[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 146 (Monday, July 30, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 39277-39278]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-18857]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

10 CFR Part 51

RIN 3150-AD63


Environmental Review for Renewal of Nuclear Power Plant Operating 
Licenses; Correction

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Final rule: Correcting amendment.

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SUMMARY: This document contains a correction to the final regulations 
that were published in the Federal Register on June 5, 1996 (61 FR 
28467), subsequently amended on December 18, 1996 (61 FR 66537), and 
reflected in the January 1, 2001, revision of the Code of Federal 
Regulations. This action corrects the regulations by adding an 
inadvertently omitted word. This correction is necessary to provide 
clarity and consistency in the regulations.

DATES: Effective July 30, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barry Zalcman, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-2419 (e-mail: [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On June 5, 1996 (61 FR 28467), a final rule ``Environmental Review 
for Renewal of Nuclear Power Plant Operating Licenses'' was published 
in the Federal Register. The purpose of the rule was to amend the 
regulations regarding environmental protection for domestic licensing 
and related regulatory functions in 10 CFR part 51 to establish new 
requirements for the environmental review of applications to renew the 
operating licenses of nuclear power reactors. The rule was based on the 
analyses conducted and conclusions reported in NUREG-1437, ``Generic 
Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants'' 
(GEIS). The GEIS examines the environmental impacts that could occur as 
a result of renewing licenses of individual nuclear power plants under 
10 CFR part 54, assessing a total of 92 issues. The findings regarding 
each of the 92 issues are summarized in 10 CFR part 51, Appendix B to 
Subpart A, Table B-1 ``Summary Of Findings on NEPA Issues For License 
Renewal Of Nuclear Power Plants.''
    After the final rule was published, an error was discovered in 
Table B-1 in the findings for the issue entitled ``Offsite radiological 
impacts (collective effects)'' under the heading of ``Uranium Fuel 
Cycle and Waste Management.'' The findings for ``Offsite radiological 
impacts (collective effects)'' correctly state that the 100 year 
environmental dose commitment to the U.S. population from the fuel 
cycle is calculated to be 14,800 person rem for each additional 20-year 
power reactor operating term. The findings, however, appear to include 
high level waste and spent fuel disposal in the calculation. It was the 
intent of the NRC to specify that high level waste and spent fuel 
disposal were excluded from this calculation, but the word ``excepted'' 
was inadvertently

[[Page 39278]]

omitted. This intent is evident in Table B-1 as there is a separate 
finding for the issue of ``Offsite radiological impacts (spent fuel and 
high level waste disposal),'' which is the issue immediately following 
the issue under discussion, that of ``Offsite radiological impacts 
(collective effects).'' Moreover, the correct wording was included in 
the text in the Supplementary Information section of the June 5, 1996 
final rule (61FR 28478), but was inadvertently omitted from the 
findings when placed into the Table format, (61 FR 28494).

Need for Correction

    As published, the Code of Federal Regulations contain an error 
which is misleading and needs to be corrected.

List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 51

    Administrative practice and procedure, Environmental impact 
statement, Nuclear materials, Nuclear power plants and reactors, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    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. 552 and 553, the NRC is making 
the following correcting amendment to 10 CFR part 51.

PART 51--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REGULATIONS FOR DOMESTIC 
LICENSING AND RELATED REGULATORY FUNCTIONS

    1. The authority citation for Part 51 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: Sec. 161, 68 Stat. 948, as amended, sec. 1701, 106 
Stat. 2951, 2952, 2953 (42 U.S.C. 2201, 2297f); secs. 201, as 
amended, 202, 88 Stat. 1242, as amended, 1244 (42 U.S.C. 5841, 
5842). Subpart A also issued under National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969, secs. 102, 104, 105, 83 Stat. 853-854, as amended (42 
U.S.C. 4332, 4334, 4335); and Pub. L. 95-604, Title II, 92 Stat. 
3033-3041; and sec. 193, Pub. L. 101-575, 104 Stat. 2835 (42 U.S.C. 
2243). Sections 51.20, 51.30, 51.60, 51.80, and 51.97 also issued 
under secs. 135, 141, Pub. L. 97-425, 96 Stat. 2232, 2241, and sec. 
148, Pub. L. 100-203, 101 Stat. 1330-223 (42 U.S.C. 10155, 10161, 
10168). Section 51.22 also issued under sec. 274, 73 Stat. 688, as 
amended by 92 Stat. 3036-3038 (42 U.S.C. 2021) and under Nuclear 
Waste Policy Act of 1982, sec. 121, 96 Stat. 2228 (42 U.S.C. 10141). 
Sections 51.43, 51.67, and 51.109 also under Nuclear Waste Policy 
Act of 1982, sec 114(f), 96 Stat. 2216, as amended (42 U.S.C. 
10134(f)).


    2. In appendix B to subpart A to 10 CFR part 51, Table B-1, the 
first sentence of findings section for the Offsite radiological impacts 
(collective effects) issue under the Uranium Fuel Cycle and Waste 
Management section is corrected to read as follows:

Appendix B To Subpart A--Environmental Effect of Renewing the Operating 
License of a Nuclear Power Plant

* * * * *

  Table B-1.--Summary of Findings on NEPA Issues for License Renewal of
                          Nuclear Power Plants
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             Issue                  Category             Findings
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      *                  *                   *                   *
                  *                   *                   *
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                 Uranium Fuel Cycle and Waste Management
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      *                  *                   *                   *
                  *                   *                   *
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Offsite radiological impacts                  1  The 100 year
 (collective effects).                            environmental dose
                                                  commitment to the U.S.
                                                  population from the
                                                  fuel cycle, high level
                                                  waste and spent fuel
                                                  disposal excepted, is
                                                  calculated to be about
                                                  14,800 person rem, or
                                                  12 cancer fatalities,
                                                  for each additional 20-
                                                  year power reactor
                                                  operating term. * * *
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* * * * *

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 25th day of July 2001.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Michael T. Lesar,
Chief, Rules and Directives Branch, Division of Administrative 
Services, Office of Administration.
[FR Doc. 01-18857 Filed 7-27-01; 8:45 am]
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