[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 16, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27167-27168]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-12339]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Louisiana License Nos. LA-0577-L01; LA-7112-L01; LA-10207-L01]


Request for Exemption From 10 CFR 34.20, Performance Requirements 
for Industrial Radiography Equipment; Environmental Assessment, Finding 
of No Significant Impact, and Notice of Opportunity for a Hearing

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering authorizing 
Global X-ray & Testing Corporation, Bayou Testing Services Inc, 
Accurate NDE & Inspection L.L.C., and others an exemption to use 
pipeliner style radiography devices on lay barges in the Gulf of 
Mexico.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    Global X-ray & Testing Corporation, Morgan City, Louisiana; Bayou 
Testing Services, Inc, Amelia, Louisiana; Accurate NDE & Inspection 
L.L.C., Opelousas, Louisiana, (the applicants) are licensed by the 
State of Louisiana to conduct industrial radiography operations. They 
have requested, in letters dated July 11, 2000, August 28, 2000, and 
September 18, 2000, respectively, that the United States Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission (NRC) grant them reciprocity, and an exemption 
from 10 CFR 34.20(a)(1), to use their pipeliner type radiography 
cameras (pipeliners) for pipeline radiography, on lay barges, in areas 
under exclusive Federal jurisdiction, within the Gulf of Mexico. 
Pipeliners are older model radiography cameras that do not meet the 
requirements of 10 CFR 34.20(a)(1). These regulations require 
equipment, used in industrial radiographic operations, to meet the 
requirements in ANSI N432-1980 \1\. Each of the applicants are allowed 
to conduct similar operations in the State of Louisiana under an 
exemption granted in their state licenses, and they are requesting NRC 
exemptions under 10 CFR 150.20 ``Recognition of Agreement States 
Licenses'' (Reciprocity).
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    \1\``Radiological Safety for the Design and Construction of 
Apparatus for Gamma Radiography (ANSI N432-1980),'' (published as 
NBS Handbook 136, issued January 1981).
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Need for the Proposed Action

    The exemption is needed so that the applicants can conduct pipeline 
radiography on lay barges. The applicants contend that due to the 
design of the lay barges, and the limited space available, the 
pipeliner is the only device of its kind that will keep up with 
production rate on a lay barge, while at the same time provide a safe 
working environment for their radiographers and barge personnel.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    There will be no significant environmental impact from the proposed 
action due to the fact that no radioactive material is being released 
into the environment, and all of the radioactive material is wholly 
contained within the radiography camera, which is only used in an 
enclosed radiography stall on a lay barge.
    During normal operation the external radiation dose levels will not 
be significantly greater than an approved radiography camera's normal 
operating external radiation dose levels. Compensatory safety measures 
will be in place at all times during the operation of the pipeliner 
device.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    As required by section 102(2)(E) of NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4322(2)(E)), 
possible alternatives to the final action have been considered. The 
only alternative is to deny the exemption. This option was not 
considered practical, and there would be no gain in protecting the 
human environment. Denying the exemption request would force the 
applicants to revert to radiography cameras that are designed to meet 
ANSI N432-1980, but, according to the applicants, these cameras would 
not be easily adaptable to lay barge operations. The newer cameras 
would be similar to the pipeliners in that their radioactive material 
is housed as a sealed source and there would be no release of material 
to the environment. However, the newer cameras have associated 
equipment, such as a drive cable and guide tube, that would require 
additional space to perform radiography on pipelines. According to the 
applicant, this equipment becomes cumbersome and may get in the way as 
the pipe is moved through the lay barge. In the newer devices, the 
sealed source would have to be cranked out of the shielded position in 
the camera housing through a guide tube to the exposure head location 
where the radiograph takes place. Because this ``crank out'' action 
causes the source to be unshielded while the source is cranked out to 
the exposure head, the ``restricted area'' boundary must be increased 
and could cause a greater potential exposure to non-radiography 
personnel on the lay barge.

Alternative Use of Resources

    No alternative use of resources was considered due to the reasons 
stated above.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    The State of Louisiana was contacted by telephone on 04/18/01 
regarding this proposed action. The State of Louisiana did not object 
to the proposed action and had no additional comments.

Identification of Sources Used

    Letters from the applicants to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Region IV, Re: Global X-ray & Testing Corporation, Louisiana License 
No. LA-0577-L01, July 11, 2000; Bayou Testing Services Inc., Louisiana 
License No. LA-7112-L01, August 28, 2000; Accurate NDE & Inspection 
L.L.C., Louisiana License No. LA-10207-L01, September 18, 2000.

Finding of No Signiticant Impact

    Based on the above environmental assessment, the Commission has 
concluded that environmental impacts that would be created by the 
proposed action would not have a significant

[[Page 27168]]

effect on the quality of the human environment and does not warrant the 
preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement. Accordingly, it has 
been determined that a Finding of No Significant Impact is appropriate.
    The applicants applications are available for inspection and 
copying for a fee in the Region IV Public Document Room, 611 Ryan Plaza 
Drive, Suite 400, Arlington, TX 76011-8064. The documents may also be 
viewed in the Agency-wide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS) located on the NRC website at www.nrc.gov.

Opportunity for a Hearing

    Any person whose interest may be affected by the issuance of this 
action may file a request for a hearing. Any request for hearing must 
be filed with the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555, within 30 days of the publication of 
this notice in the Federal Register; be served on the NRC staff 
(Executive Director for Operations, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852), and on the applicants, 
Global X-ray & Testing Corporation, PO Box 1536, Morgan City, Louisiana 
70381; Bayou Testing Services Inc, PO Box 1065, Amelia, Louisiana 
70340; Accurate NDE & Inspection L.L.C., P.O. Box 1298, Opelousas, 
Louisiana 70571-1298 and must comply with the requirements for 
requesting a hearing set forth in the Commission's regulations, 10 CFR 
Part 2, Subpart L, ``Information Hearing Procedures for Adjudications 
in Materials Licensing Proceedings.''
    These requirements, which the request must address in detail, are:
    1. The interest of the requestor in the proceeding;
    2. How that interest may be affected by the results of the 
proceeding (including the reasons why the requestor should be permitted 
a hearing);
    3. The requestor's areas of concern about the licensing activity 
that is the subject matter of the proceeding; and
    4. The circumstances establishing that the request for hearing is 
timely--that is, filed within 30 days of the date of this notice.
    In addressing how the requestor's interest may be affected by the 
proceeding, the request should describe the nature of the requestor's 
right under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, to be made a 
party to the proceeding; the nature and extent of the requestor's 
property, financial, or other (i.e., health, safety) interest in the 
proceeding; and the possible effect of any order that may be entered in 
the proceeding upon the requestor's interest.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day of May, 2001.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John W.N. Hickey,
Chief, Materials Safety and Inspection Branch, Division of Industrial 
and Medical Nuclear Safety, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 01-12339 Filed 5-15-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P