[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]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[NRC-2024-0097]
Effect of Statutory Prohibition on Uranium Imports From the
Russian Federation
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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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.
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\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.
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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