List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: Holtec International HI-STAR 100 Cask System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewal of Initial Certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3, 54341-54347 [2021-21427]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 188 / Friday, October 1, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
10 CFR Part 72
[NRC–2021–0135]
RIN 3150–AK68
List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage
Casks: Holtec International HI–STAR
100 Cask System, Certificate of
Compliance No. 1008, Renewal of
Initial Certificate and Amendment Nos.
1, 2, and 3
Table of Contents
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) is amending its
spent fuel storage regulations by
revising the Holtec International HI–
STAR 100 Cask System listing within
the ‘‘List of approved spent fuel storage
casks’’ to renew, for an additional 40
years, the initial certificate and
Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008. The
renewal of the initial certificate and
Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 revises the
certificate of compliance’s conditions
and technical specifications to address
aging management activities related to
the structures, systems, and components
of the dry storage system to ensure that
these will maintain their intended
functions during the period of extended
storage operations.
DATES: This direct final rule is effective
December 15, 2021, unless significant
adverse comments are received by
November 1, 2021. If this direct final
rule is withdrawn as a result of such
comments, timely notice of the
withdrawal will be published in the
Federal Register. 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. Comments received on this direct
final rule will also be considered to be
comments on a companion proposed
rule published in the Proposed Rules
section of this issue of the Federal
Register.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID NRC–2021–
0135, at https://www.regulations.gov. If
your material cannot be submitted using
https://www.regulations.gov, call or
email the individuals listed in the FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of
this document for alternate instructions.
For additional direction on obtaining
information and submitting comments,
see ‘‘Obtaining Information and
Submitting Comments’’ in the
SUMMARY:
16:40 Sep 30, 2021
Kristina Banovac, Office of Nuclear
Material Safety and Safeguards;
telephone: 301–415–7116, email:
Kristina.Banovac@nrc.gov and Vanessa
Cox, Office of Nuclear Material Safety
and Safeguards, telephone: 301–415–
8342, email: Vanessa.Cox@nrc.gov. Both
are staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
0001.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Direct final rule.
AGENCY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
section of
this document.
Jkt 256001
I. Obtaining Information and Submitting
Comments
II. Rulemaking Procedure
III. Background
IV. Discussion of Changes
V. Voluntary Consensus Standards
VI. Agreement State Compatibility
VII. Plain Writing
VIII. Environmental Assessment and Finding
of No Significant Impact
IX. Paperwork Reduction Act Statement
X. Regulatory Flexibility Certification
XI. Regulatory Analysis
XII. Backfitting and Issue Finality
XIII. Congressional Review Act
XIV. Availability of Documents
I. Obtaining Information and
Submitting Comments
A. Obtaining Information
Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2021–
0135 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–2021–0135. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Dawn
Forder, telephone: 301–415–3407,
email: Dawn.Forder@nrc.gov. For
technical questions contact the
individuals 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. For the convenience of the
reader, instructions about obtaining
materials referenced in this document
are provided in the ‘‘Availability of
Documents’’ section.
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
54341
• Attention: The PDR, where you may
examine and order copies of public
documents, is currently closed. You
may submit your request to the PDR via
email at pdr.resource@nrc.gov or call
1–800–397–4209 between 8:00 a.m. and
4:00 p.m. (EST), Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays.
B. Submitting Comments
Please include Docket ID NRC–2021–
0135 in your comment submission. The
NRC requests that you submit comments
through the Federal rulemaking website
at https://www.regulations.gov. If your
material cannot be submitted using
https://www.regulations.gov, call or
email the individuals listed in the FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of
this document for alternate instructions.
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. Rulemaking Procedure
This rule is limited to the renewal of
the initial certificate and Amendment
Nos. 1, 2, and 3 to Certificate of
Compliance No. 1008 and does not
include other aspects of the Holtec
International HI–STAR 100 Cask System
design. The NRC is using the ‘‘direct
final rule procedure’’ to issue this
renewal because it represents a limited
and routine change to an existing
certificate of compliance that is
expected to be non-controversial.
Adequate protection of public health
and safety continues to be reasonably
assured. The amendment to the rule will
become effective on December 15, 2021.
However, if the NRC receives any
significant adverse comment on this
direct final rule by November 1, 2021,
then the NRC will publish a document
that withdraws this action and will
subsequently address the comments
received in a final rule as a response to
E:\FR\FM\01OCR1.SGM
01OCR1
54342
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 188 / Friday, October 1, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
the companion proposed rule published
in the Proposed Rules section of this
issue of the Federal Register. Absent
significant modifications to the
proposed revisions requiring
republication, the NRC will not initiate
a second comment period on this action.
A significant adverse comment is a
comment where the commenter
explains why the rule would be
inappropriate, including challenges to
the rule’s underlying premise or
approach, or would be ineffective or
unacceptable without a change. A
comment is adverse and significant if:
(1) The comment opposes the rule and
provides a reason sufficient to require a
substantive response in a notice-andcomment process. For example, a
substantive response is required when:
(a) The comment causes the NRC to
reevaluate (or reconsider) its position or
conduct additional analysis;
(b) The comment raises an issue
serious enough to warrant a substantive
response to clarify or complete the
record; or
(c) The comment raises a relevant
issue that was not previously addressed
or considered by the NRC.
(2) The comment proposes a change
or an addition to the rule, and it is
apparent that the rule would be
ineffective or unacceptable without
incorporation of the change or addition.
(3) The comment causes the NRC to
make a change (other than editorial) to
the rule, certificate of compliance, or
technical specifications.
III. Background
Section 218(a) of the Nuclear Waste
Policy Act of 1982, as amended,
requires that ‘‘[t]he Secretary [of the
Department of Energy] shall establish a
demonstration program, in cooperation
with the private sector, for the dry
storage of spent nuclear fuel at civilian
nuclear power reactor sites, with the
objective of establishing one or more
technologies that the [Nuclear
Regulatory] Commission may, by rule,
approve for use at the sites of civilian
nuclear power reactors without, to the
maximum extent practicable, the need
for additional site-specific approvals by
the Commission.’’ Section 133 of the
Nuclear Waste Policy Act states, in part,
that ‘‘[t]he Commission shall, by rule,
establish procedures for the licensing of
any technology approved by the
Commission under Section 219(a) [sic:
218(a)] for use at the site of any civilian
nuclear power reactor.’’
To implement this mandate, the
Commission approved dry storage of
spent nuclear fuel in NRC-approved
casks under a general license by
publishing a final rule that added a new
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:40 Sep 30, 2021
Jkt 256001
subpart K in part 72 of title 10 of the
Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR)
entitled ‘‘General License for Storage of
Spent Fuel at Power Reactor Sites’’ (55
FR 29181; July 18, 1990). This rule also
established a new subpart L in 10 CFR
part 72 entitled ‘‘Approval of Spent Fuel
Storage Casks,’’ which contains
procedures and criteria for obtaining
NRC approval of spent fuel storage cask
designs. The NRC subsequently issued a
final rule on September 3, 1999 (64 FR
48259) that approved the HI–STAR 100
Cask System design and added it to the
list of NRC-approved cask designs in
§ 72.214 as Certificate of Compliance
No. 1008.
IV. Discussion of Changes
On December 7, 2018, Holtec
International submitted a request to the
NRC to renew, for an additional 40
years, the initial certificate and
Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008 for
the HI–STAR 100 Cask System. Holtec
International supplemented its request
on June 28, 2019, October 10, 2019,
December 12, 2019, June 1, 2020, June
11, 2020, November 13, 2020, and
November 24, 2020.
The renewal of the initial certificate
and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 were
conducted in accordance with the
renewal provisions in § 72.240. This
section of the NRC spent fuel storage
regulations authorizes NRC staff to
include any additional certificate
conditions it deems necessary to ensure
the safe operation of the cask during the
certificate’s renewal period. The NRC
included three additional conditions to
the renewal of the initial certificate of
compliance and Amendment Nos. 1, 2,
and 3:
• The submittal of an updated final
safety analysis report (UFSAR) to
address aging management activities
resulting from the renewal of the
certificate of compliance. This condition
ensures that the UFSAR changes are
made in a timely fashion to enable
general licensees using the storage
system during the period of extended
operation to develop and implement
necessary procedures.
• The requirement that general
licensees initiating or using spent fuel
dry storage operations with the HI–
STAR 100 Cask System ensure that their
evaluations are included in the reports
required by § 72.212, ‘‘Conditions of
general license issued under § 72.210.’’
These reports will include appropriate
considerations for the period of
extended operation, a review of the
UFSAR changes resulting from the
certificate of compliance renewal, and a
review of the NRC safety evaluation
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
report (SER) related to the certificate of
compliance renewal.
• The requirement that future
amendments and revisions to this
certificate of compliance include
evaluations of the impacts to aging
management activities to ensure that
they remain adequate for any changes to
the structures, systems, and components
(SSCs).
The NRC made one corresponding
change to the technical specifications
for the initial certificate of compliance
and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 on the
aging management program. The change
added a new section, which ensures that
general licensees using the storage
system develop procedures to address
aging management activities required in
the period of extended operation.
As documented in the preliminary
SER, the NRC performed a safety
evaluation of the proposed certificate of
compliance renewal request. The NRC
determined that this renewal does not
change the cask design or fabrication
requirements in the proposed certificate
of compliance renewal request. The
NRC determined that the design of the
cask would continue to maintain
confinement, shielding, and criticality
control in the event of each evaluated
accident condition. In addition, any
resulting occupational exposure or
offsite dose rates from the renewal of the
initial certificate of compliance and
Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 would
remain well within the limits specified
by 10 CFR part 20, ‘‘Standards for
Protection Against Radiation.’’ Thus, the
NRC found there will be no significant
change in the types or amounts of any
effluent released, no significant increase
in the individual or cumulative
radiation exposure, and no significant
increase in the potential for or
consequences from radiological
accidents. In its SER for the renewal of
the HI–STAR 100 Cask System, the NRC
has determined that if the conditions
specified in the certificate of
compliance to implement these
regulations are met, adequate protection
of public health and safety will continue
to be reasonably assured.
This direct final rule revises the HI–
STAR 100 Cask System listing in
§ 72.214 by renewing, for 40 more years,
the initial certificate and Amendment
Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of Certificate of
Compliance No. 1008. The renewal
consists of the changes previously
described, as set forth in the renewed
initial certificate and amendments and
their revised technical specifications.
The revised technical specifications are
identified in the SER.
E:\FR\FM\01OCR1.SGM
01OCR1
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 188 / Friday, October 1, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
V. Voluntary Consensus Standards
The National Technology Transfer
and Advancement Act of 1995 (Pub. L.
104–113) requires that Federal agencies
use technical standards that are
developed or adopted by voluntary
consensus standards bodies unless the
use of such a standard is inconsistent
with applicable law or otherwise
impractical. In this direct final rule, the
NRC revises the Holtec International
HI–STAR 100 Cask System Cask System
design listed in § 72.214, ‘‘List of
approved spent fuel storage casks.’’ This
action does not constitute the
establishment of a standard that
contains generally applicable
requirements.
VI. Agreement State Compatibility
Under the ‘‘Agreement State Program
Policy Statement’’ approved by the
Commission on October 2, 2017, and
published in the Federal Register on
October 18, 2017 (82 FR 48535), this
rule is classified as Compatibility
Category NRC—Areas of Exclusive NRC
Regulatory Authority. The NRC program
elements in this category are those that
relate directly to areas of regulation
reserved to the NRC by the Atomic
Energy Act of 1954, as amended, or the
provisions of 10 CFR chapter I.
Therefore, compatibility is not required
for program elements in this category.
Although an Agreement State may not
adopt program elements reserved to the
NRC, and the Category ‘‘NRC’’ does not
confer regulatory authority on the State,
the State may wish to inform its
licensees of certain requirements by
means consistent with the particular
State’s administrative procedure laws.
VII. Plain Writing
The Plain Writing Act of 2010 (Pub.
L. 111–274) requires Federal agencies to
write documents in a clear, concise, and
well-organized manner. The NRC has
written this document to be consistent
with the Plain Writing Act as well as the
Presidential Memorandum, ‘‘Plain
Language in Government Writing,’’
published June 10, 1998 (63 FR 31885).
VIII. Environmental Assessment and
Finding of No Significant Impact
Under the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the
NRC’s regulations in 10 CFR part 51,
‘‘Environmental Protection Regulations
for Domestic Licensing and Related
Regulatory Functions,’’ the NRC has
determined that this direct final rule, if
adopted, would not be a major Federal
action significantly affecting the quality
of the human environment and,
therefore, an environmental impact
statement is not required. The NRC has
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:40 Sep 30, 2021
Jkt 256001
made a finding of no significant impact
on the basis of this environmental
assessment.
A. The Action
The action is to amend § 72.214 to
revise the Holtec International HI–STAR
100 Cask System listing within the ‘‘List
of approved spent fuel storage casks’’ to
renew, for an additional 40 years, the
initial certificate and Amendment Nos.
1, 2, and 3 of Certificate of Compliance
No. 1008.
B. The Need for the Action
This direct final rule renews the
initial certificate and Amendment Nos.
1, 2, and 3 of Certificate of Compliance
No. 1008 for the Holtec International
HI–STAR 100 Cask System design
within the list of approved spent fuel
storage casks to allow power reactor
licensees to store spent fuel at reactor
sites in casks with the approved
modifications under a general license.
Specifically, this rule extends the
expiration date for the Holtec
International HI–STAR 100 Cask System
certificate for an additional 40 years,
allowing a power reactor licensee to
continue using it under general license
provisions in an independent spent fuel
storage installation to store spent fuel in
dry casks in accordance with 10 CFR
part 72.
C. Environmental Impacts of the Action
On July 18,1990 (55 FR 29181), the
NRC issued an amendment to 10 CFR
part 72 to provide for the storage of
spent fuel under a general license in
cask designs approved by the NRC. The
potential environmental impact of using
NRC-approved storage casks was
analyzed in the environmental
assessment for the 1990 final rule. The
environmental assessment for the
renewal of the initial certificate and
Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008 tiers
off of the environmental assessment for
the July 18, 1990, final rule. Tiering on
past environmental assessments is a
standard process under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended. As required by § 72.240,
applications for renewal of a spent fuel
storage certificate of compliance design
are required to demonstrate that SSCs
important to safety will continue to
perform their intended function for the
requested renewal term. As discussed in
the NRC staff’s SER for the renewal of
the initial certificate and Amendment
Nos. 1, 2, and 3, the NRC staff has
approved conditions in the renewed
initial certificate and Amendment Nos.
1, 2, and 3 requiring the general licensee
to implement the aging management
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
54343
activities described in the renewal
application and incorporated into the
UFSAR. These conditions ensure that
the Holtec International HI–STAR 100
Cask System will continue to perform
its intended safety functions and
provide reasonable assurance of
adequate protection of public health and
safety throughout the renewal period.
Incremental impacts from continued
use of the HI–STAR 100 Cask System
under a general license for an additional
40 years are not considered significant.
When the general licensee follows all
procedures and administrative controls,
including the conditions established
because of this renewal, no effluents are
expected from the sealed dry cask
systems. Activities associated with cask
loading and decontamination may result
in some small incremental liquid and
gaseous effluents, but these activities
will be conducted under 10 CFR parts
50 and 52 reactor operating licenses,
and effluents will be controlled within
existing reactor site technical
specifications. Because reactor sites are
relatively large, any incremental offsite
doses due to direct radiation exposure
from the spent fuel storage casks are
expected to be small, and when
combined with the contribution from
reactor operations, well within the
annual dose equivalent of 0.25 mSv (25
mrem) limit to the whole body specified
in § 72.104. Incremental impacts on
collective occupational exposures due
to dry cask spent fuel storage are
expected to be only a small fraction of
the exposures from operation of the
nuclear power station.
The HI–STAR 100 Cask System is
designed to mitigate the effects of design
basis accidents that could occur during
storage. Design basis accidents account
for human-induced events and the most
severe natural phenomena reported for
the site and surrounding area.
Postulated accidents analyzed for an
independent spent fuel storage
installation include tornado winds and
tornado-generated missiles, a design
basis earthquake, a design basis flood,
an accidental cask drop, lightning
effects, fire, explosions, and other
incidents.
During the promulgation of the
amendments that added subpart K to 10
CFR part 72 (55 FR 29181; July 18,
1990), the NRC staff assessed the public
health consequences of dry cask storage
accidents and sabotage events. In the
supporting analyses for these
amendments, the NRC staff determined
that a release from a dry cask storage
system would be comparable in
magnitude to a release from the same
quantity of fuel in a spent fuel storage
pool. As a result of these evaluations,
E:\FR\FM\01OCR1.SGM
01OCR1
54344
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 188 / Friday, October 1, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
the NRC staff determined that, because
of the physical characteristics of the
storage casks and conditions of storage
that include specific security
provisions, the potential risk to public
health and safety due to accidents or
sabotage is very small.
Considering the specific design
requirements for each accident or
sabotage condition, the design of the
cask would maintain confinement,
shielding, and criticality control. If
confinement, shielding, and criticality
control are maintained, the
environmental impacts from an accident
would be insignificant.
There are no changes to cask design
or fabrication requirements in the
renewed initial certificate or
Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3. Because
there are no significant design or
process changes, any resulting
occupational exposure or offsite dose
rates from the implementation of the
renewal of the initial certificate and
Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 would
remain well within the 10 CFR part 20
limits.
Decommissioning of dry cask spent
fuel storage systems under a general
license would be carried out as part of
a power reactor’s site decommissioning
plan. In general, decommissioning
would consist of removing the spent
fuel from the site, decontaminating cask
surfaces, and decontaminating and
dismantling the independent spent fuel
storage installation where the casks
were deployed. Under normal and offnormal operating conditions, no
residual contamination is expected to be
left behind on supporting structures.
