[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 241 (Tuesday, December 16, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65821-65823]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-32760]


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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, 
KY

    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

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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: August 29, 1997.
    Brief description of amendment: The amendment proposes to revise 
the Technical Safety Requirements (TSRs) for the uranium hexafluoride 
release detection systems located in Zones 1 and 4 of Building C-360. 
The revision is to include operability and surveillance requirements 
for additional valves that are required to close upon C-360 Zone 1 or 4 
uranium hexafluoride detection.

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 establish limiting conditions for operation 
and associated surveillance requirements to demonstrate the operability 
of containment isolation valves. The change has no effect on the 
generation or disposition of effluents. Therefore, the proposed TSR 
modifications will not result in a change to the types or amount of 
effluents that may be released offsite.
    2. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant increase 
in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure.
    The proposed changes will not significantly increase any exposure 
to radiation. Therefore, the changes will not result in a significant 
increase in individual or cumulative radiation exposure.
    3. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant 
construction impact.
    The proposed changes will not result in any construction, only 
procedure modification, 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.
    Accidents of concern involve the release of uranium hexafluoride in 
the C-360 laboratory area (Zone 1) and the basement transfer room (Zone 
4). The proposed TSR changes ensure that the TSRs adequately address 
the current plant configuration by establishing limiting conditions for 
operation and associated surveillance requirements to demonstrate the 
operability of containment isolation valves. These changes will enhance 
the overall plant safety. The changes will not increase the probability 
of occurrence or consequence of any postulated accident currently 
identified in the safety analysis report.
    5. The proposed amendment will not result in the possibility of a 
new or different kind of accident.
    The proposed TSR modifications are necessary to reflect the fact 
that multiple valves on the autoclave transfer and sampling piping will 
isolate upon detection of uranium hexafluoride. The current TSR does 
not reflect recent modifications requiring closure of at least two 
isolation valves on each transfer/sampling pathway. The proposed 
changes will not create the possibility of a different type of 
equipment malfunction or a different type of accident.
    6. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant 
reduction in any margin of safety.
    The proposed changes to the TSRs ensure that the TSRs adequately 
address the current plant configuration by establishing limiting 
conditions for operation and associated surveillance requirements to 
demonstrate the operability of containment isolation valves that are 
required to close upon detection of uranium hexafluoride. 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,

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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 30 days after being signed by the Director, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
    Certificate of Compliance No. GDP-1: Amendment will revise TSR 
2.1.4.1 and 2.1.4.2a to establish operability and surveillance 
requirements for additional valves required to close upon C-360 Zone 1 
or 4 uranium hexafluoride detection.
    Local Public Document Room location: Paducah Public Library, 555 
Washington Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42003.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 8th day of December 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Carl J. Paperiello,
Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 97-32760 Filed 12-15-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P