[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 103 (Friday, May 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30980-30982]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-13213]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 72-27, NRC-2011-0115]


Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Humboldt Bay Independent Spent 
Fuel Storage Installation; License Amendment Request, Opportunity To 
Request a Hearing and To Petition for Leave To Intervene

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of amendment and opportunity to request a hearing and to 
petition for leave to intervene.

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DATES: Requests for a hearing or leave to intervene must be filed by 
July 26, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You can access publicly available documents related to this 
notice using the following methods:
    NRC's Public Document Room (PDR): The public may examine and have 
copied for a fee publicly available documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1 
F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland.
    NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): 
Publicly available documents created or received at the NRC are 
available online in the NRC Library at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. From this page, the public can gain entry into ADAMS, which 
provides text and image files of NRC's public documents. If you do not 
have access to ADAMS or if there are problems in accessing the 
documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC's PDR reference staff at 1-
800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by e-mail to [email protected]. The 
Pacific Gas and Electric letter HIL-10-005 which requested the 
amendment is available electronically under ADAMS Accession Number 
ML102530291.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Allen, Project Manager, 
Licensing Branch, Division of Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation, 
Office of Nuclear Materials and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. Telephone: 301-492-3148; fax 
number: 301-492-3348; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Introduction

    The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has received, by letter 
dated September 8, 2010, a license amendment application from Pacific 
Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), requesting a modification to License 
No. SNM-2514 at its Humboldt Bay Independent Spent Fuel Storage 
Installation (ISFSI) site located in Eureka, California. License No. 
SNM-2514 authorizes PG&E to receive, possess, store, and transfer spent 
nuclear fuel and associated radioactive materials resulting from the 
operation of the Humboldt Bay Power Plant in an ISFSI at the power 
plant site for a term of 20 years. Specifically, the amendment proposes 
modifying License Condition 7.B to add ``process wastes'' to the 
chemical and/or physical form description of Greater Than Class C Waste 
authorized to be received at the Humboldt Bay ISFSI.
    An NRC administrative review, documented in a letter to PG&E dated 
April 14, 2011, found the application acceptable to begin a technical 
review. If the NRC approves the amendment, the approval will be 
documented in an amendment to NRC License No. SNM-2514. However, before 
approving the proposed amendment, the NRC will need to make the 
findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and 
NRC's regulations. These findings will be documented in a Safety 
Evaluation Report.

II. Opportunity To Request a Hearing

    Requirements for hearing requests and petitions for leave to 
intervene are found in 10 CFR 2.309, ``Hearing requests, Petitions to 
Intervene, Requirements for Standing, and Contentions.'' Interested 
persons should consult 10 CFR Part 2, Sec.  2.309, which is available 
at the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), located at O1 F21, One White 
Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852 (or call the PDR 
at 800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737). NRC regulations are also accessible 
electronically from the NRC's Electronic Reading Room on the NRC Web 
site at http://www.nrc.gov.

III. Petitions for Leave To Intervene

    Any person whose interest may be affected by this proceeding and 
who wishes to participate as a party in the proceeding must file a 
written petition for leave to intervene. As required by 10 CFR 2.309, a 
petition for leave to intervene shall set forth with particularity the 
interest of the petitioner in the proceeding and how that interest may 
be affected by the results of the proceeding. The petition must provide 
the name, address, and telephone number of the petitioner and 
specifically explain the reasons why intervention should be permitted 
with particular reference to the following factors: (1) The nature of 
the petitioner's right under the Act to be made a party to the 
proceeding; (2) the nature and extent of the petitioner's property, 
financial, or other interest in the proceeding; and (3) the possible 
effect of any order that may be entered in the proceeding on the 
petitioner's interest.
    A petition for leave to intervene must also include a specification 
of the contentions that the petitioner seeks to have litigated in the 
hearing. For each contention, the petitioner must provide a specific 
statement of the issue of law or fact to be raised or controverted, as 
well as a brief explanation of the basis for the contention. 
Additionally, the petitioner must demonstrate that the issue raised by 
each contention is within the scope of the proceeding and is material 
to the findings the NRC must make to support the granting of a license 
amendment in response to the application. The petition must also 
include a concise statement of the alleged facts or expert opinions 
which support the position of the petitioner and on which the 
petitioner intends to rely at hearing, together with references

