident scenarios postulated as most probable for the specific site and the scenarios shall not be known to most exercise participants. Following the exercise, ACO is required to critique the exercise using individuals not having direct implementation responsibility for the emergency plan. Critiques of exercises must evaluate the appropriateness of the plan, emergency procedures, facilities, equipment, training of personnel, and overall effectiveness of the response. Deficiencies found by the critiques must be corrected. By letter dated, August 22, 2017, ACO requested postponing the date of this exercise from CY 2017 to the third quarter of CY 2018, and stated that the proposed exemption would not decrease the margin of safety at the LCF. Pursuant to 10 CFR 70.17(a), the Commission may, upon application of any interested person or upon its own initiative, grant such exemptions from the requirements of 10 CFR part 70 as it determines are authorized by law and will not endanger life or property of the common defense and security and are otherwise in the public interest. Authorized by Law The licensee has stated that the exemption request to postpone conducting the EP onsite exercise in CY 2017, to the third quarter of CY 2018, would allow for an orderly and safe transition into the X–1020 Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and Joint Information Center (JIC), which are being renovated with new upgraded equipment. After the renovations have been completed, the licensee stated that performance testing and acceptance will be performed prior to return of EOC personnel. The EOC and JIC Cadre teams will receive training on the new equipment and software programs followed by EOC Cadre members completing a series of drills on the new systems. According to the licensee, these renovation and training activities will not be completed until the second quarter of CY 2018. As a result, ACO is requesting an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 70.22(i)(3)(xii) to postpone the EP onsite exercise from CY 2017, to the third quarter of CY 2018. Section 70.17 allows the NRC to grant exemptions from the requirements of 10 CFR part 70. Granting the licensee’s proposed exemption is not otherwise inconsistent with NRC regulations or other applicable laws. As explained below, the proposed exemption will not PO 00000 Frm 00045 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 1277 endanger life or property, or the common defense and security, and is otherwise in the public interest. Therefore, the exemption is authorized by law. Will Not Endanger Life or Property or the Common Defense and Security On March 2, 2016, ACO notified the NRC, in accordance with 10 CFR 70.38(d)(2), of its parent company Centrus Energy Corporation’s decision to permanently cease operation at the LCF and terminate the NRC’s Special Nuclear Materials License (SNM–7003) for the LCF following decontamination and decommissioning activities. ACO has removed all uranium hexafluoride (UF6) and LCF equipment and piping from the site. As such, the licensee has stated that any significant radiological or chemical accident hazards that may have existed during LCF operations have now been removed. The NRC staff has determined that granting the exemption would not impact the effectiveness of the emergency response capabilities of the ACO facility. The last EP onsite exercise was conducted in June 2015, and there were no issues identified which required immediate corrective action. The NRC reviewed inspections conducted during the period from October 1 through December 31, 2016, did not identify a decrease in the effectiveness of ACO’s emergency response capability. Further, since this last exercise was conducted, ACO notified the NRC of its intent to cease operations and the significant radiological and chemical accident hazards have since been removed from the site. This change to the EP exercise schedule also has no impact on security issues. Therefore, the NRC staff has determined that this exemption will not endanger life or property or the common defense and security. Otherwise in the Public Interest Given the aforementioned renovations occurring at the EOC and JIC, the current Emergency Management program is being operated from temporary locations. Postponing the EP onsite exercise from CY 2017, to the third quarter of CY 2018 will allow for an orderly and safe transition into the renovated facilities, after renovation and training activities are completed. Accordingly, the NRC staff has determined that this exemption is otherwise in the public interest. IV. Environmental Considerations The NRC staff has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25), the exemption request will not result in any E:\FR\FM\10JAN1.SGM 10JAN1 1278 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 7 / Wednesday, January 10, 2018 / Notices significant: (1) Hazards; (2) change in the types or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be released offsite; (3) increase in individual or cumulative public or occupational radiation exposure; (4) construction impact; or (5) increase in the potential for or consequences from radiological accidents. The NRC staff has further determined that the requirements from which the exemption is sought involve the factors associated with 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25)(vi)(G)— scheduling requirements. Specifically, the proposed exemption postpones the EP onsite exercise from CY 2017, to the third quarter of CY 2018. Therefore, the exemption meets the eligibility criteria for exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25). Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement need be prepared in connection with the approval of this exemption request. V. Conclusion Accordingly, the NRC has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 70.17(a), the exemption is authorized by law and will not endanger life or property or the common defense and security and is otherwise in the public interest. Therefore, the NRC hereby grants ACO an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 70.22(i)(3)(xii), to allow ACO to postpone conducting the EP onsite exercise from CY 2017, to the third quarter of CY 2018. The NRC staff consulted with the Ohio Department of Health and the Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office prior to issuing this exemption. Neither objected to the issuance of this exemption. This exemption became effective upon issuance of the NRC letter dated December 29, 2017 (ADAMS Accession No. ML17354A990). Dated at Rockville, Maryland, on January 5, 2018. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Craig G. Erlanger, Director, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety, Safeguards, and Environmental Review, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. [FR Doc. 2018–00255 Filed 1–9–18; 8:45 am] daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES BILLING CODE 7590–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Proposed Collection; Comment Request Upon written request, copies available from: Securities and Exchange VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:23 Jan 09, 2018 Jkt 244001 Commission, Office of FOIA Services, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549–2736 Extension: Form PF, SEC File No. 270–636, OMB Control No. 3235–0679 Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (‘‘Paperwork Reduction Act’’), the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) is soliciting comments on the collection of information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit this existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget (‘‘OMB’’) for extension and approval. Rule 204(b)–1 (17 CFR 275.204(b)-1) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b–1 et seq.) implements sections 404 and 406 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the ‘‘DoddFrank Act’’) by requiring private fund advisers that have at least $150 million in private fund assets under management to report certain information regarding the private funds they advise on Form PF. These advisers are the respondents to the collection of information. Form PF is designed to facilitate the Financial Stability Oversight Council’s (‘‘FSOC’’) monitoring of systemic risk in the private fund industry and to assist FSOC in determining whether and how to deploy its regulatory tools with respect to nonbank financial companies. The Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission may also use information collected on Form PF in their regulatory programs, including examinations, investigations and investor protection efforts relating to private fund advisers. Form PF divides respondents into two broad groups, Large Private Fund Advisers and smaller private fund advisers. ‘‘Large Private Fund Advisers’’ are advisers with at least $1.5 billion in assets under management attributable to hedge funds (‘‘large hedge fund advisers’’), advisers that manage ‘‘liquidity funds’’ and have at least $1 billion in combined assets under management attributable to liquidity funds and registered money market funds (‘‘large liquidity fund advisers’’), and advisers with at least $2 billion in assets under management attributable to private equity funds (‘‘large private equity advisers’’). All other respondents are considered smaller private fund advisers. The Commission estimates that most filers of Form PF have already made their first filing, and so the burden PO 00000 Frm 00046 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 hours applicable to those filers will reflect only ongoing burdens, and not start-up burdens. Accordingly, the Commission estimates the total annual reporting and recordkeeping burden of the collection of information for each respondent is as follows: (a) For smaller private fund advisers making their first Form PF filing, an estimated amortized average annual burden of 23 hours for each of the first three years; (b) For smaller private fund advisers that already make Form PF filings, an estimated amortized average annual burden of 15 hours for each of the next three years; (c) For large hedge fund advisers making their first Form PF filing, an estimated amortized average annual burden of 610 hours for each of the first three years; (d) For large hedge fund advisers that already make Form PF filings, an estimated amortized average annual burden of 560 hours for each of the next three years; (e) For large liquidity fund advisers making their first Form PF filing, an estimated amortized average annual burden of 588 hours for each of the first three years; (f) For large liquidity fund advisers that already make Form PF filings, an estimated amortized average annual burden of 280 hours for each of the next three years; (g) For large private equity advisers making their first Form PF filing, an estimated amortized average annual burden of 67 hours for each of the first three years; and (h) For large private equity advisers that already make Form PF filings, an estimated amortized average annual burden of 50 hours for each of the next three years. With respect to annual internal costs, the Commission estimates the collection of information will result in 92 burden hours per year on average for each respondent. With respect to external cost burdens, the Commission estimates a range from $0 to $50,000 per adviser. Estimates of average burden hours and costs are made solely for the purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act and are not derived from a comprehensive or even representative survey or study of the costs of Commission rules and forms. Compliance with the collection of information requirements of Form PF is mandatory for advisers that satisfy the criteria described in Instruction 1 to the Form. Responses to the collection of information will be kept confidential to the extent permitted by law. The Commission does not intend to make E:\FR\FM\10JAN1.SGM 10JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 10, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1276-1278]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-00255]