The incremental impacts associated
with decommissioning dry cask storage
installations are expected to represent a
small fraction of the impacts of
decommissioning an entire nuclear
power station.
In summary, the proposed changes
will not result in any radiological or
non-radiological environmental impacts
that significantly differ from the
environmental impacts evaluated in the
environmental assessment supporting
the July 18, 1990, final rule. Compliance
with the requirements of 10 CFR parts
20 and 72 would provide reasonable
assurance that adequate protection of
public health and safety will continue.
The NRC, in its SER for the renewal of
the HI–STAR 100 Cask System, has
determined if the conditions specified
in the certificate of compliance to
implement these regulations are met,
adequate protection of public health and
safety will continue to be reasonably
assured.
Based on the previously stated
assessments and its SER for the
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:40 Sep 30, 2021
Jkt 256001
requested renewal of the HI–STAR 100
Cask System certificates, the NRC has
determined that the expiration date of
this system in 10 CFR 72.214 can be
safely extended for an additional 40
years, and that commercial nuclear
power reactor licensees can continue
using the system during this period
under a general license without
significant impacts on the human
environment.
D. Alternative to the Action
The alternative to this action is to
deny approval of the renewal and not
issue the direct final rule. Under this
alternative, the NRC would either (1)
require general licensees using the HI–
STAR 100 Cask System to unload the
spent fuel from these systems and either
return it to a spent fuel pool or re-load
it into a different dry storage cask
system listed in § 72.214; or (2) require
that users of the existing HI–STAR 100
Cask System request site-specific
licensing proceedings to continue
storage in these systems.
The environmental impacts of
requiring the licensee to unload the
spent fuel and either return it to the
spent fuel pool or re-load it into another
NRC-approved cask system would result
in increased radiological doses to
workers. These increased doses would
be due primarily to direct radiation from
the casks while the workers unloaded,
transferred, and re-loaded the spent
fuel. These activities would consist of
transferring the dry storage canisters to
a cask-handling building, opening the
canister lid welds, returning the canister
to a spent fuel pool or dry transfer
facility, removing the fuel assemblies,
and re-loading them, either into a spent
fuel pool storage rack or another NRCapproved dry storage system. In
addition to the increased occupational
doses to workers, these activities may
also result in additional liquid or
gaseous effluents.
Alternatively, users of the dry cask
storage system would need to apply for
a site-specific license. Under this option
for implementing the no-action
alternative, interested licensees would
have to prepare, and the NRC would
have to review, each separate license
application, thereby increasing the
administrative burden upon the NRC
and the costs to each licensee.
In summary, the no-action alternative
would entail either (1) more
environmental impacts than the
preferred action from transferring the
spent fuel now in the HI–STAR 100
Cask System; or (2) cost and
administrative impacts from multiple
licensing actions that, in aggregate, are
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
likely to be the same as, or more likely
greater than, the preferred action.
E. Alternative Use of Resources
Renewal of the initial certificate and
Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 to
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008
would result in no irreversible
commitment of resources.
F. Agencies and Persons Contacted
No agencies or persons outside the
NRC were contacted in connection with
the preparation of this environmental
assessment.
G. Finding of No Significant Impact
The environmental impacts of the
action have been reviewed under the
requirements in the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended, and the NRC’s regulations in
subpart A of 10 CFR part 51,
‘‘Environmental Protection Regulations
for Domestic Licensing and Related
Regulatory Functions.’’ Based on the
foregoing environmental assessment, the
NRC concludes that this direct final
rule, ‘‘List of Approved Spent Fuel
Storage Casks: Holtec International HI–
STAR 100 Cask System, Certificate of
Compliance No. 1008, Renewal of Initial
Certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2,
and 3,’’ will not have a significant effect
on the human environment. Therefore,
the NRC has determined that an
environmental impact statement is not
necessary for this direct final rule.
IX. Paperwork Reduction Act
Statement
This direct final rule does not contain
any new or amended collections of
information subject to the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.). Existing collections of
information were approved by the
Office of Management and Budget,
approval number 3150–0132.
Public Protection Notification
The NRC may not conduct or sponsor,
and a person is not required to respond
to, a request for information or an
information collection requirement
unless the requesting document
displays a currently valid Office of
Management and Budget control
number.
X. Regulatory Flexibility Certification
Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act
of 1980 (5 U.S.C. 605(b)), the NRC
certifies that this direct final rule will
not, if issued, have a significant
economic impact on a substantial
number of small entities. This direct
final rule affects only nuclear power
plant licensees and Holtec International.
E:\FR\FM\01OCR1.SGM
01OCR1
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 188 / Friday, October 1, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
These entities do not fall within the
scope of the definition of small entities
set forth in the Regulatory Flexibility
Act or the size standards established by
the NRC (§ 2.810).
XI. Regulatory Analysis
On July 18, 1990 (55 FR 29181), the
NRC issued an amendment to 10 CFR
part 72 to provide for the storage of
spent nuclear fuel under a general
license in cask designs approved by the
NRC. Any nuclear power reactor
licensee can use NRC-approved cask
designs to store spent nuclear fuel if (1)
it notifies the NRC in advance; (2) the
spent fuel is stored under the conditions
specified in the cask’s certificate of
compliance; and (3) the conditions of
the general license are met. A list of
NRC-approved cask designs is contained
in § 72.214. On September 3, 1999 (64
FR 48259), the NRC issued an
amendment to 10 CFR part 72 that
approved the HI–STAR 100 Cask
System design by adding it to the list of
NRC-approved cask designs in § 72.214
as Certificate of Compliance No. 1008.
On December 7, 2018, Holtec
International requested a renewal of the
initial certificate and Amendment Nos.
1, 2, and 3 of the HI–STAR 100 Cask
System for an additional 40 years
beyond the initial certificate term.
Holtec International supplemented its
request on June 28, 2019, October 10,
2019, December 12, 2019, June 1, 2020,
June 11, 2020, November 13, 2020, and
November 24, 2020. Because Holtec
International filed its renewal
application at least 30 days before the
certificate expiration date of October 4,
2019, pursuant to the timely renewal
provisions in § 72.240(b), the initial
issuance of the certificate and
Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008 did
not expire.
The alternative to this action is to
deny approval of the renewal of the
initial certificate and Amendment Nos.
1, 2, and 3 of Certificate of Compliance
No. 1008 and end this direct final rule.
Under this alternative, the NRC would
either (1) require general licensees using
the HI–STAR 100 Cask System to
unload spent fuel from these systems
and return it to a spent fuel pool or reload it into a different dry storage cask
system listed in 10 CFR 72.214; or 2)
require that users of the existing HI–
STAR 100 Cask System request sitespecific licensing proceedings to
continue storage in these systems.
Therefore, the no-action alternative
would result in a significant burden on
licensees and an additional inspection
or licensing caseload on the NRC. In
addition, the no-action alternative
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:40 Sep 30, 2021
Jkt 256001
would entail either (1) more
environmental impacts than the
preferred action from transferring the
spent fuel now in the HI–STAR 100
Cask System; or (2) cost and
administrative impacts from multiple
licensing actions that, in aggregate, are
likely to be the same as, or more likely
greater than, the preferred action.
Approval of this direct final rule is
consistent with previous NRC actions.
Further, as documented in the
preliminary SER and environmental
assessment, this direct final rule will
have no adverse effect on public health
and safety or the environment. This
direct final rule has no significant
identifiable impact or benefit on other
government agencies. Based on this
regulatory analysis, the NRC concludes
that the requirements of this direct final
rule are commensurate with the NRC’s
responsibilities for public health and
safety and the common defense and
security. No other available alternative
is believed to be as satisfactory;
therefore, this action is recommended.
XII. Backfitting and Issue Finality
The NRC has determined that the
backfit rule (§ 72.62) does not apply to
this direct final rule. Therefore, a backfit
analysis is not required. This direct final
rule revises Certificate of Compliance
No. 1008 for the Holtec International
HI–STAR 100 Cask System, as currently
listed in § 72.214, to extend the
expiration date of the initial certificate
and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 by 40
years. The renewed initial certificate
and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 consist
of the changes previously described, as
set forth in the renewed certificate of
compliance and technical
specifications.
Extending the effective date of the
initial certificate and Amendment Nos.
1, 2, and 3 for 40 more years and
requiring the implementation of aging
management activities does not impose
any modification or addition to the
design of a cask system’s SSCs, or to the
procedures or organization required to
operate the system during the initial 20year storage period of the system, as
authorized by the current certificate.
General licensees that have loaded these
casks, or that load these casks in the
future under the specifications of the
applicable certificate, may continue to
store spent fuel in these systems for the
initial 20-year storage period consistent
with the original certificate. The aging
management activities required to be
implemented by this renewal are only
required after the storage cask system’s
initial 20-year service period ends. As
explained in the 2011 final rule that
amended 10 CFR part 72 (76 FR 8872,
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
54345
Question I), the general licensee’s
authority to use a particular storage cask
design under an approved certificate of
compliance terminates 20 years after the
date that the general licensee first loads
the particular cask with spent fuel,
unless the cask’s certificate of
compliance is renewed. Because this
rulemaking renews the initial certificate
and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3, and
renewal is a separate licensing action
voluntarily implemented by vendors,
the renewal of the initial certificate and
Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 is not an
imposition of new or changed
requirements from which these
licensees would otherwise be protected
by the backfitting provisions in § 72.62.
