[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 1, 2026)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 39900-39903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-13261]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 125 / Wednesday, July 1, 2026 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 39900]]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
10 CFR Part 72
[NRC-2026-2047]
RIN 3150-AL68
List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: NAC International,
Inc., MAGNASTOR[supreg] Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No.
1031, Amendment Nos. 16 and 17 and Revisions to Amendment Nos. 0
Through 16
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to
amend its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the NAC
International, Inc. (NAC) MAGNASTOR[supreg] System listing within the
``List of approved spent fuel storage casks'' to include Amendment Nos.
16 and 17 and revisions to Amendment Nos. 0 through 16 to Certificate
of Compliance (CoC) No. 1031. Amendment No. 16 revises the CoC to
permit alternate methods for determining the free volume inside a
loaded canister and for measuring helium to ensure that Technical
Specification limits are met. It also clarifies that mixed loadings of
different assembly types or subtypes within a single Transportable
Storage Cask are acceptable. Amendment No. 17 and revisions to
Amendment Nos. 0 through 16 revise the CoC to incorporate changes to
the design basis for the MAGNASTOR[supreg] storage system to correct an
error with M5 fuel cladding material yield strength that was introduced
in CoC No. 1031, Amendment No. 14 and the associated revisions to
Amendment Nos. 0 through 13.
DATES: Submit comments by July 31, 2026. Comments received after this
date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the NRC is
able to ensure consideration of only comments received on or before
this date.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID NRC-2026-2047,
at https://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be submitted
using https://www.regulations.gov, call or email the individual listed
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for
alternate instructions.
Do not include any personally identifiable information (such as
name, address, or other contact information) or confidential business
information that you do not want publicly disclosed. All comments are
public records; they are publicly displayed exactly as received, and
will not be deleted, modified, or redacted. Comments may be submitted
anonymously.
Follow the search instructions on https://www.regulations.gov to
view public comments.
You can read a plain language description of this proposed rule at
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NRC-2026-2047. 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: Caylee Kenny, Office of Nuclear
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-7150, email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments
II. Rulemaking Procedure
III. Background
IV. Plain Writing
V. Regulatory Planning and Review
VI. Availability of Documents
I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments
A. Obtaining Information
Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2026-2047 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-2026-2047. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Helen Chang, telephone: 301-415-3228,
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 ADAMS Public 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]. For the convenience of the reader,
instructions about obtaining materials referenced in this document are
provided in the ``Availability of Documents'' section.
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, Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays.
B. Submitting Comments
The NRC encourages electronic comment submission through the
Federal rulemaking website (https://www.regulations.gov). Please
include Docket ID NRC-2026-2047 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
[[Page 39901]]
submissions available to the public or entering the comment into ADAMS.
II. Rulemaking Procedure
Because the NRC considers this action to be non-controversial, the
NRC is publishing this proposed rule concurrently with a direct final
rule in the Rules and Regulations section of this issue of the Federal
Register. The direct final rule will become effective on September 14,
2026. However, if the NRC receives any significant adverse comment by
July 31, 2026, then the NRC will publish a document that withdraws the
direct final rule. If the direct final rule is withdrawn, the NRC will
address the comments in a subsequent final rule. In general, absent
significant modifications to the proposed revisions requiring
republication, the NRC will not initiate a second comment period on
this action in the event the direct final rule is withdrawn.
A significant adverse comment is a comment where the commenter
explains why the rule would be inappropriate, including challenges to
the rule's underlying premise or approach, or would be ineffective or
unacceptable without a change. A comment is adverse and significant if:
(1) The comment opposes the rule and provides a reason sufficient
to require a substantive response in a notice-and-comment process. For
example, a substantive response is required when:
(a) The comment causes the NRC to reevaluate (or reconsider) its
position or conduct additional analysis;
(b) The comment raises an issue serious enough to warrant a
substantive response to clarify or complete the record; or
(c) The comment raises a relevant issue that was not previously
addressed or considered by the NRC.
(2) The comment proposes a change or an addition to the rule, and
it is apparent that the rule would be ineffective or unacceptable
without incorporation of the change or addition.
(3) The comment causes the NRC to make a change (other than
editorial) to the rule, CoC, or technical specifications.
For a more detailed discussion of the proposed rule changes and
associated analyses, see the direct final rule published in the Rules
and Regulations section of this issue of the Federal Register.
