[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 49 (Thursday, March 13, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 11938]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-6346]


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


Notice of Transition of Regulatory Authority Over the U.S. 
Enrichment Corporation Gaseous Diffusion Plants

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission assumed regulatory 
jurisdiction, from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), over the United 
States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) gaseous diffusion plants (GDPs) 
located in Paducah, Kentucky, and Piketon, Ohio, at 12:01 a.m. on March 
3, 1997.
    The President signed H.R. 776, the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (the 
Act), into law on October 24, 1992. The Act amended the Atomic Energy 
Act of 1954, to establish a new government corporation, USEC, for the 
purpose of operating the uranium enrichment enterprise owned and 
previously operated by DOE. The Act provided that NRC would promulgate 
standards that apply to USEC's operation of its GDPs, to protect public 
health and safety from radiological hazards, and to provide for the 
common defense and security. The Act directed NRC to establish and 
implement a certification process under which NRC would certify the 
GDPs for compliance with these standards. DOE agreed to retain nuclear 
safety, safeguards, and security oversight of the GDPs until NRC 
finished its certification process.
    On September 16, 1996, the Director, Office of Nuclear Material 
Safety and Safeguards (Director) signed the initial certification 
decision. Notice of this decision appeared in the Federal Register (61 
FR 49360) on September 19, 1996. The Director signed the final 
Certificates of Compliance for the GDPs on November 26, 1996. The 
Certificates of Compliance provided for a transition period before 
NRC's assuming regulatory authority, to allow USEC to complete 
necessary procedure revision and training on the NRC-approved 
application. DOE continued regulatory oversight during this transition 
period. The transition period ended at midnight on March 2, 1997. NRC 
assumed regulatory oversight at the GDPs at 12:01 a.m. (local time) on 
March 3, 1997.
    NRC has not assumed regulatory jurisdiction over the entire Paducah 
and Portsmouth reservations. DOE retains regulatory jurisdiction over 
those portions of both sites that have activities unrelated to the 
enrichment process and that are not leased by USEC. Examples of 
activities for which DOE retains responsibility are environmental 
restoration activities, cylinder storage yards that contain depleted UF 
6 generated before July 1993, and activities related to highly 
enriched uranium.
    All correspondence related to the GDPs, except for proprietary and 
classified information, is available for public inspection and copying 
at the Commission Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, 
DC 20555 it is also available at the Local Public Document Rooms, under 
Docket No. 70-7001, at the Paducah Public Library, 555 Washington 
Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42003; and under Docket No. 70-7002, at the 
Portsmouth Public Library, 1220 Gallia Street, Portsmouth, Ohio 45662.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 3rd day of March 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Carl J. Paperiello,
Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 97-6346 Filed 3-12-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P