Even if renewal of the initial
certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2,
and 3 of Certificate of Compliance No.
1008 could be considered a backfit,
Holtec International, as the holder of the
certificate of compliance and vendor of
the casks, is not protected by the
backfitting provisions in § 72.62.
Unlike a vendor, general licensees
using the existing systems subject to this
renewal would be protected by the
backfitting provisions in § 72.62 if the
renewal constituted new or changed
requirements applicable during the
initial 20-year storage period. But, as
previously explained, renewal of the
initial certificate and Amendment Nos.
1, 2, and 3 of Certificate of Compliance
No. 1008 does not impose such
requirements. The general licensee
using the initial certificate or
Amendment Nos. 1, 2, or 3 of Certificate
of Compliance No. 1008 may continue
storing material in their respective cask
systems for the initial 20-year storage
period identified in the applicable
certificate or amendment with no
changes. If general licensees choose to
continue to store spent fuel in HI–STAR
100 Cask Systems after the initial 20year period, these general licensees will
be required to implement aging
management activities for any cask
systems subject to a renewed certificate
of compliance, but such continued use
is voluntary.
For these reasons, renewing the initial
certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2,
and 3 of Certificate of Compliance No.
1008, and imposing the additional
conditions previously discussed, does
not constitute backfitting under § 72.62,
or otherwise represent an inconsistency
with the issue finality provisions
applicable to combined licenses in 10
CFR part 52. Accordingly, the NRC has
not prepared a backfit analysis for this
rulemaking.
E:\FR\FM\01OCR1.SGM
01OCR1
54346
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 188 / Friday, October 1, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
XIII. Congressional Review Act
XIV. Availability of Documents
This direct final rule is not a rule as
defined in the Congressional Review
Act.
The documents identified in the
following table are available to
interested persons as indicated.
Document
ADAMS accession No.
Holtec International HI–STAR 100 Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1008 Renewal Application, dated
December 7, 2018.
Holtec International Response to the Request for Supplemental Information on the Renewal of the HI–STAR 100
Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, dated June 28, 2019.
Holtec International Submittal of Supplemental Information Related to Request for Supplemental Information on the
Renewal of the HI–STAR 100 Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, dated October 10, 2019.
Holtec International HI–STAR 100 Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1008 Renewal, Updated NonProprietary Documents, dated December 12, 2019.
Holtec International Response to the Request for Additional Information on the Renewal of the HI–STAR 100 Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, dated June 1, 2020.
Holtec International Response to the Request for Additional Information on the Renewal of the HI–STAR 100 Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, dated June 11, 2020.
Holtec International Response to the Request for Clarification of Additional Information on the Renewal of the HI–
STAR 100 Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, dated November 13, 2020.
Holtec International Response to the Request for Clarification of Additional Information on the Renewal of the HI–
STAR 100 Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Updated Attachment, dated November 24, 2020.
User Need Memorandum for Rulemaking for Certificate of Compliance No. 1008 Renewal, Initial Issue, Amendment Numbers 1, 2, and 3 to HI–STAR 100 Cask System, dated June 28, 2021.
Proposed Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No. 0 ...............................................................
Proposed Technical Specifications (Appendix A) for Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No.
0.
Proposed Technical Specifications (Appendix B) for Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No.
0.
Proposed Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No. 1 ...............................................................
Proposed Technical Specifications (Appendix A) for Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No.
1.
Proposed Technical Specifications (Appendix B) for Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No.
1.
Proposed Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No. 2 ...............................................................
Proposed Technical Specifications (Appendix A) for Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No.
2.
Proposed Technical Specifications (Appendix B) for Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No.
2.
Proposed Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No. 3 ...............................................................
Proposed Technical Specifications (Appendix A) for Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No.
3.
Proposed Technical Specifications (Appendix B) for Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No.
3.
Preliminary Safety Evaluation Report for Renewed Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Amendment Nos. 0, 1, 2,
and 3.
The NRC may post materials related
to this document, including public
comments, on the Federal rulemaking
website at https://www.regulations.gov
under Docket ID NRC–2021–0135.
List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 72
Administrative practice and
procedure, Hazardous waste, Indians,
Intergovernmental relations, Nuclear
energy, Penalties, Radiation protection,
Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Security measures, Spent
fuel, Whistleblowing.
For the reasons set out in the
preamble and under the authority of the
Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended;
the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974,
as amended; the Nuclear Waste Policy
Act of 1982, as amended; and 5 U.S.C.
552 and 553; the NRC is adopting the
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:40 Sep 30, 2021
Jkt 256001
following amendments to 10 CFR part
72:
PART 72—LICENSING
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF SPENT
NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND
REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN
CLASS C WASTE
1. The authority citation for part 72
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: Atomic Energy Act of 1954,
secs. 51, 53, 57, 62, 63, 65, 69, 81, 161, 182,
183, 184, 186, 187, 189, 223, 234, 274 (42
U.S.C. 2071, 2073, 2077, 2092, 2093, 2095,
2099, 2111, 2201, 2210e, 2232, 2233, 2234,
2236, 2237, 2238, 2273, 2282, 2021); Energy
Reorganization Act of 1974, secs. 201, 202,
206, 211 (42 U.S.C. 5841, 5842, 5846, 5851);
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(42 U.S.C. 4332); Nuclear Waste Policy Act
of 1982, secs. 117(a), 132, 133, 134, 135, 137,
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
ML18345A178 (package).
ML19184A232 (package).
ML19288A089 (package).
ML19350A576.
ML20153A768 (package).
ML20163A713 (package).
ML20318A321 (package).
ML20329A321 (package).
ML21168A352.
ML21168A353.
ML21168A354.
ML21168A355.
ML21168A356.
ML21168A357.
ML21168A358.
ML21168A359.
ML21168A360.
ML21168A361.
ML21168A362.
ML21168A363.
ML21168A364.
ML21168A365.
141, 145(g), 148, 218(a) (42 U.S.C. 10137(a),
10152, 10153, 10154, 10155, 10157, 10161,
10165(g), 10168, 10198(a)); 44 U.S.C. 3504
note.
2. In § 72.214, Certificate of
Compliance No. 1008 is revised to read
as follows:
■
§ 72.214 List of approved spent fuel
storage casks.
*
*
*
*
*
Certificate Number: 1008.
Initial Certificate Effective Date:
October 4, 1999, superseded by
Renewed Initial Certificate, on
December 15, 2021.
Amendment Number 1 Effective Date:
December 26, 2000, superseded by
Renewed Amendment Number 1, on
December 15, 2021.
Amendment Number 2 Effective Date:
May 29, 2001, superseded by Renewed
E:\FR\FM\01OCR1.SGM
01OCR1
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 188 / Friday, October 1, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
Amendment Number 2, on December
15, 2021.
Amendment Number 3 Effective Date:
November 5, 2019, superseded by
Renewed Amendment Number 3, on
December 15, 2021.
SAR Submitted by: Holtec
International.
SAR Title: Final Safety Analysis
Report for the HI–STAR 100 Cask
System.
Docket Number: 72–1008.
Certificate Expiration Date: October 4,
2019.
Renewed Certificate Expiration Date:
October 4, 2059.
Model Number: HI–STAR 100 (MPC–
24, MPC–32, MPC–68, MPC–68F).
*
*
*
*
*
Dated: September 15, 2021.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Margaret M. Doane,
Executive Director for Operations.
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION
12 CFR Parts 614, 615, 620, and 628
RIN 3052–AD27
Regulatory Capital Rules: Tier 1/Tier 2
Framework
Farm Credit Administration.
Final rule.
AGENCY:
The Farm Credit
Administration (FCA or we) is adopting
a final rule that amends the regulatory
capital requirements for Farm Credit
System (System or FCS) institutions.
These amendments clarify certain
provisions in the Tier 1/Tier 2 Capital
Framework final rule that became
effective in 2017 (2017 Capital Rule)
and codify the guidance provided in
FCA Bookletter—BL–068—Tier 1/Tier 2
Capital Framework Guidance. This final
rule also includes revisions to the
regulatory capital rules to reduce
administrative burden for System
institutions and the FCA. Lastly, to
maintain comparability in our
regulatory capital requirements, we are
amending certain definitions pertaining
to qualified financial contracts in
conformity with changes adopted by the
Federal banking regulatory agencies.
DATES: The regulation shall become
effective January 1, 2022, or 30 days
after publication in the Federal Register
during which either or both houses of
Congress are in session, whichever is
later. Pursuant to 12 U.S.C. 2252(c)(1),
FCA will publish notification of the
effective date in the Federal Register.
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:40 Sep 30, 2021
Jkt 256001
Technical information: Jeremy R.