[[Page 30981]]

to the specific sources and documents on which the petitioner intends 
to rely. Finally, the petition must provide sufficient information to 
show that a genuine dispute exists with the applicant on a material 
issue of law or fact, including references to specific portions of the 
application for amendment that the petitioner disputes and the 
supporting reasons for each dispute, or, if the petitioner believes 
that the application for amendment fails to contain information on a 
relevant matter as required by law, the identification of each failure 
and the supporting reasons for the petitioner's belief. Each contention 
must be one that, if proven, would entitle the petitioner to relief.
    Those permitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding, 
subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to intervene, 
and have the opportunity to participate fully in the conduct of the 
hearing with respect to resolution of that person's admitted 
contentions, including the opportunity to present evidence and to 
submit a cross-examination plan for cross-examination of witnesses, 
consistent with NRC regulations, policies, and procedures. The Atomic 
Safety and Licensing Board will set the time and place for any 
prehearing conferences and evidentiary hearings, and the appropriate 
notices will be provided.
    Petitions for leave to intervene must be filed no later than July 
26, 2011. Non-timely petitions for leave to intervene and contentions, 
amended petitions, and supplemental petitions will not be entertained 
absent a determination by the Commission, the Atomic Safety and 
Licensing Board or a Presiding Officer that the petition should be 
granted and/or the contentions should be admitted based upon a 
balancing of the factors specified in 10 CFR 2.309(c)(1)(i)-(viii).
    A State, county, municipality, Federally-recognized Indian Tribe, 
or agencies thereof, may submit a petition to the Commission to 
participate as a party under 10 CFR 2.309(d)(2). The petition should 
state the nature and extent of the petitioner's interest in the 
proceeding. The petition should be submitted to the Commission by July 
26, 2011. The petition must be filed in accordance with the filing 
instructions in section IV of this document, and should meet the 
requirements for petitions for leave to intervene set forth in this 
section, except that State and Federally-recognized Indian tribes do 
not need to address the standing requirements in 10 CFR 2.309(d)(1) if 
the facility is located within its boundaries. The entities listed 
above could also seek to participate in a hearing as a nonparty 
pursuant to 10 CFR 2.315(c).
    Any person who does not wish, or is not qualified, to become a 
party to this proceeding may request permission to make a limited 
appearance pursuant to the provisions of 10 CFR 2.315(a). A person 
making a limited appearance may make an oral or written statement of 
position on the issues, but may not otherwise participate in the 
proceeding. A limited appearance may be made at any session of the 
hearing or at any prehearing conference, subject to such limits and 
conditions as may be imposed by the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board. 
Persons desiring to make a limited appearance are requested to inform 
the Secretary of the Commission by July 26, 2011.

