Nuclear Regulatory Commission August 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an exemption in response to a September 28, 2020, request from Exelon Generation Company, LLC. The exemption allows either a licensed senior operator or a certified fuel handler to approve the emergency suspension of security measures for Byron Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 during certain emergency conditions or during severe weather after both the certification of permanent cessation of operations and the certification of permanent fuel removal have been docketed for the facility.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will convene a meeting of the Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes (ACMUI) on October 4, 2021. A sample of agenda items to be discussed during the public session includes: (1) A discussion of the ACMUI's review and analysis of medical events from fiscal years 2017 to 2020; (2) a discussion of the ACMUI's subcommittee report on radionuclide generator knowledge and practice requirements; (3) a discussion of the ACMUI's subcommittee report on emerging radiopharmaceutical therapy knowledge requirements in theranostics; (4) a discussion on production challenges for therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals; and (5) a discussion on the future of personalized dosimetry. The agenda is subject to change. The current agenda and any updates will be available on the ACMUI's Meetings and Related Documents web page at https://www.nrc.gov/ reading-rm/doc-collections/acmui/meetings/2021.html or by emailing Ms. Kellee Jamerson at the contact information below. Purpose: Discuss issues related to 10 CFR part 35 Medical Use of Byproduct Material. Date and Time for Open Session: October 4, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) invites public comment on the renewal of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing collection of information. The information collection is entitled NRC Form 7, ``Application for NRC Export/Import License, Amendment, Renewal or Consent Request(s).''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is correcting a final rule that was published in the Federal Register on August 9, 2021. The rule amended NRC's regulations to make miscellaneous corrections, remove outdated reporting requirements, clarify language, add metric units, and insert missing language. This action is necessary to correct inadvertent errors in the final rule.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) invites public comment on the renewal of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing collection of information. The information collection is entitled, ``Facility Security Clearance and Safeguarding of National Security Information and Restricted Data.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has recently submitted a request for renewal of an existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The information collection is entitled, ``Requirements for Renewal of Operating Licenses for Nuclear Power Plants.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment a draft regulatory guide (DG), DG-1392, ``Site Characterization Investigations for Nuclear Power Plants.'' It is proposed Revision 3 of Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.132. DG-1392 proposes guidance on field investigations for determining the geologic, geotechnical, geophysical, and hydrogeologic characteristics of a prospective site for engineering analysis and design of nuclear power plants.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is denying three petitions for rulemaking (PRMs), submitted by Dr. Carol S. Marcus, Mr. Mark L. Miller, Certified Health Physicist, and Dr. Mohan Doss, et al. (collectively, the petitioners) in correspondence dated February 9, 2015, February 13, 2015, and February 24, 2015, respectively. The petitioners request that the NRC amend its regulations based on what they assert is new science and evidence that contradicts the linear no- threshold (LNT) dose-effect model that serves as the basis for the NRC's radiation protection regulations. The NRC docketed these petitions on February 20, 2015, February 27, 2015, and March 16, 2015, and assigned them Docket Numbers PRM-20-28, PRM-20-29, and PRM-20-30, respectively. The NRC is denying the three petitions because they fail to present an adequate basis supporting the request to discontinue use of the LNT model. The NRC has determined that the LNT model continues to provide a sound regulatory basis for minimizing the risk of unnecessary radiation exposure to both members of the public and radiation workers. Therefore, the NRC will maintain the current dose limit requirements contained in its regulations.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has received an application for the subsequent renewal of Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-67 and NPF-16, which authorize Florida Power and Light Company (FPL or the applicant) to operate St. Lucie Plant (SLP), Units 1 and 2. The subsequent renewed licenses would authorize the applicant to operate SLP for an additional 20 years beyond the period specified in each of the current renewed licenses. The current renewed operating licenses for SLP expire as follows: Unit 1 on March 1, 2036, and Unit 2 on April 6, 2043.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the TN Americas LLC, NUHOMS[supreg] EOS Dry Spent Fuel Storage System listing within the ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks'' to include Amendment No. 2 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1042. Amendment No. 2 would revise the certificate of compliance to add a dry shielded canister for storage, add new heat load zone configurations, and make other changes to the storage system. Amendment No. 2 also would change the certificate of compliance, technical specifications, and updated final safety analysis report for consistency and clarity.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of September 29, 2021, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on July 1, 2021. This direct final rule amended NRC's regulations to certify the U.S. Advanced Boiling Water Reactor standard design so that applicants intending to construct and operate an U.S. Advanced Boiling Water Reactor standard design may do so by referencing the design certification rule.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued one exemption in June 2021 in response to a request from one licensee for relief due to the coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) public health emergency (PHE). The exemption affords the licensee temporary relief from certain requirements under NRC regulations.

