[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 205 (Monday, October 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 55074]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-25659]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2009-0465]


Withdrawal of Regulatory Guides 4.5 and 4.6

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Withdrawal of Regulatory Guides 4.5, ``Measurements of 
Radionuclides in the Environment--Sampling and Analysis of Plutonium in 
Soil'' and 4.6, ``Measurements of Radionuclides in the Environment--
Strontium-89 and Strontium-90 Analysis.''

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Powers, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone: 301-251-7449 or e-
mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Introduction

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is withdrawing 
Regulatory Guide (RG) 4.5, ``Measurements of Radionuclides in the 
Environment--Sampling and Analysis of Plutonium in Soil,'' and RG 4.6, 
``Measurements of Radionuclides in the Environment--Strontium-89 and 
Strontium-90 Analysis.'' Both of these guides were published in May 
1974.
    These regulatory guides provide prescriptive guidance to licensees 
and applicants on the sampling and laboratory analysis of Strontium and 
Plutonium. The guides provided guidance on compliance with a provision 
in 10 CFR Part 20, ``Standards for Protection against Radiation.'' That 
provision, 10 CFR 20.106, ``Concentrations in Effluents to Unrestricted 
Areas,'' was deleted, and that subject matter is addressed in a new 
section, 10 CFR 20.1302.
    ``Compliance with dose limits for individual members of the 
public.'' Paragraphs (a) and (b) of 20.1302 contain the effluent 
standards and allowable radionuclide concentrations in effluent 
releases.
    Updated performance based guidance for the measurement of plutonium 
(Pu), strontium-89 (Sr\89\), and strontium-90 (Sr\90\) is now provided 
through Regulatory Guide 4.15, ``Quality Assurance for Radiological 
Monitoring Programs (Inception through Normal Operations to License 
Termination)--Effluent Streams and the Environment,'' published July 
2007. This guidance references NUREG-1576, ``Multi-Agency Radiological 
Laboratory Analytical Protocols Manual (MARLAP),'' published in July 
2004. MARLAP provides analytical detail for measurement of Pu, Sr\89\, 
and Sr\90\ which includes methods described in RG 4.5 and 4.6 and more 
recent methods and procedures that are also acceptable to the staff. 
NUREG-1576 is available electronically through the NRC's Agencywide 
Documents Access and Management System at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html, under Accession No. ML060930645.

II. Further Information

    The withdrawal of RGs 4.5 and 4.6 does not alter any prior or 
existing licensing commitments or conditions based on their use. The 
guidance provided in these regulatory guides is neither necessary nor 
current. Regulatory guides may be withdrawn when their guidance is 
superseded by congressional action or no longer provides useful 
information.
    Regulatory guides are available for inspection or downloading 
through the NRC's public Web site under ``Regulatory Guides'' in the 
NRC's Electronic Reading Room at: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/ doc-
collections.
    In addition, regulatory guides are also available for inspection at 
the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), Room O-1 F21, One White Flint 
North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852-2738. The PDR's 
mailing address is US NRC PDR, Washington, DC 20555-0001. You can reach 
the PDR staff by telephone at 301-415-4737 or 800-397-4209, 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 13th day of October, 2009.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Andrea D. Valentin,
Chief, Regulatory Guide Development Branch, Division of Engineering, 
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. E9-25659 Filed 10-23-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P