[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 125 (Monday, June 30, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35240-35241]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-16996]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Consolidated Guidance About Materials Licenses: Program-Specific 
Guidance About Portable Gauge Licenses, Availability of NUREG

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is announcing the completion 
and availability of NUREG-1556, Vol. 1. ``Consolidated Guidance about 
Materials Licenses: Program-Specific Guidance about Portable Gauge 
Licenses,'' dated May 1997.

ADDRESSES: Copies of NUREG-1556, Vol. 1, may be obtained by writing to 
the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, P. O. 
Box 37082, Washington, DC 20402-9328. Copies are also available from 
the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, 
Springfield, Virginia 22161. A copy of the document 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 20555-0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Patricia C. Vacca, Mail Stop TWFN 
8-F5, Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, Office of 
Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555. Telephone: 301-415-7908.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 3, 1996 (61 FR 51729), NRC 
announced the availability of draft NUREG-1556, Volume 1, 
``Consolidated Guidance about Materials Licenses: Program-Specific 
Guidance about Portable Gauge Licenses,'' dated September 1996 and 
requested comments on it. This draft NUREG report is the first program-
specific guidance developed to support an improved materials licensing 
process. On December 6, 1996 (61 FR 64768), NRC requested volunteers to 
participate in a January 1997 pilot test to evaluate the document's 
content, format, and usefulness. Most of the public comments and those 
of the participants in the pilot test were positive. The NRC staff 
considered all of the comments, including constructive suggestions to 
improve the document, in the preparation of the final NUREG report.
    The final version of NUREG-1556, Volume 1, is now available for use 
by applicants, licensees, NRC license reviewers, and other NRC staff. 
It supersedes the guidance for applicants and licensees previously 
found in Draft Regulatory Guide DG-0008, ``Applications for the Use of 
Sealed Sources in Portable Gauging Devices,'' dated May 1995, and the 
guidance for licensing staff now found in Policy and Guidance Directive 
PG 2-07, ``Standard Review Plan for Applications for the Use of Sealed 
Sources in Portable Gauging Devices,'' dated September 1994.
    The performance-based approach in NUREG-1556, Volume 1, gives 
portable gauge licensees greater flexibility than previously permitted 
under licenses based on applications prepared according to DG-0008. 
This permits licensees to make more changes in their radiation safety 
program without amending their licenses, thus reducing the regulatory 
burden on licensees and the NRC staff. Accordingly, existing portable 
gauge licensees have the option of submitting a complete application 
using NUREG-1556, Vol. 1, at the time they file an amendment request. 
Portable gauge licensees choosing this option should incorporate the 
requested change into the complete application, submit it with the 
appropriate amendment fee, and indicate that the complete application 
is an amendment request to take advantage of the new guidance. When the 
NRC staff has reviewed the request and resolved any outstanding issues, 
the NRC staff will amend the license in its entirety without changing 
the expiration date.
    Portable gauge licensees wishing to renew their licenses should 
submit a complete application according to NUREG-1556, Vol. 1. The NRC 
staff's action will be similar to that described for amendments, but 
will include an extension of the license's expiration date. By 
following this procedure, the staff expects all existing portable gauge 
licenses to be converted to the more performance-based format within a 
few years.

Electronic Access

    NUREG-1556, Volume 1, is also available electronically by visiting

[[Page 35241]]

NRC's Home Page (http://www.nrc.gov) and choosing ``Nuclear 
Materials,'' then ``Business Process Redesign project,'' then 
``Library,'' and then ``NUREG-1556, Volume 1.''

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    In accordance with the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Act of 
1996, the NRC has determined that this action is not a major rule and 
has verified this determination with the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 24th day of June, 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Donald A. Cool,
Director, Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 97-16996 Filed 6-27-97; 8:45 am]
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