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

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 70-7003; NRC-2018-0002]


American Centrifuge Lead Cascade Facility; American Centrifuge 
Operating, LLC

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Exemption; issuance.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued an 
exemption in response to an August 22, 2017, request from the American 
Centrifuge Operating, LLC (ACO) for a one-time exemption from the 
requirement to conduct a biennial Emergency Preparedness (EP) onsite 
exercise. The ACO requested to postpone conducting the exercise from 
calendar year (CY) 2017, to the third quarter of CY 2018.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2018-0002 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may access publicly-available information related to this document 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2018-0002. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-287-
3422; email: [email protected]. 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 at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and 
then select ``Begin Web-based ADAMS

[[Page 1277]]

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 [email protected]. The ADAMS accession number for each 
document referenced (if it is available in ADAMS) is provided the first 
time that it is mentioned in 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yawar H. Faraz, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-7220, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following sections include text from the 
exemption issued to ACO.

I. Background

    The ACO is the holder of License No. SNM-7003, which authorizes it 
to possess source, byproduct, and special nuclear material at the 
American Centrifuge Lead Cascade Facility (LCF). Until February 2016, 
ACO operated the LCF at a Department of Energy (DOE) site in Piketon, 
Ohio. Since March 2016, ACO has been in the process of decommissioning 
the LCF. The site includes other facilities that are currently 
operating, shutdown or undergoing decommissioning.

II. Request/Action

    Section 70.22(i)(3)(xii) of title 10 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (10 CFR), requires emergency plans submitted under 10 CFR 
70.22(i)(1)(ii) to include provisions for conducting an emergency 
preparedness (EP) onsite exercise every 2 years. In accordance with 10 
CFR 70.22(i)(3)(xii), ACO's Emergency Plan, requires that plant 
personnel conduct biennial EP onsite exercises. The last EP onsite 
exercise conducted at the LCF site was held in June 2015. By letter 
dated August 22, 2017 (ADAMS Accession No. ML17244A210), ACO requested 
that the NRC approves a one-time exemption allowing ACO to postpone the 
EP onsite exercise from CY 2017, to the third quarter of CY 2018.

III. Discussion

    Section 70.22(i)(3)(xii) requires ACO to conduct biennial EP onsite 
exercises to test their response to simulated emergencies. The ACO is 
required to invite offsite response organizations to participate in the 
biennial EP onsite exercises. However, participation of offsite 
response organizations in biennial EP onsite exercises, although 
recommended, is not required. Exercises must use accident scenarios 
postulated as most probable for the specific site and the scenarios 
shall not be known to most exercise participants. Following the 
exercise, ACO is required to critique the exercise using individuals 
not having direct implementation responsibility for the emergency plan. 
Critiques of exercises must evaluate the appropriateness of the plan, 
emergency procedures, facilities, equipment, training of personnel, and 
overall effectiveness of the response. Deficiencies found by the 
critiques must be corrected. By letter dated, August 22, 2017, ACO 
requested postponing the date of this exercise from CY 2017 to the 
third quarter of CY 2018, and stated that the proposed exemption would 
not decrease the margin of safety at the LCF.
    Pursuant to 10 CFR 70.17(a), the Commission may, upon application 
of any interested person or upon its own initiative, grant such 
exemptions from the requirements of 10 CFR part 70 as it determines are 
authorized by law and will not endanger life or property of the common 
defense and security and are otherwise in the public interest.

