[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 79 (Wednesday, April 24, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17182-17183]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-08182]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID: FEMA-2019-0005; 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.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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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 to take this opportunity to comment on an extension, 
without change, of a currently approved information collection. In 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks 
comments concerning extension of a currently approved information 
collection in use without change 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 June 24, 2019.

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-2019-0005. 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: Renae Connell, Emergency Management 
Specialist, FEMA/NPD/THD, [email protected] or Darrell Givens, 
Emergency Management Specialist, FEMA/NPD/THD, 
[email protected]. You may contact the Information 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 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, 109(b)(1)(A)-(B)). The NRC revised its regulations in Part

[[Page 17183]]

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.
    Title: Federal Assistance for Offsite Radiological Emergency 
Preparedness and Planning.
    Type of Information Collection: Extension, without change, of a 
currently approved information collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-0024.
    FEMA 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 the collection of comments 
on an extension, without change, of a currently approved information 
collection an OMB control number representing all information 
collections related to FEMA REP Program requirements described in 44 
CFR parts 350 and 352.
    Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal Government; and business 
and other for profits.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 153.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 153.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 5,360.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost: $311,458.
    Estimated Respondents' Operation and Maintenance Costs: $0.
    Estimated Respondents' Capital and Start-Up Costs: $0.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to the Federal Government: $566,163.
    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.

Tammi Hines,
Acting Records Management Branch Chief, Office of the Chief 
Administrative Officer, Mission Support, Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2019-08182 Filed 4-23-19; 8:45 am]
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