[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 183 (Thursday, September 21, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49026-49027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-23409]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 70-7001; 70-7002]


United States Enrichment Corporation: Paducah Gaseous Diffusion 
Plant; Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant; Notice of Receipt of 
Application for Certification for the Gaseous Diffusion Plants, Notice 
of Comment Period, and Notice of Public Meetings

I. Receipt of Application and Availability of Documents

    Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
(NRC or the Commission) has received by letter dated September 15, 
1995, an application in its entirety to replace the application dated 
April 18, 1995, from the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) 
for the initial certification of the gaseous diffusion plants (GDPs) 
located near Paducah, Kentucky and Piketon, Ohio. The Energy Policy Act 
of 1992 established the USEC to operate the GDPs under lease from the 
U.S. Department of Energy, and required the NRC to establish a 
certification process and standards for the GDPs to assure protection 
of public and workers' health and safety and adequate safeguards and 
security. NRC determined that USEC's April submittal did not adequately 
address the standards NRC had established for the GDPs and therefore 
rejected the application on May 5, 1995. NRC's decision to reject the 
application was not a determination that the operations of the plants 
were unsafe. NRC originally intended to issue a certification decision 
in October 1995. However, because the original application was 
rejected, NRC now plans to issue a decision in February, 1996.
    Copies of the application for certification (except for classified 
and proprietary portions withheld in accordance with 10 CFR 2.790, 

[[Page 49027]]
``Availability of Public Records'') are available for public inspection 
and copying at the Commission's Public Document Room (PDR) in the 
Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555 and in the 
Local Public Document Rooms (LPDRs) established for these facilities. A 
copy of the application for the Paducah plant is available at the 
Paducah Public Library, 555 Washington Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42003. 
A copy of the application for the Portsmouth plant is available at the 
Portsmouth Public Library, 1220 Gallia Street, Portsmouth, Ohio 45662. 
Copies of related correspondence and staff evaluations (except for 
portions withheld in accordance with 10 CFR 2.790) will also be made 
available at these locations. A copy of the original application 
continues to be available at these public document rooms.
    The Energy Policy Act also requires USEC to submit a compliance 
plan, prepared by the Department of Energy, which addresses areas where 
the USEC facilities are not yet in compliance with NRC requirements. 
The compliance plan is expected in early November. A separate notice of 
its availability and comment period will be issued when it is received.

II. Notice of Comment Period

    Any interested party may submit written comments on the September 
application for certification for either the Paducah plant or the 
Portsmouth plant for consideration by the staff. To be certain of 
consideration, comments must be received by November 6, 1995. Comments 
received after the due 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. Written comments on the 
application should be mailed to the Chief, Rules Review and Directives 
Branch, Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, D.C. 20555 or hand delivered to 11545 Rockville Pike, 
Rockville, MD 20852 between 7:45 am and 4:15 pm Federal workdays. 
Comments should be legible and reproducible, and include the name, 
affiliation (if any), and address of the commenter. All comments 
received by the Commission will be made available for public inspection 
at the Commission's Public Document Room located in Washington, DC and 
the Local Public Document Rooms located in Paducah, Kentucky and 
Portsmouth, Ohio. In accordance with 10 CFR 76.62 and 76.64, a member 
of the public must submit written comments or provide oral comments at 
a public meeting described below to petition the Commission requesting 
review of the Director's decision on certification.

III. Notice of Public Meetings

    The NRC will hold two meetings concerning the application for 
certification for the Portsmouth and Paducah GDPs. These meetings are 
being held to solicit public input on the initial certification of 
these facilities. The meeting on the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant 
will be held at the Paducah Information Age Park Resource Center, 200 
McCracken Boulevard in Paducah, Kentucky on December 5, 1995, 7 pm. The 
meeting on the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant will be held at the 
Vern Riffe Joint Vocational School, 23365 State Rt. 124 in Piketon, 
Ohio on November 28, 1995, 7 pm.
    In order to allow a maximum number of speakers, statements by the 
public will be limited to 5 minutes per individual. Those interested in 
speaking at the meetings may register in advance or may register at the 
meeting. Any person interested in registering in advance may do so by 
sending a written request to Ms. Rocio Castaneira, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, T-8A33, Washington, DC 20555. The request should 
clearly state the individual's name and for which meeting the 
individual is registering. Written requests must be received by 
November 16, 1995. Speakers will be taken in the order the requests are 
received. After all pre-registered speakers have presented their 
comments, those individuals that register at the door will be taken in 
the order of sign-up. A record of the public meeting will be placed in 
the PDR and the LPDR. Written comments will also be accepted at the 
meetings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Rocio Castaneira, (301) 415-8103; 
Mr. Carl B. Sawyer, (301) 415-8174; or Ms. Merri Horn, (301) 415-8126; 
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555.

    Dated at Rockville Maryland, this 15th day of September 1995.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John W. N. Hickey,
Chief Enrichment Branch Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 95-23409 Filed 9-20-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P