[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 153 (Monday, August 10, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47943-47945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-19591]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID: FEMA-2015-0018: OMB No. 1660-0024]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Federal Assistance for Offsite Radiological Emergency 
Preparedness and Planning

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

[[Page 47944]]


ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency, as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites 
the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity 
to comment on a revision of a currently approved information 
collection. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
this notice seeks comments concerning revising a currently approved 
information collection to incorporate existing information collections 
in use without an OMB control number representing all information 
collections related to FEMA Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program 
requirements described in 44 CFR parts 350 and 352.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 9, 2015.

ADDRESSES: To avoid duplicate submissions to the docket, please use 
only one of the following means to submit comments:
    (1) Online. Submit comments at www.regulations.gov under Docket ID 
FEMA-2015-0018. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    (2) Mail. Submit written comments to Docket Manager, Office of 
Chief Counsel, DHS/FEMA, 500 C Street SW., 8NE, Washington, DC 20472-
3100.
    All submissions received must include the agency name and Docket 
ID. Regardless of the method used for submitting comments or material, 
all submissions will be posted, without change, to the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, and will include any 
personal information you provide. Therefore, submitting this 
information makes it public. You may wish to read the Privacy Act 
notice that is available via the link in the footer of 
www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Schafer, Chief, Engineering and 
Technology Section, Professional Services and Integration, 
Technological Hazards Division, at 202-341-4896. You may contact the 
Records Management Division for copies of the proposed collection of 
information at email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FEMA's Radiological Emergency Preparedness 
(REP) Program coordinates the national effort to provide State, Tribal 
and local governments with relevant and executable planning, training, 
and exercise guidance and policies necessary to ensure that adequate 
capabilities exist to prevent, protect against, mitigate the effects 
of, respond to, and recover from incidents involving commercial nuclear 
power plants (NPPs).
    The REP Program assists State, Tribal and local governments in the 
development and conduct of off-site REP emergency planning and 
preparedness activities within the emergency planning zones (EPZs) of 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)-licensed commercial nuclear power 
facilities.
    Sec. 109 of the NRC Authorization Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-295) 
directed the NRC to establish emergency preparedness as a criterion for 
licensing commercial NPPs. Specifically, section 109 of Public Law 96-
295 directed the NRC to establish through rulemaking, (a) standards, 
developed with FEMA, for the evaluation of State and local government 
radiological emergency planning and preparedness; and (b) a requirement 
that the NRC will issue operating licenses. Before issuing a license 
the NRC also must determine that there is (i) a State or local 
emergency response plan compliant with the standards developed with 
FEMA or (ii) in the absence of such a plan, a State, local, or utility 
emergency response plan that provides reasonable assurance that public 
health and safety is not endangered by the NPP's operation. See Public 
Law 96-295, Sec.  109(b)(1)(A)-(B)). The NRC revised its regulations in 
Part 50 of Title 10 of the CFR to incorporate additional emergency 
preparedness requirements, including 16 planning standards for onsite 
and offsite emergency plans as required by PL 96-295. FEMA mirrors 
these 16 planning standards in part 350, specifically at 44 CFR 350.5.
    In the communities surrounding commercial NPPs, 44 CFR 350.5(b) 
directs FEMA's REP Program to review offsite radiological emergency 
plans and preparedness. Approved plans and preparedness ``must be 
determined to adequately protect the public health and safety by 
providing reasonable assurance that appropriate protective measures can 
be taken offsite in the event of a radiological emergency.''
    FEMA defines reasonable assurance as a determination that State, 
Tribal, local, and utility offsite plans and preparedness are adequate 
to protect public health and safety in the emergency planning areas of 
commercial NPPs. FEMA will consider plans, procedures, personnel, 
training, facilities, equipment, drills, and exercises, which in its 
professional judgment are important to the effective implementation of 
protective measures offsite in the event or any incident at a 
commercial NPP. FEMA will make its adequacy determination, supported by 
other Federal agencies, as necessary, by conducting inspections, 
providing Staff Assistance Visits (SAVs), organizing, conducting and 
reviewing training, participating in, observing and evaluating drills 
and exercises, and by being an engaged partner with Federal, State, 
Tribal, and local government officials and industry stakeholders.
    State, Tribal, or local government participation in offsite 
radiological emergency planning and preparedness is voluntary. However, 
participation in the REP planning and preparedness process necessitates 
adherence to the program requirements as set forth in 44 CFR part 350, 
the joint NRC/FEMA document NUREG-0645/FEMA-REP-1, Rev. 1, ``Criteria 
for Preparation and Evaluation of Radiological Emergency Response Plans 
and Preparedness in Support of Nuclear Power Plants'' (and 
supplements), and the REP Program Manual (RPM). If State, Tribal, or 
local governments choose not to participate in REP planning, 44 CFR 
part 352 outlines the licensee's obligation to develop offsite plans/
procedures to protect the public health and safety in accordance with 
the requirements in Executive Order 12657, as amended.

Collection of Information

    Title: Federal Assistance for Offsite Radiological Emergency 
Preparedness and Planning.
    Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-0024.
    FEMA Forms: There are no forms. There are no forms for this 
collection; rather the regulatory text details the content in which 
information is transmitted to FEMA.
    Abstract: The intent of this request is to revise a currently 
approved information collection to incorporate existing information 
collections in use without an OMB control number representing all 
information collections related to FEMA REP Program requirements 
described in 44 CFR parts 350 and 352. Currently, only the 44 CFR part 
352 collections is included under OMB Control #1660-0024.
    Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal Government; and business 
and other for profits.
    Number of Respondents: 153.
    Number of Responses: 153.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 5,321.
    Estimated Cost: $216,219.98.

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Comments

    Comments may be submitted as indicated in the ADDRESSES caption 
above. Comments are solicited to (a) evaluate whether the proposed data 
collection is necessary for the proper performance of the agency, 
including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) 
evaluate 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) enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) minimize the burden 
of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

    Dated: July 31, 2015.
Janice Waller,
Acting Director, Records Management Division, Mission Support, Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2015-19591 Filed 8-7-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-21-P