[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 138 (Friday, July 18, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 42570-42573]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-18260]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

10 CFR Part 72

RIN 3150-AH20


List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: NAC-MPC Revision

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Direct final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its 
regulations revising the NAC International, Inc., Multipurpose Canister 
cask system listing within the ``List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage 
Casks'' to include Amendment No. 3 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC) 
Number 1025. This amendment incorporates changes in support of the 
Yankee Nuclear Power Station (Yankee Rowe) fuel loading campaign and 
makes corrections to the Connecticut Yankee technical specifications. 
Specifically, the amendment incorporates fuel enrichment tolerances; 
incorporates fuel assemblies with up to 20 damaged fuel rods, recaged 
assemblies, the Yankee Rowe damaged fuel can, and assembly weights up 
to 432 kilograms (kg) [950 pounds (lb)]; revises the average surface 
dose rate limits for the concrete cask; incorporates administrative 
changes in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code 
Alternatives; corrects the Connecticut Yankee tables for fuel assembly 
limits and intact fuel assembly characteristics; and incorporates 
editorial and administrative changes in the CoC.

DATES: The final rule is effective October 1, 2003, unless significant 
adverse comments are received by August 18, 2003. A significant adverse 
comment is a comment where the commenter explains why the rule would be 
inappropriate, including challenges to the rule's underlying premise or 
approach, or would be ineffective or unacceptable without a change. If 
the rule is withdrawn, timely notice will be published in the Federal 
Register.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any one of the following methods. 
Please include the following number (RIN 3150-AH20) in the subject line 
of your comments. Comments on rulemakings submitted in writing or in 
electronic form will be made available to the public, in their 
entirety, on the NRC rulemaking website. Personal information will not 
be removed from your comments.
    Mail comments to: Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001, ATTN: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff.
    E-mail comments to: [email protected]. If you do not receive a reply e-
mail confirming that we have received your comments, contact us 
directly at (301) 415-1966. You may also submit comments via the NRC's 
rulemaking website at http://ruleforum.llnl.gov. Address questions 
about our rulemaking website to Carol Gallagher (301) 415-5905; email 
[email protected].
    Hand deliver comments to: 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 
20852, between 7:30 am and 4:15 pm Federal workdays (telephone (301) 
415-1966).
    Fax comments to: Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission at 
(301) 415-1101.
    Publicly available documents related to this rulemaking may be 
examined and copied for a fee at the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), 
Public File Area O1F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, 
Rockville, Maryland. Selected documents, including comments, can be 
viewed and downloaded electronically via the NRC rulemaking website at 
http://ruleforum.llnl.gov.
    Publicly available documents created or received at the NRC after 
November 1, 1999, are available electronically at the NRC's Electronic 
Reading Room at http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/ADAMS/index.html. From this 
site, the public can gain entry into the NRC's Agencywide Document 
Access and Management System (ADAMS), which provides text and image 
files of NRC's public documents. If you do not have access to ADAMS or 
if there are problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, 
contact the NRC Public Document Room (PDR) Reference staff at 1-800-
397-4209, 301-415-4737 or by e-mail to [email protected]. An electronic copy 
of the proposed CoC and Technical Specifications (TS) and the 
preliminary safety evaluation report (SER) can be found under ADAMS 
Accession Nos. ML031330790, ML031340571, and ML031330792, respectively.
    CoC No. 1025, the revised TS, the underlying SER for Amendment No. 
3, and the Environmental Assessment, are available for inspection at 
the NRC Public Document Room, 11555

[[Page 42571]]

Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD. Single copies of these documents may be 
obtained from Jayne M. McCausland, Office of Nuclear Material Safety 
and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555-0001, telephone (301) 415-6219, email [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jayne M. McCausland, telephone (301) 
415-6219, e-mail [email protected], of the Office of Nuclear Material Safety 
and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 218(a) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended 
(NWPA), requires that ``[t]he Secretary (of the Department of Energy 
(DOE)) shall establish a demonstration program, in cooperation with the 
private sector, for the dry storage of spent nuclear fuel at civilian 
nuclear power reactor sites, with the objective of establishing one or 
more technologies that the (Nuclear Regulatory) Commission may, by 
rule, approve for use at the sites of civilian nuclear power reactors 
without, to the maximum extent practicable, the need for additional 
site-specific approvals by the Commission.'' Section 133 of the NWPA 
states, in part, that ``[t]he Commission shall, by rule, establish 
procedures for the licensing of any technology approved by the 
Commission under Section 218(a) for use at the site of any civilian 
nuclear power reactor.''
    To implement this mandate, the NRC approved dry storage of spent 
nuclear fuel in NRC-approved casks under a general license by 
publishing a final rule in 10 CFR part 72 entitled, ``General License 
for Storage of Spent Fuel at Power Reactor Sites'' (55 FR 29181; July 
18, 1990). This rule also established a new subpart L within 10 CFR 
part 72, entitled ``Approval of Spent Fuel Storage Casks'' containing 
procedures and criteria for obtaining NRC approval of spent fuel 
storage cask designs. The NRC subsequently issued a final rule on March 
9, 2000 (65 FR 12444), that approved the NAC-Multipurpose Canister 
(NAC-MPC) cask design and added it to the list of NRC-approved cask 
designs in Sec.  72.214 as Certificate of Compliance Number (CoC No.) 
1025.

