NRC Generic Letter 83-19, New Procedures for Providing Public Notice Concerning Issuance of Amendments To Operating Licenses

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WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555

May 2, 1983

TO ALL POWER REACTOR AND TESTING FACILITY LICENSEES

SUBJECT: NEW PROCEDURES FOR PROVIDING PUBLIC NOTICE CONCERNING ISSUANCE OF AMENDMENTS TO OPERATING LICENSES (GENERIC LETTER 83-19 )

On April 6, 1983 the NRC issued interim final rules (48 FR 14864) that significantly impact the way in which the licensee and the NRC staff process operating license amendments. The purpose of this letter is to highlight those requirements that directly affect licensees.

The changes to 10 CFR Parts 2 and 50 provide for:

o Definitive criteria for determining whether an application for license amendment involves a significant hazards consideration. A new 10 CFR 50.92 provides the standards for making a "no significant hazards determination".

o A new 10 CFR 50.91 requires notice to the general public and to state officials concerning applications for license amendments. Of particular interest is the provision for prior public notice of an opportunity for hearing and a thirty

(30) day comment period for license amendments which involve "no significant hazards considerations." Also of interest are standards for issuance of license amendments involving "no significant hazards consideration" under emergency or exigent situations. Changes have also been made to 10 CFR 50.58 and 10 CFR 2.105 to reflect the new requirements for providing notice to the public and state officials.

We request that all power reactor and testing facility licensees review the recent changes to 10 CFR Parts 2 and 50 concerning "significant hazards considerations" as these considerations impact prior notice to the general public and state officials. For your convenience, we have provided this material as Enclosure 1, herein. Enclosure 2 provides excerpts from the subject rule changes which represent requirements, on licensees, for submittals of applications for operating license amendments. Enclosure 3 provides a list of designated state representatives who must be provided, by licensees, with copies of license amendment applications and associated analyses concerning significant hazards considerations, pursuant to 10 CFR 50.91 (b) (1).If you have any questions concerning this subject, please contact C. Trammell (301-492-7389).

Sincerely,

Darrell G. Eisenhut, Director Division Licensing

Enclosures:

As stated