Edelstein, EdelsteinJ@fca.gov, Associate
Director or Clayton D. Milburn,
MilburnC@fca.gov, Senior Financial
Analyst, Finance and Capital Markets
Team, Office of Regulatory Policy, Farm
Credit Administration, McLean, VA
22102–5090, (703) 883–4414, TTY (703)
883–4056 or ORPMailbox@fca.gov;
or
Legal information: Rebecca S. Orlich,
Orlichr@fca.gov, Senior Counsel, or
Jennifer A. Cohn, Cohnj@fca.gov, Senior
Counsel, Office of General Counsel,
Farm Credit Administration, McLean,
VA 22102–5090, (703) 883–4020, TTY
(703) 883–4056.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
[FR Doc. 2021–21427 Filed 9–30–21; 8:45 am]
ACTION:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
I. Introduction
A. Objectives of the Final Rule
B. Background
C. Summary of the Proposed Rule
D. General Summary of Comments
Received
II. Substantive Revisions to the Capital Rule
A. Safe Harbor Deemed Prior Approval
B. Capital Bylaw or Board Resolution To
Include Equities in Tier 1 and Tier 2
Capital
C. Common Cooperative Equity Issuance
Date
D. Farm Credit Leasing Services
Corporation
E. Lending and Leasing Limit Base
Calculation
F. Qualified Financial Contract (QFC)
Related Definitions
G. Common Equity Tier 1 Capital
Eligibility Requirements
III. Clarifying and Other Revisions to the
Capital Rule
A. Capitalization Bylaw Adjustment
B. Annual Report to Shareholders
Corrections
C. Appropriate Risk-Weighting of Cash and
Gold Bullion
D. Securitization Formulas
E. Unallocated Retained Earnings and
Equivalents Deductions and Adjustments
F. Service Corporation Deductions and
Adjustments
G. Adjustments for Accruing Patronage and
Dividends
H. Bank Disclosures
I. Retirement of Statutory Borrower Stock
IV. Abbreviations
V. Regulatory Analysis
A. Regulatory Flexibility Act
B. Congressional Review Act
I. Introduction
A. Objectives of the Final Rule
FCA’s objectives in adopting this rule
are to:
• Provide technical corrections,
amendments and clarification to certain
provisions in the Tier 1/Tier 2 Capital
Framework; and
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
54347
• Ensure the System’s capital
requirements maintain comparability
with the standardized approach that the
Federal banking regulatory agencies 1
have adopted (U.S. Rule) while
accommodating the cooperative
structure and the organization of the
System.
B. Background
In 1916, Congress created the System
to provide permanent, stable, affordable,
and reliable sources of credit and
related services to American agricultural
and aquatic producers.2 As of June 30,
2021, the System consists of 3 Farm
Credit Banks, 1 agricultural credit bank,
66 agricultural credit associations, 1
Federal land credit association, service
corporations, and the Federal Farm
Credit Banks Funding Corporation
(Funding Corporation). Farm Credit
banks (including both the Farm Credit
Banks and the agricultural credit bank)
issue System-wide consolidated debt
obligations in the capital markets
through the Funding Corporation,3
which enable the System to extend
short-, intermediate-, and long-term
credit and related services to farmers,
ranchers, aquatic producers and
harvesters, their cooperatives, rural
utilities, exporters of agricultural
commodities products, farm-related
businesses, and certain rural
homeowners.4 The System’s enabling
statute is the Farm Credit Act of 1971,
as amended (Act).5
FCA’s Tier 1/Tier 2 Capital
Framework, the 2017 Capital Rule, was
published in the Federal Register in
1 The Federal banking regulatory agencies are the
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
(FRB). See 12 CFR 3.20(b)(1)(i) (OCC), 12 CFR
324.20(b)(1)(i) (FDIC); 12 CFR 217.20(b)(1)(i) (FRB).
2 The Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation
(Farmer Mac), which is also a System institution,
has authority to operate secondary markets for
agricultural real estate mortgage loans, rural
housing mortgage loans, and rural utility
cooperative loans. The FCA has a separate set of
capital regulations that apply to Farmer Mac. This
rulemaking does not affect Farmer Mac, and the use
of the term ‘‘System institution’’ in this preamble
and rule does not include Farmer Mac.
3 The Funding Corporation was established
pursuant to section 4.9 of the Farm Credit Act of
1971, as amended, and is owned by all Farm Credit
banks.
4 The agricultural credit bank lends to and
provides other financial services to farmer-owned
cooperatives, rural utilities (electric and
telecommunications), and rural water and
wastewater disposal systems. It also finances U.S.
agricultural exports and imports and provides
international banking services to cooperatives and
other eligible borrowers. The agricultural credit
bank operates a Farm Credit Bank subsidiary.
5 12 U.S.C. 2001–2279cc. The Act is available at
www.fca.gov under ‘‘Laws and regulations’’ and
‘‘Statutes.’’
E:\FR\FM\01OCR1.SGM
01OCR1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 188 (Friday, October 1, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 54341-54347]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21427]
[[Page 54341]]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
10 CFR Part 72
[NRC-2021-0135]
RIN 3150-AK68
List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: Holtec International
HI-STAR 100 Cask System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewal of
Initial Certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Direct final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its
spent fuel storage regulations by revising the Holtec International HI-
STAR 100 Cask System listing within the ``List of approved spent fuel
storage casks'' to renew, for an additional 40 years, the initial
certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of Certificate of Compliance
No. 1008. The renewal of the initial certificate and Amendment Nos. 1,
2, and 3 revises the certificate of compliance's conditions and
technical specifications to address aging management activities related
to the structures, systems, and components of the dry storage system to
ensure that these will maintain their intended functions during the
period of extended storage operations.
DATES: This direct final rule is effective December 15, 2021, unless
significant adverse comments are received by November 1, 2021. If this
direct final rule is withdrawn as a result of such comments, timely
notice of the withdrawal will be published in the Federal Register.
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. Comments received on this direct final
rule will also be considered to be comments on a companion proposed
rule published in the Proposed Rules section of this issue of the
Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID NRC-2021-0135,
at https://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be submitted
using https://www.regulations.gov, call or email the individuals listed
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for
alternate instructions.
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: Kristina Banovac, Office of Nuclear
Material Safety and Safeguards; telephone: 301-415-7116, email:
[email protected] and Vanessa Cox, Office of Nuclear Material
Safety and Safeguards, telephone: 301-415-8342, email:
[email protected]. Both are staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments
II. Rulemaking Procedure
III. Background
IV. Discussion of Changes
V. Voluntary Consensus Standards
VI. Agreement State Compatibility
VII. Plain Writing
VIII. Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
IX. Paperwork Reduction Act Statement
X. Regulatory Flexibility Certification
XI. Regulatory Analysis
XII. Backfitting and Issue Finality
XIII. Congressional Review Act
XIV. Availability of Documents
I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments
A. Obtaining Information
Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2021-0135 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-2021-0135. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Dawn Forder, telephone: 301-415-3407,
email: [email protected]. For technical questions contact the
individuals 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]. For the convenience of the reader,
instructions about obtaining materials referenced in this document are
provided in the ``Availability of Documents'' section.
Attention: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies
of public documents, is currently closed. You may submit your request
to the PDR via email at [email protected] or call 1-800-397-4209
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (EST), Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
B. Submitting Comments
Please include Docket ID NRC-2021-0135 in your comment submission.
The NRC requests that you submit comments through the Federal
rulemaking website at https://www.regulations.gov. If your material
cannot be submitted using https://www.regulations.gov, call or email
the individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section
of this document for alternate instructions.
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. Rulemaking Procedure
This rule is limited to the renewal of the initial certificate and
Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1008 and
does not include other aspects of the Holtec International HI-STAR 100
Cask System design. The NRC is using the ``direct final rule
procedure'' to issue this renewal because it represents a limited and
routine change to an existing certificate of compliance that is
expected to be non-controversial. Adequate protection of public health
and safety continues to be reasonably assured. The amendment to the
rule will become effective on December 15, 2021. However, if the NRC
receives any significant adverse comment on this direct final rule by
November 1, 2021, then the NRC will publish a document that withdraws
this action and will subsequently address the comments received in a
final rule as a response to
[[Page 54342]]
the companion proposed rule published in the Proposed Rules section of
this issue of the Federal Register. Absent significant modifications to
the proposed revisions requiring republication, the NRC will not
initiate a second comment period on this action.
A significant adverse comment is a comment where the commenter
explains why the rule would be inappropriate, including challenges to
the rule's underlying premise or approach, or would be ineffective or
unacceptable without a change. A comment is adverse and significant if:
(1) The comment opposes the rule and provides a reason sufficient
to require a substantive response in a notice-and-comment process. For
example, a substantive response is required when:
(a) The comment causes the NRC to reevaluate (or reconsider) its
position or conduct additional analysis;
(b) The comment raises an issue serious enough to warrant a
substantive response to clarify or complete the record; or
(c) The comment raises a relevant issue that was not previously
addressed or considered by the NRC.
(2) The comment proposes a change or an addition to the rule, and
it is apparent that the rule would be ineffective or unacceptable
without incorporation of the change or addition.
