Volcanic Hazards Assessment for Proposed New and Advanced Nuclear Power Plants, 16147-16148 [2020-05830]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 55 / Friday, March 20, 2020 / Notices jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES C. the exemption is consistent with the common defense and security; D. special circumstances are present in that the application of the rule in this circumstance is not necessary to serve the underlying purpose of the rule; E. the special circumstances outweigh any decrease in safety that may result from the reduction in standardization caused by the exemption; and F. the exemption will not result in a significant decrease in the level of safety otherwise provided by the design. 2. Accordingly, SNC is granted an exemption from the certified DCD Tier 1 information, with corresponding changes to Appendix C of the facility Combined License, as described in the licensee’s request dated September 30, 2019, and as supplemented by letter dated December 19, 2019. This exemption is related to, and necessary for, the granting of License Amendment No. 176 [for Unit 3, No. 175 for Unit 4], which is being issued concurrently with this exemption. 3. As explained in Section 5.0 of the NRC staff’s Safety Evaluation (ADAMS Accession No. ML20049A808), this exemption meets the eligibility criteria for a categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9). Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment needs to be prepared in connection with the issuance of the exemption. 4. This exemption is effective as of the date of its issuance. III. License Amendment Request By letter dated September 30, 2019 (ADAMS Accession No. ML19273A953), as supplemented by letter dated December 19, 2019 (ADAMS Accession No. ML19353B752), SNC requested that the NRC amend the COLs for VEGP, Units 3 and 4, COLs NPF–91 and NPF– 92. The proposed amendment is described in Section I of this Federal Register notice. The Commission has determined for these amendments that the application complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission’s rules and regulations. The Commission has made appropriate findings as required by the Act and the Commission’s rules and regulations in 10 CFR Chapter I, which are set forth in the license amendment. A notice of consideration of issuance of amendment to facility operating license or COL, as applicable, proposed no significant hazards consideration determination, and opportunity for a hearing in connection with these actions, was published in the Federal VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:01 Mar 19, 2020 Jkt 250001 Register on December 3, 2019 (84 FR 66234). No comments were received during the 30-day comment period. The Commission has determined that these amendments satisfy the criteria for categorical exclusion in accordance with 10 CFR 51.22. Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need to be prepared for these amendments. IV. Conclusion Using the reasons set forth in the combined safety evaluation, the staff granted the exemptions and issued the amendments that SNC requested on September 30, 2019. The exemptions and amendments were issued on March 11, 2020, as part of a combined package to SNC (ADAMS Accession No. ML20049A655). Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 16th day of March 2020. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Victor E. Hall, Chief, Vogtle Project Office, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. [FR Doc. 2020–05905 Filed 3–19–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC–2020–0076] Volcanic Hazards Assessment for Proposed New and Advanced Nuclear Power Plants 16147 connection with items for inclusion in guides currently being developed or improvements in all published guides are encouraged at any time. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods: • Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2020–0076. Address questions about NRC dockets IDs in Regulations.gov to Jennifer Borges; telephone: 301–287–9127; email: Jennifer.Borges@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact the individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document. • Mail comments to: Office of Administration, Mail Stop: TWFN–7– A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555– 0001, ATTN: Program Management, Announcements and Editing Staff. For additional direction on obtaining information and submitting comments, see ‘‘Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments’’ in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenise Thompson, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, telephone: 301– 415–1811, email: Jenise.Thompson@ nrc.gov; and Edward O’Donnell, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, telephone: 301–415–3317, email: Edward.ODonnell@nrc.gov. Both are staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555– 0001. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Draft regulatory guide; request for comment. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment draft regulatory guide (DG), DG–4028, ‘‘Volcanic Hazards Assessment for Proposed Nuclear Power Reactor Sites.’’ This DG proposes new guidance for facilitating NRC staff reviews of volcanic hazard assessments performed by applicants to support the siting and licensing of new nuclear power reactors. The DG also provides applicants with the methods and approaches the NRC staff considers acceptable for the assessment of volcanic hazards in license applications. DATES: Submit comments by May 19, 2020. Comments received after this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the NRC is able to ensure consideration only for comments received on or before this date. Although a time limit is given, comments and suggestions in Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2020– 0076 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain publiclyavailable information related to this action by any of the following methods: • Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2020–0076. • 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 ‘‘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–4028 is available in ADAMS under Accession No. AGENCY: SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00101 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments A. Obtaining Information E:\FR\FM\20MRN1.SGM 20MRN1 16148 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 55 / Friday, March 20, 2020 / Notices ML20007D621 and the Regulatory Analysis under Accession No. ML20007D618. • 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–2020– 0076 in your comment submission. 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 will post all comment submissions at https:// www.regulations.gov as well as enter 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 into ADAMS. of volcanic hazards in license applications. III. Backfitting, Forward Fitting, and Issue Finality Issuance of this draft regulatory guide does not constitute backfitting as defined in title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) section 50.109, ‘‘Backfitting,’’ and as described in NRC Management Directive 8.4, ‘‘Management of Backfitting, Forward Fitting, Issue Finality, and Information Requests’’ and as described in NRC Management Directive 8.4, ‘‘Management of Backfitting, Forward Fitting, Issue Finality, and Information Requests;’’ would not affect the issue finality of any approval issued under 10 CFR part 52; and would not constitute forward fitting as that term is defined and described in Management Directive 8.4. As explained in the draft regulatory guide, licensees would not be required to comply with the positions set forth in this draft regulatory guide. April 24, 2020 Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 16th day of March 2020. 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. 2020–05830 Filed 3–19–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES II. Additional Information The NRC is issuing for public comment a draft guide in the NRC’s ‘‘Regulatory Guide’’ series. This series was developed to describe and make available to the public information regarding methods that are acceptable to the NRC staff for implementing specific parts of the NRC’s regulations, techniques that the staff uses in evaluating specific issues or postulated events, and data that the staff needs in its review of applications for permits and licenses. The staff is also issuing for public comment a draft Regulatory Analysis. Regulatory Analyses are developed to assess the value of issuing a guide as well as alternative courses of action. The DG, entitled, ‘‘Volcanic Hazards Assessment for Proposed Nuclear Power Reactor Sites,’’ is a proposed new guide temporarily identified by its task number, DG–4028. It provides guidance for facilitating NRC staff reviews of volcanic hazard assessments performed by applicants to support the licensing of new nuclear power reactors. The guide also provides applicants with the methods and approaches the NRC staff considers acceptable for the assessment VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:01 Mar 19, 2020 Jkt 250001 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC–2019–0149] Information Collection: NRC Form 629, ‘‘Authorization for Payment by Credit Card’’ Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Renewal of existing information collection; request for comment. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) invites public comment on the renewal of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing collection of information. The information collection is entitled, NRC Form 629, ‘‘Authorization for Payment by Credit Card.’’ Submit comments by May 19, 2020. 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 comments by any of the following methods: DATES: PO 00000 Frm 00102 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 • Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2019–0149. For technical questions, contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document. • Mail comments to: David Cullison, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Mail Stop: T–6 A10M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001. For additional direction on obtaining information and submitting comments, see ‘‘Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments’’ in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Cullison, Office of the Chief Information Officer, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone: 301–415– 2084; email: Infocollects.Resource@ nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments A. Obtaining Information Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2019– 0149 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain publiclyavailable information related to this action by any of the following methods: • Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2019–0149. A copy of the collection of information and related instructions may be obtained without charge by accessing Docket ID NRC–2019–0149 on this website. • 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 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. A copy of the collection of information and related instructions may be obtained without charge by accessing ADAMS Accession Nos. ML19295G757and ML18043A050. The supporting statement is available in ADAMS under Accession No. ML19295G759. • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public documents at the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One E:\FR\FM\20MRN1.SGM 20MRN1

