[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 5, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5347-5348]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-2735]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NUREG-1569]


Solicitation of Comments on a Draft Standard Review Plan (NUREG-
1569) for Staff Reviews for in Situ Leach Uranium Extraction License 
Applications

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of availability; Opportunity for comment.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is soliciting 
comments from interested parties on a Draft Standard Review Plan 
(NUREG-1569) which provides guidance for staff safety and environmental 
reviews of applications to develop and operate uranium in situ leach 
facilities. An NRC Materials License is required, under the provisions 
of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 40 (10 CFR part 
40), Domestic Licensing of Source Material, in conjunction with uranium 
extraction by in situ leach extraction techniques.
    The applicant for a license is required to provided detailed 
information on the facilities, equipment, and procedures used and an 
Environmental Report that discusses the effects of proposed operations 
on the health and safety of the public and on the environment. This 
information, and the licensee's Environmental Report, are used by the 
NRC staff to determine whether the proposed activities will be 
protective of public health and safety and the environment.
    This draft Standard Review Plan provides the NRC staff with 
specific guidance on performing reviews of this information and will be 
used to ensure a consistent quality and uniformity of staff reviews. 
Each section in the review plan provides guidance on what is to be 
reviewed, the basis for the review, how the staff review is to be 
accomplished, what the staff will find acceptable in a demonstration of 
compliance with the regulations, and the conclusions that are sought 
regarding the applicable sections in 10 CFR part 40, Appendix A. The 
Standard Review Plan is also intended to improve the understanding of 
interested members of the public, and the uranium recovery industry, of 
the staff review process.
    A draft of NUREG-1569 was issued in October 1997 for public 
comment. This draft of NUREG-1569 incorporates the staff responses to 
comments and the results of Commission policy decisions affecting 
uranium recovery issues, which are described in NRC Regulatory Issue 
Summary 2000-23, dated November 30, 2000.
    Opportunity to Comment: Interested parties are invited to comment 
on the standard review plan. A final standard review plan will be 
prepared after the NRC staff has evaluated comments received on the 
draft standard review plan. Written comments must be received prior to 
April 22, 2002. Comments on the draft review plan should be sent to the 
Chief, Rules and Directives Branch, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001.
    A copy of the Draft Standard Review Plan (NUREG-1569) may be 
obtained by writing to the Reproduction and Distribution Services 
Branch, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, 
or e-mail [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Lusher @ (301) 415-7694 or 
[email protected].


[[Page 5348]]


    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 30th day of January, 2002.
    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Melvyn N. Leach,
Chief, Fuel Cycle Licensing Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety, and 
Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material Safety, and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 02-2735 Filed 2-4-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P