(3) The comment causes the NRC to make a change (other than
editorial) to the rule, certificate of compliance, or technical
specifications.
III. Background
Section 218(a) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended,
requires that ``[t]he Secretary [of the Department of Energy] shall
establish a demonstration program, in cooperation with the private
sector, for the dry storage of spent nuclear fuel at civilian nuclear
power reactor sites, with the objective of establishing one or more
technologies that the [Nuclear Regulatory] Commission may, by rule,
approve for use at the sites of civilian nuclear power reactors
without, to the maximum extent practicable, the need for additional
site-specific approvals by the Commission.'' Section 133 of the Nuclear
Waste Policy Act states, in part, that ``[t]he Commission shall, by
rule, establish procedures for the licensing of any technology approved
by the Commission under Section 219(a) [sic: 218(a)] for use at the
site of any civilian nuclear power reactor.''
To implement this mandate, the Commission approved dry storage of
spent nuclear fuel in NRC-approved casks under a general license by
publishing a final rule that added a new subpart K in part 72 of title
10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) entitled ``General
License for Storage of Spent Fuel at Power Reactor Sites'' (55 FR
29181; July 18, 1990). This rule also established a new subpart L in 10
CFR part 72 entitled ``Approval of Spent Fuel Storage Casks,'' which
contains procedures and criteria for obtaining NRC approval of spent
fuel storage cask designs. The NRC subsequently issued a final rule on
September 3, 1999 (64 FR 48259) that approved the HI-STAR 100 Cask
System design and added it to the list of NRC-approved cask designs in
Sec. 72.214 as Certificate of Compliance No. 1008.
IV. Discussion of Changes
On December 7, 2018, Holtec International submitted a request to
the NRC to renew, for an additional 40 years, the initial certificate
and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of Certificate of Compliance No. 1008
for the HI-STAR 100 Cask System. Holtec International supplemented its
request on June 28, 2019, October 10, 2019, December 12, 2019, June 1,
2020, June 11, 2020, November 13, 2020, and November 24, 2020.
The renewal of the initial certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and
3 were conducted in accordance with the renewal provisions in Sec.
72.240. This section of the NRC spent fuel storage regulations
authorizes NRC staff to include any additional certificate conditions
it deems necessary to ensure the safe operation of the cask during the
certificate's renewal period. The NRC included three additional
conditions to the renewal of the initial certificate of compliance and
Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3:
The submittal of an updated final safety analysis report
(UFSAR) to address aging management activities resulting from the
renewal of the certificate of compliance. This condition ensures that
the UFSAR changes are made in a timely fashion to enable general
licensees using the storage system during the period of extended
operation to develop and implement necessary procedures.
The requirement that general licensees initiating or using
spent fuel dry storage operations with the HI-STAR 100 Cask System
ensure that their evaluations are included in the reports required by
Sec. 72.212, ``Conditions of general license issued under Sec.
72.210.'' These reports will include appropriate considerations for the
period of extended operation, a review of the UFSAR changes resulting
from the certificate of compliance renewal, and a review of the NRC
safety evaluation report (SER) related to the certificate of compliance
renewal.
The requirement that future amendments and revisions to
this certificate of compliance include evaluations of the impacts to
aging management activities to ensure that they remain adequate for any
changes to the structures, systems, and components (SSCs).
The NRC made one corresponding change to the technical
specifications for the initial certificate of compliance and Amendment
Nos. 1, 2, and 3 on the aging management program. The change added a
new section, which ensures that general licensees using the storage
system develop procedures to address aging management activities
required in the period of extended operation.
As documented in the preliminary SER, the NRC performed a safety
evaluation of the proposed certificate of compliance renewal request.
The NRC determined that this renewal does not change the cask design or
fabrication requirements in the proposed certificate of compliance
renewal request. The NRC determined that the design of the cask would
continue to maintain confinement, shielding, and criticality control in
the event of each evaluated accident condition. In addition, any
resulting occupational exposure or offsite dose rates from the renewal
of the initial certificate of compliance and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3
would remain well within the limits specified by 10 CFR part 20,
``Standards for Protection Against Radiation.'' Thus, the NRC found
there will be no significant change in the types or amounts of any
effluent released, no significant increase in the individual or
cumulative radiation exposure, and no significant increase in the
potential for or consequences from radiological accidents. In its SER
for the renewal of the HI-STAR 100 Cask System, the NRC has determined
that if the conditions specified in the certificate of compliance to
implement these regulations are met, adequate protection of public
health and safety will continue to be reasonably assured.
This direct final rule revises the HI-STAR 100 Cask System listing
in Sec. 72.214 by renewing, for 40 more years, the initial certificate
and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of Certificate of Compliance No. 1008.
The renewal consists of the changes previously described, as set forth
in the renewed initial certificate and amendments and their revised
technical specifications. The revised technical specifications are
identified in the SER.
[[Page 54343]]
V. Voluntary Consensus Standards
The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (Pub.
L. 104-113) requires that Federal agencies use technical standards that
are developed or adopted by voluntary consensus standards bodies unless
the use of such a standard is inconsistent with applicable law or
otherwise impractical. In this direct final rule, the NRC revises the
Holtec International HI-STAR 100 Cask System Cask System design listed
in Sec. 72.214, ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks.'' This
action does not constitute the establishment of a standard that
contains generally applicable requirements.
VI. Agreement State Compatibility
Under the ``Agreement State Program Policy Statement'' approved by
the Commission on October 2, 2017, and published in the Federal
Register on October 18, 2017 (82 FR 48535), this rule is classified as
Compatibility Category NRC--Areas of Exclusive NRC Regulatory
Authority. The NRC program elements in this category are those that
relate directly to areas of regulation reserved to the NRC by the
Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, or the provisions of 10 CFR
chapter I. Therefore, compatibility is not required for program
elements in this category. Although an Agreement State may not adopt
program elements reserved to the NRC, and the Category ``NRC'' does not
confer regulatory authority on the State, the State may wish to inform
its licensees of certain requirements by means consistent with the
particular State's administrative procedure laws.
VII. Plain Writing
The Plain Writing Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-274) requires Federal
agencies to write documents in a clear, concise, and well-organized
manner. The NRC has written this document to be consistent with the
Plain Writing Act as well as the Presidential Memorandum, ``Plain
Language in Government Writing,'' published June 10, 1998 (63 FR
31885).
VIII. Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
Under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended,
and the NRC's regulations in 10 CFR part 51, ``Environmental Protection
Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions,''
the NRC has determined that this direct final rule, if adopted, would
not be a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of
the human environment and, therefore, an environmental impact statement
is not required. The NRC has made a finding of no significant impact on
the basis of this environmental assessment.
A. The Action
The action is to amend Sec. 72.214 to revise the Holtec
International HI-STAR 100 Cask System listing within the ``List of
approved spent fuel storage casks'' to renew, for an additional 40
years, the initial certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008.
B. The Need for the Action
This direct final rule renews the initial certificate and Amendment
Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of Certificate of Compliance No. 1008 for the Holtec
International HI-STAR 100 Cask System design within the list of
approved spent fuel storage casks to allow power reactor licensees to
store spent fuel at reactor sites in casks with the approved
modifications under a general license. Specifically, this rule extends
the expiration date for the Holtec International HI-STAR 100 Cask
System certificate for an additional 40 years, allowing a power reactor
licensee to continue using it under general license provisions in an
independent spent fuel storage installation to store spent fuel in dry
casks in accordance with 10 CFR part 72.
C. Environmental Impacts of the Action
On July 18,1990 (55 FR 29181), the NRC issued an amendment to 10
CFR part 72 to provide for the storage of spent fuel under a general
license in cask designs approved by the NRC. The potential
environmental impact of using NRC-approved storage casks was analyzed
in the environmental assessment for the 1990 final rule. The
environmental assessment for the renewal of the initial certificate and
Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of Certificate of Compliance No. 1008 tiers
off of the environmental assessment for the July 18, 1990, final rule.
Tiering on past environmental assessments is a standard process under
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended. As required
by Sec. 72.240, applications for renewal of a spent fuel storage
certificate of compliance design are required to demonstrate that SSCs
important to safety will continue to perform their intended function
for the requested renewal term. As discussed in the NRC staff's SER for
the renewal of the initial certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3,
the NRC staff has approved conditions in the renewed initial
certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 requiring the general
licensee to implement the aging management activities described in the
renewal application and incorporated into the UFSAR. These conditions
ensure that the Holtec International HI-STAR 100 Cask System will
continue to perform its intended safety functions and provide
reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety
throughout the renewal period.
Incremental impacts from continued use of the HI-STAR 100 Cask
System under a general license for an additional 40 years are not
considered significant. When the general licensee follows all
procedures and administrative controls, including the conditions
established because of this renewal, no effluents are expected from the
sealed dry cask systems. Activities associated with cask loading and
decontamination may result in some small incremental liquid and gaseous
effluents, but these activities will be conducted under 10 CFR parts 50
and 52 reactor operating licenses, and effluents will be controlled
within existing reactor site technical specifications. Because reactor
sites are relatively large, any incremental offsite doses due to direct
radiation exposure from the spent fuel storage casks are expected to be
small, and when combined with the contribution from reactor operations,
well within the annual dose equivalent of 0.25 mSv (25 mrem) limit to
the whole body specified in Sec. 72.104. Incremental impacts on
collective occupational exposures due to dry cask spent fuel storage
are expected to be only a small fraction of the exposures from
operation of the nuclear power station.
