[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 148 (Tuesday, August 3, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 46599]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17608]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Proposed Generic Communication; Draft Revision to NRC Inspection 
Manual Chapter 9900, ``Technical Guidance,'' Operability Determinations 
and Resolution of Nonconformances of Structures, Systems, and 
Components'' (``Regulatory Issue Summary 2004-XX'')--(MC2262)

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of opportunity for public comment and notice of public 
meeting.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to 
issue a Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) to provide the nuclear power 
industry with updated staff guidance on operability determinations and 
resolution of degraded and nonconforming conditions of Structures, 
Systems, and Components (SSCs). This proposed RIS updates the previous 
guidance in NRC Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 9900, ``Technical 
Guidance,'' and endorsed by the NRC in Generic Letter 91-18, 
``Information to Licensees Regarding Two NRC Inspection Manual Sections 
on Resolution of Degraded and Nonconforming Conditions and on 
Operability.'' The guidance is being updated to reflect relevant 
changes in the NRC regulatory process and regulations contained in 10 
CFR 50.59, ``Changes, Tests, and Experiments,'' and 10 CFR 50.65, 
``Requirements for Monitoring the Effectiveness of Maintenance at 
Nuclear Power Plants;'' and to clarify the guidance for selected issues 
based on operating experience, and; to consolidate and streamline the 
guidance in two previously separate NRC IMC 9900 sections.
    Earlier guidance on these subjects was provided to the industry in 
two sections of IMC 9900 as an attachment to GL 91-18, issued on 
November 7, 1991. An update of guidance on degraded and nonconforming 
conditions was issued as Revision 1 on October 8, 1997. In addition, on 
September 13, 2001, the NRC issued for public comment an earlier draft 
revision of the guidance on degraded and nonconforming conditions. The 
NRC also held a public workshop on August 14, 2003, as part of the 
development of the proposed revision. The staff has addressed the 
comments received in the present revision.
    The NRC is seeking comment from interested parties on the clarity 
and utility of the proposed RIS and the draft updated IMC 9900 
guidance, as outlined under the Supplementary Information heading. The 
NRC will consider the comments received in its final evaluation of the 
proposed RIS and updated guidance. Comments should address the contents 
of the guidance but not the associated regulations.
    The NRC will hold a public workshop on August 25, 2004, in the Two 
White Flint North Auditorium at the NRC offices in Rockville, Maryland, 
at 8:30 a.m.--4:30 p.m., for discussion of the proposed revision to the 
guidance. Comments provided during this workshop will be considered by 
the NRC when it finalizes the proposed RIS and IMC guidance. Written 
comments may also be provided as discussed below.

DATES: The comment period expires 60 days after this notice is 
published. Comments submitted after this date will be considered if it 
is practical to do so, but assurance of consideration cannot be given 
except for comments received on or before this date. Interested parties 
are also encouraged to provide comments by August 18, 2004, to be 
discussed during the public workshop on August 25, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to the Chief, Rules and Directives 
Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Office of Administration, 
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Mail Stop T6-D59, Washington, DC 
20555-0001, and cite the publication date and page number of this 
Federal Register notice. Written comments may also be delivered to NRC 
Headquarters, 11545 Rockville Pike (Room T-6D59), Rockville, Maryland, 
between 7:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. on Federal workdays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Kerri Kavanagh at (301) 415-3743 or 
by e-mail to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Documents may be examined, and/or copied for 
a fee, at the NRC's Public Document Room at One White Flint North, 
11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland. The NRC's 
Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) provides text 
and image files of NRC's public documents. The proposed RIS and the 
draft updated IMC 9900 guidance are available under ADAMS accession 
number ML042080035. These documents may be accessed through the NRC's 
Public Electronic Reading Room (PERR) on the Internet at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. If you do not have access to ADAMS 
or if you have problems in accessing documents in ADAMS, contact the 
NRC Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff by phone at 1-800-397-
4209 or 301-415-4737, by e-mail to [email protected], or by fax to 301-415-
3548.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 27th day of July 2004.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Terrence Reis,
Acting Chief, Reactor Operations Branch, Division of Inspection Program 
Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 04-17608 Filed 8-2-04; 8:45 am]
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