Nuclear Regulatory Commission June 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The NRC has recently submitted to OMB for review the following proposal for the collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). The NRC hereby informs potential respondents that an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and that a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The NRC published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period on this information collection on March 2, 2009 (74 FR 9112).

The NRC has recently submitted to OMB for review the following proposal for the collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). The NRC hereby informs potential respondents that an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and that a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The NRC published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period on this information collection on March 19, 2009.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) plans to conduct two public workshops to solicit public input on major issues associated with a potential rulemaking for land disposal of unique waste streams including, but not limited to, significant quantities of depleted uranium in near-surface radioactive waste disposal facilities. The public workshops are intended to solicit the views of representatives of interests that may be affected by the rulemaking. Members of the public are invited to provide written comments on the issues presented in this notice and to attend the workshops to provide feedback on the potential rulemaking. The public workshops will be held in Rockville, Maryland on September 2-3, 2009 and in Salt Lake City, Utah on September 23-24, 2009.

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its regulations that govern the export and import of nuclear equipment and material. In addition to updating, clarifying and correcting several provisions, this proposed rule would allow Category 1 and 2 quantities of materials listed in the Commission's regulations to be imported under a general license. The proposed rule would also revise the definition of ``radioactive waste'' and remove the definition of ``incidental radioactive material.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is amending its regulations to require applicants for new nuclear power reactors to perform a design-specific assessment of the effects of the impact of a large, commercial aircraft. The applicant is required to use realistic analyses to identify and incorporate design features and functional capabilities to show, with reduced use of operator actions, that either the reactor core remains cooled or the containment remains intact, and either spent fuel cooling or spent fuel pool integrity is maintained. These requirements apply to applicants for new construction permits; new operating licenses that reference a new construction permit; new standard design certifications; renewal of any of the four existing design certifications if the design has not previously been amended to comply with the rule; new standard design approvals; manufacturing licenses that don't reference a standard design certification or standard design approval, or that reference a standard design certification issued before the effective date of the rule which has not been amended to comply with the rule; and combined licenses that don't reference a standard design certification, standard design approval, or manufactured reactor, or that reference a standard design certification issued before the effective date of the rule which has not been amended to comply with the rule. In addition, these amendments contain requirements for control of changes to any design features or functional capabilities credited to show that the facility can withstand the effects of an aircraft impact.

On May 18, 2009 (74 FR 23254), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published for public comment a proposed rule that would amend certain emergency preparedness (EP) requirements in its regulations that govern domestic licensing of production and utilization facilities. A conforming provision would also be added in the regulations that govern licenses, certifications, and approvals for new nuclear power plants. The proposed amendments would codify certain voluntary protective measures contained in NRC Bulletin 2005-02, ``Emergency Preparedness and Response Actions for Security-Based Events,'' and other generically applicable requirements similar to those previously imposed by Commission orders. They would also amend other licensee emergency plan requirements based on a comprehensive review of the NRC's EP regulations and guidance. The proposed requirements would enhance the ability of licensees in preparing to take and taking certain emergency preparedness and protective measures

By letter dated October 16, 2008, Governor Jon S. Corzine of New Jersey requested that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) enter into an Agreement with the State of New Jersey (State or New Jersey) as authorized by Section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (Act).

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its spent fuel storage cask regulations by revising the Transnuclear, Inc. (TN), Standardized NUHOMS [supreg] System listing within the ``List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks'' to include Amendment No. 10 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC) Number 1004. Amendment No. 10 would modify the CoC to add a dry shielded canister (DSC) designated the NUHOMS [supreg]-61BTH DSC, add a dry shielded canister designated the NUHOMS [supreg]-32PTH1 DSC, add an alternate high-seismic option of the horizontal storage module (HSM) for storing the 32PTH1 DSC, allow storage of Westinghouse 15x15 Partial Length Shield Assemblies in the NUHOMS [supreg]-24PTH DSC, allow storage of control components in the NUHOMS [supreg]-32PT DSC, and add a new Technical Specification, which applies to Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation sites located in a coastal marine environment, that any load bearing carbon steel component which is part of the HSM must contain at least 0.20 percent copper as an alloy addition.