The HI-STAR 100 Cask System is designed to mitigate the effects of
design basis accidents that could occur during storage. Design basis
accidents account for human-induced events and the most severe natural
phenomena reported for the site and surrounding area. Postulated
accidents analyzed for an independent spent fuel storage installation
include tornado winds and tornado-generated missiles, a design basis
earthquake, a design basis flood, an accidental cask drop, lightning
effects, fire, explosions, and other incidents.
During the promulgation of the amendments that added subpart K to
10 CFR part 72 (55 FR 29181; July 18, 1990), the NRC staff assessed the
public health consequences of dry cask storage accidents and sabotage
events. In the supporting analyses for these amendments, the NRC staff
determined that a release from a dry cask storage system would be
comparable in magnitude to a release from the same quantity of fuel in
a spent fuel storage pool. As a result of these evaluations,
[[Page 54344]]
the NRC staff determined that, because of the physical characteristics
of the storage casks and conditions of storage that include specific
security provisions, the potential risk to public health and safety due
to accidents or sabotage is very small.
Considering the specific design requirements for each accident or
sabotage condition, the design of the cask would maintain confinement,
shielding, and criticality control. If confinement, shielding, and
criticality control are maintained, the environmental impacts from an
accident would be insignificant.
There are no changes to cask design or fabrication requirements in
the renewed initial certificate or Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3. Because
there are no significant design or process changes, any resulting
occupational exposure or offsite dose rates from the implementation of
the renewal of the initial certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3
would remain well within the 10 CFR part 20 limits.
Decommissioning of dry cask spent fuel storage systems under a
general license would be carried out as part of a power reactor's site
decommissioning plan. In general, decommissioning would consist of
removing the spent fuel from the site, decontaminating cask surfaces,
and decontaminating and dismantling the independent spent fuel storage
installation where the casks were deployed. Under normal and off-normal
operating conditions, no residual contamination is expected to be left
behind on supporting structures. The incremental impacts associated
with decommissioning dry cask storage installations are expected to
represent a small fraction of the impacts of decommissioning an entire
nuclear power station.
In summary, the proposed changes will not result in any
radiological or non-radiological environmental impacts that
significantly differ from the environmental impacts evaluated in the
environmental assessment supporting the July 18, 1990, final rule.
Compliance with the requirements of 10 CFR parts 20 and 72 would
provide reasonable assurance that adequate protection of public health
and safety will continue. The NRC, in its SER for the renewal of the
HI-STAR 100 Cask System, has determined if the conditions specified in
the certificate of compliance to implement these regulations are met,
adequate protection of public health and safety will continue to be
reasonably assured.
Based on the previously stated assessments and its SER for the
requested renewal of the HI-STAR 100 Cask System certificates, the NRC
has determined that the expiration date of this system in 10 CFR 72.214
can be safely extended for an additional 40 years, and that commercial
nuclear power reactor licensees can continue using the system during
this period under a general license without significant impacts on the
human environment.
D. Alternative to the Action
The alternative to this action is to deny approval of the renewal
and not issue the direct final rule. Under this alternative, the NRC
would either (1) require general licensees using the HI-STAR 100 Cask
System to unload the spent fuel from these systems and either return it
to a spent fuel pool or re-load it into a different dry storage cask
system listed in Sec. 72.214; or (2) require that users of the
existing HI-STAR 100 Cask System request site-specific licensing
proceedings to continue storage in these systems.
The environmental impacts of requiring the licensee to unload the
spent fuel and either return it to the spent fuel pool or re-load it
into another NRC-approved cask system would result in increased
radiological doses to workers. These increased doses would be due
primarily to direct radiation from the casks while the workers
unloaded, transferred, and re-loaded the spent fuel. These activities
would consist of transferring the dry storage canisters to a cask-
handling building, opening the canister lid welds, returning the
canister to a spent fuel pool or dry transfer facility, removing the
fuel assemblies, and re-loading them, either into a spent fuel pool
storage rack or another NRC-approved dry storage system. In addition to
the increased occupational doses to workers, these activities may also
result in additional liquid or gaseous effluents.
Alternatively, users of the dry cask storage system would need to
apply for a site-specific license. Under this option for implementing
the no-action alternative, interested licensees would have to prepare,
and the NRC would have to review, each separate license application,
thereby increasing the administrative burden upon the NRC and the costs
to each licensee.
In summary, the no-action alternative would entail either (1) more
environmental impacts than the preferred action from transferring the
spent fuel now in the HI-STAR 100 Cask System; or (2) cost and
administrative impacts from multiple licensing actions that, in
aggregate, are likely to be the same as, or more likely greater than,
the preferred action.
E. Alternative Use of Resources
Renewal of the initial certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3
to Certificate of Compliance No. 1008 would result in no irreversible
commitment of resources.
F. Agencies and Persons Contacted
No agencies or persons outside the NRC were contacted in connection
with the preparation of this environmental assessment.
G. Finding of No Significant Impact
The environmental impacts of the action have been reviewed under
the requirements in the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended, and the NRC's regulations in subpart A of 10 CFR part 51,
``Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and
Related Regulatory Functions.'' Based on the foregoing environmental
assessment, the NRC concludes that this direct final rule, ``List of
Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: Holtec International HI-STAR 100
Cask System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewal of Initial
Certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3,'' will not have a
significant effect on the human environment. Therefore, the NRC has
determined that an environmental impact statement is not necessary for
this direct final rule.
IX. Paperwork Reduction Act Statement
This direct final rule does not contain any new or amended
collections of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Existing collections of information were
approved by the Office of Management and Budget, approval number 3150-
0132.
Public Protection Notification
The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a request for information or an information collection
requirement unless the requesting document displays a currently valid
Office of Management and Budget control number.
X. Regulatory Flexibility Certification
Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (5 U.S.C. 605(b)), the
NRC certifies that this direct final rule will not, if issued, have a
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
This direct final rule affects only nuclear power plant licensees and
Holtec International.
[[Page 54345]]
These entities do not fall within the scope of the definition of small
entities set forth in the Regulatory Flexibility Act or the size
standards established by the NRC (Sec. 2.810).
XI. Regulatory Analysis
On July 18, 1990 (55 FR 29181), the NRC issued an amendment to 10
CFR part 72 to provide for the storage of spent nuclear fuel under a
general license in cask designs approved by the NRC. Any nuclear power
reactor licensee can use NRC-approved cask designs to store spent
nuclear fuel if (1) it notifies the NRC in advance; (2) the spent fuel
is stored under the conditions specified in the cask's certificate of
compliance; and (3) the conditions of the general license are met. A
list of NRC-approved cask designs is contained in Sec. 72.214. On
September 3, 1999 (64 FR 48259), the NRC issued an amendment to 10 CFR
part 72 that approved the HI-STAR 100 Cask System design by adding it
to the list of NRC-approved cask designs in Sec. 72.214 as Certificate
of Compliance No. 1008.
On December 7, 2018, Holtec International requested a renewal of
the initial certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of the HI-STAR
100 Cask System for an additional 40 years beyond the initial
certificate term. Holtec International supplemented its request on June
28, 2019, October 10, 2019, December 12, 2019, June 1, 2020, June 11,
2020, November 13, 2020, and November 24, 2020. Because Holtec
International filed its renewal application at least 30 days before the
certificate expiration date of October 4, 2019, pursuant to the timely
renewal provisions in Sec. 72.240(b), the initial issuance of the
certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of Certificate of Compliance
No. 1008 did not expire.
The alternative to this action is to deny approval of the renewal
of the initial certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008 and end this direct final rule.
Under this alternative, the NRC would either (1) require general
licensees using the HI-STAR 100 Cask System to unload spent fuel from
these systems and return it to a spent fuel pool or re-load it into a
different dry storage cask system listed in 10 CFR 72.214; or 2)
require that users of the existing HI-STAR 100 Cask System request
site-specific licensing proceedings to continue storage in these
systems. Therefore, the no-action alternative would result in a
significant burden on licensees and an additional inspection or
licensing caseload on the NRC. In addition, the no-action alternative
would entail either (1) more environmental impacts than the preferred
action from transferring the spent fuel now in the HI-STAR 100 Cask
System; or (2) cost and administrative impacts from multiple licensing
actions that, in aggregate, are likely to be the same as, or more
likely greater than, the preferred action.
Approval of this direct final rule is consistent with previous NRC
actions. Further, as documented in the preliminary SER and
environmental assessment, this direct final rule will have no adverse
effect on public health and safety or the environment. This direct
final rule has no significant identifiable impact or benefit on other
government agencies. Based on this regulatory analysis, the NRC
concludes that the requirements of this direct final rule are
commensurate with the NRC's responsibilities for public health and
safety and the common defense and security. No other available
alternative is believed to be as satisfactory; therefore, this action
is recommended.