Authorized by Law

    The licensee has stated that the exemption request to postpone 
conducting the EP onsite exercise in CY 2017, to the third quarter of 
CY 2018, would allow for an orderly and safe transition into the X-1020 
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and Joint Information Center (JIC), 
which are being renovated with new upgraded equipment. After the 
renovations have been completed, the licensee stated that performance 
testing and acceptance will be performed prior to return of EOC 
personnel. The EOC and JIC Cadre teams will receive training on the new 
equipment and software programs followed by EOC Cadre members 
completing a series of drills on the new systems. According to the 
licensee, these renovation and training activities will not be 
completed until the second quarter of CY 2018.
    As a result, ACO is requesting an exemption from the requirements 
of 10 CFR 70.22(i)(3)(xii) to postpone the EP onsite exercise from CY 
2017, to the third quarter of CY 2018. Section 70.17 allows the NRC to 
grant exemptions from the requirements of 10 CFR part 70. Granting the 
licensee's proposed exemption is not otherwise inconsistent with NRC 
regulations or other applicable laws. As explained below, the proposed 
exemption will not endanger life or property, or the common defense and 
security, and is otherwise in the public interest. Therefore, the 
exemption is authorized by law.

Will Not Endanger Life or Property or the Common Defense and Security

    On March 2, 2016, ACO notified the NRC, in accordance with 10 CFR 
70.38(d)(2), of its parent company Centrus Energy Corporation's 
decision to permanently cease operation at the LCF and terminate the 
NRC's Special Nuclear Materials License (SNM-7003) for the LCF 
following decontamination and decommissioning activities. ACO has 
removed all uranium hexafluoride (UF6) and LCF equipment and piping 
from the site. As such, the licensee has stated that any significant 
radiological or chemical accident hazards that may have existed during 
LCF operations have now been removed.
    The NRC staff has determined that granting the exemption would not 
impact the effectiveness of the emergency response capabilities of the 
ACO facility. The last EP onsite exercise was conducted in June 2015, 
and there were no issues identified which required immediate corrective 
action. The NRC reviewed inspections conducted during the period from 
October 1 through December 31, 2016, did not identify a decrease in the 
effectiveness of ACO's emergency response capability. Further, since 
this last exercise was conducted, ACO notified the NRC of its intent to 
cease operations and the significant radiological and chemical accident 
hazards have since been removed from the site. This change to the EP 
exercise schedule also has no impact on security issues. Therefore, the 
NRC staff has determined that this exemption will not endanger life or 
property or the common defense and security.

Otherwise in the Public Interest

    Given the aforementioned renovations occurring at the EOC and JIC, 
the current Emergency Management program is being operated from 
temporary locations. Postponing the EP onsite exercise from CY 2017, to 
the third quarter of CY 2018 will allow for an orderly and safe 
transition into the renovated facilities, after renovation and training 
activities are completed. Accordingly, the NRC staff has determined 
that this exemption is otherwise in the public interest.

IV. Environmental Considerations

    The NRC staff has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25), 
the exemption request will not result in any

[[Page 1278]]

significant: (1) Hazards; (2) change in the types or significant 
increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be released offsite; 
(3) increase in individual or cumulative public or occupational 
radiation exposure; (4) construction impact; or (5) increase in the 
potential for or consequences from radiological accidents. The NRC 
staff has further determined that the requirements from which the 
exemption is sought involve the factors associated with 10 CFR 
51.22(c)(25)(vi)(G)--scheduling requirements. Specifically, the 
proposed exemption postpones the EP onsite exercise from CY 2017, to 
the third quarter of CY 2018. Therefore, the exemption meets the 
eligibility criteria for exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25). 
Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental assessment or 
an environmental impact statement need be prepared in connection with 
the approval of this exemption request.

V. Conclusion

    Accordingly, the NRC has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 
70.17(a), the exemption is authorized by law and will not endanger life 
or property or the common defense and security and is otherwise in the 
public interest. Therefore, the NRC hereby grants ACO an exemption from 
the requirements of 10 CFR 70.22(i)(3)(xii), to allow ACO to postpone 
conducting the EP onsite exercise from CY 2017, to the third quarter of 
CY 2018.
    The NRC staff consulted with the Ohio Department of Health and the 
Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office prior to issuing this exemption. 
Neither objected to the issuance of this exemption.
    This exemption became effective upon issuance of the NRC letter 
dated December 29, 2017 (ADAMS Accession No. ML17354A990).

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, on January 5, 2018.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Craig G. Erlanger,
Director, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety, Safeguards, and Environmental 
Review, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2018-00255 Filed 1-9-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
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