[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 17, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26466-26467]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12102]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Elimination of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Topical Report Review 
Program

agency: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

action: Notice of elimination of program.

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summary: This notice is in reference to low-level radioactive waste 
(LLW) topical reports (TRs) submitted in support of the implementation 
of 10 CFR Part 61, or compatible Agreement State regulations. The U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Division of Waste Management (DWM) is 
currently responsible for the Federal review of these TRs. However, due 
to higher priorities and limited staff availability, DWM has decided to 
terminate its LLW TR review program.

addresses: Documents referred to in this notice may be examined at the 
Commission's Public Document Room, 1717 H Street, NW., Washington, DC. 
Copies of technical positions and topical report review procedures may 
be obtained from the Division of Waste Management, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555, or by calling the contact listed below.

for further information contact: Robert J. Lewis, Engineering and 
Geosciences Branch, Division of Waste Management, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555; telephone (301) 415-6680.

supplementary information: To help ensure a cost effective and orderly 
implementation of 10 CFR Part 61, and since many licensees utilize 
similar services from the same firm, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission issued a Federal Register notice (48 FR 40512) encouraging 
these firms to submit, for NRC review, generic topical reports on these 
services.
    To meet 10 CFR 20.2006(d), 10 CFR 61.55, and 10 CFR 61.56, 
radioactive waste generators and disposal operators must demonstrate 
compliance with the waste classification and waste form requirements. 
One acceptable approach to satisfying these regulations is to reference 
previously reviewed and approved TRs. A TR is a document submitted by 
an industry organization (i.e., a vendor) for review by NRC or an 
Agreement State, outside of specific licensing action. LLW TRs 
typically include reports on qualification of high-integrity 
containers, solidification procedures, or computer codes designed to 
classify waste.
    The ultimate acceptability of a particular waste is subject to the 
disposal restrictions and requirements specified by the waste disposal 
facility operators and governing Agreement State regulatory agencies. 
NRC approved LLW TRs are often accepted by a State as an acceptable 
means of demonstrating compliance with the State equivalent regulations 
to 10 CFR Part 61. However, due to higher priorities and limited staff 
availability, DWM has decided to terminate the LLW TR review program. 
The number of LLW [[Page 26467]] disposal site applications currently 
under regulatory review and the number of new waste processing 
technologies do not support the need for a centralized review of 
generic LLW TRs by NRC.
    DWM is currently not accepting new LLW TRs for review. Further, TRs 
currently under review but not showing progress towards resolution of 
open issues (e.g., no vendor or NRC action in the last six months) are 
being placed into ``discontinued'' status. Existing TRs currently in a 
``discontinued'' or ``withdrawn'' status will not be reopened, nor will 
amendments or revisions to ``approved'' TRs be reviewed. In the future, 
NRC suggests that vendors contact individual disposal facility 
operators, or the regulatory agency exercising jurisdiction over that 
disposal facility, for guidance on the review and acceptance of a 
specific waste form and classification proposal, such as a topical 
report.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 11th day of May, 1995.

    For the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Michael J. Bell,
Chief, Engineering and Geosciences Branch, Division of Waste 
Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 95-12102 Filed 5-16-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M