III. Background
Section 218(a) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended,
requires that ``[t]he Secretary [of the Department of Energy] shall
establish a demonstration program, in cooperation with the private
sector, for the dry storage of spent nuclear fuel at civilian nuclear
power reactor sites, with the objective of establishing one or more
technologies that the [Nuclear Regulatory] Commission may, by rule,
approve for use at the sites of civilian nuclear power reactors
without, to the maximum extent practicable, the need for additional
site-specific approvals by the Commission.'' Section 133 of the Nuclear
Waste Policy Act states, in part, that ``[t]he Commission shall, by
rule, establish procedures for the licensing of any technology approved
by the Commission under Section 219(a) [sic: 218(a)] for use at the
site of any civilian nuclear power reactor.''
To implement this mandate, the Commission approved dry storage of
spent nuclear fuel in NRC-approved casks under a general license by
publishing a final rule that added a new subpart K in part 72 of title
10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) entitled ``General
License for Storage of Spent Fuel at Power Reactor Sites'' (55 FR
29181; July 18, 1990). This rule also established a new subpart L in 10
CFR part 72 entitled ``Approval of Spent Fuel Storage Casks,'' which
contains procedures and criteria for obtaining NRC approval of spent
fuel storage cask designs. The NRC subsequently issued a final rule on
November 21, 2008 (73 FR 70587), that approved the NAC
MAGNASTOR[supreg] System design and added it to the list of NRC-
approved cask designs in Sec. 72.214 as Certificate of Compliance No.
1031.
IV. Plain Writing
The Plain Writing Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-274) requires Federal
agencies to write documents in a clear, concise, and well-organized
manner. The NRC has written this document to be consistent with the
Plain Writing Act as well as the Presidential Memorandum, ``Plain
Language in Government Writing,'' published June 10, 1998 (63 FR
31885). The NRC requests comment on this proposed rule with respect to
clarity and effectiveness of the language used.
V. Regulatory Planning and Review
Executive Order (E.O.) 12866
Executive Order (E.O.) 12866, as amended by E.O. 14215, provides
that the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) will
determine whether a regulatory action is significant as defined by E.O.
12866 and will review significant regulatory actions. OIRA determined
that this proposed rule is not a significant regulatory action under
E.O. 12866.
Review Under E.O.s 14154, 14192, 14215, and 14300
NRC has examined this proposed rule and has determined that it is
consistent with the policies and directives outlined in E.O. 14154,
``Unleashing American Energy,'' E.O. 14192, ``Unleashing Prosperity
Through Deregulation,'' E.O. 14215 ``Ensuring Accountability for All
Agencies,'' and E.O. 14300, ``Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission.'' This proposed rule is not considered an E.O.
14192 deregulatory action.
VI. Availability of Documents
The documents identified in the following table are available to
interested persons as indicated.
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ADAMS accession No./ web link/
Document Federal Register citation
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Documents Related to Initial Certificate (Amendment No. 0), Revision 4
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 0 ML26098A208
Revision 4.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 0 ML26098A209
Revision 4 Technical Specifications
(TS) Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 0 ML26098A210
Revision 4 TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 1, Revision 4
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 1 ML26098A211
Revision 4.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 1 ML26098A212
Revision 4 TS Appendix A.
[[Page 39902]]
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 1 ML26098A213
Revision 4 TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 2, Revision 4
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 2 ML26098A214
Revision 4.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 2 ML26098A215
Revision 4 TS Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 2 ML26098A216
Revision 4 TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 3, Revision 4
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 3 ML26098A217
Revision 4.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 3 ML26098A218
Revision 4 TS Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 3 ML26098A219
Revision 4 TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 4, Revision 3
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 4 ML26098A220
Revision 3.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 4 ML26098A221
Revision 3 TS Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 4 ML26098A222
Revision 3 TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 5, Revision 3
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 5 ML26098A223
Revision 3.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 5 ML26098A225
Revision 3 TS Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 5 ML26098A227
Revision 3 TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 6, Revision 3
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 6 ML26098A228
Revision 3.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 6 ML26098A229
Revision 3 TS Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 6 ML26098A230
Revision 3 TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 7, Revision 3
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 7 ML26098A231
Revision 3.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 7 ML26098A232
Revision 3 TS Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 7 ML26098A233
Revision 3 TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 8, Revision 3
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 8 ML26098A234
Revision 3.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 8 ML26098A235
Revision 3 TS Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 8 ML26098A236
Revision 3 TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 9, Revision 3
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 9 ML26098A237
Revision 3.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 9 ML26098A238
Revision 3 TS Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 9 ML26098A239
Revision 3 TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 10, Revision 2
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 10 ML26098A240
Revision 2.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 10 ML26098A241
Revision 2, TS Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 10 ML26098A242
Revision 2, TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 11, Revision 2
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 11 ML26098A243
Revision 2.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 11 ML26098A244
Revision 2 TS Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 11 ML26098A245
Revision 2 TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 12, Revision 2
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 12 ML26098A246
Revision 2.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 12 ML26098A247
Revision 2 TS Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 12 ML26098A248
Revision 2 TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 13, Revision 2
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 13 ML26098A249
Revision 2.
