[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 148 (Tuesday, August 3, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46598-46599]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17612]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Draft Regulatory Guide; Issuance, Availability

    The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued for public comment a 
proposed revision of a guide in its Regulatory Guide Series. Regulatory 
Guides are developed to describe and make available to the public such 
information as methods acceptable to the NRC for implementing specific 
parts of the NRC's regulations, techniques used by the staff in 
evaluating specific problems or postulated accidents, and data needed 
by the staff in its review of applications for permits and licenses.
    The draft guide is temporarily identified by its task number, DG-
1126, which should be mentioned in all correspondence concerning this 
draft guide. Draft regulatory guide DG-1126, ``ASME Code Cases Not 
Approved for Use,'' is proposed Revision 1 of Regulatory Guide 1.193. 
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) publishes a new 
edition of the Boiler and Pressure Vessel (B&PV) Code every three years 
and new addenda every year. The latest editions and addenda of Section 
III and Section XI that have been approved for use by the NRC are 
referenced in 10 CFR 50.55a(b). The ASME also publishes Code cases for 
Section III and Section XI quarterly. Code cases provide alternatives 
to the B&PV Code developed and approved by the ASME. Revision 32 of 
Regulatory Guide 1.84, ``Design, Fabrication, and Materials Code Case 
Acceptability, ASME Section III,'' and Revision 13 of Regulatory Guide 
1.147, ``Inservice Inspection Code Case Acceptability, ASME Section XI, 
Division 1,'' are being revised to identify the Code cases that have 
been determined by the NRC to be acceptable alternatives to applicable 
parts of Section III and Section XI. This regulatory guide (DG-1126) 
lists the Code cases that the NRC has determined not to be acceptable 
for use on a generic basis. A brief description of the basis for the 
determination is provided with each Code case. Licensees may submit a 
request to implement one or more of the Code cases listed in the guide 
through 10 CFR 50.55a(a)(3), which permits the use of alternatives to 
the Code requirements referenced in 10 CFR 50.55a provided that the 
proposed alternatives result in an acceptable level of quality and 
safety. A licensee must submit a plant-specific request that addresses 
the NRC's concern about the Code case at issue.
    This is a draft guide and does not represent an official NRC staff 
position. Because Code cases approved by the NRC in a final guide may 
be used voluntarily by licensees as an alternative to compliance with 
ASME Code provisions, the final guide will be incorporated by reference 
into 10 CFR 50.55a through rulemaking.
    Comments may be accompanied by relevant information or supporting 
data. Written comments may be submitted by mail to the Rules and 
Directives Branch, Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; or they may be hand-delivered to 
the Rules and Directives Branch, Office of Administration, at 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD. Copies of comments received may be 
examined at the NRC's Public Document Room, 11555 Rockville Pike, 
Rockville, MD. Comments will be most helpful if received by September 
2, 2004.
    You may also provide comments via the NRC's interactive rulemaking 
Web site through the NRC home page (http://www.nrc.gov). This site 
provides the ability to upload comments as files (any format) if your 
Web browser supports that function. For information about the 
interactive rulemaking Web site, contact Ms. Carol Gallagher, (301) 
415-5905; e-mail [email protected]. For technical information about Draft 
Regulatory Guide DG-1126, contact Mr. W.E. Norris at (301) 415-6796 (e-
mail [email protected]).
    Although a deadline is given for comments on these draft guides, 
comments and suggestions in connection with items for inclusion in 
guides currently being developed or improvements in all published 
guides are encouraged at any time.
    Regulatory guides are available for inspection at the NRC's Public 
Document Room, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD; the PDR's mailing 
address is USNRC PDR, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone (301) 415-
4737 or (800) 397-4209; fax (301) 415-3548; e-mail [email protected]. 
Requests for single copies of draft or final regulatory guides (which 
may be reproduced) or placement on an automatic distribution

[[Page 46599]]

list for single copies of future draft guides in specific divisions 
should be made in writing to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Reproduction and Distribution 
Services Section, or by fax to (301) 415-2289; e-mail 
[email protected]. Telephone requests cannot be accommodated. 
Regulatory guides are not copyrighted, and NRC approval is not required 
to reproduce them. (5 U.S.C. 552(a))

    Dated in Rockville, Maryland this 20th day of April 2004.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Michael E. Mayfield,
Director, Division of Engineering Technology, Office of Nuclear 
Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. 04-17612 Filed 8-2-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P