[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 184 (Tuesday, September 23, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49709-49710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-25212]


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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 Nuclear Regulatory Commission 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.
    U.S. Enrichment Corporation (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

[[Page 49710]]

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: April 14, 1997, as revised June 13, June 
23, and August 18, 1997.
    Brief description of amendment: The amendment proposes to revise 
the Technical Safety Requirement (TSR) on the cell trip function to 
provide clarification of battery cell parameters, to provide for 
alternate means of verifying functionality of the cascade cell trip 
circuit, and to provide a definition of planned and unplanned cell 
shutdown.
    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.
    The proposed changes will provide an alternative surveillance test 
to verify the functionality of the cascade cell trip circuit and will 
provide clarification for battery cell parameters. There are no 
effluent releases associated with this change, the proposed changes 
will not affect the effluent.
    2. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant increase 
in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure.
    The proposed changes do not relate to controls used to minimize 
occupational radiation exposures, therefore, 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 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 provide for the clarification of battery 
parameters and ability to test cell trip function by a second method. 
This surveillance method can be performed on cells that are shutdown, 
providing a means to meet the surveillance requirements and restart the 
shutdown cell. The test is functionally equivalent to the surveillance 
currently specified in the TSR. The proposed changes do not represent 
an increase in the potential for, or radiological or chemical 
consequences from, previously evaluated accidents.
    5. The proposed amendment will not result in the possibility of a 
new or different kind of accident.
    The proposed changes to the TSR do not result in any situation 
whereby components are not capable of performing the required safety 
functions. The proposed changes would not create 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.
    Although the timing of the surveillance for testing cell trip 
function is modified by addition of the alternative test, system 
operability is still ensured before the cell is restarted. The other 
changes to the TSR do not result in any situation whereby the 
components are not capable of performing the required safety function. 
These changes do not decrease 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.
    Implementation of the proposed changes do not change the safety, 
safeguards, or security programs. Therefore, the effectiveness of the 
safety, safeguards, and security programs is not decreased.
    Effective date: The amendment to Certificate of Compliance GDP-1 
becomes effective 15 days after being signed by the Director, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
    Certificate of Compliance No. GDP-1: Amendment will revise the 
Technical Safety Requirement for the cell trip function.
    Local Public Document Room location: Paducah Public Library, 555 
Washington Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42003.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 15th day of September 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Carl J. Paperiello,
Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 97-25212 Filed 9-22-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P