[[Page 39903]]
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 13 ML26098A250
Revision 2 TS Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 13 ML26098A251
Revision 2 TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 14, Revision 1
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 14 ML26098A252
Revision 1.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 14 ML26098A253
Revision 1 TS Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 14 ML26098A254
Revision 1 TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 15, Revision 1
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 15 ML26098A255
Revision 1.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 15 ML26098A256
Revision 1 TS Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 15 ML26098A257
Revision 1 TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 16, Revision 0
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 16, ML25217A298
Revision 0.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 16 ML25217A300
Revision 0 TS Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 16 ML25217A302
Revision 0 TS Appendix B.
Preliminary Safety Evaluation Report for ML25217A304
CoC 1031 Amendment 16 Revision 0.
Initial Submission of an Amendment ML25080A349
Request for the NAC International
MAGNASTOR[supreg] Cask System Amendment
No. 16, March 21, 2025.
Supplement to NAC International's ML25108A159
Request to Amendment MAGNASTOR[supreg]
Cask System, Amendment No. 16, April
18, 2025.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 16, Revision 1
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 16 ML26098A258
Revision 1.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 16 ML26098A259
Revision 1 TS Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 16 ML26098A260
Revision 1 TS Appendix B.
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Documents Related to Amendment No. 17, Revision 0 and Revisions to
Amendment Nos. 0 through 16
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Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 17...... ML26098A262
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 17 TS ML26098A263
Appendix A.
Proposed CoC 1031 Amendment No. 17 TS ML26098A264
Appendix B.
Preliminary Safety Evaluation Report, ML26098A207
CoC No. 1031, Amendment 17 and
Revisions to Amendments 0-16.
NAC International--Initial Submission of ML25211A197
an Amendment Request for the NAC
International MAGNASTOR[supreg] Cask
System Amendment No. 17, July 30, 2025.
Submission of a Supplement to Amendment ML26064A039
Request No. 17 for the NAC
International MAGNASTOR[supreg] Cask
System, March 4, 2026.
Submission of a Supplement to Amendment ML26075E865
Request No. 17 for the NAC
International MAGNASTOR[supreg] Cask
System, March 13, 2026.
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Other Documents
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User Need Memorandum for Amendment No. ML25217A296
16.
User Need Memorandum for Amendment No. ML26098A206
17 and Revisions to Amendment Nos. 0
through 16.
Final Rule, ``List of Approved Spent 73 FR 70587
Fuel Storage Casks: MAGNASTOR[supreg]
Addition,'' published November 21, 2008.
Revision to Policy Statement, 82 FR 48535
``Agreement State Program Policy
Statement; Correction,'' published
October 18, 2017.
Presidential Memorandum, ``Plain 63 FR 31885
Language in Government Writing,''
published June 10, 1998.
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The NRC may post materials related to this document, including
public comments, on the Federal rulemaking website at https://
www.regulations.gov under Docket ID NRC-2026-2047. In addition, the
Federal rulemaking website allows members of the public to receive
alerts when changes or additions occur in a docket folder. To
subscribe: (1) navigate to the docket folder (NRC-2026-2047); (2) click
the ``Subscribe'' link; and (3) enter an email address and click on the
``Subscribe'' link.
Dated: June 17, 2026.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Michael King,
Executive Director of Operations.
[FR Doc. 2026-13261 Filed 6-30-26; 8:45 am]
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