[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 75 (Friday, April 18, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19232-19233]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-9603]



[[Page 19232]]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Notice of Public Workshop for Rulemaking and Scoping for 
Environmental Issues on Controlling the Disposition of Solid Materials

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of public workshop.

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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As discussed in a Federal Register Notice 
(FRN) issued February 28, 2003, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) 
is conducting an enhanced participatory rulemaking on alternatives for 
controlling the disposition of solid materials that originate in 
restricted or impacted areas of NRC-licensed facilities, and that have 
no, or very small amounts of, radioactivity resulting from licensed 
operations. As noted in that FRN, the NRC is seeking stakeholder 
participation and involvement in identifying alternatives and their 
environmental impacts that should be considered as part of the 
rulemaking. Considerable information collection effort has been 
conducted in this area and the Commission is building on existing 
information to focus on potential solutions. The NRC has not made a 
decision on the scope or details of a regulation and is continuing to 
develop a solid technical basis for the rulemaking.
    To assist in obtaining stakeholder input to this process, the NRC 
is holding a workshop, on May 21-22, 2003, to solicit new input on the 
rulemaking alternatives with a focus on the feasibility of alternatives 
that would limit where the solid material can go. This workshop 
provides an opportunity to discuss the rulemaking effort as well as to 
re-open the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) scoping process 
that began in 1999 for the preparation of a generic environmental 
impact statement (EIS) in support of the control of the disposition of 
solid materials rulemaking effort. Issues raised in 1999, at public 
workshops and in public comments will be considered along with any new 
issues or alternatives identified at this workshop. The workshop will 
provide an opportunity for stakeholders to offer additional input on 
the alternatives, with particular focus on the alternatives of 
conditional use and EPA regulated landfill disposal. Earlier 
information collection efforts did not result in sufficient information 
to clearly indicate the viability or economic feasibility of these two 
alternatives. Thus, the Commission specifically directed the staff to 
explore and document the feasibility of these alternatives and, in 
particular, noted that the staff should have discussions with 
stakeholders with regard to whether the alternatives: (1) Are 
effective; (2) are reasonably possible to implement; and (3) would 
increase public confidence in the process.
    To assure that a diversity of viewpoints on the alternatives will 
be presented, we are inviting stakeholders representing the metals and 
cement industries, citizens groups, Federal and State agencies, 
licensees, tribal governments, and landfill operators to sit in a 
roundtable discussion. Although the focus of the meeting will be on the 
roundtable discussion, there will be opportunities for members of the 
audience to offer comments and ask questions. To further assist 
stakeholders, the staff has placed on its Web site an information 
packet which includes questions for stakeholders on the alternatives 
and issues, describes how to provide comments to the NRC, and links to 
other documents. (Go to http://www.nrc.gov/materials.html and, under 
``Key Topics,'' select ``Controlling the Disposition of Solid 
Materials.'') Also, the workshop agenda, which is provided in this FRN, 
has been included on the Web page.
    Workshop Details: This workshop will be held on May 21-22, 2003 
from 8:30 a.m.--5:30 p.m. in the NRC Auditorium, 11545 Rockville Pike, 
Rockville, Maryland 20852.

Agenda

Wednesday, May 21, 2003

8:30 a.m. Opening remarks, participant introductions
    Francis ``Chip'' Cameron, Facilitator
9:15 a.m. Welcome, Workshop Objectives
    Martin J. Virgilio, Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards
9:30 a.m. Background and context
    NRC activities and plans--where are we now and how did we get here?
    Frank Cardile, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
    The NEPA process and potential alternatives for the disposition of 
solid materials
    Phyllis Sobel and Frank Cardile, Office of Nuclear Material Safety 
and Safeguards
    Participant questions
10:10 a.m. Break
10:30 a.m. The international regulatory framework
    Gordon Linsley, IAEA
    Participant questions
11:00 a.m. Participant discussion on the alternatives being considered 
on the disposition of solid materials

    Perspectives include: paramount issues of concern to participants, 
updates on participant views on alternatives, other alternatives that 
have not been identified, and stakeholder participation and involvement 
in identifying alternatives and their environmental impacts.