Agencies

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 55 (Friday, March 20, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16147-16148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05830]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2020-0076]


Volcanic Hazards Assessment for Proposed New and Advanced Nuclear 
Power Plants

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Draft regulatory guide; request for comment.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for 
public comment draft regulatory guide (DG), DG-4028, ``Volcanic Hazards 
Assessment for Proposed Nuclear Power Reactor Sites.'' This DG proposes 
new guidance for facilitating NRC staff reviews of volcanic hazard 
assessments performed by applicants to support the siting and licensing 
of new nuclear power reactors. The DG also provides applicants with the 
methods and approaches the NRC staff considers acceptable for the 
assessment of volcanic hazards in license applications.

DATES: Submit comments by May 19, 2020. Comments received after this 
date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the NRC is 
able to ensure consideration only for comments received on or before 
this date.
    Although a time limit is given, comments and suggestions in 
connection with items for inclusion in guides currently being developed 
or improvements in all published guides are encouraged at any time.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2020-0076. Address 
questions about NRC dockets IDs in Regulations.gov to Jennifer Borges; 
telephone: 301-287-9127; email: [email protected]. For technical 
questions, contact the individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document.
     Mail comments to: Office of Administration, Mail Stop: 
TWFN-7-A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-
0001, ATTN: Program Management, Announcements and Editing Staff.
    For additional direction on obtaining information and submitting 
comments, see ``Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments'' in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenise Thompson, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation, telephone: 301-415-1811, email: 
[email protected]; and Edward O'Donnell, Office of Nuclear 
Regulatory Research, telephone: 301-415-3317, email: 
[email protected]. 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-2020-0076 when contacting the NRC 
about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain 
publicly-available information related to this action by any of the 
following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2020-0076.
     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 ``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 [email protected]. The DG-4028 is available in ADAMS 
under Accession No.

[[Page 16148]]

ML20007D621 and the Regulatory Analysis under Accession No. 
ML20007D618.
     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-2020-0076 in your comment submission.
    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 will post all comment submissions at 
https://www.regulations.gov as well as enter 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 into ADAMS.

II. Additional Information

    The NRC is issuing for public comment a draft guide in the NRC's 
``Regulatory Guide'' series. This series was developed to describe and 
make available to the public information regarding methods that are 
acceptable to the NRC staff for implementing specific parts of the 
NRC's regulations, techniques that the staff uses in evaluating 
specific issues or postulated events, and data that the staff needs in 
its review of applications for permits and licenses. The staff is also 
issuing for public comment a draft Regulatory Analysis. Regulatory 
Analyses are developed to assess the value of issuing a guide as well 
as alternative courses of action.
    The DG, entitled, ``Volcanic Hazards Assessment for Proposed 
Nuclear Power Reactor Sites,'' is a proposed new guide temporarily 
identified by its task number, DG-4028. It provides guidance for 
facilitating NRC staff reviews of volcanic hazard assessments performed 
by applicants to support the licensing of new nuclear power reactors. 
The guide also provides applicants with the methods and approaches the 
NRC staff considers acceptable for the assessment of volcanic hazards 
in license applications.

III. Backfitting, Forward Fitting, and Issue Finality

    Issuance of this draft regulatory guide does not constitute 
backfitting as defined in title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(10 CFR) section 50.109, ``Backfitting,'' and as described in NRC 
Management Directive 8.4, ``Management of Backfitting, Forward Fitting, 
Issue Finality, and Information Requests'' and as described in NRC 
Management Directive 8.4, ``Management of Backfitting, Forward Fitting, 
Issue Finality, and Information Requests;'' would not affect the issue 
finality of any approval issued under 10 CFR part 52; and would not 
constitute forward fitting as that term is defined and described in 
Management Directive 8.4. As explained in the draft regulatory guide, 
licensees would not be required to comply with the positions set forth 
in this draft regulatory guide.
    April 24, 2020

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 16th day of March 2020.

    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. 2020-05830 Filed 3-19-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

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