[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 142 (Thursday, July 24, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39880-39881]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-19488]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket 70-7001]


Notice of Amendment to Certificate of Compliance GDP-1 for the 
U.S. Enrichment Corporation, Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Paducah, 
Kentucky

    The Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, has 
made a determination that the following amendment request is not 
significant in accordance with 10 CFR 76.45. In making that 
determination, the staff concluded that: (1) There is no change in the 
types or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may 
be released offsite; (2) there is no significant increase in individual 
or cumulative occupational radiation exposure; (3) there is no 
significant construction impact; (4) there is no significant increase 
in the potential for, or radiological or chemical consequences from, 
previously analyzed accidents; (5) the proposed changes do not result 
in the possibility of a new or different kind of accident; (6) there is 
no significant reduction in any margin of safety; and (7) the proposed 
changes will not result in an overall decrease in the effectiveness of 
the plant's safety, safeguards or security programs. The basis for this 
determination for the amendment request is shown below.
    The NRC staff has reviewed the certificate amendment application 
and concluded that it provides reasonable assurance of adequate safety, 
safeguards, and security, and compliance with NRC requirements. 
Therefore, the Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards, is prepared to issue an amendment to the Certificate of 
Compliance for the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The staff has 
prepared a Compliance Evaluation Report which provides details of the 
staff's evaluation.
    The NRC staff has determined that this amendment satisfies the 
criteria for a categorical exclusion in accordance with 10 CFR 51.22. 
Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact 
statement or environmental assessment need be prepared for this 
amendment.
    USEC or any person whose interest may be affected may file a 
petition, not exceeding 30 pages, requesting review of the Director's 
Decision. The petition must be filed with the Commission not later than 
15 days after publication of this Federal Register Notice. A petition 
for review of the Director's Decision shall set forth with 
particularity the interest of the petitioner and how that interest may 
be affected by the results of the decision. The petition should 
specifically explain the reasons why review of the Decision should be 
permitted with particular reference to the following factors: (1) The 
interest of the petitioner; (2) how that interest may be affected by 
the Decision, including the reasons why the petitioner should be 
permitted a review of the Decision; and (3) the petitioner's areas of 
concern about the activity that is the subject matter of the Decision. 
Any person described in this paragraph (USEC or any person who filed a 
petition) may file a response to any petition for review, not to exceed 
30 pages, within 10 days after filing of the petition. If no petition 
is received within the designated 15-day period, the Director will 
issue the final amendment to the Certificate of Compliance without 
further delay. If a petition for review is received, the decision on 
the amendment application will become final in 60 days, unless the 
Commission grants the petition for review or otherwise acts within 60 
days after publication of this Federal Register Notice.
    A petition for review must be filed with the Secretary, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: 
Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff, or may be delivered to the 
Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, 
NW., Washington, DC, by the above date.
    For further details with respect to the action see (1) the 
application for amendment and (2) the Commission's Compliance 
Evaluation Report. These items are available for public inspection at 
the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L 
Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the Local Public Document Room.
    Date of amendment request: October 31, 1996, revised February 14, 
and June 16, 1997.
    Brief description of amendment: The amendment proposes a new 
Technical Safety Requirement for the autoclave manual isolation system 
in the feed facilities and makes the system a Q system under the 
quality assurance program.
    Basis for finding of no significance:
    1. The proposed amendment will not result in a change in the types 
or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be 
released offsite.
    TSR 2.4.4.13 is a new TSR to cover the autoclave manual isolation 
system installed for the feed facilities. This system provides a remote 
method of simultaneously isolating all the autoclaves in the facility 
in the event of an observed release of uranium hexafluoride from piping 
outside the autoclave. This new system enhances the operators ability 
to isolate the feed autoclaves in the event of a leak. As such, these 
changes have no impact on plant effluents and will not result in any 
impact to the environment.
    2. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant increase 
in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure.
    The proposed changes provide an enhanced ability to isolate the 
autoclaves in the event of a leak, thereby mitigating the consequences 
of a postulated accident. The changes will not increase exposure.
    3. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant 
construction impact.
    The proposed changes will not result in any building construction, 
therefore, there will be no construction impacts.
    4. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant increase 
in the potential for, or radiological or chemical consequences from, 
previously analyzed accidents.
    The proposed changes enhance the operator's ability to isolate the 
feed autoclaves in the event of a leak in the piping outside the 
autoclave and affect no other equipment functions. The autoclave manual 
isolation system is not involved in any precursor to an evaluated 
accident; therefore, the potential of occurrence of an evaluated event 
is unaffected. The consequences

[[Page 39881]]

of previously evaluated accidents are not increased.
    5. The proposed amendment will not result in the possibility of a 
new or different kind of accident.
    The manual isolation system permits the simultaneous isolation of 
all the autoclaves in the affected facility. Autoclave isolation was 
previously performed individually. The changes affect the timing of 
autoclave isolation and create no new operating conditions or new plant 
configuration that could lead to a new or different type of accident.
    6. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant 
reduction in any margin of safety.
    The autoclave manual isolation system enhances the ability to 
isolate the feed autoclave in the event of a leak. The proposed changes 
cause no reductions in the margins of safety.
    7. The proposed amendment will not result in an overall decrease in 
the effectiveness of the plant's safety, safeguards, or security 
programs.
    The proposed changes enhance the ability to isolate the feed 
autoclaves in the event of a leak. The changes do not affect any other 
equipment functions or administrative requirements. The cell trip 
function is not addressed in the safeguards and security programs. The 
effectiveness of the safety, safeguards, and security programs is not 
decreased.
    Effective date: This amendment to Certificate of Compliance GDP-1 
becomes effective 60 days after being signed by the Director, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
    Certificate of Compliance No. GDP-1: Amendment will incorporate a 
new Technical Safety Requirement and safety analysis report changes.
    Local Public Document Room location: Paducah Public Library, 555 
Washington Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42003.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this day of 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Carl J. Paperiello,
Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 97-19488 Filed 7-23-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P