[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 110 (Thursday, June 7, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33782-33786]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-13809]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 040-08502; NRC-2012-0120]


License Amendment To Construct and Operate New In Situ Leach 
Uranium Recovery Facility; Uranium One Americas; Ludeman

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: License amendment request; opportunity to request a hearing and 
to petition for leave to intervene, and Commission order.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DATES: Requests for a hearing or leave to intervene must be filed by 
August 6, 2012. Any potential party as defined in Title 10 of the Code 
of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 2.4, who believes access to sensitive 
unclassified non-safeguards information (SUNSI) is necessary to respond 
to this notice must request document access by June 18, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2012-0120 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may access information related to this document, which the NRC 
possesses and are publicly available, using any of the following 
methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2012-0120. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-492-
3668; email: [email protected].
    NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): 
You may access publicly available documents online in the NRC Library 
at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, 
select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and then select ``Begin Web-based 
ADAMS Search.'' For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's 
Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-
4737, or by email to [email protected]. The ADAMS accession number 
for each document referenced in this notice (if that document is 
available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that a document is 
referenced. The Ludeman facility In Situ Leach Uranium Recovery Project 
License Amendment Request is available electronically under ADAMS 
Accession No. ML120120182. The license amendment request and additional 
supporting documents can be found in ADAMS under Accession Nos. 
ML120120182, ML120880043, ML120870451, and ML12128A244. Documents 
related to the application can be found in ADAMS under Docket No. 
04008502.
     NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public 
documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John T. Buckley, Senior Project 
Manager, Reactor Decommissioning Branch, Division of Waste Management 
and Environmental Protection, Office of Federal and State Materials and 
Environmental Management Programs, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-6607; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Introduction

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) has 
received, by letter dated December 5, 2011, a request to amend Source 
Material License SUA-1341 to construct and operate a new in situ leach 
uranium recovery (ISL) facility at its Ludeman facility in Converse 
County, Wyoming.
    An NRC administrative completeness review found the application 
acceptable for a technical review (ADAMS Accession No. ML12131A322). 
Prior to approving the license amendment request, the NRC will need to 
make the findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended 
(the Act), and the NRC's regulations. The NRC's findings will be 
documented in a safety evaluation report and an environmental review 
report. The environmental review report will be the subject of a 
subsequent notice in the Federal Register.

II. Opportunity To Request a Hearing and Petitions for Leave To 
Intervene

    The NRC hereby provides note that this is a proceeding on an 
amendment to Source Material License SUA-1341 to construct and operate 
a new ISL uranium recovery facility at its Ludeman facility in Converse 
County, Wyoming. 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 2.309, which is available at 
the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville 
Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852 (or call the PDR at 1-800-397-4209 or 
301-415-4737). The NRC's regulations are also accessible online in the 
NRC's Library at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/.
    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 in accordance with the filing 
instructions in Section III of this document. As required by 10 CFR 
2.309, a petition for leave to intervene shall set forth with 
particularity the interest of the

[[Page 33783]]

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 
in response to the application. The petition must also include a 
concise statement of the alleged facts or expert opinions that support 
the position of the petitioner and on which the petitioner intends to 
rely at hearing, together with references 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 that the 
petitioner disputes and the supporting reasons for each dispute, or, if 
the petitioner believes that the application 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 which, 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 
presiding officer will set the time and place for any prehearing 
conferences and evidentiary hearings, and the appropriate notices will 
be provided.
    Non-timely petitions for leave to intervene and contentions, 
amended petitions, and supplemental petitions will not be entertained 
absent a determination by the 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 designated representative 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 August 6, 2012. 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). The petition must be filed in accordance with 
the filing instructions in Section III of this document, and should 
meet the requirements for petitions for leave to intervene set forth in 
this section, except 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 the proceeding 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 August 6, 2012.

III. Electronic Submissions (E-Filing)

    All documents filed in the 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 10 
days prior to the filing deadline, the participant should contact the 
Office of the Secretary by email at [email protected], or by 
telephone at 301-415-1677, to request (1) a digital identification (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 the 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 the 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 the Electronic Information Exchange System, 
users will be required to install a Web browser plug-in from the NRC's 
Web site. Further information on the Web-based submission form, 
including the installation of the Web browser plug-in,

[[Page 33784]]

is available on the NRC's 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's public Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.htm. 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 email notice confirming receipt of the document. The 
E-Filing system also distributes an email notice that provides access 
to the document to the NRC's 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 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 email at 
[email protected], or by a toll-free call at 1-866-672-7640. 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 the 
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.

