Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.; Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Unit 4; Background Check Process for Participation in ITAAC Proceeding, 75380-75383 [2020-26103]
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Document description
ADAMS Accession No.
South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2—Supplement to Exemption Request from 10 CFR part 50, appendix E,
due to COVID–19 Pandemic, dated September 10, 2020.
South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2—Temporary Exemption from Certain Requirements of 10 CFR part 50,
appendix E, Emergency Planning And Preparedness For Production and Utilization Facilities, Sections
IV.F.2.b AND IV.F.2.c (EPID L–2020–LLE–0133), dated October 26, 2020.
Dated: November 20, 2020.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
James G. Danna,
Chief, Plant Licensing Branch I, Division of
Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2020–26123 Filed 11–24–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[Docket No. 52–026; NRC–2008–0252]
Southern Nuclear Operating Company,
Inc.; Vogtle Electric Generating Plant,
Unit 4; Background Check Process for
Participation in ITAAC Proceeding
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Opportunity to initiate
background check for access to
safeguards information.
AGENCY:
In approximately 4 to 7
months, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) will publish in the
Federal Register a notice of intended
operation, which will allow the public
to submit requests for hearing regarding
the licensee’s conformance with the
acceptance criteria in the combined
license (COL) for Vogtle Electric
Generating Plant (VEGP) Unit 4. These
acceptance criteria are part of the
inspections, tests, analyses, and
acceptance criteria (ITAAC) included in
the COL. If a member of the public
believes access to Safeguards
Information (SGI) is necessary to file a
hearing request, then members of the
public must satisfy several standards,
including a determination by the NRC
that they are ‘‘trustworthy and reliable.’’
Because the background checks used to
support trustworthiness and reliability
determinations take some time to
complete, the NRC is providing this
‘‘pre-clearance’’ process, by which
members of the public may initiate
background checks to be completed by
the Defense Counterintelligence and
Security Agency (DCSA) well before the
hearing process begins.
DATES: This pre-clearance process is
available until publication in the
Federal Register of the notice of
intended operation for VEGP Unit 4.
When the notice of intended operation
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SUMMARY:
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is published, it will govern access to SGI
for the proceeding on VEGP Unit 4.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID
NRC–2008–0252 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 Website: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for Docket ID NRC–2008–0252. Address
questions about Docket IDs in
Regulations.gov to Jennifer Borges;
telephone: 301–287–9127; email:
Jennifer.Borges@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 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. Refer to Section II of this
document for instructions on how to
submit the request for a background
check.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Cayetano Santos Jr., Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555–0001, telephone: 301–415–
7270, email: Cayetano.Santos@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The NRC hereby gives notice that
members of the public who believe they
may need access to SGI to file a hearing
request in the upcoming ITAAC
proceeding for VEGP Unit 4 may initiate
background checks for access to SGI
before the proceeding begins. This
notice describes how the required
background check forms may be
obtained and how the required forms
and fee must be submitted. Requests to
initiate background checks under this
notice may be made until publication in
the Federal Register of the notice of
intended operation for VEGP Unit 4.
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ML20279A531.
When the notice of intended operation
is published, it will govern access to SGI
for the proceeding on VEGP Unit 4.
A. Requirements for Access to SGI
Safeguards Information is a special
category of sensitive unclassified
information defined in section 73.2 of
title 10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (10 CFR) and protected
from unauthorized disclosure under
Section 147 of the Atomic Energy Act of
1954, as amended (AEA). Although SGI
is unclassified information, it is handled
and protected more like Classified
National Security Information than like
other sensitive unclassified information
(e.g., privacy and proprietary
information). Requirements for access to
SGI and requirements for SGI handling,
storage, and processing are in 10 CFR
part 73.
To obtain access to SGI in an
adjudicatory context, persons must (1)
demonstrate a ‘‘need to know’’ for the
SGI, (2) be deemed ‘‘trustworthy and
reliable,’’ and (3) demonstrate a
likelihood of establishing standing. As
relevant to adjudications, ‘‘need to
know’’ is defined in 10 CFR 73.2 as a
determination by the originator of the
SGI that the SGI is necessary to enable
the proposed recipient to proffer and/or
adjudicate a specific contention in that
proceeding, and the proposed recipient
of the specific SGI possesses
demonstrable knowledge, skill, training,
or education to effectively utilize the
specific SGI in the proceeding.
‘‘Trustworthiness and reliability’’ is
defined in 10 CFR 73.2 as the
characteristics of an individual
considered dependable in judgment,
character, and performance, such that
disclosure of SGI to that individual does
not constitute an unreasonable risk to
the public health and safety or common
defense and security. A determination
of trustworthiness and reliability for this
purpose is based upon a background
check. The standing requirements are in
10 CFR 2.309.
B. Information on ITAAC Closure
Process and Associated Hearing
Opportunity
Southern Nuclear Operating
Company, Inc., was issued a COL for
VEGP Unit 4 on February 10, 2012.
Appendix C of the COL includes the
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ITAAC for VEGP Unit 4. The ITAAC
establish the means to verify whether
the facility has been constructed and
will be operated in conformance with
the license, the AEA, and NRC rules and
regulations. Section 185b. of the AEA
requires the Commission to ensure that
the prescribed inspections, tests, and
analyses are performed and to find,
prior to operation of the facility, that the
prescribed acceptance criteria are met.
This AEA requirement is also set forth
in 10 CFR 52.103(g), which expressly
provides that operation of the facility
may not begin unless and until the NRC
finds that the acceptance criteria for all
ITAAC are met. Once the 10 CFR
52.103(g) finding is made, the licensee
may proceed to the operational phase,
which begins with initial fuel load.
