[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 3, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 29]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-8218]


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 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 1 / Tuesday, January 3, 2006 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 29]]



NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

10 CFR Parts 20, 30, 31, 32, 33, and 35


Expanded Definition of Byproduct Material (NARM Rulemaking), 
Availability of Web Page

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has crafted a Web page 
for the rulemaking titled ``Expanded Definition of Byproduct 
Material,'' also known as the ``NARM rulemaking.'' The Energy Policy 
Act of 2005 requires the NRC to establish a regulatory framework for 
the expanded definition of byproduct material to include certain 
naturally occurring and accelerator-produced radioactive material 
through rulemaking. Documents in support of this rulemaking will be 
posted on the Web page via the NRC's rulemaking Web site at http://ruleforum.llnl.gov as they become publicly available.

DATES: The NRC is not soliciting comments at this time; however, NRC 
will request formal public comments when a notice of proposed 
rulemaking is published in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Documents related to the NARM rulemaking may be examined at 
the NRC Public Document Room, located at One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. They may also be viewed and 
downloaded electronically from the ``Expanded Definition of Byproduct 
Material (NARM Rulemaking)'' Web page via the rulemaking Web site 
http://ruleforum.llnl.gov and selecting ``Other Rulemaking-Related 
Comment Requests'' from the selection menu. For information about the 
interactive rulemaking Web site, contact Ms. Carol Gallagher (301) 415-
5905; e-mail [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jayne M. McCausland, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone (301) 415-6219, e-mail 
[email protected]. For questions related to the NARM rulemaking, contact Ms. 
Lydia Chang, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone 
(301) 415-6319, e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 651(e) of the Energy Policy Act of 
2005 (the Act) expanded the definition of Byproduct material in section 
11e. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, to include certain naturally 
occurring and accelerator-produced radioactive material (NARM). The Act 
also required the NRC to provide a regulatory framework for licensing 
and regulating the additional byproduct material. The NRC is developing 
a rulemaking to revise its regulations to expand the definition of 
Byproduct material to include the following materials produced, 
extracted, or converted after extraction for use for a commercial, 
medical, or research activity:
    (1) Any discrete source of radium-226;
    (2) Any accelerator-produced radioactive material; and
    (3) Any discrete source of naturally occurring radioactive 
material, other than source material, that the Commission, in 
consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
and the head of any other appropriate Federal agency, determines would 
pose a threat to public health and safety or the common defense and 
security similar to the threat posed by a discrete source of radium-
226.
    To aid the rulemaking process, NRC held a roundtable public meeting 
on November 9, 2005, to solicit input from stakeholders on the NARM 
rulemaking. Participants for the roundtable public meeting included 
representatives from other Federal agencies, State governments, the 
medical community, professional organizations, public interest groups, 
and members of the general public. The transcripts from the November 9, 
2005, public meeting and a meeting summary have been posted on the NARM 
rulemaking Web page with other supporting documents. Additional 
documents may be added as they become publicly available, including the 
draft proposed rule. The Web page can be accessed via NRC's rulemaking 
Web site at http://ruleforum.llnl.gov under ``Other Rulemaking-Related 
Comment Requests'' selection menu. The specific link to the NARM 
rulemaking Web page is http://ruleforum.llnl.gov/cgi-bin/rulemake?source=narm&st=ipcr. Once the proposed rule is published in 
the Federal Register, the NARM rulemaking Web page would still be 
accessed at http://ruleforum.llnl.gov but relocated under ``Proposed 
Rules'' selection menu.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 21st day of December, 2005.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Scott W. Moore,
Chief, Rulemaking and Guidance Branch, Division of Industrial and 
Medical Nuclear Safety, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards.
 [FR Doc. E5-8218 Filed 12-30-05; 8:45 am]
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