[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 174 (Tuesday, September 9, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 53205]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-22876]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NUREG-1748, Final Report]


Environmental Review Guidance for Licensing Actions Associated 
With NMSS Programs

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Final Report.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is announcing the 
availability of the final report ``Environmental Review Guidance for 
Licensing Actions Associated with NMSS Programs'' (NUREG-1748). This 
document provides guidance for the planning and implementation of 
National Environmental Policy Act requirements for activities performed 
in the Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards (NMSS). Public 
comments were solicited as noticed in the Federal Register on October 
18, 2001 (66 FR 52951) and again on May 29, 2002 (67 FR 37461).

ADDRESSES: NUREG-1748 is available for inspection and copying for a fee 
at the Commission's Public Document Room, U.S. NRC's Headquarters 
Building, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland, and 
electronically from the ADAMS Public Library component on the NRC Web 
Site, http://www.nrc.gov (the Electronic Reading Room). For those 
without access to the Internet, paper copies of any electronic 
documents may be obtained for a fee by contacting the NRC's Public 
Document Room at 301-415-4737 or toll free at 1-800-397-4209.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Blevins, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Mail Stop T7-J8, Washington, DC 20555, Phone 
Number: (301) 415-7684, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This guidance document, NUREG-1748, provides 
general procedures for the environmental review of licensing actions 
regulated by NMSS. Although the main focus of this guidance is the NRC 
staff's environmental review process, it also contains related 
information which applicants and licensees may find useful. Chapter 1 
provides a summary and overview of the guidance. This chapter briefly 
discusses the three ways in which an environmental review is performed, 
either by meeting the criteria for a categorical exclusion or by 
preparing an environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact 
statement (EIS). This chapter also discusses early planning for an EA 
or EIS and methods of using previous environmental analyses related to 
the proposed action. Chapter 2 discusses the categorical exclusions and 
the basis of their use. Chapter 3 discusses the EA process, including 
preparation and content of the EA, and preparation of the Finding of No 
Significant Impact. Chapter 4 discusses the process of preparing an 
EIS, from developing a project plan through scoping, consultations and 
public meetings, to preparing the Record of Decision. Chapter 5 
discusses the technical content of the EIS, and Chapter 6 discusses 
environmental information that should be considered by applicants and 
licensees in preparing their environmental report.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 22nd day of August 2003.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Scott Flanders,
Chief, Environmental and Low-Level Waste Section, Environmental and 
Performance Assessment Branch, Division of Waste Management, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 03-22876 Filed 9-8-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P