[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 194 (Thursday, October 7, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60192-60193]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-22545]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Draft Regulatory Guide; Issuance, Availability

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued for public 
comment a draft of a new guide in the agency's Regulatory Guide Series. 
This series has been developed to describe and make available to the 
public such information as methods that are acceptable to the NRC staff 
for implementing specific parts of the NRC's regulations, techniques 
that the staff uses in evaluating specific problems or postulated 
accidents, and data that the staff needs in its review of applications 
for permits and licenses.
    The new draft regulatory guide, entitled ``Risk-Informed, 
Performance-Based Fire Protection for Existing Light-Water Nuclear 
Power Plants,'' is temporarily identified by its task number, DG-1139, 
which should be mentioned in all related correspondence. The draft 
regulatory guide contains the staff's regulatory position on ``Guidance 
for Implementing a Risk-Informed, Performance-Based Fire Protection 
Program Under 10 CFR 50.48(c),'' which the Nuclear Energy Institute 
(NEI) has promulgated as document NEI 04-02.
    It is the staff's intent to endorse a version of NEI 04-02, as 
appropriate, in the final regulatory guide, consistent with the new 
risk-informed, performance-based fire protection rule, specified in 
Title 10, Section 50.48(c), of the Code of Federal Regulations [10 CFR 
50.48(c)], which the NRC has issued for existing light-water nuclear 
power plants. This new regulation provides a voluntary alternative to 
the requirements of Appendix R to 10 CFR part 50, ``Fire Protection 
Program for Nuclear Power Facilities Operating Prior to January 1, 
1979.'' As such, the new rule endorses a national consensus standard 
(NEI 04-02), sets performance goals and criteria, and takes advantage 
of experience and enhanced methodologies.
    The NRC staff is soliciting comments on draft regulatory guide DG-
1139, and comments may be accompanied by relevant information or 
supporting data. Please mention DG-1139 [50.48(c) RG] in the subject 
line of your comments. Comments on this draft regulatory guide 
submitted in writing or in electronic form will be made available to 
the public in their entirety on the NRC's rulemaking Web site. Personal 
information will not be removed from your comments. You may submit 
comments by any of the following methods.
    Mail comments to: Rules and Directives Branch, Office of 
Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555-0001.
    Email comments to: [email protected]. You may also submit comments via 
the NRC's rulemaking Web site at http://ruleforum.llnl.gov. Address 
questions about our rulemaking

[[Page 60193]]

Web site to Carol A. Gallagher (301) 415-5905; email [email protected].
    Hand-deliver comments to: Rules and Directives Branch, Office of 
Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 11555 Rockville 
Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. on 
Federal workdays.
    Fax comments to: Rules and Directives Branch, Office of 
Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission at (301) 415-5144.
    Request for information about draft regulatory guide DG-1139 may be 
directed to Paul W. Lain at (301) 415-2346 or via email to [email protected].
    Comments would be most helpful if received by December 15, 2004. 
Comments received after this date will be considered if it is practical 
to do so, but the NRC is able to ensure consideration only for comments 
received on or before this date. Although a time limit is given, 
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.
    Electronic copies of the draft regulatory guide are available 
through the NRC's public Web site under Draft Regulatory Guides in the 
Regulatory Guides document collection of the NRC's Electronic Reading 
Room at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/. Electronic 
copies are also available in the NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and 
Management System (ADAMS) at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html, 
under Accession No. ML042740308. In addition, regulatory guides are 
available for inspection at the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), which 
is located at 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland; the PDR's 
mailing address is USNRC PDR, Washington, DC 20555-0001. The PDR can 
also be reached by telephone at (301) 415-4737 or (800) 397-4205, by 
fax at (301) 415-3548; and by email to [email protected]. Requests for single 
copies of draft or final guides (which may be reproduced) or for 
placement on an automatic distribution 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; by email to 
[email protected]; or by fax to (301) 415-2289. Telephone requests 
cannot be accommodated. Regulatory guides are not copyrighted, and 
Commission approval is not required to reproduce them. (U.S.C. 552(a))

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 30th day of September , 2004.
    For the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Sharon D. Stewart,
Acting Director, Program Management, Policy Development and Analysis 
Staff, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. 04-22545 Filed 10-6-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P