[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 222 (Monday, November 18, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63686-63687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24923]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[NRC-2019-0073]
Stakeholder Input on Best Practices for Establishment and
Operation of Local Community Advisory Boards in Response to a Portion
of the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Public meetings and webinar; reopening of comment period.
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SUMMARY: On September 27, 2019, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(NRC) solicited comments on best practices for establishment and
operation of local community advisory boards (CABs) associated with
decommissioning activities, including lessons learned from existing
boards, as required by the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization
Act (NEIMA). The public comment period was originally scheduled to
close on November 15, 2019. The NRC has elected to reopen the public
comment period to allow more time for members of the public to develop
and submit their comments. Consistent with the consultation
requirements in NEIMA Section 108, the NRC has hosted 11 public
meetings and a public webinar to consult with host States, communities
within the emergency planning zone of an applicable nuclear power
reactor, and existing local CABs. The NRC is planning to host a second
public webinar on November 19, 2019. In addition to these public
meetings and public webinars, the NRC has developed a questionnaire to
collect information regarding the areas identified in NEIMA with
respect to the creation and operation of CABs from CABs in the vicinity
of power reactors undergoing decommissioning, similar established
stakeholder groups, or local government organizations. The results of
the meetings, along with any other data received as a result of the
NRC's information collection activities associated with the NEIMA
Section 108, will be captured in a best practices report that will be
submitted to Congress.
DATES: The due date of comments requested in the notice published on
September 27, 2019 (84 FR 51189) is reopened. Comments should be filed
no later than December 6, 2019. Comments received after this date will
be considered, if it is practical to do so, but the Commission is able
to ensure consideration only for comments received on or before this
date. The NRC hosted 11 Category 3 public meetings and a public webinar
from August through October of 2019. A second public webinar will take
place on November 19, 2019. Specific details regarding the webinar can
be found on the NRC's public website at https://www.nrc.gov/waste/decommissioning/neima-section-108.html.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2019-0073. Address
questions about NRC docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Jennifer Borges;
telephone: 301-287-9127; email: [email protected]. For technical
questions, contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section of this document.
Mail comments to: Office of Administration, Mail Stop:
TWFN-7-A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-
0001, ATTN: Program Management, Announcements and Editing Staff.
For additional direction on obtaining information and submitting
comments, see ``Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments'' in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Conway, Office of Nuclear Material
Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-1335; email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments
A. Obtaining Information
Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2019-0073 when contacting the NRC
about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain
publicly-available information related to this action by any of the
following methods:
Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2019-0073.
NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly-available documents online in the
ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, 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 (if it is available in ADAMS) is provided the first
time that it is mentioned in this document.
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.
B. Submitting Comments
Please include Docket ID NRC-2019-0073 in your comment submission.
The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact information
that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your comment
submission. The NRC will post all comment submissions at https://www.regulations.gov as well as enter the comment submissions into
ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove
identifying or contact information.
If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons
for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to
include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be
publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should
state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to
remove such information before making the comment submissions available
to the public or entering the comment into ADAMS.
II. Introduction
On September 27, 2019 (84 FR 51189), as part of the ongoing efforts
to obtain feedback from members of the public and other stakeholders,
the NRC solicited comments on best practices for establishment and
operation of local CABs associated with decommissioning activities,
including lessons learned from existing boards, as required by Section
108 of NEIMA. The NRC is coordinating activities in accordance with
Section 108 of NEIMA to develop a report identifying best practices for
establishment and operation of CABs.
[[Page 63687]]
The contents of this report, scheduled to be issued to Congress no
later than July 14, 2020, will include (1) a description of the type of
topics that might be brought before a CAB; (2) how the board's input
could inform the decision-making process of stakeholders for various
decommissioning activities; how the board could interact with the NRC
and other Federal regulatory bodies to promote dialogue between the
licensee and affected stakeholders; and (3) how the board could offer
opportunities for public engagement throughout all phases of the
decommissioning process. The report will also include a discussion of
the composition of existing CABs and best practices identified during
the establishment and operation of such boards, including logistical
considerations, frequency of meetings, the selection of board members,
etc.
In developing a best practices report, and as required by NEIMA,
the NRC is consulting with host States, communities within the
emergency planning zone of an applicable nuclear power reactor, and
existing CABs. This consultation included hosting 11 Category 3 public
meetings and 1 nationwide webinar, with another nationwide webinar
scheduled for November 19, 2019. The public meetings were held in
locations that ensure geographic diversity across the United States,
with priority given to States that (1) have a nuclear power reactor
currently undergoing the decommissioning process; and (2) requested a
public meeting under the provisions of NEIMA in accordance with the
Federal Register (FR) notice published on March 18, 2019 (84 FR 9841).
In addition to these public meetings, the NRC has developed a
questionnaire to collect information regarding the areas identified in
NEIMA with respect to the creation and operation of CABs. The NRC is
requesting responses from existing CABs in the vicinity of power
reactors undergoing decommissioning, similar established stakeholder
groups, or local government organizations. The questionnaire is
available at https://www.nrc.gov/waste/decommissioning/neima-local-comm-advisory-board-questionnaire.html.
III. Category 3 Public Meeting Dates and Locations
Consistent with the consultation requirements in NEIMA Section 108,
the NRC received requests for and identified the areas surrounding the
following nuclear power reactors as locations to host public meetings
to discuss best practices and lessons learned for establishment and
operation of local community advisory boards: (1) Crystal River 3
Nuclear Power Plant in Crystal River, Florida; (2) Diablo Canyon Power
Plant in San Luis Obispo, California; (3) Humboldt Bay Nuclear Power
Plant in Eureka, California; (4) Indian Point Energy Center in
Buchanan, New York; (5) Kewaunee Power Station in Kewaunee, Wisconsin;
(6) Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station in Forked River, New
Jersey; (7) Palisades Nuclear Generating Station in Covert, Michigan;
(8) Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, Massachusetts; (9) San
Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in San Clemente, California; (10)
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant in Vernon, Vermont; and (11) Zion
Nuclear Power Station in Zion, Illinois.
Additionally, the NRC hosted a public webinar held on August 8,
2019, to obtain comments from individuals in other areas of the
country. The NRC is planning to host a second nationwide webinar on
November 19, 2019, to discuss best practices and lessons learned for
establishment and operation of local community advisory boards. For
information about attending the webinar, please see the public NEIMA
Section 108 website or contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document.
IV. Local Community Advisory Board Questionnaire
The NRC is seeking input from existing CABs in the vicinity of
power reactors undergoing decommissioning, similar established
stakeholder groups, or local government organizations regarding best
practices and lessons learned associated with CABs at decommissioning
nuclear power reactors. The public comment period was originally
scheduled to close on November 15, 2019. The NRC has decided to reopen
the public comment period on this document until December 6, 2019, to
allow more time for members of the public to submit their comments.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 13th day of November, 2019.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Bruce A. Watson,
Chief, Reactor Decommissioning Branch, Division of Decommissioning,
Uranium, Recovery and Waste Programs, Office of Nuclear Material Safety
and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2019-24923 Filed 11-15-19; 8:45 am]
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