Discussion

    On April 18, 2002, and as supplemented May 15, 2002, July 17, 2002, 
October 3, 2002, and January 17, 2003, NAC International, Inc. (NAC) 
submitted an application to the NRC to amend CoC No. 1025 to 
incorporate changes in support of the Yankee Nuclear Power Station 
(Yankee Rowe) fuel loading campaign and make corrections to the 
Connecticut Yankee TS. The amendment specifically incorporates fuel 
enrichment tolerances, 432-kg (950-lb) fuel assemblies, damaged fuel, 
damaged fuel cans, and recaged fuel for Yankee Rowe. For Connecticut 
Yankee, the amendment corrects the tables for fuel assembly limits and 
intact fuel assembly characteristics. The amendment also incorporates 
editorial and administrative changes in the CoC.
    No other changes to the NAC-MPC cask system design were requested 
in this application. The NRC staff performed a detailed safety 
evaluation of the proposed CoC amendment request and found that an 
acceptable safety margin is maintained. In addition, the NRC staff has 
determined that there is still reasonable assurance that public health 
and safety and the environment will be adequately protected.
    This direct final rule revises the NAC-MPC cask design listing in 
Sec.  72.214 by adding Amendment No. 3 to CoC No. 1025. The amended TS 
are identified in the NRC staff's SER for Amendment No. 3.
    The amended NAC-MPC cask system, when used in accordance with the 
conditions specified in the CoC, the TS, and NRC regulations, will meet 
the requirements of part 72; thus, adequate protection of public health 
and safety will continue to be ensured.

Discussion of Amendments by Section

Section 72.214 List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks

    Certificate No. 1025 is revised by adding the effective date of 
Amendment No. 3.

Procedural Background

    This rule is limited to the changes contained in Amendment No. 3 to 
CoC No. 1025 and does not include other aspects of the NAC-MPC cask 
system design. The NRC is using the ``direct final rule procedure'' to 
issue this amendment because it represents a limited and routine change 
to an existing CoC that is expected to be noncontroversial. Adequate 
protection of public health and safety continues to be ensured. The 
amendment to the rule will become effective on October 1, 2003. 
However, if the NRC receives significant adverse comments by August 18, 
2003, then the NRC will publish a document that withdraws this action 
and will address the comments received in response to the proposed 
amendments published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register. A 
significant adverse comment is a comment where the commenter explains 
why the rule would be inappropriate, including challenges to the rule's 
underlying premise or approach, or would be ineffective or unacceptable 
without a change. A comment is adverse and significant if:
    (1) The comment opposes the rule and provides a reason sufficient 
to require a substantive response in a notice-and-comment process. For 
example, in a substantive response:
    (a) The comment causes the NRC staff to reevaluate (or reconsider) 
its position or conduct additional analysis;
    (b) The comment raises an issue serious enough to warrant a 
substantive response to clarify or complete the record; or
    (c) The comment raises a relevant issue that was not previously 
addressed or considered by the NRC staff.
    (2) The comment proposes a change or an addition to the rule, and 
it is apparent that the rule would be ineffective or unacceptable 
without incorporation of the change or addition.
    (3) The comment causes the NRC staff to make a change (other than 
editorial) to the CoC or TS.
    These comments will be addressed in a subsequent final rule. The 
NRC will not initiate a second comment period on this action. However, 
if the NRC receives significant adverse comments by August 18, 2003, 
then the NRC will publish a document that withdraws this action and 
will address the comments received in response to the proposed 
amendments published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.

Voluntary Consensus Standards

    The National Technology Transfer Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-113) 
requires that Federal agencies use technical standards that are 
developed or adopted by voluntary consensus standards bodies unless the 
use of such a standard is inconsistent with applicable law or otherwise 
impractical. In this direct final rule, the NRC would revise the NAC-
MPC cask system design listed in Sec.  72.214 (List of NRC-approved 
spent fuel storage cask designs). This action does not constitute the 
establishment of a standard that establishes generally applicable 
requirements.

