ML063190440
| ML063190440 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | PROJ0690 |
| Issue date: | 02/08/2007 |
| From: | Kuo P NRC/NRR/ADRO/DLR |
| To: | Lochbaum D, Marion A Nuclear Energy Institute, Union of Concerned Scientists |
| Davis, Jennifer, NRR/DLR/REBB, 415-3835 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML063190421 | List: |
| References | |
| LR-ISG-2006-02 | |
| Download: ML063190440 (8) | |
Text
February 8, 2007 Mr. Alexander Marion Nuclear Energy Institute 1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20006-3708
SUBJECT:
PROPOSED LICENSE RENEWAL INTERIM STAFF GUIDANCE LR-ISG-2006-02: STAFF GUIDANCE ON ACCEPTANCE REVIEW FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS FOR LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATIONS
Dear Mr. Marion:
The purpose of this letter is to provide you with an opportunity to comment on the proposed License Renewal Interim Staff Guidance (LR-ISG) 2006-02 (Enclosure) on the acceptance review criteria for environmental reports submitted with applications for reactor license renewal.
This LR-ISG summarizes the Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 51 (10 CFR Part 51) requirements for environmental reports submitted with license renewal applications in a checklist format that will be used by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff to verify the completeness of these reports.
This proposed LR-ISG does not convey a change in the NRCs regulations or how they are being interpreted. It is being provided to assist future applicants in preparing environmental reports that are submitted with license renewal applications. As such, we are interested in receiving comments on the proposed LR-ISG. The staff plans to incorporate this guidance into a future update of NUREG-1555, Standard Review Plans for Environmental Reviews for Nuclear Power Plants, Supplement 1: Operating License Renewal. Because this LR-ISG provides documentation of the existing acceptance review practice in accordance with existing regulations, the staff did not perform a backfit evaluation.
A. Marion A notice relating to this proposed LR-ISG will be published in the Federal Register. The staff is requesting your comments on the proposed LR-ISG as indicated in the Federal Register Notice.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Ms. Jennifer Davis, by telephone at 301-415-3835 or by e-mail at jxd10@nrc.gov.
An identical letter was sent to Mr. David Lochbaum of the Union of Concerned Scientists for comment.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Pao-Tsin Kuo, Acting Director Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Project No. 690
Enclosure:
As stated cc w/encl: See next page
A. Marion A notice relating to this proposed LR-ISG will be published in the Federal Register. The staff is requesting your comments on the proposed LR-ISG as indicated in the Federal Register Notice.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Ms. Jennifer Davis, by telephone at 301-415-3835 or by e-mail at jxd10@nrc.gov.
An identical letter was sent to Mr. David Lochbaum of the Union of Concerned Scientists for comment.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Pao-Tsin Kuo, Acting Director Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Project No. 690
Enclosure:
As stated cc w/encl: See next page Adams Accession Nos. Package: ML063190421 Letter: ML063190440 FRN: ML063190464 Checklist: ML063190452 OFFICE LA:DLR PM:DLR PM:DLR PM:DLR NAME SFigueroa JDavis RSchaaf LTran DATE 11/17/06 11/08/06 11/13/06 12/12/06 OFFICE OGC BC:DLR BC:DLR D:DLR NAME JMortina NLO w/edits BPham for RFranovich RAuluck PTKuo DATE 12/21/06 12/27/06 01/03/07 02/08/07 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
February 8, 2007 Mr. David Lochbaum Union of Concerned Scientists 1707 H Street, NW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 20006-3919
SUBJECT:
PROPOSED LICENSE RENEWAL INTERIM STAFF GUIDANCE LR-ISG-2006-02: STAFF GUIDANCE ON ACCEPTANCE REVIEW FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS FOR LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATIONS
Dear Mr. Lochbaum:
The purpose of this letter is to provide you with an opportunity to comment on the proposed License Renewal Interim Staff Guidance (LR-ISG) 2006-02 (Enclosure) on the acceptance review criteria for environmental reports submitted with applications for reactor license renewal.
This LR-ISG summarizes the Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 51 (10 CFR Part 51) requirements for environmental reports submitted with license renewal applications in a checklist format that will be used by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff to verify the completeness of these reports.
This proposed LR-ISG does not convey a change in the NRCs regulations or how they are being interpreted. It is being provided to assist future applicants in preparing environmental reports that are submitted with license renewal applications. As such, we are interested in receiving comments on the proposed LR-ISG. The staff plans to incorporate this guidance into a future update of NUREG-1555, Standard Review Plans for Environmental Reviews for Nuclear Power Plants, Supplement 1: Operating License Renewal. Because this LR-ISG provides documentation of the existing acceptance review practice in accordance with existing regulations, the staff did not perform a backfit evaluation.
D. Lochbaum A notice relating to this proposed LR-ISG will be published in the Federal Register. The staff is requesting your comments on the proposed LR-ISG as indicated in the Federal Register Notice.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Ms. Jennifer Davis, by telephone at 301-415-3835 or by e-mail at jxd10@nrc.gov.
