[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 37 (Wednesday, February 25, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9402-9403]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-4830]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

10 CFR Parts 50 and 70

RIN 3150-AF87


Criticality Accident Requirements; Withdrawal of Direct Final 
Rule and Revocation of Regulatory Text

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Direct final rule; withdrawal.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is withdrawing a direct 
final rule that would have amended the Commission's regulations to 
provide light-water nuclear power reactor licensees with greater 
flexibility in meeting the requirement that licensees authorized to 
possess more than a small amount of special nuclear material (SNM) 
maintain a criticality monitoring system in each area where the 
material is handled, used, or stored. The NRC is taking this action 
because it has received significant adverse comments in response to an 
identical proposed rule which was concurrently published in the Federal 
Register. Because the effective date for the direct final rule has 
passed, the NRC is removing the regulatory text codified in that 
action.

EFFECTIVE DATE: February 25, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stan Turel, Office of Nuclear 
Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555. Telephone (301) 415-6234 (E-mail: [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 3, 1997 (62 FR 63825), the 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission published in the Federal Register a 
direct final rule amending its regulations to provide persons licensed 
to construct or operate light-water nuclear power reactors with the 
option of either meeting the criticality accident requirements of 
paragraph (a) of 10 CFR 70.24 in handling and storage areas for SNM, or 
electing to comply with requirements that would be incorporated into 10 
CFR part 50 at Sec. 50.68. The direct final rule was to become 
effective on February 17, 1998. The NRC also concurrently published an 
identical proposed rule on December 3, 1997 (62 FR 63911). In these 
documents, the NRC indicated that if it received significant adverse 
comments in response to this action, the NRC would withdraw the direct 
final rule and would consider the comments received as in response to 
the proposed rule and address these comments in a subsequent final 
rule. Therefore, the Commission is withdrawing the December 3, 1997, 
direct final rule. The public comments received will be addressed in a 
subsequent final rule issued in either a notice of final rulemaking or 
in a notice of withdrawal of the proposed rule.
    Because this notice of withdrawal is being published after the 
February 17, 1998, effective date for the direct final rule, the 
regulatory text presented in the December 3, 1997, direct final rule 
must be removed from the Code of Federal Regulations. Therefore, the 
provisions added to part 50 at Sec. 50.68 are removed and the text of 
Sec. 70.24(d) is being restored to the text of the paragraph that was 
in effect before the December 3, 1997, amendment to that paragraph.

[[Page 9403]]

List of Subjects

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.

10 CFR Part 70

    Criminal penalties, Hazardous materials transportation, Material 
control and accounting, Nuclear materials, Packaging and containers, 
Radiation protection, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, 
Scientific equipment, Security measures, Special nuclear material.

    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 is adopting the 
following amendments to 10 CFR parts 50 and 70.

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. 444, 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).


Sec. 50.68  [Removed]

    2. Section 50.68 is removed.

PART 70--DOMESTIC LICENSING OF SPECIAL NUCLEAR MATERIAL

    3. The authority citation for part 70 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: Secs. 51, 53, 161, 182, 183, 68 Stat. 929, 930, 948, 
953, 954, as amended, sec. 234, 83 Stat. 444, as amended, (42 U.S.C. 
2071, 2073, 2201, 2232, 2233, 2282, 2297f); secs. 201, as amended, 
202, 204, 206, 88 Stat. 1242, as amended, 1244, 1245, 1246 (42 
U.S.C. 5841, 5842, 5845, 5846). Sec. 193, 104 Stat. 2835 as amended 
by Pub. L. 104-134, 110 Stat. 1321, 1321-349 (42 U.S.C. 2243).
    Sections 70.1(c) and 70.20a(b) also issued under secs. 135, 141, 
Pub. L. 97-425, 96 Stat. 2232, 2241 (42 U.S.C. 10155, 10161). 
Section 70.7 also issued under Pub. L. 95-601, sec. 10, 92 Stat. 
2951 (42 U.S.C. 5851). Section 70.21(9) also issued under sec. 122, 
68 Stat. 939 (42 U.S.C. 2152). Section 70.31 also issued under sec. 
57d, Pub. L. 93-377, 88 Stat. 475 (42 U.S.C. 2077). Sections 70.36 
and 70.44 also issued under sec. 184, 68 Stat. 954, as amended (42 
U.S.C. 2234). Section 70.61 also issued under secs. 186, 187, 68 
Stat. 955 (42 U.S.C. 2236, 2237). Section 70.62 also issued under 
sec. 108, 68 Stat. 939, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2138).

    4. In Sec. 70.24, paragraph (d) is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 70.24  Criticality accident requirements.

* * * * *
    (d) Any licensee who believes that good cause exists why he should 
be granted an exemption in whole or in part from the requirements of 
this section may apply to the Commission for such exemption. Such 
application shall specify his reason for the relief requested.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 20th day of February, 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John C. Hoyle,
Secretary of the Commission.
[FR Doc. 98-4830 Filed 2-24-98; 8:45 am]
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