The NRC’s finding on whether the
acceptance criteria are met will be based
on the licensee’s submission of ITAAC
notifications required by 10 CFR
52.99(c) and on the results of NRC
inspections. Supporting documents
pertaining to ITAAC closure for VEGP
Unit 4 are available electronically at
https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/newreactors/col-holder/vog4.html. These
supporting documents include an
ITAAC status report (https://
www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/
new-licensing-files/vog4-icnsr.pdf),
which provides links to (1) the
licensee’s ITAAC notifications
submitted under 10 CFR 52.99(c); (2)
NRC construction and vendor
inspection reports; (3) Verification
Evaluation Forms, which document the
NRC staff’s review of ITAAC closure
notifications submitted under 10 CFR
52.99(c)(1) and ITAAC post-closure
notifications submitted under 10 CFR
52.99(c)(2); and (4) Uncompleted ITAAC
Notification Checklists (UINCs), which
document the NRC staff’s review of
uncompleted ITAAC notifications
submitted under 10 CFR 52.99(c)(3).1
The NRC staff determinations made in
items (3) and (4) are interim
determinations that do not become final
unless and until the NRC makes the 10
CFR 52.103(g) finding at the end of
construction that all acceptance criteria
are met. The NRC staff will periodically
update these sources of information to
reflect the submission of additional
licensee ITAAC notifications and future
1 The NRC staff is not required to review the
licensee’s uncompleted ITAAC notifications but
may do so if the licensee provides them far enough
in advance so that staff review of these notifications
contribute to the ITAAC closure process. The staff’s
review of an uncompleted ITAAC notification
focuses on the ITAAC completion methodology
described in the notification.
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NRC inspection reports and review
documents.
In addition, to provide additional
background information to members of
the public, https://www.nrc.gov/
reactors/new-reactors/col-holder/
vog4.html includes links to other
supporting documents, such as the
combined license (which includes the
ITAAC); the updated final safety
analysis report (UFSAR) for the facility;
licensee reports on departures from the
UFSAR; NRC-issued licensing actions
for the facility; the NRC’s final safety
evaluation report for the COL
application review; information on the
AP1000 design certification, which the
facility references; and information on
processes related to ITAAC. Finally, to
search for documents in ADAMS using
the VEGP Unit 4 docket number, 52–
026, one should enter the term
‘‘05200026’’ in the ‘‘Docket Number’’
field when using the web-based search
(advanced search) engine in ADAMS.
As required by Section 189a.(1)(B)(i)
of the AEA and 10 CFR 52.103(a), the
NRC must publish in the Federal
Register a notice of intended operation
at least 180 days before scheduled
initial fuel load. This notice shall
provide 60 days for any person whose
interest may be affected by operation of
the plant to request that the Commission
hold a hearing on whether the facility as
constructed complies, or on completion
will comply, with the acceptance
criteria in the COL. For a hearing
request in an ITAAC proceeding to be
granted, the petitioner must show
standing as required by 10 CFR 2.309
and must submit a contention meeting
the standards of 10 CFR 2.309(f)(1)(i)
through (v) and (vii).2 In accordance
with Section 189a.(1)(B)(ii) of the AEA,
the contention standards include the
requirement that the petitioner show,
prima facie, that one or more of the
acceptance criteria in the COL have not
been, or will not be, met and that the
specific operational consequences of
nonconformance would be contrary to
providing reasonable assurance of
adequate protection of the public health
and safety. Section 189a.(1)(B)(v) of the
AEA requires the NRC, to the maximum
possible extent, to render a decision on
the issues raised by the hearing request
within 180 days of the notice of
intended operation or by scheduled
initial fuel load, whichever is later.
The Commission published detailed
generic procedures for the ITAAC
hearing process in ‘‘Final Procedures for
Conducting Hearings on Conformance
with the Acceptance Criteria in
2 The requirements of 10 CFR 2.309(f)(1)(vi) do
not apply to ITAAC proceedings.
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Combined Licenses’’ (ITAAC Hearing
Procedures) (81 FR 43266; July 1, 2016).
The Commission intends to use these
generic procedures (with appropriate
modifications) in case-specific orders
that will govern ITAAC proceedings.
The ITAAC Hearing Procedures differ
from 10 CFR part 2 in a number of ways,
primarily because of the need to meet
the statutory goal for timely completing
the hearing. To meet this goal, the
ITAAC hearing process will be
conducted on a much shorter schedule
than is used for other NRC hearings.
Therefore, the NRC encourages
interested members of the public to
study the ITAAC Hearing Procedures
and commence their hearing
preparations well before publication of
the notice of intended operation for
VEGP Unit 4.
The notice of intended operation must
be published at least 180 days prior to
scheduled fuel load, but the NRC
announced its intention in the ITAAC
Hearing Procedures to publish the
notice of intended operation between
210 and 285 days before scheduled fuel
load.3 Based on current projections, the
NRC anticipates publishing the notice of
intended operation for VEGP Unit 4 in
approximately 4 to 7 months. This
anticipated publication window is
based on the licensee’s schedule for
constructing the facility and submitting
ITAAC notifications required by 10 CFR
52.99(c). The notice of intended
operation may be published outside this
window if the licensee’s schedule
changes.
C. Access to SGI in ITAAC Hearings
Given the range of matters covered by
the ITAAC, the NRC believes that
petitioners may deem it necessary to
obtain access to SGI for the purpose of
submitting an admissible contention.
