Nuclear Regulatory Commission February 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The NRC is preparing a submittal to OMB for review of continued approval of information collections under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Information pertaining to the requirement to be submitted: 1. The title of the information collection: 10 CFR Part 25Access Authorization for Licensee Personnel. 2. Current OMB approval number: OMB No. 3150-0046. 3. How often the collection is required: On occasion. 4. Who is required or asked to report: NRC-regulated facilities and other organizations requiring access to NRC-classified information. 5. The number of annual respondents: 78. 6. The number of hours needed annually to complete the requirement or request: 417 hours (371 hours for reporting and 46 hours for recordkeeping) or approximately .26 hours per response. 7. Abstract: NRC-regulated facilities and other organizations are required to provide information and maintain records to ensure that an adequate level of protection is provided NRC-classified information and material. Submit, by April 17, 2007, comments that address the following questions: 1. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the NRC to properly perform its functions? Does the information have practical utility? 2. Is the burden estimate accurate? 3. Is there a way to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected? 4. How can the burden of the information collection be minimized, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology? A copy of the draft supporting statement may be viewed free of charge at the NRC Public Document Room, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Room O-1 F21, Rockville, MD 20852. OMB clearance requests are available at the NRC worldwide Web site: https:// www.nrc.gov/public-involve/doc-comment/omb/. The document will be available on the NRC home page site for 60 days after the signature date of this notice. Comments and questions about the information collection requirements may be directed to the NRC Clearance Officer, Margaret A. Janney (T-5 F52), U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, by telephone at 301-415-7245, or by Internet electronic mail to INFOCOLLECTS@NRC.GOV.

The NRC has prepared a final Environmental Assessment (EA) of its evaluation of a request by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for license amendments to increase the maximum thermal power at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) from 3458 megawatts-thermal (MWt) to 3952 MWt for Units 2 and 3 and from 3293 MWt to 3952 MWt for Unit 1. These represent power increases of approximately 15 percent for BFN Units 2 and 3 and 20 percent for BFN Unit 1. As stated in the NRC staff's position paper dated February 8, 1996, on the Boiling-Water Reactor (BWR) Extended Power Uprate (EPU) Program, the NRC staff would prepare an environmental impact statement if it believes a power uprate would have a significant impact on the human environment. The NRC staff did not identify any significant impact from the information provided in the licensee's EPU applications for BFN Units 1, 2, and 3 or from the NRC staff's independent review; therefore, as required by Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), the NRC staff is issuing this EA and Finding of No Significant Impact. The NRC published a draft EA and finding of no significant impact on the proposed action for public comment in the Federal Register on November 6, 2006 (71 FR 65009). Two sets of comments were received as discussed below. The licensee provided a comment in a letter dated December 5, 2006 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML063390663). The comment clarified that upon increasing discharge temperatures, TVA would take action to ensure that the discharge temperature would not exceed the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit effluent limitations. The language in the EA has been modified in response to this comment. The U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service provided comments in a letter dated December 13, 2006 (ADAMS Accession No. ML063610349). In the letter, a concern is expressed about any trend toward prolonged higher temperatures and poor water quality conditions in Wheeler Reservoir as a result of the proposed licensing action. The letter indicates that this concern is being addressed by the continuing monitoring programs and data collection implemented by TVA. The letter did not identify any impact on the EA conclusions based on this concern. Therefore, the EA was not modified due to this comment letter.

The NRC is preparing a submittal to OMB for review of continued approval of information collections under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Information pertaining to the requirement to be submitted: 1. The title of the information collection: NRC Form 136, ``Security Termination Statement'', NRC Form 237, ``Request for Access Authorization'', NRC Form 277, ``Request for Visit''. 2. Current OMB approval number: 3150-0049, NRC Form 136, 3150-0050, NRC Form 237, 3150-0051, NRC Form 277. 3. How often the collection is required: On occasion. 4. Who is required or asked to report: NRC Form 136, any employee of 68 licensees and 7 contractors, who have been granted an NRC access authorization; NRC Form 237, any employee of approximately 68 licensees and 7 contractors who will require access authorization. NRC Form 277, any employee of 2 current NRC contractors who holds an NRC access authorization, and needs to make a visit to NRC, other contractors/ licensees or government agencies in which access to classified information will be involved or unescorted area access is desired. 5. The number of annual respondents: NRC Form 136: 75. NRC Form 237: 75. NRC Form 277: 2. 6. The number of hours needed annually to complete the requirement or request: NRC Form 136: 23. NRC Form 237: 84. NRC Form 277: 1. 7. Abstract: The NRC Form 136 affects the employees of licensees and contractors who have been granted an NRC access authorization. When access authorization is no longer needed, the completion of the form apprizes the respondents of their continuing security responsibilities. The NRC Form 237 is completed by licensees, NRC contractors or individuals who require an NRC access authorization. The NRC Form 277 affects the employees of contractors who have been granted an NRC access authorization and require verification of that access authorization and need-to-know in conjunction with a visit to NRC or another facility. Submit, by April 9, 2007, comments that address the following questions: 1. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the NRC to properly perform its functions? Does the information have practical utility? 2. Is the burden estimate accurate? 3. Is there a way to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected? 4. How can the burden of the information collection be minimized, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology? A copy of the draft supporting statement may be viewed free of charge at the NRC Public Document Room, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Room O-1 F21, Rockville, MD 20852. OMB clearance requests are available at the NRC worldwide Web site: https:// www.nrc.gov/public-involve/doc-comment/omb/. The document will be available on the NRC home page site for 60 days after the signature date of this notice. Comments and questions about the information collection requirements may be directed to the NRC Clearance Officer, Margaret A. Janney (T-5 F52), U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, by telephone at 301-415-7245, or by Internet electronic mail to INFOCOLLECTS@NRC.GOV.

This document corrects a final rule appearing in the Federal Register on December 11, 2006 (71 FR 71463) to add the NUHOMS[supreg] HD cask system to the list of approved spent fuel storage casks. This action is necessary to correct an erroneous date.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its regulations related to licensee reporting requirements for source material and special nuclear material (SNM) to the Nuclear Materials Management and Safeguards System (NMMSS). The proposed amendments would lower the threshold of the quantities of SNM and certain source materials that require the submission of material status reports to the NMMSS. Also, the proposed amendments would make some modifications to the types of and timing of submittals of transaction reports to the NMMSS. The amendments would also require licensees to reconcile any material inventory discrepancies that NRC identifies in the NMMSS database. The proposed amendments would reduce some regulatory burden by reducing the current reporting requirements related to the export of certain source material and SNM. However, the annual reporting requirements would be new requirements for licensees who possess 350 grams or less, of SNM. These amendments are needed to improve the accuracy of the material inventory information maintained in the NMMSS.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is issuing new regulations to relieve certain categories of individuals from the requirement to undergo fingerprinting, identification, and criminal history records checks under section 149 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, (AEA) before being permitted unescorted access to radioactive materials or other property subject to regulation by the Commission that the Commission determines to be of such significance to the public health and safety or the common defense and security as to warrant such checks.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its regulations revising the Transnuclear, Inc., Standardized NUHOMS[reg] System listing within the ``List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks'' to include Amendment No. 9 to the Certificate of Compliance (CoC) Number 1004. Amendment No. 9 would modify the CoC by revising Technical Specifications 1.2.1 and 1.2.14 to add the Framatome-ANP, Version 9x9-2 fuel assemblies (FANP9x9-2) as approved contents for storage in the NUHOMS[reg]-61BT dry shielded canister, under the general provisions of 10 CFR part 72.