XII. Backfitting and Issue Finality
The NRC has determined that the backfit rule (Sec. 72.62) does not
apply to this direct final rule. Therefore, a backfit analysis is not
required. This direct final rule revises Certificate of Compliance No.
1008 for the Holtec International HI-STAR 100 Cask System, as currently
listed in Sec. 72.214, to extend the expiration date of the initial
certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 by 40 years. The renewed
initial certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 consist of the
changes previously described, as set forth in the renewed certificate
of compliance and technical specifications.
Extending the effective date of the initial certificate and
Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 for 40 more years and requiring the
implementation of aging management activities does not impose any
modification or addition to the design of a cask system's SSCs, or to
the procedures or organization required to operate the system during
the initial 20-year storage period of the system, as authorized by the
current certificate. General licensees that have loaded these casks, or
that load these casks in the future under the specifications of the
applicable certificate, may continue to store spent fuel in these
systems for the initial 20-year storage period consistent with the
original certificate. The aging management activities required to be
implemented by this renewal are only required after the storage cask
system's initial 20-year service period ends. As explained in the 2011
final rule that amended 10 CFR part 72 (76 FR 8872, Question I), the
general licensee's authority to use a particular storage cask design
under an approved certificate of compliance terminates 20 years after
the date that the general licensee first loads the particular cask with
spent fuel, unless the cask's certificate of compliance is renewed.
Because this rulemaking renews the initial certificate and Amendment
Nos. 1, 2, and 3, and renewal is a separate licensing action
voluntarily implemented by vendors, the renewal of the initial
certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 is not an imposition of new
or changed requirements from which these licensees would otherwise be
protected by the backfitting provisions in Sec. 72.62.
Even if renewal of the initial certificate and Amendment Nos. 1, 2,
and 3 of Certificate of Compliance No. 1008 could be considered a
backfit, Holtec International, as the holder of the certificate of
compliance and vendor of the casks, is not protected by the backfitting
provisions in Sec. 72.62.
Unlike a vendor, general licensees using the existing systems
subject to this renewal would be protected by the backfitting
provisions in Sec. 72.62 if the renewal constituted new or changed
requirements applicable during the initial 20-year storage period. But,
as previously explained, renewal of the initial certificate and
Amendment Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of Certificate of Compliance No. 1008 does
not impose such requirements. The general licensee using the initial
certificate or Amendment Nos. 1, 2, or 3 of Certificate of Compliance
No. 1008 may continue storing material in their respective cask systems
for the initial 20-year storage period identified in the applicable
certificate or amendment with no changes. If general licensees choose
to continue to store spent fuel in HI-STAR 100 Cask Systems after the
initial 20-year period, these general licensees will be required to
implement aging management activities for any cask systems subject to a
renewed certificate of compliance, but such continued use is voluntary.
For these reasons, renewing the initial certificate and Amendment
Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, and imposing
the additional conditions previously discussed, does not constitute
backfitting under Sec. 72.62, or otherwise represent an inconsistency
with the issue finality provisions applicable to combined licenses in
10 CFR part 52. Accordingly, the NRC has not prepared a backfit
analysis for this rulemaking.
[[Page 54346]]
XIII. Congressional Review Act
This direct final rule is not a rule as defined in the
Congressional Review Act.
XIV. Availability of Documents
The documents identified in the following table are available to
interested persons as indicated.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Document ADAMS accession No.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Holtec International HI-STAR 100 Storage System, ML18345A178 (package).
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008 Renewal Application,
dated December 7, 2018.
Holtec International Response to the Request for ML19184A232 (package).
Supplemental Information on the Renewal of the HI-STAR 100
Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, dated
June 28, 2019.
Holtec International Submittal of Supplemental Information ML19288A089 (package).
Related to Request for Supplemental Information on the
Renewal of the HI-STAR 100 Storage System, Certificate of
Compliance No. 1008, dated October 10, 2019.
Holtec International HI-STAR 100 Storage System, ML19350A576.
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008 Renewal, Updated Non-
Proprietary Documents, dated December 12, 2019.
Holtec International Response to the Request for Additional ML20153A768 (package).
Information on the Renewal of the HI-STAR 100 Storage
System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, dated June 1,
2020.
Holtec International Response to the Request for Additional ML20163A713 (package).
Information on the Renewal of the HI-STAR 100 Storage
System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, dated June 11,
2020.
Holtec International Response to the Request for ML20318A321 (package).
Clarification of Additional Information on the Renewal of
the HI-STAR 100 Storage System, Certificate of Compliance
No. 1008, dated November 13, 2020.
Holtec International Response to the Request for ML20329A321 (package).
Clarification of Additional Information on the Renewal of
the HI-STAR 100 Storage System, Certificate of Compliance
No. 1008, Updated Attachment, dated November 24, 2020.
User Need Memorandum for Rulemaking for Certificate of ML21168A352.
Compliance No. 1008 Renewal, Initial Issue, Amendment
Numbers 1, 2, and 3 to HI-STAR 100 Cask System, dated June
28, 2021.
Proposed Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed ML21168A353.
Amendment No. 0.
Proposed Technical Specifications (Appendix A) for ML21168A354.
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No.
0.
Proposed Technical Specifications (Appendix B) for ML21168A355.
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No.
0.
Proposed Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed ML21168A356.
Amendment No. 1.
Proposed Technical Specifications (Appendix A) for ML21168A357.
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No.
1.
Proposed Technical Specifications (Appendix B) for ML21168A358.
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No.
1.
Proposed Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed ML21168A359.
Amendment No. 2.
Proposed Technical Specifications (Appendix A) for ML21168A360.
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No.
2.
Proposed Technical Specifications (Appendix B) for ML21168A361.
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No.
2.
Proposed Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed ML21168A362.
Amendment No. 3.
Proposed Technical Specifications (Appendix A) for ML21168A363.
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No.
3.
Proposed Technical Specifications (Appendix B) for ML21168A364.
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Renewed Amendment No.
3.
Preliminary Safety Evaluation Report for Renewed ML21168A365.
Certificate of Compliance No. 1008, Amendment Nos. 0, 1,
2, and 3.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The NRC may post materials related to this document, including
public comments, on the Federal rulemaking website at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket ID NRC-2021-0135.
List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 72
Administrative practice and procedure, Hazardous waste, Indians,
Intergovernmental relations, Nuclear energy, Penalties, Radiation
protection, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Security
measures, Spent fuel, Whistleblowing.
For the reasons set out in the preamble and under the authority of
the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended; the Energy Reorganization
Act of 1974, as amended; the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as
amended; and 5 U.S.C. 552 and 553; the NRC is adopting the following
amendments to 10 CFR part 72:
PART 72--LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF
SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-
RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE
0
1. The authority citation for part 72 continues to read as follows:
Authority: Atomic Energy Act of 1954, secs. 51, 53, 57, 62, 63,
65, 69, 81, 161, 182, 183, 184, 186, 187, 189, 223, 234, 274 (42
U.S.C. 2071, 2073, 2077, 2092, 2093, 2095, 2099, 2111, 2201, 2210e,
2232, 2233, 2234, 2236, 2237, 2238, 2273, 2282, 2021); Energy
Reorganization Act of 1974, secs. 201, 202, 206, 211 (42 U.S.C.
5841, 5842, 5846, 5851); National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(42 U.S.C. 4332); Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, secs. 117(a),
132, 133, 134, 135, 137, 141, 145(g), 148, 218(a) (42 U.S.C.
10137(a), 10152, 10153, 10154, 10155, 10157, 10161, 10165(g), 10168,
10198(a)); 44 U.S.C. 3504 note.
0
2. In Sec. 72.214, Certificate of Compliance No. 1008 is revised to
read as follows:
Sec. 72.214 List of approved spent fuel storage casks.
* * * * *
Certificate Number: 1008.
Initial Certificate Effective Date: October 4, 1999, superseded by
Renewed Initial Certificate, on December 15, 2021.
Amendment Number 1 Effective Date: December 26, 2000, superseded by
Renewed Amendment Number 1, on December 15, 2021.
Amendment Number 2 Effective Date: May 29, 2001, superseded by
Renewed
[[Page 54347]]
Amendment Number 2, on December 15, 2021.
Amendment Number 3 Effective Date: November 5, 2019, superseded by
Renewed Amendment Number 3, on December 15, 2021.
SAR Submitted by: Holtec International.
SAR Title: Final Safety Analysis Report for the HI-STAR 100 Cask
System.
Docket Number: 72-1008.
Certificate Expiration Date: October 4, 2019.
Renewed Certificate Expiration Date: October 4, 2059.
Model Number: HI-STAR 100 (MPC-24, MPC-32, MPC-68, MPC-68F).
* * * * *
Dated: September 15, 2021.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Margaret M. Doane,
Executive Director for Operations.
[FR Doc. 2021-21427 Filed 9-30-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P