NRC-2009-0541, Enclosuproposed Generic Communication; NRC RIS 2009; Monitoring the Status of Regulated Activities During a Pandemic
ML093490468 | |
Person / Time | |
---|---|
Site: | Humboldt Bay |
Issue date: | 12/09/2009 |
From: | NRC/FSME/DMSSA |
To: | State of MI, State, Agreement States |
Virgilio R | |
Shared Package | |
ML093490401 | List: |
References | |
74FR65165, FSME-09-100, NRC-2009-0541 | |
Download: ML093490468 (3) | |
Text
65165 Federal Register/Vol. 74, No. 235/Wednesday, December 9, 2009/Notices NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 050-133; NRC-2009-0541]
Pacific Gas and Electric, Humboldt Bay
Power Plant, Unit 3; Environmental
Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact for an Exemption
From Certain Control and Tracking
Requirements in 10 CFR Part 20
Appendix G Section III.E The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of an exemption from certain
control and tracking requirements in 10
CFR part 20 appendix G section III.E for
Facility Operating License No. DPR-7
issued to Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E
or the licensee), for Humboldt Bay
Power Plant (HBPP) Unit 3, located in
Humboldt County, California.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's application for an exemption dated September 4, 2009.
The licensee has requested an
exemption from certain control and
tracking requirements in 10 CFR part 20
appendix G section III.E, which require
the licensee to investigate, and file a
report with the NRC, if shipments of
low-level radioactive waste are not
acknowledged by the intended recipient
within 20 days after transfer to the
shipper. The proposed action would grant an exemption to extend the time period
that can elapse during shipments of
low-level radioactive waste before the
licensee is required to investigate and
file a report with the NRC. Specifically, the exemption would extend the time
period for the licensee to receive
acknowledgment that the low-level
radioactive waste shipment has been
received by the intended recipient from
20 days to 45 days.
The Need for the Proposed Action PG&E is in the process of decommissioning HBPP Unit 3. During the decommissioning process, large
volumes of slightly contaminated debris
are generated and require disposal.
PG&E transports low-level radioactive
waste from HBPP Unit 3 to distant
locations such as a waste disposal
facility operated by Energy Solutions in
Clive, Utah, and waste processors in
The licensee's request to extend the 20-day investigation and reporting
requirements for shipments of low-level
radioactive waste to 45 days is based on
historical data derived from experience at Southern California Edison Company's San Onofre Nuclear
Generating Station (SONGS). That
experience indicates that rail
transportation time to waste disposal
facilities frequently exceeded the 20-day
reporting requirement. A review of the
SONGS data indicates that
transportation time for shipments by rail
or truck/rail took over 16 days on
average and, on occasion, took up to 57
days. HBPP is in a more remote location
than SONGS and is not near a railhead.
Shipping from HBPP may require a
combination of truck/rail, barge/rail or
barge/truck shipments. These mixed-
mode shipments will be comprised of
truck and barge shipments from HBPP
to inland locations in California or
nearby states, followed by rail
shipments to the waste disposal
facilities or processors. The additional
step of transloading material at a remote
railyard (e.g., unloading and loading, waiting for the train to depart) is
expected to add to shipping delays that
exceed the time of shipments from
SONGS. The licensee affirms that the low-level radioactive waste shipments will always
be tracked throughout transportation
until they arrive at their intended
destination. The licensee believes, and
the staff agrees, that the need to
investigate, trace, and report to the NRC
on the shipment of low-level waste
packages not reaching their destination
within 20 days does not serve the underlying purpose of the rule.
Therefore, the NRC staff finds that
granting an exemption to extend the
time period from 20 days to 45 days for
mixed-mode shipments of low-level
radioactive waste will not result in an
undue hazard to life or property.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action The NRC has reviewed the licensee's proposed exemption request and
concluded that the proposed exemption
is procedural and administrative in
nature. The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability or
consequences of accidents, no changes
are being made in the types of any
effluents that may be released offsite, and there is no significant increase in
occupational or public radiation
exposure. Therefore, there are no
significant radiological environmental
impacts associated with the proposed
action. With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed
action does not involve any historic
sites. It does not affect nonradiological
plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Therefore, there
are no significant nonradiological
environmental impacts associated with
the proposed action.
