[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 102 (Friday, May 24, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45926-45927]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11164]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2024-0097]


Effect of Statutory Prohibition on Uranium Imports From the 
Russian Federation

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a 
notice

[[Page 45927]]

explaining how recently enacted legislation that prohibits imports of 
certain uranium products (natural uranium and low-enriched uranium) 
from the Russian Federation affects imports under NRC licenses. After 
the statutory prohibition becomes effective, importers will no longer 
be able to use the NRC general license to import these materials from 
the Russian Federation unless they first obtain a waiver from the U.S. 
Department of Energy (DOE). The NRC will return any specific license 
applications for such imports without action.

DATES: May 24, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2024-0097 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may obtain publicly available information related to this document 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2024-0097. Address 
questions about Dockets IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann; 
telephone: 301-415-0624; email: [email protected]. For technical 
questions, contact the individual listed in the For Further Information 
Contact section of this document.
     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, at 301-415-4737, 
or by email to [email protected].
     NRC's PDR: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies 
of publicly available documents, is open by appointment. To make an 
appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to 
[email protected] or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8 
a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time (ET), Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of International Programs, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone: 
301-287-9241, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NRC regulates imports of special nuclear 
material (including low-enriched uranium) and source material 
(including natural uranium) under part 110 of title 10 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations (10 CFR), ``Export and Import of Nuclear Equipment 
and Material,'' pursuant to its authority in sections 53 and 62 of the 
Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended. The NRC is providing this notice 
to inform persons who are subject to NRC regulation under 10 CFR part 
110 of recent legislation that prohibits certain uranium imports.
    On May 13, 2024, President Biden signed into law the Prohibiting 
Russian Uranium Imports Act (the Act) (Pub. L. 118-62, 138 Stat. 1022). 
The Act amends section 3112A of the United States Enrichment 
Corporation (USEC) Privatization Act (42 U.S.C. 2297h-10a) to prohibit 
imports into the United States of unirradiated low-enriched uranium and 
natural uranium that are produced in the Russian Federation or by a 
Russian entity (defined as ``an entity organized under the laws of or 
otherwise subject to the jurisdiction of the Government of the Russian 
Federation'').\1\ The Act also prohibits imports of unirradiated low-
enriched uranium and natural uranium that are determined to have been 
exchanged with, swapped for, or otherwise obtained in lieu of 
unirradiated low-enriched uranium or natural uranium produced in the 
Russian Federation or by a Russian entity in a manner designed to 
circumvent the import prohibition. This statutory import prohibition 
becomes effective on August 11, 2024.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ In this notice, the terms ``low-enriched uranium'' and 
``natural uranium'' have the meanings given in 10 CFR 110.2. Section 
3112A of the USEC Privatization Act (42 U.S.C. 2297h-10a(a)(5)) 
defines low-enriched uranium as any form of uranium, including 
uranium hexafluoride and uranium oxide, in which the uranium 
contains less than 20 percent uranium-235, including natural 
uranium. This statutory definition encompasses low-enriched uranium 
and natural uranium as those terms are defined in 10 CFR 110.2.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Act grants the Secretary of Energy the authority, for a finite 
period, to waive the import prohibition and authorize imports of 
unirradiated low-enriched uranium and natural uranium that fall within 
the statutory prohibition. A notice from the DOE describing the process 
for seeking a waiver is being published concurrently in the Federal 
Register. Imports of low-enriched uranium and natural uranium under DOE 
waivers remain subject to all applicable NRC regulations, including the 
general import license in 10 CFR 110.27.
    Accordingly, after the statutory prohibition takes effect on August 
11, 2024, the general license in 10 CFR 110.27 can no longer be used 
for imports that fall within the statutory prohibition, unless the 
importer obtains a waiver from the DOE. Additionally, specific licenses 
under 10 CFR part 110 will not be available for imports that fall 
within the prohibition. If the NRC receives any applications for such 
specific licenses, including cases where the DOE has denied a waiver 
request or because waivers are no longer available, those applications 
will be returned by the NRC without action.

    Dated: May 16, 2024.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
David L. Skeen,
Director, Office of International Programs.
[FR Doc. 2024-11164 Filed 5-23-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P