An identical letter was sent to Mr. Alexander Marion of the Nuclear Energy Institute for comment.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Pao-Tsin Kuo, Acting Director Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Project No. 690
Enclosure:
As stated cc w/encl: See next page
Letter to A. Marion and (identical sent to D. Lochbaum) from P.T. Kuo, dated February 8, 2007
SUBJECT:
PROPOSED LICENSE RENEWAL INTERIM STAFF GUIDANCE LR-ISG-2006-02: STAFF GUIDANCE ON ACCEPTANCE REVIEW FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS ASSOCIATED WITH LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATIONS DISTRIBUTION:
HARD COPY:
DLR RF R. Schaaf L. Tran E-MAIL:
PUBLIC RidsNrrOd RidsNrrAdro RidsNrrAdra RidsNrrAdes RidsNrrDlr RidsNrrDra RidsNrrDnrl RidsNrrDlrRebb RidsNrrDlrReba DLR Staff
PROPOSED LICENSE RENEWAL INTERIM STAFF GUIDANCE LR-ISG-2006-02:
STAFF GUIDANCE ON ACCEPTANCE REVIEW FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS ASSOCIATED WITH LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATIONS Introduction Each applicant for renewal of a license to operate a nuclear power plant is required to submit with its application a separate environmental report (ER) in accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR 54.23). As stated in 10 CFR 54.23, the ER must comply with the requirements of Subpart A of 10 CFR Part 51. The requirements governing the contents of an ER submitted at the operating license renewal stage are specified in 10 CFR 51.45 and 10 CFR 51.53(c). This License Renewal Interim Staff Guidance (LR-ISG) is being proposed to document the staffs practice in performing an acceptance review of ERs submitted as part of a license renewal application.
Background and Discussion The NRC staff routinely reviews ERs against the requirements of 10 CFR 51.45 and 10 CFR 51.53(c) as part of the acceptance review of reactor license renewal applications. Staff review guidance governing reactor license renewal environmental reviews and the preparation of environmental impact statements is provided in NUREG-1555, Standard Review Plans for Environmental Reviews for Nuclear Power Plants, Supplement 1: Operating License Renewal.
In conducting its acceptance review, the staff also relies on the guidance provided to applicants in Regulatory Guide 4.2, Supplement 1, Preparation of Supplemental Environmental Reports for Applications to Renew Nuclear Power Plant Operating Licenses. The regulatory guide provides methods acceptable to the staff for implementing the provisions of 10 CFR 51.45 and 10 CFR 51.53(c). While conformance with the suggested format of the regulatory guide is not required, use of the guide is expected to ensure the completeness of the information provided, assist the NRC staff and others in locating information, and result in more efficient and timely NRC staff review.
Proposed Action The acceptance review checklist for ERs submitted with license renewal applications, available via ADAMS at Accession No. ML063190452, will be incorporated into the next revision of NUREG-1555, Supplement 1. The acceptance checklist is intended to be a tool to ensure efficiency and consistency in the staffs acceptance reviews and ensure that all necessary components of license renewal stage ERs are submitted in accordance with governing regulations. As noted in the checklist instructions, the absence of any of the information recommended in Regulatory Guide 4.2, Supplement 1, would not require that supplemental information be provided prior to acceptance of an application; however, applicants should expect that the absence of such information may result in more intensive environmental audit activities and/or issuance of early requests for additional information to support the staffs review. The docketing and subsequent finding of a timely and sufficient application (including the ER) does not preclude NRC reviewers from requesting additional information as a review proceeds, nor does it predict the NRCs final determination regarding the approval or denial of a license renewal application. This proposed LR-ISG is not intended to substitute or re-interpret requirements outlined in 10 CFR 51.45 and 10 CFR 51.53(c). The checklist is expected to serve as a knowledge management tool for NRC staff members by specifying review criteria in a simplified, user-friendly format.
Enclosure
NUCLEAR ENERGY INSTITUTE Project No. 690 cc:
Ms. Christine S. Salembier, Commissioner State Liaison Officer Department of Public Service 112 State St., Drawer 20 Montipelier, VT 05620-2601 Mr. James Ross Nuclear Energy Institute 1776 I St., NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20006-3708 Mr. Frederick W. Polaski Manager License Renewal Exelon Corporation 200 Exelon Way Kennett Square, PA 19348 Mark Ackerman Project Manager, License Renewal FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company P.O. Box 4 Route 168 (Mail Stop BV-SGRP)
Shippingport, PA 15077 Mr. Paul Gunter, Director Reactor Watchdog Project Nuclear Information & Resource Service 6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 340 Takoma Park, MD 20912 Mr. Hugh Jackson Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy
& Environment Program 215 Pennsylvania Ave., SE Washington, DC 20003 Mary Olson Nuclear Information & Resource Service Southeast Office P.O. Box 7586 Asheville, NC 28802 Talmage B. Clements Manager - License Renewal Progress Energy P.O. Box 1551 Raleigh, NC 27602 Mr. Garry G. Young Manager, License Renewal Services 1448 SR 333, N-GSB-45 Russellville, AR 72802 Mr. William Crough, Manager Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Tennessee Valley Authority P.O. Box 2000 Decatur, AL 35609 Robert A. Vincent Licensing Lead - License Renewal Project Palisades Nuclear Plant 27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway Covert, MI 49043