[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 53 (Tuesday, March 18, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14501-14502]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5400]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Draft Regulatory Guide: Issuance, Availability

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Issuance, Availability of Draft Regulatory Guide (DG)-3032.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: B. Von Till, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone: (301) 415-0598 or e-
mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued for public 
comment a draft regulatory guide in the agency's ``Regulatory Guide'' 
series. This series was 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 draft regulatory guide (DG), entitled, ``Design, Construction, 
and Inspection of Embankment Retention Systems at Uranium Recovery 
Facilities,'' is temporarily identified by its task number, DG-3032, 
which should be mentioned in all related correspondence.
    This draft guide updates and combines the guidance currently found 
in Revision 2 of Regulatory Guide 3.11, ``Design, Construction, and 
Inspection of Embankment Retention Systems for Uranium Mills,'' and 
Revision 1 of Regulatory Guide 3.11.1, ``Operational Inspection and 
Surveillance of Embankment Retention Systems for Uranium Mill 
Tailings.''
    The mining and milling of uranium ores generates large volumes of 
liquid and solid wastes (tailings). These tailings are usually stored 
behind manmade retaining structures much like other commercial mining 
and milling operations. In addition, other liquid wastes from 
operations and ground-water corrective action activities at uranium 
recovery facilities are often retained behind evaporation pond 
embankments. This draft guide describes engineering practices and 
methods generally considered by the NRC to be satisfactory for the 
design, construction, and inspection of the embankment retention 
systems used for retaining liquid and solid wastes from uranium 
recovery operations. These practices and methods are the result of NRC 
review and action on a number of specific cases, and they reflect the 
latest engineering approaches acceptable to the NRC staff. If future 
information results in alternative methods, the NRC staff will review 
such methods to determine their acceptability.
    The NRC staff is of the opinion that the latest advances in 
geotechnical

[[Page 14502]]

engineering, together with engineering experience and knowledge 
available in the field of water storage dams and retention structures, 
can be used in the design and construction of uranium recovery 
retention systems. The basic concepts of conventional water storage 
impoundments can be suitably modified to produce economical designs 
that will ensure the stability of the retention system and minimal 
contamination. Draft Guide 3032 describes methods and processes the NRC 
finds acceptable for the design, construction, and inspection of 
embankment retention systems at uranium recovery facilities.
    When finalized and issued, DG-3032 will be entered into the 
agency's ``Regulatory Guide'' series as Revision 3 of Regulatory Guide 
3.11 where it will replace both Revision 2 of Regulatory Guide 3.11 and 
Revision 1 of Regulatory Guide 3.11.1.

II. Further Information

    The NRC staff is soliciting comments on DG-3032. Comments may be 
accompanied by relevant information or supporting data, and should 
mention DG-3032 in the subject line. Comments submitted in writing or 
in electronic form will be made available to the public in their 
entirety through the NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management 
System (ADAMS).
    Personal information will not be removed from your comments. You 
may submit comments by any of the following methods:
    1. Mail comments to: Rulemaking, Directives, and Editing Branch, 
Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001.
    2. E-mail comments to: [email protected].
    3. Hand-deliver comments to: Rulemaking, Directives, and Editing 
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.
    4. Fax comments to: Rulemaking, Directives, and Editing Branch, 
Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission at (301) 
415-5144.
    Requests for technical information about DG-3032 may be directed to 
the NRC Senior Program Manager, B. Von Till at (301) 415-0598 or e-mail 
at [email protected].
    Comments would be most helpful if received by May 16, 2008. 
Comments received after that 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 DG-3032 are available through the NRC's public 
Web site under Draft Regulatory Guides in the ``Regulatory Guides'' 
collection of the NRC's Electronic Reading Room at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/. Electronic copies are also available in 
ADAMS (http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html), under Accession No. 
ML080180036.
    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 e-
mail to [email protected].
    Regulatory guides are not copyrighted, and Commission approval is 
not required to reproduce them.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 11th day of March, 2008.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Andrea D. Valentin,
Chief, Regulatory Guide Development Branch, Division of Engineering, 
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. E8-5400 Filed 3-17-08; 8:45 am]
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