[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 181 (Friday, September 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49933-49934]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25065]


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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, 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: May 27, 1998.
    Brief description of amendment: The amendment proposes to revise 
Technical Safety Requirement (TSR) 2.6.4.1 to reflect the addition of 
new, permanent criticality accident alarm system (CAAS) clusters in 
Building C-710. The amendment will also remove four buildings from the 
facility listing requiring CAAS coverage because the buildings do not 
contain fissile material.

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 to the TSR will have 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 to the TSR to reflect CAAS coverage for C-710 
and to remove buildings that do not contain fissile material from the 
listing requiring

[[Page 49934]]

CAAS coverage will not 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 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 to TSR 2.6.4.1 will add the newly installed 
CAAS clusters in C-710 to the TSR so that the TSR will reflect the 
modified plant configuration. The changes also reflect the removal of 
four buildings from the listing of buildings required to have CAAS. 
These four buildings do not contain fissile material; therefore, a 
criticality accident cannot occur in the facilities and CAAS coverage 
is not required. CAAS is utilized to mitigate the consequences of 
criticality accidents by alerting personnel of the need to evacuate. 
The addition/deletion of CAAS has no impact on the potential for or 
occurrence of an accident. These changes will not increase the 
potential for, or radiological or chemical consequences from, 
previously identified accidents.
    5. The proposed amendment will not result in the possibility of a 
new or different kind of accident.
    The proposed TSR modifications add CAAS clusters and remove 
buildings from the list of buildings requiring CAAS coverage. The new 
CAAS in C-710 uses the same components and operational methodology as 
the existing system components. The new clusters improve detection 
coverage of the system. The proposed changes will not create the 
possibility of a new or different type of equipment malfunction or a 
new or 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 TSR reflect an upgrade in the CAAS 
system for C-710 and reflect the buildings that are required to have 
CAAS coverage. The removal of the four buildings that do not contain 
fissile material from the list will not alter the margin of safety. 
Therefore, 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 TSR 
2.6.4.1 to reflect the newly installed CAAS clusters in C-710. Four 
buildings that do not contain fissile material will also be removed 
from the listing of areas required to have CAAS detection ability.
    Local Public Document Room location: Paducah Public Library, 555 
Washington Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42003.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day of September 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Carl J. Paperiello,
Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 98-25065 Filed 9-17-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P