Therefore, as discussed in the ITAAC
Hearing Procedures, the notice of
intended operation will set forth
procedures providing such petitioners
the opportunity to demonstrate they
meet the requirements for access to SGI
in the ITAAC hearing context. These
requirements include a demonstration
of ‘‘need to know,’’ a determination of
‘‘trustworthiness and reliability,’’ and a
demonstration of likelihood to establish
standing. If access is granted, non3 The NRC intends to publish the notice of
intended operation 210 days before scheduled fuel
load if the licensee submits its uncompleted ITAAC
notifications 225 days before scheduled fuel load as
required by 10 CFR 52.99(c)(2). However, if the
licensee submits its uncompleted ITAAC
notifications earlier than required and meets certain
other prerequisites, the NRC intends to publish the
notice of intended operation at a correspondingly
earlier time, but not prior to 285 days before
scheduled fuel load.
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disclosure agreements/affidavits will
need to be executed before access is
provided. Also, handling, storage, and
processing of SGI must satisfy the
requirements of 10 CFR part 73.
The background check used to
support trustworthiness and reliability
determinations can take some time, and
delay could occur if persons seeking
access to SGI are not already cleared for
access and do not seek clearance until
the notice of intended operation is
published.4 To avoid delays in an
already-abbreviated hearing schedule,
the NRC is providing this pre-clearance
process, by which members of the
public may initiate background checks
well before the hearing process begins.
The other requirements for access to SGI
(i.e., need to know and likelihood of
standing) would be addressed in a
request for access to SGI submitted after
the notice of intended operation is
published. Access to SGI will only be
provided if all requirements are
satisfied.
There is no guarantee that early
initiation of the background check will
be of practical use to a petitioner. For
example, the petitioner might not satisfy
the other requirements for access to SGI.
Consequently, it is the petitioner’s
choice whether to pursue the preclearance process. The costs for
initiating the background check are not
refundable even if the background check
is of no practical use to a petitioner (e.g.,
an adverse determination is made on the
background check or the petitioner fails
to satisfy other requirements for access
such as need to know). Nevertheless,
while use of the pre-clearance process is
voluntary, the ITAAC Hearing
Procedures (81 FR 43282) state:
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[T]he NRC will not delay its actions in
completing the hearing or making the 10 CFR
52.103(g) finding because of delays from
background checks for persons seeking
access to SGI. In other words, members of the
public will have to take the proceeding as
they find it once they ultimately obtain
access to SGI for contention formulation. The
pre-clearance process is designed to prevent
the SGI background-check process from
becoming a barrier to timely public
participation in the hearing process. As
stated in Attachment 1 to the SUNSI–SGI
Access Procedures (p. 11), ‘‘given the strict
4 Our most recent information indicates that the
average time to perform a background check that
supports the NRC’s trustworthiness and reliability
determinations for access to SGI is 69 days. This
average time is subject to change and should not be
relied upon. The time needed for any particular
background investigation may be more or less than
the average time because of the subject’s personal
history or the investigating agency’s work load.
Also, some additional time beyond that taken by the
DCSA will be needed for the NRC’s Office of
Administration to make a decision based on the
information it has received.
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timelines for submission of and rulings on
the admissibility of contentions (including
security-related contentions) . . . potential
parties should not expect additional
flexibility in those established time periods
if they decide not to exercise the preclearance option.’’
II. Pre-Clearance Process
The pre-clearance process in this
notice is based on the pre-clearance
process in the ‘‘Procedures to Allow
Potential Intervenors to Gain Access to
Relevant Records that Contain Sensitive
Unclassified Non-Safeguards
Information or Safeguards Information,’’
dated February 29, 2008 (ADAMS
Accession No. ML080380626), as
modified and supplemented by
provisions in the ITAAC Hearing
Procedures and the final rule,
‘‘Protection of Safeguards Information’’
(73 FR 63546; October 24, 2008).
A. Any potential party 5 who believes
access to SGI may be necessary to
formulate contentions for the upcoming
ITAAC proceeding for VEGP Unit 4 may
request initiation of a pre-clearance
background check. Requestors should
submit these requests within 20 days of
publication of this pre-clearance notice.
Requests may be initiated after 20 days,
but a delay in submitting the request
will lead to a corresponding delay in
NRC action on the request. Requests for
a pre-clearance background check may
be made until the notice of intended
operation is published for VEGP Unit 4.
Once published, the notice of intended
operation will govern access to SGI.
B. To request initiation of the
background check to be conducted by
the DCSA, the requestor must submit a
background check request letter, two
forms, and the fee for the background
check, as discussed in Section II.C of
this notice.
(1) To initiate the background check,
Form FD–258 (fingerprint card) and
Form SF–85, ‘‘Questionnaire for NonSensitive Positions,’’ must be completed
and submitted. The requestor should
contact the NRC’s Office of
Administration at 301–415–3710 to
request a package containing the Form
FD–258 and to obtain access to Form
SF–85. To obtain access to Form SF–85,
each individual for whom a background
check is being requested will be asked
to provide the individual’s full legal
name, social security number, date and
place of birth, telephone number, and
5 A ‘‘potential party’’ is any person who intends
to participate as a party by demonstrating standing
and filing an admissible contention in accordance
with the instructions in the notice of intended
operation.
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email address.6 Instructions for
completing these two forms will be
provided directly to the individual for
whom the background check is being
requested. Form FD–258 and the fee
must be delivered to the following
address: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Office of Administration,
Personnel Security Branch, ATTN: PreClearance SGI Background Check
Materials for ITAAC Proceeding, Mail
Stop TWFN 07–D04M, 11555 Rockville
Pike, Rockville, MD 20852.
(2) The requestor must submit a
background check request letter to the
Office of the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, and provide a
copy to the Deputy General Counsel for
Hearings and Administration, Office of
the General Counsel. Email submission
is preferred. The email addresses for the
Office of the Secretary and the Office of
the General Counsel are
Hearing.Docket@nrc.gov and
RidsOgcMailCenter.Resource@nrc.gov,
respectively. The U.S. mail address for
both offices is U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
0001. The expedited delivery or courier
mail address for both offices is: U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 11555
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland
20852.
