ML20155B596

Draft for Comment Issue of Value/Impact Assessment of Proposed Reg Guide 3.45.Reg Guide Endorsing ANSI/ANS-8-9-1987 W/Any Necessary Supplemental Provisions Should Be Prepared

ML20155B596
Person / Time
Issue date:	05/31/1988
From:	NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH (RES)
To:
Shared Package
ML20155B584	List: ML20155B581 ML20155B596
References
REGGD-03.045, REGGD-3.045, NUDOCS 8806130251
Download: ML20155B596 (5)

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DRAFT VALUE/ IMPACT STATEMENT

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1.- PROPOSED ACTION 1.1 Description Each application fur a specific license for special nuclear material is required by the Comission's regulations to contain proposed procedures to pro-f tect health and minimize danger to life or property, such as procedures to avoid  ;

accidental conditions of criticality. These procedures are elements of a nu-clea* criticality safety program for operations with fissionable materiais nut-side reactors in which there exists a potential for criticality accidents. The proposed action would provide guidance acceptable to the NRC staff for meeting the Commission's requirements for nuclear criticality safety for steel pipe intersecticns containing aqueous solutions of fissile materials in plants processing special nuclear materials outside reactors. l 1.2 Need fo_r Proposed Action The NRC staff has been involved in the development, review, and approval of ANSI /AHS-8.9-1987, "Nuclear Criticality Safety Criteria for Steel-Pipe Inter-sections Containing Aqueous Solutions of Fissile Material," which was approved by the American National Standards Institute on April 3, 1987. Guidance on meeting the Commission's requirements for nuclear criticality safety for steel-pipe intersections containing aqueous solutions of fissile materials in plants processing special nuclear caterials outside reactors should be updated to re-flect this latest ANSI /ANS standard on this subject, and, consistent with past NRC practice, this guidance should be provided in the form of a regulatory guide endorsing the approved revised national standard.

1.3 Value/ Impact of Proposed Action Pl 1.3.1 NRC The stanaard presents criteria for a nuclear criticality safety system in plants processing fissionable materials outside reactors in which there exists a 8806130251 G80531 PDR REGGD 03.045 R PDR

potential for criticality accidents. The proposed action would reestablish an NRC position on a revised national standard and therefore would reduce uncer-tainty as to what the staff considers acceptable nuclear criticality safety system criteria in operations with fissionable materials outside reactors.

This will result in more efficient regulatory actions and decisions.

1.3.2 Other Government Agencies Not applicable unless a government agency is an applicant. See Section 1.3.3 if a government agency is an applicant.

1. 3. 3 Industry The proposed action would provide a convenient reference for the licensee or license applicant in using nuclear criticality safety system criteria to meet regulatory requirements and standards of good nuclear criticality safety practice. Most of the impact on industry has already occurred during the devel-opment, review, and approval of the national standard. Additional impact asso-ciated with the NRC endorsement of the standard should be minimal.

1.3.4 Workers The proposed action should result in more effective nuclear criticality safety systems and therefore be of benefit to workers.

1.3.5 Public There could be a cost reduction to the public as taxpayers and consumers because of the improved efficiency of the licensing process.

1.4 Decision on Proposed Use of the ANSI /ANS Nuclear Criticality Safety Criteria Standard As previously stated, guidance should be furnished on maintaining nuclear criticality safety in operations with fissionable materials outside reactors.

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2. TECHNICAL AF^W v r

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N")\ 2.1 Technical Alternatives

) The proposed action is intended to provide guidance for a specific nuclear l criticality safety system in plants processing fissionable materials outside reactors. Alternative approaches relating to this technical consideration are i described in the following section.

l l 2.2 Discussion and Comparison of Technical Alternatives I

An acceptable approach to ensuring nuclear criticality safety for steel pipe intersections containing aqueous solutions of fissile materials in plants processing special nuclear materials outside reactors is available in

) ANSI /ANS-8.9-1987. As previously stated, ANSI /ANS-8.9-1987 is a revised na-tional standard and is approved by the NRC staff. The alternative to refer-encing this standard is to inform licensees on an individual basis concerning NRC positions on issues raised as interchanges occur between the licensee and the staff pertaining to the use of steel pipe intersections in plants process-ing fissionable materials outside reactors.

2.3 Decision on Technical Approach The guidance contained in ANSI /ANS-8.9-1987 should be used where applicable.

( 3. 80CEDURALAPPROACH Updating the existing regulatory guide is the only appropriate procedural approach.

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4. STATUTORY CONSIDERATIONS 4.1 NRC Authority O

Authority for the proposed action is cerived from the Atomic Energy Act of i 1954, as amended, and from the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as amended, and implemented through the Commission's regulations.

4.2 Need for NEPA Assessment Issuance or amendment of guides for the implementation of regulations in Title 10, Chapter I, of the Code of Federal Regulations is a categorical exclu-sion under paragraph 51.22(c)(16) of 10 CFR Part 51. Thus, an environmental impact statement or assessment is not required for this action.

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5. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER EXISTING OR PROPOSED REGULATIONS OR POLICIES The proposed guide does not conflict with or overlap requirements promul-gated by other agencies. Implementation of the proposed action is discussed in Section D of the proposed regulatory guide.

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SUMMARY

AND CONCLUSIONS A regulatory guide endorsing ANSI /ANS-8.9-1987 with any necessary supplemental provisions should be prepared.

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