Order Imposing Procedures for Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-
Safeguards Information for Contention Preparation

    A. This Order contains instructions regarding how potential parties 
to this proceeding may request access to documents containing Sensitive 
Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information (SUNSI).
    B. Within 10 days after publication of this notice of hearing and 
opportunity to petition for leave to intervene, any potential party who 
believes access to SUNSI is necessary to respond to this notice may 
request such access. A ``potential party'' is any person who intends to 
participate as a party by demonstrating standing and filing an 
admissible contention under 10 CFR 2.309. Requests for access to SUNSI 
submitted later than 10 days after publication will not be considered 
absent a showing of good cause for the late filing, addressing why the 
request could not have been filed earlier.
    C. The requester shall submit a letter requesting permission to 
access SUNSI to the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and 
Adjudications Staff, and provide a copy to the Associate General 
Counsel for Hearings, Enforcement and Administration, Office of the 
General Counsel, Washington, DC 20555-0001. The expedited delivery or 
courier mail address for both offices is: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. The email 
address for the Office of the Secretary and the Office of the General 
Counsel are [email protected] and [email protected], 
respectively.\1\ The request must include the following information:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ While a request for hearing or petition to intervene in this 
proceeding must comply with the filing requirements of the NRC's 
``E-Filing Rule,'' the initial request to access SUNSI under these 
procedures should be submitted as described in this paragraph.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (1) A description of the licensing action with a citation to this 
Federal Register notice;
    (2) The name and address of the potential party and a description 
of the potential party's particularized interest that could be harmed 
by the action identified in C.(1); and
    (3) The identity of the individual or entity requesting access to 
SUNSI and the requester's basis for the need for the information in 
order to meaningfully participate in this adjudicatory proceeding. In 
particular, the request must explain why publicly-available versions of 
the information requested would not be sufficient to provide the basis 
and specificity for a proffered contention.
    D. Based on an evaluation of the information submitted under 
paragraph C.(3) the NRC staff will determine within 10 days of receipt 
of the request whether:
    (1) There is a reasonable basis to believe the petitioner is likely 
to establish standing to participate in this NRC proceeding; and
    (2) The requestor has established a legitimate need for access to 
SUNSI.
    E. If the NRC staff determines that the requestor satisfies both 
D.(1) and D.(2) above, the NRC staff will notify the requestor in 
writing that access to SUNSI has been granted. The written notification 
will contain instructions on how the requestor may obtain copies of the 
requested documents, and any other conditions that may apply to access 
those documents. These conditions may include, but are not limited to, 
the signing of a Non-Disclosure Agreement

[[Page 33785]]

or Affidavit, or Protective Order \2\ setting forth terms and 
conditions to prevent the unauthorized or inadvertent disclosure of 
SUNSI by each individual who will be granted access to SUNSI.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ Any motion for Protective Order or draft Non-Disclosure 
Affidavit or Agreement for SUNSI must be filed with the presiding 
officer or the Chief Administrative Judge if the presiding officer 
has not yet been designated, within 30 days of the deadline for the 
receipt of the written access request.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    F. Filing of Contentions. Any contentions in these proceedings that 
are based upon the information received as a result of the request made 
for SUNSI must be filed by the requestor no later than 25 days after 
the requestor is granted access to that information. However, if more 
than 25 days remain between the date the petitioner is granted access 
to the information and the deadline for filing all other contentions 
(as established in the notice of hearing or opportunity for hearing), 
the petitioner may file its SUNSI contentions by that later deadline.
    G. Review of Denials of Access.
    (1) If the request for access to SUNSI is denied by the NRC staff 
either after a determination on standing and need for access, the NRC 
staff shall immediately notify the requestor in writing, briefly 
stating the reason or reasons for the denial.
    (2) The requester may challenge the NRC staff's adverse 
determination by filing a challenge within 5 days of receipt of that 
determination with: (a) The presiding officer designated in this 
proceeding; (b) if no presiding officer has been appointed, the Chief 
Administrative Judge, or if he or she is unavailable, another 
administrative judge, or an administrative law judge with jurisdiction 
pursuant to 10 CFR 2.318(a); or (c) if another officer has been 
designated to rule on information access issues, with that officer.
    H. Review of Grants of Access. A party other than the requester may 
challenge an NRC staff determination granting access to SUNSI whose 
release would harm that party's interest independent of the proceeding. 
Such a challenge must be filed with the Chief Administrative Judge 
within 5 days of the notification by the NRC staff of its grant of 
access.
    If challenges to the NRC staff determinations are filed, these 
procedures give way to the normal process for litigating disputes 
concerning access to information. The availability of interlocutory 
review by the Commission of orders ruling on such NRC staff 
determinations (whether granting or denying access) is governed by 10 
CFR 2.311.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ Requesters should note that the filing requirements of the 
NRC's E-Filing Rule (72 FR 49139; August 28, 2007) apply to appeals 
of NRC staff determinations (because they must be served on a 
presiding officer or the Commission, as applicable), but not to the 
initial SUNSI request submitted to the NRC staff under these 
procedures.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I. The Commission expects that the NRC staff and presiding officers 
(and any other reviewing officers) will consider and resolve requests 
for access to SUNSI, and motions for protective orders, in a timely 
fashion in order to minimize any unnecessary delays in identifying 
those petitioners who have standing and who have propounded contentions 
meeting the specificity and basis requirements in 10 CFR part 2. 
Attachment 1 to this Order summarizes the general target schedule for 
processing and resolving requests under these procedures.
    It is so ordered.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 31st day of May, 2012.
Annette L. Vietti-Cook,
Secretary of the Commission.

