[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 51 (Wednesday, March 17, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12804-12805]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5794]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2010-0103]


Withdrawal of Regulatory Guide 8.6

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Withdrawal of Regulatory Guide 8.6, ``Standard Test Procedure 
for Geiger-M[uuml]ller Counters.''

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harriet Karagiannis, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone: 301-251-
7477 or e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is withdrawing 
Regulatory Guide (RG) 8.6, ``Standard Test Procedure for Geiger-
M[uuml]ller Counters,'' published in May 1973. The NRC issued RG 8.6, 
for Geiger-M[uuml]ller (GM) counters endorsing test procedures 
specified in ANSI N42.3-1969, ``Test Procedure for Geiger-M[uuml]ller 
Counters.'' ANSI N42.3-1969 has not been revised; it is outdated and no 
longer useful.

[[Page 12805]]

    RG 8.6 provided guidance for licensees to comply with Title 10 of 
the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 20, ``Standards for 
Protection against Radiation,'' specifically 10 CFR 20.201, 
``Precautionary Procedures: Surveys'' which required surveys, including 
appropriate measurements of levels of radiation. That provision, 10 CFR 
20.201, was deleted, and that subject matter is addressed in a new 
section, 10 CFR 20.1501, ``General,'' which states that licensees shall 
perform surveys to ensure that instruments and equipment used for 
quantitative radiation measurements (e.g., dose rate and effluent 
monitoring) are calibrated periodically for the radiation measured.
    In the 1970s, the GM counters were the main radiation detection 
instruments used by licensees. At that time, radiation protection 
programs needed the guidance included in RG 8.6 because there was 
limited information available on the use and maintenance of these 
counters. However, since the 1970s, technology has changed radically, 
and currently, in addition to GM counters, there are many types of 
radiation detection and measurement instruments used. Most of them are 
fairly complex to operate, maintain, and calibrate.
    Generally, the NRC does not provide specific guidance for the 
technical testing or calibration of radiation detection and measurement 
equipment. Any such guidance would soon become outdated, since the 
development of these instruments is continuously advancing, producing 
new models tailored to a range of specialized clientele. The 
manufacturers provide instructions and training for testing and 
calibration of each new instrument. Also, since the 1970s, the industry 
has gained extensive experience in the characteristics of the GM 
counters and other instruments. In addition, organizations such as the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology and other private groups 
offer calibration services to those who lack in-house training and 
experience in testing and calibrating instruments.

II. Further Information

    The withdrawal of RG 8.6 does not alter any prior or existing 
licensing commitments or conditions based on its use. The guidance 
provided in RG 8.6 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. 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. The PDR staff can be 
reached 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 NRC approval is not 
required to reproduce them.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day of March, 2010.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Andrea D. Valentin,
Chief, Regulatory Guide Development Branch, Division of Engineering, 
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. 2010-5794 Filed 3-16-10; 8:45 am]
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