[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 2, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-2367]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 2, 1994]


                                                    VOL. 59, NO. 22

                                        Wednesday, February 2, 1994
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

10 CFR Part 20

 

Radiological Criteria for Decommissioning of NRC-Licensed 
Facilities; Enhanced Participatory Rulemaking, Availability of the 
Staff's Draft of the Rule

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of availability of staff's draft proposed rule and 
summary of comment.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is conducting an 
enhanced participatory rulemaking on establishing the radiological 
criteria for the decommissioning of NRC-licensed facilities. The 
Commission has enhanced the participation of affected interests in the 
rulemaking by soliciting commentary from these interests on the 
rulemaking issues before the staff developed the draft proposed rule. 
This document announces the availability of the staff's draft proposed 
rule as well as a summary of the comments provided to the NRC in 
response to its enhancement efforts.

DATES: The comment period expires March 11, 1994. Comments received 
after this date will be considered if it is practical to do so but the 
Commission is able to assure consideration only for comments received 
on or before this date.

ADDRESSES: Mail comments to: The Secretary of the Commission, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Attention: 
Docketing and Service Branch. Comments electronically transmitted 
through the BBS will automatically be forwarded to the Secretary of the 
Commission.
    Deliver comments to: 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland, 
between 7:45 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. Federal workdays.
    Examine copies of comments received at: The NRC Public Document 
Room, 2120 L Street NW. (Lower Level), Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James C. Malaro, Office of Nuclear 
Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555, telephone (301) 492-3764. FAX (301) 492-3866.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission's enhanced participatory 
approach for this rulemaking was described in the notice of workshops 
published on December 11, 1992 (57 FR 58727). The Commission believes 
it is desirable to provide for early and comprehensive input from 
affected interests on important public health and safety issues, such 
as the development of radiological criteria for decommissioning.
    The Commission obtained comments on the scope, issues and 
approaches that must be addressed in establishing the radiological 
criteria for decommissioning through a series of workshops (57 FR 
58727; December 11, 1992), generic environmental impact statement 
(GEIS) scoping meetings (58 FR 33570; June 18, 1993), a dedicated 
electronic bulletin board system (BBS) (58 FR 37760; July 13, 1993) and 
written submissions. A summary of these early comments received on this 
rulemaking, NUREG/CR-6156, and a copy of the staff's draft rule have 
been provided to NRC Agreement States, workshop participants, and other 
interested parties upon publication of this notice of availability. 
Interested parties may obtain single copies of NUREG/CR-6156 and the 
staff's draft rule by any of the three following methods:
    1. Downloading the files from the BBS;
    2. Requesting a copy from Ms. Roberta Gordon, Mail Stop NLS/139, 
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, telephone 
(301) 492-3746; FAX (301) 492-3866; or
    3. Inspection and/or copying for a fee in the NRC Public Document 
Room, 2120 L Street, NW. (Lower Level), Washington, DC.
    Copies of NUREG/CR-6156 may be purchased from the Superintendent of 
Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, P.O. Box 37082, Washington, 
DC 20013-7082. Copies are also available from the National Technical 
Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161. A 
copy is also available for inspection and/or copying for a fee in the 
NRC Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW. (Lower Level), Washington, 
DC.
    The Commission will accept comments on the NUREG/CR-6156 and the 
staff's draft rule in electronic format through the BBS or in written 
format. Comments may be submitted electronically, in either ASCII text 
or Wordperfect format, by calling the NRC enhanced participatory 
rulemaking electronic bulletin board at (800) 880-6091. The bulletin 
board can be accessed using generally available communications 
software, with communication protocol setting of no parity, 8 data 
bits, 1 stop bit (N,8,1) and ANSI or VT-100 terminal emulation. 
Background documents on the rulemakings are also available for 
downloading and viewing on the bulletin board. For more information 
call Ms. Christine Daily, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, telephone (301) 
492-3999; FAX (301) 492-3866.
    The NRC staff has considered the comments received in the 
development of the staff's draft rule. The availability of the staff's 
draft rule provides yet another opportunity for public comment early in 
this rulemaking.
    The normal process for conducting Commission rulemakings is the 
following sequence: NRC staff development of a draft proposed rule for 
Commission review and approval; publication of the proposed rule for 
public comment; consideration of the comments by the NRC staff; and 
preparation of a draft final rule for Commission approval. In this 
enhanced participatory rulemaking, not only have comments been 
solicited before the NRC staff prepared the draft proposed rule and the 
NRC staff discussed the issues with affected interests at public 
meetings, but an additional opportunity for public comment is being 
solicited during the preparation of the draft proposed rule. The 
preliminary views expressed in the staff's draft rule may change in 
light of comments received. In any case, there will be an opportunity 
for additional public comment in connection with any proposed rule that 
may be developed by the Commission. After the Commission review and 
approval of the draft proposed rule that is developed using the 
comments provided, the general process of issuing the proposed rule for 
public comment, NRC staff evaluation of comments, and preparation of a 
draft final rule for Commission approval, will occur.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 27th day of January, 1994.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Bill M. Morris,
Director, Division of Regulatory Applications, Office of Nuclear 
Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. 94-2367 Filed 2-1-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P