    Attachment--General Target Schedule for Processing and Resolving
Requests for Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information
                           in This Proceeding
------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Day                            Event/activity
------------------------------------------------------------------------
0...................  Publication of Federal Register notice of hearing
                       and opportunity to petition for leave to
                       intervene, including order with instructions for
                       access requests.
10..................  Deadline for submitting requests for access to
                       Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information
                       (SUNSI) with information: Supporting the standing
                       of a potential party identified by name and
                       address; describing the need for the information
                       in order for the potential party to participate
                       meaningfully in an adjudicatory proceeding.
60..................  Deadline for submitting petition for intervention
                       containing: (i) Demonstration of standing; (ii)
                       all contentions whose formulation does not
                       require access to SUNSI (+25 Answers to petition
                       for intervention; +7 petitioner/requestor reply).
20..................  Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff informs
                       the requester of the staff's determination
                       whether the request for access provides a
                       reasonable basis to believe standing can be
                       established and shows need for SUNSI. (NRC staff
                       also informs any party to the proceeding whose
                       interest independent of the proceeding would be
                       harmed by the release of the information.) If NRC
                       staff makes the finding of need for SUNSI and
                       likelihood of standing, NRC staff begins document
                       processing (preparation of redactions or review
                       of redacted documents).
25..................  If NRC staff finds no ``need'' or no likelihood of
                       standing, the deadline for petitioner/requester
                       to file a motion seeking a ruling to reverse the
                       NRC staff's denial of access; NRC staff files
                       copy of access determination with the presiding
                       officer (or Chief Administrative Judge or other
                       designated officer, as appropriate). If NRC staff
                       finds ``need'' for SUNSI, the deadline for any
                       party to the proceeding whose interest
                       independent of the proceeding would be harmed by
                       the release of the information to file a motion
                       seeking a ruling to reverse the NRC staff's grant
                       of access.
30..................  Deadline for NRC staff reply to motions to reverse
                       NRC staff determination(s).
40..................  (Receipt +30) If NRC staff finds standing and need
                       for SUNSI, deadline for NRC staff to complete
                       information processing and file motion for
                       Protective Order and draft Non-Disclosure
                       Affidavit. Deadline for applicant/licensee to
                       file Non-Disclosure Agreement for SUNSI.
A...................  If access granted: Issuance of presiding officer
                       or other designated officer decision on motion
                       for protective order for access to sensitive
                       information (including schedule for providing
                       access and submission of contentions) or decision
                       reversing a final adverse determination by the
                       NRC staff.
A + 3...............  Deadline for filing executed Non-Disclosure
                       Affidavits. Access provided to SUNSI consistent
                       with decision issuing the protective order.
A + 28..............  Deadline for submission of contentions whose
                       development depends upon access to SUNSI.
                       However, if more than 25 days remain between the
                       petitioner's receipt of (or access to) the
                       information and the deadline for filing all other
                       contentions (as established in the notice of
                       hearing or opportunity for hearing), the
                       petitioner may file its SUNSI contentions by that
                       later deadline.
A + 53..............  (Contention receipt +25) Answers to contentions
                       whose development depends upon access to SUNSI.
A + 60..............  (Answer receipt +7) Petitioner/Intervenor reply to
                       answers.
>A + 60.............  Decision on contention admission.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 33786]]

[FR Doc. 2012-13809 Filed 6-6-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P