[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 42 (Thursday, March 4, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 10405]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5336]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

10 CFR Part 63


Public Meetings on Proposed Licensing Criteria for the Disposal 
of High-Level Radioactive Wastes in a Proposed Geologic Repository at 
Yucca Mountain, Nevada

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently proposed 
licensing criteria for disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level 
radioactive wastes in the proposed geologic repository at Yucca 
Mountain, Nevada. The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA) gives the 
NRC regulatory responsibility and the Department of Energy (DOE) 
operational responsibility for high-level waste disposal. The proposed 
regulations would establish the criteria and standards against which 
NRC will evaluate a DOE license application for the Yucca Mountain 
site. The proposed criteria will apply specifically and exclusively to 
the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain. The proposed requirements 
are designed to implement a health-based, safety objective for long-
term repository performance that is fully protective of public health 
and safety, and the environment, and is consistent with national and 
international recommendations for radiation protection standards.
    The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on February 
22, 1999 (64 FR 8640), for a 75-day comment period. The following 
meetings have been scheduled in the State of Nevada to: (1) Engage the 
public in a discussion of the proposed rule; (2) outline the roles and 
responsibilities of government and the public in the licensing process; 
and (3) ensure that the process for developing the final rule gives 
full consideration to the views and concerns of the public. Copies of 
the proposed rule will be available at the public meeting and can also 
be obtained from Judy Goodwin, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001.
    The meetings will open with an NRC presentation on the proposed 
rule, followed by comments from DOE and the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (invited). The public discussion will begin with a 
panel of representatives of the major interests affected by the 
proposed regulations, including local county governments, the State of 
Nevada, Native American tribes, the Nevada Nuclear Waste Task Force, 
and the Nuclear Waste Study Committee. The meetings will be facilitated 
by Francis X. Cameron, Special Counsel for Public Liaison, of the NRC.

DATES: The first public meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 23, 
1999, from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm. The second public meeting will be held 
on Thursday, March 25, 1999, fron 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm.

ADDRESSES: The first meeting will be held at the Richard Tam Alumni 
Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada. The second 
meeting will be held at the Beatty Community Center in Beatty, Nevada.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Francis X. Cameron, Special Counsel 
for Public Liaison, Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, or by telephone: 
(301) 415-1642, or by e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Members of the public who are unable to 
attend the meeting are invited to send written comments on the proposed 
rule to Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff. Comments 
may be hand-delivered to 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 
between 7:30 am and 4:15 pm on Federal workdays. Comments may also be 
provided via the NRC's interactive rulemaking web site through the NRC 
home page (http://www.nrc.gov). This site provides the availability to 
upload comments as files (any format), if your web browser supports 
that function. For information about the interactive rulemaking site, 
contact Ms. Carol Gallagher by telephone: (301) 415-5905, or by e-mail: 
[email protected].

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 26th day of February, 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John T. Greeves,
Director, Division of Waste Management, Office of Nuclear Material 
Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 99-5336 Filed 3-3-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P