Accordingly, the NRC concludes that there are no significant environmental
impacts associated with the proposed
action. Alternatives to the Proposed Action As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered denial of the proposed action (i.e., the no-action
alternative). Denial of the application
would result in no change in current
environmental impacts. The
environmental impacts of the proposed
action and the alternative action are
similar. Agencies and Persons Contacted In accordance with NRC policy, on November 2, 2009, the staff consulted with a State of California official in the
Radiologic Health Services, State
Department of Health Services, regarding the environmental impact of
the proposed action. The state official
had no comments.
Finding of No Significant Impact On the basis of the environmental assessment, the NRC concludes that the proposed action will not have a
significant effect on the quality of the
human environment. Accordingly, the
NRC has determined not to prepare an
environmental impact statement for the
proposed action.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 1st day of December 2009.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Keith I. McConnell, Deputy Director, Decommissioning and Uranium Recovery Licensing Directorate, Division of Waste Management and
Environmental Protection, Office of Federal
and State Materials and Environmental
Management Programs.
[FR Doc. E9-29327 Filed 12-8-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[NRC-2009-0536]
Proposed Generic Communication;
NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 2009-
XX; Monitoring the Status of Regulated
Activities During a Pandemic AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice of opportunity for public comment.
SUMMARY
- The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to issue VerDate Nov<24>2008 15:02 Dec 08, 2009Jkt 220001PO 00000Frm 00078Fmt 4703Sfmt 4703E:\FR\FM\09DEN1.SGM09DEN1 WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES 65166 Federal Register/Vol. 74, No. 235/Wednesday, December 9, 2009/Notices this regulatory issue summary (RIS) to inform addressees of the NRC's desire
for information on the evolving
pandemic situations at licensee sites
and the impact of a pandemic situation
on operational decisions and requests
for regulatory relief. The NRC intends to
use this information to align NRC
resources to be prepared to address
potential safety and operational issues
at affected licensee sites, and to support
decision-making within the NRC. The
NRC, therefore, is soliciting licensees to
voluntarily provide information
regarding the above.
The NRC is also sharing this RIS with the Agreement States via a separate
communication and is encouraging the
Agreement States to share it with their
licensees.
This RIS is available through the NRC's Agencywide Documents Access
and Management System (ADAMS)
under accession number ML093210234.
DATES: Comment period expires January 25, 2010. Comments submitted after this
date will be considered if it is practical
to do so, but assurance of consideration
cannot be given except for comments
received on or before this date.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to the Chief, Rulemaking and Directives
Branch, Division of Administrative
Services, Office of Administration, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Mail
Stop TWB-05-B01M, Washington, DC
20555-0001, and cite the publication
date and page number of this Federal Register notice. FORFURTHERINFORMATIONCONTACT
- Thomas Alexion at 301-415-1326 or by
e-mail at Thomas.Alexion@NRC.gov or Joseph Golla at 301-415-1002 or by e-
mail at Joe.Golla@NRC.gov. SUPPLEMENTARYINFORMATION
- NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 2009-
XX; Monitoring the Status of Regulated
Activities During a Pandemic Addressees All holders of operating licenses for nuclear power reactors and research and test reactors (RTRs) under the
provisions of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50,
Domestic Licensing of Production and
Utilization Facilities, except those that
have ceased operations and have
certified that fuel has been permanently
removed from the reactor vessel.
All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) fuel cycle facilities
licensed under 10 CFR Part 40 or 70 and
gaseous diffusion plants certified under
All 10 CFR Part 72 specific licensees and certificate holders and holders of operating licenses for nuclear power reactors who have permanently ceased
operations and have certified that fuel
has been permanently removed from the
reactor vessel that are not 10 CFR Part
72 specific licensees.
All holders of radioactive materials licenses under the provisions of 10 CFR
Parts 30, 40, and 70, regarding Rules of
General Applicability to Domestic Licensing of Byproduct, Source, and
Special Nuclear Material with Category
1 and 2 sources.
Intent The NRC is issuing this regulatory issue summary (RIS) to inform addressees of the NRC's desire for
information on the evolving pandemic
situations at licensee sites and the
impact of a pandemic situation on
operational decisions and requests for
regulatory relief. The NRC intends to
use this information to align NRC
resources to be prepared to address
potential safety and operational issues
at affected licensee sites, and to support
decision-making within the NRC. The
NRC, therefore, is soliciting licensees to
voluntarily provide information
regarding the above.
