[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 239 (Wednesday, December 13, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 74847-74848]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-21154]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

10 CFR Part 20


Public Meeting on Consideration of Rulemaking To Reduce the 
Likelihood of Funding Shortfalls for Decommissioning Under the License 
Termination Rule

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is working on a 
proposed rule to reduce the likelihood that a licensee will have 
insufficient funds to decommission its facility in accordance with 10 
CFR part 20, Subpart E, Radiological Criteria for License Termination. 
In the past, these funding shortfalls resulted in ``legacy sites,'' 
which are sites that are in decommissioning but whose operators do not 
have enough funds to complete the work and terminate the license in 
accordance with NRC regulations. All of the legacy sites have been 
materials facilities, primarily those that processed uranium and 
thorium, with undetected subsurface contamination from operations 
arising as a significant problem during decommissioning. A risk-
informed approach addressing subsurface contamination at operating 
facilities would affect materials licensees and operators of nuclear 
power reactors. The purpose of the meeting is to give stakeholders an 
opportunity to discuss their views and interact with other interested 
parties on the regulatory issues summarized in the Supplementary 
Information section of this document.
    To aid in the rulemaking process, NRC is holding a public meeting 
with a ``roundtable'' format (defined further in the body of this 
notice) to solicit input. The meeting is open to the public. The NRC is 
asking those planning to attend the meeting to pre-register by 
contacting Jayne McCausland as noted under the For Further Information 
section of this document. Individuals unable to attend the meeting will 
be able to listen by teleconference.

DATES: The meeting will be held on January 10, 2007, from 9 a.m. to 4 
p.m. Registration is from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.; however, all persons 
planning to attend the meeting are encouraged to pre-register in order 
to facilitate check-in on the day of the meeting.

ADDRESSES: Residence Inn Bethesda Downtown, 7335 Wisconsin Avenue, 
Bethesda, Maryland, 20814. Telephone (301) 718-0200.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin O'Sullivan, telephone (301) 415-
8112, e-mail [email protected], of the Office of Federal and State Materials 
and Environmental Management Programs, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. Questions on the meeting format, 
including participation in the roundtable, should be directed to the 
meeting facilitator, Lance Rakovan. Mr. Rakovan can be reached at (301) 
415-2589 or [email protected]. To pre-register to attend the meeting in 
person or to participate via teleconference, or if a participant has 
special needs, please contact Jayne McCausland, telephone (301) 415-
6219, fax (301) 415-5369, or e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Current NRC regulations in 10 CFR part 20, 
Subpart F, Surveys and Monitoring, require licensees to conduct 
surveys, as reasonable under the circumstances, to evaluate (1) the 
magnitude and extent of radiation levels; (2) concentrations or 
quantities of radioactive material; and (3) the potential radiological 
hazards. NRC regulations in 10 CFR 20, Subpart L, Records, contain 
related record-keeping requirements. There have been past occurrences 
among materials licensees, and recent occurrences at

[[Page 74848]]

nuclear power reactors, of inadvertent and undetected release of 
radioactive material into the underlying soils and groundwater. Such 
undetected subsurface contamination from operations may significantly 
expand the scope of decommissioning when the facility is shut down, to 
the extent that the licensee has insufficient funds to terminate the 
license in accordance with NRC regulations.
    Amendments to NRC regulations are under consideration that will 
affect both facility operations and financial assurance for 
decommissioning requirements. One proposed change would require each 
NRC licensee to conduct operations, to the extent practicable, so as to 
minimize the presence of contamination in the subsurface environment. A 
second would require certain licensees, based on their capability for 
causing long-lasting subsurface contamination, to check for the 
presence of such contamination. NRC experience with legacy sites 
demonstrates that soil or groundwater contamination, if not addressed 
during the operating life of the facility, can increase decommissioning 
costs to levels much higher than initially funded and may contribute to 
off-site radionuclide migration, causing additional expense and delay 
in returning the site to other productive uses.
    Another regulatory amendment under consideration is to eliminate 
the escrow account as an approved financial assurance mechanism due to 
its ineffectiveness in bankruptcy actions. Two other financial 
assurance mechanisms that pose similar financial risk during bankruptcy 
are the unsecured Parent Company Guarantee and unsecured Self-
Guarantee. Reliance on these financial assurance mechanisms may 
increase the likelihood of future legacy sites.
    The January 10, 2007, public meeting is being held to discuss these 
and related issues using a ``roundtable'' format. Participants at the 
roundtable will be the invited stakeholders representing the broad 
spectrum of interests who may be affected by this rulemaking. The 
roundtable format is being used for this meeting to promote a dialogue 
among the representatives at the table on the issues of concern. 
Opportunities will be provided for comments and questions from the 
audience. The meeting notice and a meeting agenda will be posted on the 
NRC Web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/public-meetings/index.cfm.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 6th day of December 2006.
    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Dennis Rathbun,
Director, Division of Intergovernmental Liaison and Rulemaking, Office 
of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs.
 [FR Doc. E6-21154 Filed 12-12-06; 8:45 am]
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