C. Forms, Fee, and Background Check
Request Letter.
(1) Required Forms: The requestor
must submit the following forms:
(a) A completed Form FD–258
(fingerprint card), signed in original ink,
for each individual for whom a
background check is being requested.
Copies of Form FD–258 will be
provided in the background check
request package supplied by the Office
of Administration for each individual
for whom a background check is being
requested. The fingerprint card will be
used to satisfy the requirements of 10
CFR part 2, 10 CFR 73.22(b)(1), and
AEA Section 149, which mandates that
all persons with access to SGI must be
fingerprinted for a Federal Bureau of
Investigation identification and criminal
history records check;
(b) A completed Form SF–85,
‘‘Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive
Positions’’ for each individual for whom
a background check is being requested.
The completed Form SF–85 will be used
to conduct the background check
required for access to SGI, as required
by 10 CFR part 2, subpart C, and 10 CFR
73.22(b)(2), to determine the
individual’s trustworthiness and
reliability. For security reasons, Form
6 After providing this information, the individual
usually should be able to obtain access to the online
Form SF–85 within two business days.
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SF–85 is completed electronically
through a secure website that is owned
and operated by the DCSA.
(2) A check or money order payable
in the amount of $326.00 to the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission for
each individual for whom a background
check is being requested.
(3) Background Check Request Letter:
The background check request letter
must:
(a) Request initiation of a background
check for the purpose of determining
trustworthiness and reliability for access
to SGI that may be relevant to the
upcoming ITAAC proceeding for VEGP
Unit 4.
(b) Provide the name and address of
the potential party and a description of
the potential party’s particularized
interest that could be harmed by an NRC
finding that the acceptance criteria in
the combined license are met.7
(c) Identify each individual for whom
access to SGI will be requested,
including the identity of any expert,
consultant, or assistant who will aid the
petitioner in evaluating the SGI.
(d) If the requestor or any individual
for whom access to SGI will be
requested believes they belong to one or
more of the categories of individuals
that are exempt from the criminal
history records check and background
check requirements in 10 CFR 73.59, the
requestor should provide a statement
identifying which exemption the person
is invoking and explaining the person’s
basis for believing that the exemption
applies. While processing the request,
the Office of Administration will make
a final determination on whether the
claimed exemption applies.
Alternatively, the requestor may contact
the Office of Administration for an
evaluation of the person’s exemption
status prior to submission of the
background check request. Persons who
are exempt from the background check
are not required to submit the forms and
fee described in Sections II.C.(1) and
II.C.(2) of this notice; however, all other
requirements for access to SGI,
including need to know, still apply.
(e) State that the completed forms and
fee described in Sections II.C.(1) and
II.C.(2) of this notice have been
submitted for each individual for whom
access to SGI will be requested (except
for those exempted by 10 CFR 73.59).
7 The
NRC staff will review this statement of
interest for the limited purpose of determining
whether to initiate the requested background check.
The NRC staff will review the statement of interest
only to confirm that there is some description of
why the potential party’s interest could be affected.
A positive determination by the NRC staff is not a
conclusion that the potential party has met the
requirements for standing under 10 CFR 2.309.
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(4) To avoid delays in processing
background check requests, the
requestor should review all submitted
materials for completeness and accuracy
(including legibility) before submitting
them to the NRC. The NRC will return
incomplete packages to the sender
without processing.
D. Results of Background Check.
(1) If the background check results in
a favorable trustworthiness and
reliability determination, the NRC staff
will so notify the requestor. In its
discretion, the responsible NRC staff
may proceed at that time with an
inspection of the requestor’s
information protection system to
confirm it is sufficient to protect SGI
from inadvertent release or disclosure.8
Once the notice of intended operation is
published, an associated request for
access to specified SGI will still need to
address the other requirements for
access, in accordance with the
requirements in the notice of intended
operation.
(2) If the background check results in
an adverse trustworthiness and
reliability determination, the NRC staff
will so notify the requestor with a brief
statement of the reasons for denial.
(a) Before the Office of Administration
makes a final adverse determination, the
individual against whom the adverse
determination has been made must be
provided an opportunity to correct or
explain information. Specifically, the
Office of Administration will (i) provide
to the individual any records, including
those required to be provided under 10
CFR 73.57(e)(1), that were considered in
the trustworthiness and reliability
determination; and (ii) resolve any
challenge by the individual to the
completeness or accuracy of these
records. The individual may make this
challenge by submitting information
and/or an explanation to the Office of
Administration within 10 days of the
distribution of the records described
previously.
(b) The requestor may challenge a
final adverse determination by
submitting a request for review of the
adverse determination to the Chief
Administrative Judge of the Atomic
Safety and Licensing Board Panel
(ASLBP) in accordance with 10 CFR
2.336(f)(1)(iv) and by the method
described in the final adverse
8 The requestor may wish to defer this inspection
to a later time, but if the NRC staff decides that an
inspection is necessary to confirm that the
requestor’s information protection system is
sufficient, this inspection must be conducted before
SGI is provided to the requestor. However, the
requestor may opt to view SGI at an approved SGI
storage location rather than establish its own SGI
protection program to meet SGI protection
requirements.
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75383
determination. Because a final adverse
determination is sufficient grounds for
denying a subsequent request for SGI
access submitted after the notice of
intended operation is published, the
requestor should not wait until a
subsequent denial to appeal the adverse
trustworthiness and reliability
determination.
(3) If the notice of intended operation
is published while the background
check is in progress or while an appeal
of an adverse determination is pending,
the petitioner should still submit the
other components of its request for
access consistent with the requirements
set forth in the notice of intended
operation. Those elements of the access
determination will be handled in
accordance with the procedures and
timelines in the notice of intended
operation. The petitioner’s submission
of its request need not repeat the
information already submitted
specifically for the background check—
it may simply reference the preclearance background check request—
but it must provide all other information
requested in the notice of intended
operation.9 To avoid confusion,
however, the submission should
identify the petitioner’s contact
information, the agency action, and the
notice of intended operation.