On July 9, 2021, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requested comments as part of its systematic review for how NRC programs, policies, and activities address environmental justice. Specifically, the NRC requested input on how the agency is addressing environmental justice, considering the agency's mission and statutory authority. The information will be used to inform the agency's assessment of how it addresses environmental justice. The public comment period was originally scheduled to close on August 23, 2021. The NRC has decided to extend the public comment period to allow more time for members of the public to develop and submit their comments.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is denying a petition for rulemaking (PRM), dated June 12, 2014, submitted by Anthony Pietrangelo on behalf of the Nuclear Energy Institute. The petitioner requested that the NRC amend its power reactor cyber security regulations to make them consistent with the original intent of the rule and clarify that the scope of those regulations only require the protection of those digital assets that can directly cause core damage and spent fuel sabotage, or whose failure would cause a reactor scram. The petition was docketed by the NRC on September 22, 2014, and assigned Docket No. PRM-73-18. The NRC staff has determined that the information presented in PRM-73-18 does not support rulemaking. The NRC has also determined that existing and ongoing revisions to guidance can effectively address the issues raised by the petitioner in this PRM. Therefore, for the reasons discussed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION of this document, the NRC is denying PRM-73- 18.

On June 19, 2020, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) solicited comments on the post-shutdown decommissioning activities report (PSDAR) for the Duane Arnold Energy Center (DAEC). The PSDAR, which includes the site-specific decommissioning cost estimate (DCE), provides an overview of NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC's (NEDA or the licensee's) planned decommissioning activities, schedule, projected costs, and environmental impacts for DAEC. The public comment period closed on October 19, 2020, was reopened on October 26, 2020, closed again on February 19, 2021, was reopened on March 5, 2021, and will currently close on August 19, 2021. The NRC has decided to extend the public comment period for a third time to provide additional time for members of the public to develop and submit their comments, as well as to allow time for an in-person public meeting on the PSDAR. The NRC will hold a public meeting to discuss the PSDAR's content and receive comments once restrictions associated with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 public health emergency are lifted, and will notice this meeting in a separate Federal Register notice.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing its final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for Interim Storage Partners' (ISP's) license application to construct and operate a consolidated interim storage facility (CISF) for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and Greater-Than-Class C (GTCC) waste, along with a small quantity of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel. The proposed CISF would be located on an approximately 130-hectare (320-acre) site, within the approximately 5,666-hectare (14,000-acre) Waste Control Specialists (WCS) site in Andrews County, Texas. The proposed action is the issuance of an NRC license authorizing a CISF to store up to 5,000 metric tons of uranium (MTUs) [5,500 short tons] of SNF for a license period of 40 years.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is soliciting nominations for the position of Radiation Safety Officer on the Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes (ACMUI). Nominees should currently be functioning as a Radiation Safety Officer.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the NAC International NAC- UMS[supreg] Universal Storage System listing within the ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks'' to include Amendment No. 8 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1015. Amendment No. 8 revises the certificate of compliance to: Add the storage of damaged boiling-water reactor spent fuel, including higher enrichment and higher burnup spent fuel; change the allowable fuel burnup range; expand the boiling-water reactor class 5 fuel inventory that could be stored in the cask; and revise definitions in the technical specifications.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has recently submitted a proposed collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The information collection is entitled, ``Standards for Protection Against Radiation.''

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing Revision 6 to Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.29, ``Seismic Design Classification for Nuclear Power Plants.'' This RG describes a method that the staff of the NRC considers acceptable for use in identifying and classifying those features of light-water-reactor nuclear power plants that must be designed to withstand the effects of the safe- shutdown earthquake. Revision 6 corrects a minor error in the numbering of the elements in Section C, ``Staff Regulatory Guidance.''