The NRC is also sharing this RIS with the Agreement States via a separate
communication and is encouraging the
Agreement States to share it with their
licensees.
Background The NRC's overarching mission is to license and regulate the nation's civilian use of byproduct, source, and special
nuclear materials to ensure adequate
protection of public health and safety, promote the common defense and
security, and protect the environment.
Across the spectrum of government operations, there has been a concerted
effort to prepare for and respond to
pandemic outbreaks, including the
H1N1 influenza virus. All government
agencies have or are preparing
pandemic plans to ensure the operation
of the government during a pandemic.
Part of this preparation and planning is
an effort by the federal government to
ensure the U.S. infrastructure is
maintained to the fullest extent
possible.
The Homeland Security Council, in the National Framework for 2009-H1N1 Influenza Preparedness and Response, described surveillance as the first of the
pillars of preparedness and further
defined the term to mean enhanced
efforts to achieve timely and accurate
situational awareness of evolving
disease and the impact on critical
sectors to inform policy and operational
decisions. Under that definition, the NRC is in a situational awareness
mode at all times when there is a threat
of a pandemic, because: (1) Of the
agency's need to be ready to respond
quickly to any emergency that could
threaten the agency's mission or the
nuclear activities that it regulates, and
(2) impacts to the electric grid may have
an impact on plant safety.
Summary of Issues The NRC is interested in maintaining situational awareness of licensees' ability to cope with the challenges
associated with a pandemic. This
information will serve two functions:
- 1. The NRC must be prepared to respond quickly if a safety or security
event develops.
- 2. The NRC is obligated to keep its stakeholders informed.
Information of Interest The NRC is interested in maintaining situational awareness of the status of its regulated activities during a pandemic
and requests that licensees voluntarily
inform the staff of any potential impacts
on those activities. Accordingly, answers to the following two questions
should be considered during routine
business contacts with NRC staff (e.g.,
during routine communications with
the NRC licensing project manager or
resident inspector or during inspections
conducted by the NRC), or as licensees
desire to report information:
- 1. Does the licensee anticipate operational challenges at the facility or
in the conduct of activities in the next
48 hours5.555556e-4 days <br />0.0133 hours <br />7.936508e-5 weeks <br />1.8264e-5 months <br /> in the following areas as a
result of the pandemic?
- a. Safety.
- b. Security.
- c. Safeguards.
- 2. Does the licensee anticipate the need to request regulatory action as a result of the pandemic in the next 48
hours? Responses to these questions will be voluntary. If either question results in a
yes answer, the NRC expects the
licensee to provide additional
information specific to the needs of the
licensee, as soon as possible. In such
cases, the appropriate NRC staff will
follow-up with the licensee. It should be
noted that this RIS does not eliminate
the need for licensees to meet the
reporting requirements contained in
applicable regulations. Further, there
are no information collection
expectations other than information that
is typically exchanged through routine
business activities or is already required
by NRC regulations. The information
provided will enable the NRC to VerDate Nov<24>2008 15:02 Dec 08, 2009Jkt 220001PO 00000Frm 00079Fmt 4703Sfmt 4703E:\FR\FM\09DEN1.SGM09DEN1 WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES 65167 Federal Register/Vol. 74, No. 235/Wednesday, December 9, 2009/Notices effectively respond to licensees with potential challenges.
For materials licensees that have less frequent contact with NRC, the NRC
regional offices are establishing an
e-mail address that can be used to voluntarily submit the information
discussed above. Materials licensees
will receive a separate communication, by e-mail or phone, identifying the
appropriate e-mail address for
submitting information concerning
potential pandemic impacts.
NRC recognizes that during a pandemic, licensees' resources may be
strained. Therefore, NRC understands
that licensees will provide information
to the best of their ability, given the
circumstances.
Backfit Discussion This RIS requests that addressees voluntarily provide information as appropriate to assist the NRC staff in
managing the impacts of a pandemic on
regulated activities. This effort by the
NRC is a part of the continuing federal
effort in pandemic planning, and it
supports situational awareness of
potential issues at NRC-licensed
facilities.
The staff is not imposing any new positions nor is it imposing any new
regulatory requirements on licensees.