IV. Electronic Submissions (E-Filing)

    All documents filed in NRC adjudicatory proceedings, including a 
request for hearing, a petition for leave to intervene, any motion or 
other document filed in the proceeding prior to the submission of a 
request for hearing or petition to intervene, and documents filed by 
interested governmental entities participating under 10 CFR 2.315(c), 
must be filed in accordance with the NRC E-Filing rule (72 FR 49139, 
August 28, 2007). The E-Filing process requires participants to submit 
and serve all adjudicatory documents over the Internet, or in some 
cases to mail copies on electronic storage media. Participants may not 
submit paper copies of their filings unless they seek an exemption in 
accordance with the procedures described below.
    To comply with the procedural requirements of E-Filing, at least 
ten (10) days prior to the filing deadline, the participant should 
contact the Office of the Secretary by e-mail at 
[email protected], or by telephone at 301-415-1677, to request: 
(1) A digital ID certificate, which allows the participant (or its 
counsel or representative) to digitally sign documents and access the 
E-Submittal server for any proceeding in which it is participating; and 
(2) advise the Secretary that the participant will be submitting a 
request or petition for hearing (even in instances in which the 
participant, or its counsel or representative, already holds an NRC-
issued digital ID certificate). Based upon this information, the 
Secretary will establish an electronic docket for the hearing in this 
proceeding if the Secretary has not already established an electronic 
docket.
    Information about applying for a digital ID certificate is 
available on NRC's public Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals/apply-certificates.html. System requirements for accessing 
the E-Submittal server are detailed in NRC's ``Guidance for Electronic 
Submission,'' which is available on the agency's public Web site at 
http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html. Participants may 
attempt to use other software not listed on the Web site, but should 
note that the NRC's E-Filing system does not support unlisted software, 
and the NRC Meta System Help Desk will not be able to offer assistance 
in using unlisted software.
    If a participant is electronically submitting a document to the NRC 
in accordance with the E-Filing rule, the participant must file the 
document using the NRC's online, Web-based submission form. In order to 
serve documents through EIE, users will be required to install a Web 
browser plug-in from the NRC Web site. Further information on the Web-
based submission form, including the installation of the Web browser 
plug-in, is available on the NRC's public Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html.
    Once a participant has obtained a digital ID certificate and a 
docket has been created, the participant can then submit a request for 
hearing or petition for leave to intervene. Submissions should be in 
Portable Document Format (PDF) in accordance with NRC guidance 
available on the NRC public Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html. A filing is considered complete at the time the 
documents are submitted through the NRC's E-Filing system. To be 
timely, an electronic filing must be submitted to the E-Filing system 
no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date. Upon receipt of 
a transmission, the E-Filing system time-stamps the document and sends 
the submitter an e-mail notice confirming receipt of the document. The 
E-Filing system also distributes an e-mail notice that provides access 
to the document to the NRC Office of the General Counsel and any others 
who have advised the Office of the Secretary that they wish to 
participate in the proceeding, so that the filer need not serve the 
documents on those participants separately. Therefore, applicants and 
other participants (or their counsel or representative) must apply for 
and receive a digital ID certificate before a hearing request/petition 
to intervene is filed so that they can obtain access to the document 
via the E-Filing system.
    A person filing electronically using the agency's adjudicatory E-
Filing

[[Page 30982]]

system may seek assistance by contacting the NRC Meta System Help Desk 
through the ``Contact Us'' link located on the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html, by e-mail at 
[email protected], or by a toll-free call at (866) 672-7640. The 
NRC Meta System Help Desk is available between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., 
Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, excluding government holidays.
    Participants who believe that they have a good cause for not 
submitting documents electronically must file an exemption request, in 
accordance with 10 CFR 2.302(g), with their initial paper filing 
requesting authorization to continue to submit documents in paper 
format. Such filings must be submitted by: (1) First class mail 
addressed to the Office of the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: 
Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff; or (2) courier, express mail, or 
expedited delivery service to the Office of the Secretary, Sixteenth 
Floor, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 
20852, Attention: Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff. Participants 
filing a document in this manner are responsible for serving the 
document on all other participants.
    Filing is considered complete by first-class mail as of the time of 
deposit in the mail, or by courier, express mail, or expedited delivery 
service upon depositing the document with the provider of the service. 
A presiding officer, having granted an exemption request from using E-
Filing, may require a participant or party to use E-Filing if the 
presiding officer subsequently determines that the reason for granting 
the exemption from use of E-Filing no longer exists.
    Documents submitted in adjudicatory proceedings will appear in 
NRC's electronic hearing docket which is available to the public at 
http://ehd1.nrc.gov/EHD/, unless excluded pursuant to an order of the 
Commission, or the presiding officer. Participants are requested not to 
include personal privacy information, such as social security numbers, 
home addresses, or home phone numbers in their filings, unless an NRC 
regulation or other law requires submission of such information. With 
respect to copyrighted works, except for limited excerpts that serve 
the purpose of the adjudicatory filings and would constitute a Fair Use 
application, participants are requested not to include copyrighted 
materials in their submission.
    Petitions for leave to intervene must be filed no later than July 
26, 2011. Non-timely filings will not be entertained absent a 
determination by the presiding officer that the petition or request 
should be granted or the contentions should be admitted, based on a 
balancing of the factors specified in 10 CFR 2.309(c)(1)(i)-(viii).

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 17th day of May 2011.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Michael Waters,
Chief, Licensing Branch, Division of Spent Fuel Storage and 
Transportation, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2011-13213 Filed 5-26-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P