Dated: November 20, 2020.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Omar R. Lo´pez-Santiago,
Chief, Vogtle Project Office, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2020–26103 Filed 11–24–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
POSTAL SERVICE
Product Change—First-Class Package
Service Negotiated Service Agreement
Postal ServiceTM.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Postal Service gives
notice of filing a request with the Postal
Regulatory Commission to add a
domestic shipping services contract to
the list of Negotiated Service
Agreements in the Mail Classification
Schedule’s Competitive Products List.
DATES: Date of required notice:
November 25, 2020.
SUMMARY:
9 If a background check has been initiated using
the pre-clearance process and the NRC staff has
made a final adverse determination, the requestor
should timely appeal that determination if it
intends to pursue its request for access; the staff
will rely on that determination and will not initiate
a second background check if the requestor submits
the complete access request described in the notice
of intended operation.
E:\FR\FM\25NON1.SGM
25NON1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 228 (Wednesday, November 25, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75380-75383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-26103]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 52-026; NRC-2008-0252]
Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.; Vogtle Electric
Generating Plant, Unit 4; Background Check Process for Participation in
ITAAC Proceeding
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Opportunity to initiate background check for access to
safeguards information.
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SUMMARY: In approximately 4 to 7 months, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) will publish in the Federal Register a notice of
intended operation, which will allow the public to submit requests for
hearing regarding the licensee's conformance with the acceptance
criteria in the combined license (COL) for Vogtle Electric Generating
Plant (VEGP) Unit 4. These acceptance criteria are part of the
inspections, tests, analyses, and acceptance criteria (ITAAC) included
in the COL. If a member of the public believes access to Safeguards
Information (SGI) is necessary to file a hearing request, then members
of the public must satisfy several standards, including a determination
by the NRC that they are ``trustworthy and reliable.'' Because the
background checks used to support trustworthiness and reliability
determinations take some time to complete, the NRC is providing this
``pre-clearance'' process, by which members of the public may initiate
background checks to be completed by the Defense Counterintelligence
and Security Agency (DCSA) well before the hearing process begins.
DATES: This pre-clearance process is available until publication in the
Federal Register of the notice of intended operation for VEGP Unit 4.
When the notice of intended operation is published, it will govern
access to SGI for the proceeding on VEGP Unit 4.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2008-0252 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 Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2008-0252. Address
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Jennifer Borges;
telephone: 301-287-9127; 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 ``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]. Refer to Section II of this document
for instructions on how to submit the request for a background check.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cayetano Santos Jr., Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001, telephone: 301-415-7270, email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The NRC hereby gives notice that members of the public who believe
they may need access to SGI to file a hearing request in the upcoming
ITAAC proceeding for VEGP Unit 4 may initiate background checks for
access to SGI before the proceeding begins. This notice describes how
the required background check forms may be obtained and how the
required forms and fee must be submitted. Requests to initiate
background checks under this notice may be made until publication in
the Federal Register of the notice of intended operation for VEGP Unit
4. When the notice of intended operation is published, it will govern
access to SGI for the proceeding on VEGP Unit 4.
A. Requirements for Access to SGI
Safeguards Information is a special category of sensitive
unclassified information defined in section 73.2 of title 10 of the
Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) and protected from unauthorized
disclosure under Section 147 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as
amended (AEA). Although SGI is unclassified information, it is handled
and protected more like Classified National Security Information than
like other sensitive unclassified information (e.g., privacy and
proprietary information). Requirements for access to SGI and
requirements for SGI handling, storage, and processing are in 10 CFR
part 73.
To obtain access to SGI in an adjudicatory context, persons must
(1) demonstrate a ``need to know'' for the SGI, (2) be deemed
``trustworthy and reliable,'' and (3) demonstrate a likelihood of
establishing standing. As relevant to adjudications, ``need to know''
is defined in 10 CFR 73.2 as a determination by the originator of the
SGI that the SGI is necessary to enable the proposed recipient to
proffer and/or adjudicate a specific contention in that proceeding, and
the proposed recipient of the specific SGI possesses demonstrable
knowledge, skill, training, or education to effectively utilize the
specific SGI in the proceeding. ``Trustworthiness and reliability'' is
defined in 10 CFR 73.2 as the characteristics of an individual
considered dependable in judgment, character, and performance, such
that disclosure of SGI to that individual does not constitute an
unreasonable risk to the public health and safety or common defense and
security. A determination of trustworthiness and reliability for this
purpose is based upon a background check. The standing requirements are
in 10 CFR 2.309.
B. Information on ITAAC Closure Process and Associated Hearing
Opportunity
Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc., was issued a COL for VEGP
Unit 4 on February 10, 2012. Appendix C of the COL includes the
[[Page 75381]]
ITAAC for VEGP Unit 4. The ITAAC establish the means to verify whether
the facility has been constructed and will be operated in conformance
with the license, the AEA, and NRC rules and regulations. Section 185b.
of the AEA requires the Commission to ensure that the prescribed
inspections, tests, and analyses are performed and to find, prior to
operation of the facility, that the prescribed acceptance criteria are
met. This AEA requirement is also set forth in 10 CFR 52.103(g), which
expressly provides that operation of the facility may not begin unless
and until the NRC finds that the acceptance criteria for all ITAAC are
met. Once the 10 CFR 52.103(g) finding is made, the licensee may
proceed to the operational phase, which begins with initial fuel load.
The NRC's finding on whether the acceptance criteria are met will
be based on the licensee's submission of ITAAC notifications required
by 10 CFR 52.99(c) and on the results of NRC inspections. Supporting
documents pertaining to ITAAC closure for VEGP Unit 4 are available
electronically at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/col-holder/vog4.html. These supporting documents include an ITAAC status report
(https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/new-licensing-files/vog4-icnsr.pdf), which provides links to (1) the licensee's ITAAC
notifications submitted under 10 CFR 52.99(c); (2) NRC construction and
vendor inspection reports; (3) Verification Evaluation Forms, which
document the NRC staff's review of ITAAC closure notifications
submitted under 10 CFR 52.99(c)(1) and ITAAC post-closure notifications
submitted under 10 CFR 52.99(c)(2); and (4) Uncompleted ITAAC
Notification Checklists (UINCs), which document the NRC staff's review
of uncompleted ITAAC notifications submitted under 10 CFR
52.99(c)(3).\1\ The NRC staff determinations made in items (3) and (4)
are interim determinations that do not become final unless and until
the NRC makes the 10 CFR 52.103(g) finding at the end of construction
that all acceptance criteria are met. The NRC staff will periodically
update these sources of information to reflect the submission of
additional licensee ITAAC notifications and future NRC inspection
reports and review documents.
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\1\ The NRC staff is not required to review the licensee's
uncompleted ITAAC notifications but may do so if the licensee
provides them far enough in advance so that staff review of these
notifications contribute to the ITAAC closure process. The staff's
review of an uncompleted ITAAC notification focuses on the ITAAC
completion methodology described in the notification.
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In addition, to provide additional background information to
members of the public, https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/col-holder/vog4.html includes links to other supporting documents, such as
the combined license (which includes the ITAAC); the updated final
safety analysis report (UFSAR) for the facility; licensee reports on
departures from the UFSAR; NRC-issued licensing actions for the
facility; the NRC's final safety evaluation report for the COL
application review; information on the AP1000 design certification,
which the facility references; and information on processes related to
ITAAC. Finally, to search for documents in ADAMS using the VEGP Unit 4
docket number, 52-026, one should enter the term ``05200026'' in the
``Docket Number'' field when using the web-based search (advanced
search) engine in ADAMS.
As required by Section 189a.(1)(B)(i) of the AEA and 10 CFR
52.103(a), the NRC must publish in the Federal Register a notice of
intended operation at least 180 days before scheduled initial fuel
load. This notice shall provide 60 days for any person whose interest
may be affected by operation of the plant to request that the
Commission hold a hearing on whether the facility as constructed
complies, or on completion will comply, with the acceptance criteria in
the COL. For a hearing request in an ITAAC proceeding to be granted,
the petitioner must show standing as required by 10 CFR 2.309 and must
submit a contention meeting the standards of 10 CFR 2.309(f)(1)(i)
through (v) and (vii).\2\ In accordance with Section 189a.(1)(B)(ii) of
the AEA, the contention standards include the requirement that the
petitioner show, prima facie, that one or more of the acceptance
criteria in the COL have not been, or will not be, met and that the
specific operational consequences of nonconformance would be contrary
to providing reasonable assurance of adequate protection of the public
health and safety. Section 189a.(1)(B)(v) of the AEA requires the NRC,
to the maximum possible extent, to render a decision on the issues
raised by the hearing request within 180 days of the notice of intended
operation or by scheduled initial fuel load, whichever is later.
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\2\ The requirements of 10 CFR 2.309(f)(1)(vi) do not apply to
ITAAC proceedings.
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The Commission published detailed generic procedures for the ITAAC
hearing process in ``Final Procedures for Conducting Hearings on
Conformance with the Acceptance Criteria in Combined Licenses'' (ITAAC
Hearing Procedures) (81 FR 43266; July 1, 2016). The Commission intends
to use these generic procedures (with appropriate modifications) in
case-specific orders that will govern ITAAC proceedings. The ITAAC
Hearing Procedures differ from 10 CFR part 2 in a number of ways,
primarily because of the need to meet the statutory goal for timely
completing the hearing. To meet this goal, the ITAAC hearing process
will be conducted on a much shorter schedule than is used for other NRC
hearings. Therefore, the NRC encourages interested members of the
public to study the ITAAC Hearing Procedures and commence their hearing
preparations well before publication of the notice of intended
operation for VEGP Unit 4.
The notice of intended operation must be published at least 180
days prior to scheduled fuel load, but the NRC announced its intention
in the ITAAC Hearing Procedures to publish the notice of intended
operation between 210 and 285 days before scheduled fuel load.\3\ Based
on current projections, the NRC anticipates publishing the notice of
intended operation for VEGP Unit 4 in approximately 4 to 7 months. This
anticipated publication window is based on the licensee's schedule for
constructing the facility and submitting ITAAC notifications required
by 10 CFR 52.99(c). The notice of intended operation may be published
outside this window if the licensee's schedule changes.
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\3\ The NRC intends to publish the notice of intended operation
210 days before scheduled fuel load if the licensee submits its
uncompleted ITAAC notifications 225 days before scheduled fuel load
as required by 10 CFR 52.99(c)(2). However, if the licensee submits
its uncompleted ITAAC notifications earlier than required and meets
certain other prerequisites, the NRC intends to publish the notice
of intended operation at a correspondingly earlier time, but not
prior to 285 days before scheduled fuel load.
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C. Access to SGI in ITAAC Hearings
Given the range of matters covered by the ITAAC, the NRC believes
that petitioners may deem it necessary to obtain access to SGI for the
purpose of submitting an admissible contention. Therefore, as discussed
in the ITAAC Hearing Procedures, the notice of intended operation will
set forth procedures providing such petitioners the opportunity to
demonstrate they meet the requirements for access to SGI in the ITAAC
hearing context. These requirements include a demonstration of ``need
to know,'' a determination of ``trustworthiness and reliability,'' and
a demonstration of likelihood to establish standing. If access is
granted, non-
[[Page 75382]]
disclosure agreements/affidavits will need to be executed before access
is provided. Also, handling, storage, and processing of SGI must
satisfy the requirements of 10 CFR part 73.
The background check used to support trustworthiness and
reliability determinations can take some time, and delay could occur if
persons seeking access to SGI are not already cleared for access and do
not seek clearance until the notice of intended operation is
published.\4\ To avoid delays in an already-abbreviated hearing
schedule, the NRC is providing this pre-clearance process, by which
members of the public may initiate background checks well before the
hearing process begins. The other requirements for access to SGI (i.e.,
need to know and likelihood of standing) would be addressed in a
request for access to SGI submitted after the notice of intended
operation is published. Access to SGI will only be provided if all
requirements are satisfied.
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\4\ Our most recent information indicates that the average time
to perform a background check that supports the NRC's
trustworthiness and reliability determinations for access to SGI is
69 days. This average time is subject to change and should not be
relied upon. The time needed for any particular background
investigation may be more or less than the average time because of
the subject's personal history or the investigating agency's work
load. Also, some additional time beyond that taken by the DCSA will
be needed for the NRC's Office of Administration to make a decision
based on the information it has received.
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There is no guarantee that early initiation of the background check
will be of practical use to a petitioner. For example, the petitioner
might not satisfy the other requirements for access to SGI.
Consequently, it is the petitioner's choice whether to pursue the pre-
clearance process. The costs for initiating the background check are
not refundable even if the background check is of no practical use to a
petitioner (e.g., an adverse determination is made on the background
check or the petitioner fails to satisfy other requirements for access
such as need to know). Nevertheless, while use of the pre-clearance
process is voluntary, the ITAAC Hearing Procedures (81 FR 43282) state:
[T]he NRC will not delay its actions in completing the hearing
or making the 10 CFR 52.103(g) finding because of delays from
background checks for persons seeking access to SGI. In other words,
members of the public will have to take the proceeding as they find
it once they ultimately obtain access to SGI for contention
formulation. The pre-clearance process is designed to prevent the
SGI background-check process from becoming a barrier to timely
public participation in the hearing process. As stated in Attachment
1 to the SUNSI-SGI Access Procedures (p. 11), ``given the strict
timelines for submission of and rulings on the admissibility of
contentions (including security-related contentions) . . . potential
parties should not expect additional flexibility in those
established time periods if they decide not to exercise the pre-
clearance option.''
II. Pre-Clearance Process
The pre-clearance process in this notice is based on the pre-
clearance process in the ``Procedures to Allow Potential Intervenors to
Gain Access to Relevant Records that Contain Sensitive Unclassified
Non-Safeguards Information or Safeguards Information,'' dated February
29, 2008 (ADAMS Accession No. ML080380626), as modified and
supplemented by provisions in the ITAAC Hearing Procedures and the
final rule, ``Protection of Safeguards Information'' (73 FR 63546;
October 24, 2008).
A. Any potential party \5\ who believes access to SGI may be
necessary to formulate contentions for the upcoming ITAAC proceeding
for VEGP Unit 4 may request initiation of a pre-clearance background
check. Requestors should submit these requests within 20 days of
publication of this pre-clearance notice. Requests may be initiated
after 20 days, but a delay in submitting the request will lead to a
corresponding delay in NRC action on the request. Requests for a pre-
clearance background check may be made until the notice of intended
operation is published for VEGP Unit 4. Once published, the notice of
intended operation will govern access to SGI.
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\5\ A ``potential party'' is any person who intends to
participate as a party by demonstrating standing and filing an
admissible contention in accordance with the instructions in the
notice of intended operation.
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B. To request initiation of the background check to be conducted by
the DCSA, the requestor must submit a background check request letter,
two forms, and the fee for the background check, as discussed in
Section II.C of this notice.
(1) To initiate the background check, Form FD-258 (fingerprint
card) and Form SF-85, ``Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions,''
must be completed and submitted. The requestor should contact the NRC's
Office of Administration at 301-415-3710 to request a package
containing the Form FD-258 and to obtain access to Form SF-85. To
obtain access to Form SF-85, each individual for whom a background
check is being requested will be asked to provide the individual's full
legal name, social security number, date and place of birth, telephone
number, and email address.\6\ Instructions for completing these two
forms will be provided directly to the individual for whom the
background check is being requested. Form FD-258 and the fee must be
delivered to the following address: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Office of Administration, Personnel Security Branch, ATTN: Pre-
Clearance SGI Background Check Materials for ITAAC Proceeding, Mail
Stop TWFN 07-D04M, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852.
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\6\ After providing this information, the individual usually
should be able to obtain access to the online Form SF-85 within two
business days.
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(2) The requestor must submit a background check request letter to
the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and
provide a copy to the Deputy General Counsel for Hearings and
Administration, Office of the General Counsel. Email submission is
preferred. The email addresses for the Office of the Secretary and the
Office of the General Counsel are [email protected] and
[email protected], respectively. The U.S. mail address
for both offices is U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001. The expedited delivery or courier mail address for both
offices is: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 11555 Rockville Pike,
Rockville, Maryland 20852.