Any information provided by a licensee
is strictly voluntary. No action is
required on the part of any licensee;
therefore, this document does not
constitute a backfit under applicable
backfit regulations. Consequently, the
staff did not perform a backfit analysis.
Federal Register Notification To be done after the public comment period.
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement This RIS does not contain new or amended information collection requirements subject to the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.). Existing information collection
requirements were approved by the
Office of Management and Budget, control numbers 3150-0011 and 3150-
0012. Public Protection Notification The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a request for information or an
information collection requirement
unless the requesting document
displays a current valid Office of
Management and Budget control
number. Contacts Technical Contacts-Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)
Joseph Golla, NRR, (301) 415-1002, E-mail: joseph.golla@nrc.gov.
Thomas Alexion, NRR, (301) 415-1326, E-mail: thomas.alexion@nrc.gov.
Technical Contacts-Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)
Steven Ward, NMSS, (301) 492-3426, E-mail: steven.ward@nrc.gov.
Kevin Witt, NMSS, (301) 492-3323, E-mail: kevin.witt@nrc.gov.
Technical Material Contacts-Office of Federal and State Materials and
Environmental Management Programs (FSME) and the Regions Duncan White, FSME, (301) 415-2598, E-mail: duncan.white@nrc.gov.
John Kinneman, Region I, (610) 337-5274, E-mail: john.kinneman@nrc.gov.
Steven Reynolds, Region III, (630) 829-
- 9800, E-mail: steven.reynolds@nrc.gov.
Art Howell, Region IV, (817) 860-8106, E-mail: art.howell@nrc.gov.
End of Draft Regulatory Issue Summary Documents may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public
Document Room at One White Flint
North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor),
Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available
records will be accessible electronically
from the Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading
Room on the Internet at the NRC Web
site, http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/ADAMS/
index.html.
If you do not have access to ADAMS or if you have problems in
accessing the documents in ADAMS, contact the NRC Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209
or 301-415-4737 or by e-mail to
pdr@nrc.gov.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 30th day of November 2009.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Martin C. Murphy, Chief, Generic Communications Branch, Division of Policy and Rulemaking, Office
of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. E9-29326 Filed 12-8-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY CORPORATION Proposed Submission of Information Collection for OMB Review; Comment
Request; Administrative Appeals AGENCY: Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
ACTION: Notice of intent to request extension of OMB approval of
information collection.
SUMMARY
- The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) intends to
request the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) to extend approval, under the Paperwork Reduction Act, of
a collection of information under its
regulation on Rules for Administrative
Review of Agency Decisions. This
notice informs the public of PBGC's
intent and solicits public comment on
the collection of information.
DATES: Comments should be submitted by February 8, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by any of the following
methods: Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://
www.regulations.gov.
Follow the Web site instructions for submitting
comments.
E-mail: paperwork.comments@pbgc.gov.
Fax: 202-326-4224.
Mail or Hand Delivery:
Legislative and Regulatory Department, Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation, 1200 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20005-4026.
PBGC will make all comments available on its Web site, http://
www.pbgc.gov.
Copies of the collection of information may also be obtained
without charge by writing to the
Disclosure Division of the Office of the
General Counsel of PBGC at the above
address or by visiting the Disclosure
Division or calling 202-326-4040
during normal business hours. (TTY and
TDD users may call the Federal relay
service toll-free at 1-800-877-8339 and
ask to be connected to 202-326-4040.)
PBGC's regulation on Administrative
Appeals may be accessed on PBGC's
Web site at http://www.pbgc.gov. FORFURTHERINFORMATIONCONTACT
- Catherine B. Klion, Manager, or Donald
McCabe, Attorney, Regulatory and
Policy Division, Legislative and
Regulatory Department, Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation, 1200 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20005-4026, 202-
326-4024. (For TTY and TDD, call 800-
877-8339 and request connection to
202-326-4024). SUPPLEMENTARYINFORMATION
- PBGC's regulation on Rules for Administrative
Review of Agency Decisions (29 CFR
part 4003) prescribes rules governing
the issuance of initial determinations by
PBGC and the procedures for requesting
and obtaining administrative review of
initial determinations. Certain types of
initial determinations are subject to
administrative appeals, which are VerDate Nov<24>2008 15:02 Dec 08, 2009Jkt 220001PO 00000Frm 00080Fmt 4703Sfmt 4703E:\FR\FM\09DEN1.SGM09DEN1 WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES