[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 173 (Monday, September 8, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 47272-47273]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-23598]



  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 173 / Monday, September 8, 1997 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 47272]]



NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

10 CFR Part 50

RIN 3150-AF75


Definition of Safety-Related Structures, Systems, and Components; 
Technical Amendment

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is amending its regulations 
to correct an error in the language of several sections in the 
regulations governing nuclear power plant licensing that define the 
term, ``safety-related structures, systems, and components.'' These 
definitions are inconsistent with the definition in regulations 
applicable to the siting of nuclear power plants and the Commission's 
longstanding practice and interpretation of that term.

DATES: Comments on the proposed rule must be received on or before 
October 8, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Mail comments to: Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and 
Adjudications Staff. Hand deliver comments to 11555 Rockville Pike, 
Maryland, between 7:30 am and 4:15 pm on Federal workdays.
    For information on submitting comments electronically, see the 
discussion under Electronic Access in the Supplementary Information 
Section.
    Copies of any comments received may be examined at the NRC Public 
Document Room, 2120 L Street NW (Lower Level), Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Geary S. Mizuno, Office of General 
Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, 
telephone (301) 415-1639; e-mail [email protected], or Clark Prichard, Office 
of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone (301) 415-6203; e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For additional information, see the 
direct final rule published in the Rules and Regulations Section of 
this Federal Register.

Procedural Background

    Because the NRC considers these amendments to be of a corrective 
nature, do not involve any change in existing policy or otherwise 
constitute a new policy, clarify the original intent of the Commission 
and therefore can be considered to be interpretive, the proposed rule 
is being published concurrently as a direct final rule. The direct 
final rule will become effective on November 7, 1997. However, if the 
NRC receives significant adverse comments on the direct final rule by 
October 8, 1997, the NRC will publish a document that withdraws the 
direct final rule. If the direct final rule is withdrawn, the NRC will 
address the comments received in response to the proposed revisions in 
a subsequent final rule. The NRC will not initiate a second comment 
period on this action in the event the direct final rule is withdrawn.

Electronic Access

    Comments may be submitted electronically, in either ASCII text or 
Word Perfect format (version 5.1), by calling the NRC Electronic 
Bulletin Board on FedWorld or connecting to the NRC interactive 
rulemaking web site, ``Rulemaking Forum.'' The bulletin board may be 
accessed using a personal computer, a modem, and one of the commonly 
available communications software packages, or directly via Internet. 
Background documents on the rulemaking are also available for 
downloading and viewing on the bulletin board.
    If using a personal computer and modem, the NRC subsystem on 
FedWorld can be accessed directly by dialing the toll-free number: 1-
800-303-9672. Communications software parameters should be set as 
follows: parity to none, data bits to 8, and stop bits to 1 (N,8,1). 
Using ANSI or VT-100 terminal emulation, the NRC rulemaking subsystems 
can then be accessed by selecting the ``Rules Menu'' option from the 
``NRC Main Menu.'' For further information about options available for 
NRC at FedWorld, consult the ``Help/Information Center'' from the ``NRC 
Main Menu.'' Users will find the ``FedWorld Online User's Guides'' 
particularly helpful. Many NRC subsystems and databases also have a 
``Help/Information Center'' option that is tailored to the particular 
subsystem.
    The NRC subsystem on FedWorld can also be accessed by a direct-dial 
phone number for the main FedWorld BBS: 703-321-3339; Telnet via 
Internet: fedworld.gov (192.239.93.3); File Transfer Protocol (FTP) via 
Internet:ftp:fedworld.gov (192.239.92.205); and World Wide Web using: 
http://www.fedworld.gov (this is the Uniform Resource Locator (URL)).
    If using a method other than the toll-free number to contact 
FedWorld, access the NRC subsystem from the main FedWorld menu by 
selecting ``F--Regulatory, Government Administration and State 
Systems,'' then selecting ``A--Regulatory Information Mall.'' At that 
point, a menu will be displayed that has an option ``A--U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission'' that will take you to the NRC Online Main Menu. 
You can also go directly to the NRC Online area by typing ``/go nrc'' 
at a FedWorld command line. If you access NRC from FedWorld's Main 
Menu, then you may return to FedWorld by selecting the ``Return to 
FedWorld'' option from the NRC Online Main Menu. However, if you access 
NRC at FedWorld by using NRC's toll-free number, then you will have 
full access to all NRC systems, but you will not have access to the 
main FedWorld system.
    If you contact FedWorld using Telnet, you will see the NRC area and 
menus, including the Rules menu. Although you will be able to download 
documents and leave messages, you will not be able to write comments or 
upload files (comments). If you contact FedWorld using FTP, all files 
can be accessed and downloaded but uploads are not allowed; all you 
will see is a list of files without descriptions (normal Gopher look). 
An index file listing all files within a subdirectory, with 
descriptions, is included. There is a 15-minute time limit for FTP 
access.
    Although FedWorld can be accessed through the World Wide Web, like 
FTP that mode only provides access for downloading files and does not 
display the NRC Rules menu.
    You may also access the NRC's interactive rulemaking web site 
through the NRC home page (http://www.nrc.gov). This site provides the 
same access as the FedWorld bulletin board, including the facility to 
upload comments as files (any format), if your web browser supports 
that function.
    For more information on NRC bulletin boards, call Mr. Arthur Davis, 
Systems Integration and Development Branch, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Telephone: 301-415-5780; e-mail: AXD[email protected]. For 
information about the interactive rulemaking site, contact Ms. Carol 
Gallagher, (301) 415-6215; e-mail [email protected].

List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 50

    Antitrust, Classified information, Criminal penalties, Fire 
protection, Intergovernmental relations, Nuclear power plants and 
reactors, Radiation protection, Reactor siting criteria, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble and under the authority of 
the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, the Energy Reorganization 
Act of 1974, as amended, and 5 U.S.C. 553, the NRC

[[Page 47273]]

proposes to adopt the following amendments to 10 CFR Part 50.

PART 50--DOMESTIC LICENSING OF PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION 
FACILITIES

    1. The authority citation for Part 50 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: Secs. 102, 103, 104, 105, 161, 182, 183, 186, 189, 68 
Stat. 936, 937, 938, 948, 953, 954, 955, 956, as amended, sec. 234, 
83 Stat. 1244, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2132, 2133, 2134, 2135, 2201, 
2232, 2233, 2236, 2239, 2282); secs. 201, as amended, 202, 206, 88 
Stat. 1242, as amended, 1244, 1246 (42 U.S.C. 5841, 5842, 5846).
    Section 50.7 also issued under Pub. L. 95-601, sec. 10, 92 Stat. 
2951 (42 U.S.C. 5851). Section 50.10 also issued under secs. 101, 
185, 68 Stat. 955 as amended (42 U.S.C. 2131, 2235), sec. 102, Pub. 
L. 91-190, 83 Stat. 853 (42 U.S.C. 4332). Sections 50.13, and 
50.54(dd), and 50.103 also issued under sec. 108, 68 Stat. 939, as 
amended (42 U.S.C. 2138). Sections 50.23, 50.35, 50.55, and 50.56 
also issued under sec. 185, 68 Stat. 955 (42 U.S.C. 2235). Sections 
50.33a, 50.55a and Appendix Q also issued under sec. 102, Pub. L. 
91-190, 83 Stat. 853 (42 U.S.C. 4332). Sections 50.34 and 50.54 also 
issued under sec. 204, 88 Stat. 1245 (42 U.S.C. 5844). Sections 
50.58, 50.91, and 50.92 also issued under Pub. L. 97-415, 96 Stat. 
2073 (42 U.S.C. 2239). Section 50.78 also issued under sec. 122, 68 
Stat. 939 (42 U.S.C. 2152). Sections 50.80-50.81 also issued under 
sec. 184, 68 Stat. 954, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2234). Appendix F also 
issued under sec. 187, 68 Stat. 955 (42 U.S.C. 2237).

    2. In Sec. 50.2, the definition of safety-related structures, 
systems, and components is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 50.2  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Safety-related structures, systems, and components means those 
structures, systems, and components that are relied upon to remain 
functional during and following design basis events to assure:
    (1) The integrity of the reactor coolant pressure boundary;
    (2) The capability to shut down the reactor and maintain it in a 
safe shutdown condition; or
    (3) The capability to prevent or mitigate the consequences of 
accidents which could result in potential offsite exposures comparable 
to the applicable guideline exposures set forth in Sec. 50.34(a)(1) or 
Sec. 100.11 of this chapter, as applicable.
* * * * *
    3. In Sec. 50.49, paragraph (b)(1)(i)(B) is revised to read as 
follows:


Sec. 50.49  Environmental qualification of electric equipment important 
to safety for nuclear power plants.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (i) * * *
    (B) The capability to shut down the reactor and maintain it in a 
safe shutdown condition; or
* * * * *
    4. In Sec. 50.65, paragraph (b)(1) is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 50.65  Requirements for monitoring the effectiveness of 
maintenance at nuclear power plants.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (1) Safety-related structures, systems, and components that are 
relied upon to remain functional during and following design basis 
events to ensure the integrity of the reactor coolant pressure 
boundary, the capability to shut down the reactor and maintain it in a 
safe shutdown condition, or the capability to prevent or mitigate the 
consequences of accidents that could result in potential offsite 
exposure comparable to the guidelines in Sec. 50.34(a)(1) or 
Sec. 100.11 of this chapter, as applicable.
* * * * *
    Dated at Rockville, MD, this 5th day of August 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
L. Joseph Callan,
Executive Director for Operations.
[FR Doc. 97-23598 Filed 9-5-97; 8:45 am]
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