C. Forms, Fee, and Background Check Request Letter.
(1) Required Forms: The requestor must submit the following forms:
(a) A completed Form FD-258 (fingerprint card), signed in original
ink, for each individual for whom a background check is being
requested. Copies of Form FD-258 will be provided in the background
check request package supplied by the Office of Administration for each
individual for whom a background check is being requested. The
fingerprint card will be used to satisfy the requirements of 10 CFR
part 2, 10 CFR 73.22(b)(1), and AEA Section 149, which mandates that
all persons with access to SGI must be fingerprinted for a Federal
Bureau of Investigation identification and criminal history records
check;
(b) A completed Form SF-85, ``Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive
Positions'' for each individual for whom a background check is being
requested. The completed Form SF-85 will be used to conduct the
background check required for access to SGI, as required by 10 CFR part
2, subpart C, and 10 CFR 73.22(b)(2), to determine the individual's
trustworthiness and reliability. For security reasons, Form
[[Page 75383]]
SF-85 is completed electronically through a secure website that is
owned and operated by the DCSA.
(2) A check or money order payable in the amount of $326.00 to the
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for each individual for whom a
background check is being requested.
(3) Background Check Request Letter: The background check request
letter must:
(a) Request initiation of a background check for the purpose of
determining trustworthiness and reliability for access to SGI that may
be relevant to the upcoming ITAAC proceeding for VEGP Unit 4.
(b) Provide the name and address of the potential party and a
description of the potential party's particularized interest that could
be harmed by an NRC finding that the acceptance criteria in the
combined license are met.\7\
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\7\ The NRC staff will review this statement of interest for the
limited purpose of determining whether to initiate the requested
background check. The NRC staff will review the statement of
interest only to confirm that there is some description of why the
potential party's interest could be affected. A positive
determination by the NRC staff is not a conclusion that the
potential party has met the requirements for standing under 10 CFR
2.309.
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(c) Identify each individual for whom access to SGI will be
requested, including the identity of any expert, consultant, or
assistant who will aid the petitioner in evaluating the SGI.
(d) If the requestor or any individual for whom access to SGI will
be requested believes they belong to one or more of the categories of
individuals that are exempt from the criminal history records check and
background check requirements in 10 CFR 73.59, the requestor should
provide a statement identifying which exemption the person is invoking
and explaining the person's basis for believing that the exemption
applies. While processing the request, the Office of Administration
will make a final determination on whether the claimed exemption
applies. Alternatively, the requestor may contact the Office of
Administration for an evaluation of the person's exemption status prior
to submission of the background check request. Persons who are exempt
from the background check are not required to submit the forms and fee
described in Sections II.C.(1) and II.C.(2) of this notice; however,
all other requirements for access to SGI, including need to know, still
apply.
(e) State that the completed forms and fee described in Sections
II.C.(1) and II.C.(2) of this notice have been submitted for each
individual for whom access to SGI will be requested (except for those
exempted by 10 CFR 73.59).
(4) To avoid delays in processing background check requests, the
requestor should review all submitted materials for completeness and
accuracy (including legibility) before submitting them to the NRC. The
NRC will return incomplete packages to the sender without processing.
D. Results of Background Check.
(1) If the background check results in a favorable trustworthiness
and reliability determination, the NRC staff will so notify the
requestor. In its discretion, the responsible NRC staff may proceed at
that time with an inspection of the requestor's information protection
system to confirm it is sufficient to protect SGI from inadvertent
release or disclosure.\8\ Once the notice of intended operation is
published, an associated request for access to specified SGI will still
need to address the other requirements for access, in accordance with
the requirements in the notice of intended operation.
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\8\ The requestor may wish to defer this inspection to a later
time, but if the NRC staff decides that an inspection is necessary
to confirm that the requestor's information protection system is
sufficient, this inspection must be conducted before SGI is provided
to the requestor. However, the requestor may opt to view SGI at an
approved SGI storage location rather than establish its own SGI
protection program to meet SGI protection requirements.
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(2) If the background check results in an adverse trustworthiness
and reliability determination, the NRC staff will so notify the
requestor with a brief statement of the reasons for denial.
(a) Before the Office of Administration makes a final adverse
determination, the individual against whom the adverse determination
has been made must be provided an opportunity to correct or explain
information. Specifically, the Office of Administration will (i)
provide to the individual any records, including those required to be
provided under 10 CFR 73.57(e)(1), that were considered in the
trustworthiness and reliability determination; and (ii) resolve any
challenge by the individual to the completeness or accuracy of these
records. The individual may make this challenge by submitting
information and/or an explanation to the Office of Administration
within 10 days of the distribution of the records described previously.
(b) The requestor may challenge a final adverse determination by
submitting a request for review of the adverse determination to the
Chief Administrative Judge of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board
Panel (ASLBP) in accordance with 10 CFR 2.336(f)(1)(iv) and by the
method described in the final adverse determination. Because a final
adverse determination is sufficient grounds for denying a subsequent
request for SGI access submitted after the notice of intended operation
is published, the requestor should not wait until a subsequent denial
to appeal the adverse trustworthiness and reliability determination.
(3) If the notice of intended operation is published while the
background check is in progress or while an appeal of an adverse
determination is pending, the petitioner should still submit the other
components of its request for access consistent with the requirements
set forth in the notice of intended operation. Those elements of the
access determination will be handled in accordance with the procedures
and timelines in the notice of intended operation. The petitioner's
submission of its request need not repeat the information already
submitted specifically for the background check--it may simply
reference the pre-clearance background check request--but it must
provide all other information requested in the notice of intended
operation.\9\ To avoid confusion, however, the submission should
identify the petitioner's contact information, the agency action, and
the notice of intended operation.
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\9\ If a background check has been initiated using the pre-
clearance process and the NRC staff has made a final adverse
determination, the requestor should timely appeal that determination
if it intends to pursue its request for access; the staff will rely
on that determination and will not initiate a second background
check if the requestor submits the complete access request described
in the notice of intended operation.
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Dated: November 20, 2020.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Omar R. L[oacute]pez-Santiago,
Chief, Vogtle Project Office, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2020-26103 Filed 11-24-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P