[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 17 (Friday, January 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5438-5439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01525]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

National Nuclear Security Administration


Proposed Agency Information Collection

AGENCY: National Nuclear Security Administration, U.S. Department of 
Energy.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) invites public comment on a 
proposed collection of information that DOE is developing for 
submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This proposed collection would be for 
use of the American Assured Fuel Supply. Comments are invited on: (a) 
Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

DATES: Comments regarding this proposed information collection must be 
received on or before March 26, 2013. If you anticipate difficulty in 
submitting comments within that period, contact the person listed in 
ADDRESSES as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to Rich Goorevich, Senior 
Policy Advisor, Office of Nonproliferation and International Security, 
National Nuclear Security Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, 
1000 Independence Ave. SW., Washington DC 20585, or by fax at 202-586-
1348, or by email at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
also be directed to Rich Goorevich, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of 
Nonproliferation and International Security, National Nuclear Security 
Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave. SW., 
Washington DC 20585, or by fax at 202-586-1348, or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information collection request 
contains: (1) OMB No. {``New''{time} ; (2) Information Collection 
Request Title: The American Assured Fuel Supply Program; (3) Type of 
Request: New; (4) Purpose: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) created 
the American Assured Fuel Supply (AFS), a reserve of low enriched 
uranium (LEU) to serve as a backup fuel supply for foreign recipients 
to be supplied through U.S. persons or for domestic recipients, in the 
event of a fuel supply disruption. DOE is committed to making the AFS 
available to eligible recipients in the case of supply disruptions in 
the nuclear fuel market. This effort supports the United States 
Government's nuclear nonproliferation objectives by supporting civilian 
nuclear energy development while minimizing proliferation risks. DOE 
published a Notice of Availability for the AFS on August 18, 2011, and 
now needs to publish an application to clarify the information that 
must be provided in a request to access the material in the AFS as set 
forth in the Notice of Availability. 76 FR 51357, 51358. This 
application form is necessary in order for DOE to identify if 
applicants meet basic requirements for use of the AFS and implement 
this important nonproliferation initiative; (5) Annual Estimated Number 
of Respondents: 10; (6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: 1; 
(7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 8; (8) Annual Estimated 
Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $1,600.
    Statutory Authority: The Secretary of Energy is authorized pursuant 
to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (Pub. L. 83-703), and the 
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978 (NNPA) (Pub. L. 95-242) to 
encourage the widespread use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes, 
and to enter into and distribute nuclear material in cooperation with 
other nations where appropriate safeguard measures are in place to 
ensure the material is properly controlled and used for peaceful 
purposes. In 2005, DOE set aside a portion of its LEU inventory to be 
used to support the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) 
International Nuclear Fuel Bank (INFB) initiative, which is envisioned 
as an LEU reserve that will be administered by the IAEA and that will 
serve as a back-up for global supply disruptions. Congress later 
appropriated $49,540,000 in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 
(Pub. L. 110-161) to fund a portion of

[[Page 5439]]

the INFB. Congress, in the Explanatory Statement accompanying the House 
Appropriations Committee Print (which in this Act was given the same 
effect as a joint explanatory statement), noted that the INFB freed up 
DOE's LEU set-aside, and recommended DOE also ``allow U.S. interests to 
purchase uranium fuel from the Reliable Fuel Supply [now the AFS] in 
the event of supply disruption.'' (H. Approp. Cmte. Print at 592.)
    The sale of LEU from the AFS will be conducted consistent with 
applicable law, the policies and guidance in the ``Secretary of 
Energy's 2008 Policy Statement on Management of Department of Energy's 
Excess Uranium Inventory'' (March 11, 2008), and the DOE Excess Uranium 
Inventory Management Plan.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 15, 2013.
Andrew Bieniawski,
Acting Principal Assistant Deputy Administrator, Defense Nuclear 
Nonproliferation, National Nuclear Security Administration, U.S. 
Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2013-01525 Filed 1-24-13; 8:45 am]
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