Agreement State Compatibility

    Under the ``Policy Statement on Adequacy and Compatibility of 
Agreement State Programs'' approved by the Commission on June 30, 1997, 
and published in the Federal Register on September 3, 1997 (62 FR 
46517), this

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rule is classified as Compatibility Category ``NRC.'' Compatibility is 
not required for Category ``NRC'' regulations. The NRC program elements 
in this category are those that relate directly to areas of regulation 
reserved to the NRC by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA) 
or the provisions of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations. 
Although an Agreement State may not adopt program elements reserved to 
NRC, it may wish to inform its licensees of certain requirements via a 
mechanism that is consistent with the particular State's administrative 
procedure laws, but does not confer regulatory authority on the State.

Plain Language

    The Presidential Memorandum dated June 1, 1998, entitled ``Plain 
Language in Government Writing,'' directed that the Government's 
writing be in plain language. The NRC requests comments on this direct 
final rule specifically with respect to the clarity and effectiveness 
of the language used. Comments should be sent to the address listed 
under the heading ADDRESSES above.

Finding of No Significant Environmental Impact: Availability

    Under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, 
and the NRC regulations in subpart A of 10 CFR part 51, the NRC has 
determined that this rule, if adopted, would not be a major Federal 
action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment 
and, therefore, an environmental impact statement is not required. The 
rule would amend the CoC for the NAC-MPC cask system within the list of 
approved spent fuel storage casks that power reactor licensees can use 
to store spent fuel at reactor sites under a general license. The 
amendment will modify the present cask system design to incorporate 
changes in support of the Yankee Nuclear Power Station (Yankee Rowe) 
fuel loading campaign and make corrections to the Connecticut Yankee 
technical specifications. Specifically, the amendment incorporates fuel 
enrichment tolerances; incorporates fuel assemblies with up to 20 
damaged fuel rods, recaged assemblies, the Yankee Rowe damaged fuel 
can, and assembly weights up to 432 kg (950 lb); revises the average 
surface dose rate limits for the concrete cask; incorporates 
administrative changes in the ASME Code Alternatives; corrects the 
Connecticut Yankee tables for fuel assembly limits and intact fuel 
assembly characteristics; and incorporates editorial and administrative 
changes to the CoC. The environmental assessment and finding of no 
significant impact on which this determination is based are available 
for inspection at the NRC Public Document Room, 11555 Rockville Pike, 
Rockville, MD. Single copies of the environmental assessment and 
finding of no significant impact are available from Jayne M. 
McCausland, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone 
(301) 415-6219, email [email protected].

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

    This direct final rule does not contain a new or amended 
information collection requirement subject to the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Existing requirements were 
approved by the Office of Management and Budget, Approval Number 3150-
0132.

Public Protection Notification

    The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to 
respond to, a request for information or an information collection 
requirement unless the requesting document displays a currently valid 
OMB control number.

Regulatory Analysis

    On July 18, 1990 (55 FR 29181), the NRC issued an amendment to 10 
CFR part 72 to provide for the storage of spent nuclear fuel under a 
general license in cask designs approved by the NRC. Any nuclear power 
reactor licensee can use NRC-approved cask designs to store spent 
nuclear fuel if it notifies the NRC in advance, spent fuel is stored 
under the conditions specified in the cask's CoC, and the conditions of 
the general license are met. A list of NRC-approved cask designs is 
contained in Sec.  72.214. On March 9, 2000 (65 FR 12444), the NRC 
issued an amendment to part 72 that approved the NAC-MPC cask design by 
adding it to the list of NRC-approved cask designs in Sec.  72.214. On 
April 18, 2002, and as supplemented May 15, 2002, July 17, 2002, 
October 3, 2002, and January 17, 2003, NAC International, Inc., 
submitted an application to the NRC to amend CoC No. 1025 to 
incorporate changes in support of the Yankee Rowe fuel loading campaign 
and make corrections to the Connecticut Yankee TS. Specifically, the 
amendment incorporates fuel enrichment tolerances; incorporates fuel 
assemblies with up to 20 damaged fuel rods, recaged assemblies, the 
Yankee Rowe damaged fuel can, and assembly weights up to 432 kg (950 
lb); revises the average surface dose rate limits for the concrete 
cask; incorporates administrative changes in the ASME Code 
Alternatives; corrects the Connecticut Yankee tables for fuel assembly 
limits and intact fuel assembly characteristics; and incorporates 
editorial and administrative changes in the CoC.
    The alternative to this action is to withhold approval of this 
amended cask system design and issue an exemption to each general 
license. This alternative would cost both the NRC and the utilities 
more time and money because each utility would have to pursue an 
exemption.
    Approval of the direct final rule will eliminate this problem and 
is consistent with previous NRC actions. Further, the direct final rule 
will have no adverse effect on public health and safety. This direct 
final rule has no significant identifiable impact or benefit on other 
Government agencies. Based on this discussion of the benefits and 
impacts of the alternatives, the NRC concludes that the requirements of 
the direct final rule are commensurate with the NRC's responsibilities 
for public health and safety and the common defense and security. No 
other available alternative is believed to be as satisfactory, and 
thus, this action is recommended.