12:00 p.m. Audience comments and questions
12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:30 p.m. Continued discussion of participant perspectives on the 
alternatives
2:30 p.m. The conditional use alternative
    Participant discussion

    Discussion topics: What criteria should guide the acceptability of 
conditional use from a public health and safety perspective? What type 
of conditional use might be acceptable? What is the feasibility of the 
conditional use alternative, i.e., are there any constraints or 
impediments to implementing this alternative? What types of regulatory 
controls may be necessary to ensure that any conditional use program 
will be effectively implemented? Is there any additional information 
that must be developed to fully evaluate this alternative?

3:30 p.m. Break
4:00 p.m. Continued discussion of the conditional use alternative
5:00 p.m. Audience comments and questions and review of the next day's 
agenda and adjourn

Thursday, May 22, 2003

8:30 a.m. Agenda check
8:45 a.m. Recap previous day's discussion
9:30 a.m. The disposal alternative
    Participant discussion

    Discussion topics: What criteria should guide the acceptability of 
disposal from a public health and safety perspective? What type of 
disposal might be acceptable, for example, RCRA Subtitle C or Subtitle 
D landfills, other types of disposal facilities? What is the 
feasibility of the disposal alternative, i.e., are there any 
constraints or impediments to implementing this alternative? What types 
of regulatory controls may be necessary to ensure that any disposal 
program will be effectively implemented? Is there any additional 
information that must be developed to fully evaluate this alternative?

10:30 a.m. Break
11:00 a.m. Continued discussion of the disposal alternative
12:15 p.m. Audience comments and questions
12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:30 p.m. Major recommendations

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2:30 p.m. Audience comments and questions
3:00 p.m. Break
3:30 p.m. Major recommendations (continued): Participant discussion
4:45 p.m. Audience questions
5:15 p.m. Wrap up

    Notification of Attendance: It is strongly encouraged that 
prospective participants contact NRC prior to the meeting to expedite 
the required security processing for NRC visitors. Contact Kim Karcagi, 
telephone: (301) 415-6701; e-mail: [email protected], or Jayne McCausland, 
telephone: (301) 415-6219; e-mail: [email protected], or Rose Conn, 
telephone: (301) 415-7438; e-mail: [email protected] and submit participant 
name, affiliated organization, phone number, address, and citizenship 
status. Also, it is suggested that invited speakers as well as 
attendees, limit the amount of personal items and electronic devices 
brought into the building. If hardware from a participant, like a 
laptop, must be brought in, it has been suggested by security that a 
typed letter indicating the laptop's make, model, and owner's contact 
information be given to security staff upon arrival.
    Travel Information: NRC Headquarters, where the public workshop 
will be held, is very accessible by public transportation. It is 
recommended that participants commute to the workshop via the Metrorail 
system (Metro). The White Flint Metro stop, along the red line, is 
adjacent to the One White Flint Building, along Rockville Pike and 
Marinelli Road. There are limited spaces available in the public meter 
parking and Metro parking lot along Marinelli Road. Due to security 
processing upon entrance into the building, it is recommended that 
attendees allot additional time to arriving at the workshop.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions on the public meeting 
process should be directed to Chip Cameron; e-mail: [email protected], 
telephone: (301) 415-1642; Office of the General Counsel, USNRC, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001. Questions on the rulemaking process should 
be directed to Frank Cardile, telephone: (301) 415-6185; e-mail: 
[email protected], Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, USNRC, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001. Questions on the environmental scoping 
process should be directed to Phyllis Sobel; e-mail: [email protected], 
telephone: (301) 415-6714; Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards, USNRC, Washington, DC 20555-0001.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 11th day of April, 2003.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Charles L. Miller,
Director, Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 03-9603 Filed 4-17-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P