Regulatory Flexibility Certification

    In accordance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (5 U.S.C. 
605(b)), the NRC certifies that this rule will not, if issued, have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
This direct final rule affects only the licensing and operation of 
nuclear power plants, independent spent fuel storage facilities, and 
NAC International, Inc. The companies that own these plants do not fall 
within the scope of the definition of ``small entities'' set forth in 
the Regulatory Flexibility Act or the Small Business Size Standards set 
out in regulations issued by the Small Business Administration at 13 
CFR part 121.

Backfit Analysis

    The NRC has determined that the backfit rule (10 CFR 50.109 or 10 
CFR 72.62) does not apply to this direct final rule because this 
amendment does not involve any provisions that would impose backfits as 
defined. Therefore, a backfit analysis is not required.

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    In accordance with the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement 
Fairness Act of 1996, the NRC has determined that this action is not a 
major rule and has verified this

[[Page 42573]]

determination with the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget.

List of Subjects In 10 CFR Part 72

    Administrative practice and procedure, Criminal penalties, Manpower 
training programs, Nuclear materials, Occupational safety and health, 
Penalties, Radiation protection, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Security measures, Spent fuel, Whistleblowing.

0
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 adopting the 
following amendments to 10 CFR Part 72.

PART 72--LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OFSPENT 
NUCLEAR FUEL AND HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE

0
1. The authority citation for Part 72 continues to read as follows:


    Authority: Secs. 51, 53, 57, 62, 63, 65, 69, 81, 161, 182, 183, 
184, 186, 187, 189, 68 Stat. 929, 930, 932, 933, 934, 935, 948, 953, 
954, 955, as amended, sec. 234, 83 Stat. 444, as amended (42 U.S.C. 
2071, 2073, 2077, 2092, 2093, 2095, 2099, 2111, 2201, 2232, 2233, 
2234, 2236, 2237, 2238, 2282); sec. 274, Pub. L. 86-373, 73 Stat. 
688, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2021); sec. 201, as amended, 202, 206, 88 
Stat. 1242, as amended, 1244, 1246 (42 U.S.C. 5841, 5842, 5846); 
Pub. L. 95-601, sec. 10, 92 Stat. 2951 as amended by Pub. L. 102-
486, sec. 7902, 106 Stat. 3123 (42 U.S.C. 5851); sec. 102, Pub. L. 
91-190, 83 Stat. 853 (42 U.S.C. 4332); secs. 131, 132, 133, 135, 
137, 141, Pub. L. 97-425, 96 Stat. 2229, 2230, 2232, 2241, sec. 148, 
Pub. L. 100-203, 101 Stat. 1330-235 (42 U.S.C. 10151, 10152, 10153, 
10155, 10157, 10161, 10168).
    Section 72.44(g) also issued under secs. 142(b) and 148(c), (d), 
Pub. L. 100-203, 101 Stat. 1330-232, 1330-236 (42 U.S.C. 10162(b), 
10168(c),(d)). Section 72.46 also issued under sec. 189, 68 Stat. 
955 (42 U.S.C. 2239); sec. 134, Pub. L. 97-425, 96 Stat. 2230 (42 
U.S.C.10154). Section 72.96(d) also issued under sec. 145(g), Pub. 
L. 100-203, 101 Stat. 1330-235 (42 U.S.C. 10165(g)). Subpart J also 
issued under secs. 2(2), 2(15), 2(19), 117(a), 141(h), Pub. L. 97-
425, 96 Stat. 2202, 2203, 2204, 2222, 2244 (42 U.S.C. 10101, 
10137(a), 10161(h)). Subparts K and L are also issued under sec. 
133, 98 Stat. 2230 (42 U.S.C. 10153) and sec. 218(a), 96 Stat. 2252 
(42 U.S.C. 10198).


0
2. In Sec.  72.214, Certificate of Compliance 1025 is revised to read 
as follows:


Sec.  72.214  List of approved spent fuel storage casks.

* * * * *
    Certificate Number: 1025.
    Initial Certificate Effective Date: April 10, 2000.
    Amendment Number 1 Effective Date: November 13, 2001.
    Amendment Number 2 Effective Date: May 29, 2002.
    Amendment Number 3 Effective Date: October 1, 2003.
    SAR Submitted by: NAC International, Inc.
    SAR Title: Final Safety Analysis Report for the NAC-Multipurpose 
Canister System (NAC-MPC System).
    Docket Number: 72-1025.
    Certificate Expiration Date: April 10, 2020.
    Model Number: NAC-MPC.
* * * * *

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 7th day of July, 2003.
William D. Travers,
Executive Director for Operations.
[FR Doc. 03-18260 Filed 7-17-03; 8:45 am]
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