10 CFR 2 - RULES OF PRACTICE FOR DOMESTIC LICENSING PROCEEDINGS AND ISSUANCE OF ORDERS

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is amending its regulations related to verification of nuclear power plant construction activities through inspections, tests, analyses, and acceptance criteria (ITAAC) under a combined license, and issuing a revision to Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.215, “Guidance for ITAAC Closure Under 10 CFR [Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations ] Part 52.” The final rule contains new provisions that apply after a licensee has completed an ITAAC and submitted an ITAAC closure notification. The new provisions require licensees to report new information materially altering the basis for determining that inspections, tests, or analyses were performed as required, or that acceptance criteria are met, and to notify the NRC of the completion of all ITAAC activities. In addition, the NRC is including editorial corrections to existing language in the NRC's regulations to make that language consistent with language in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA). Regulatory Guide 1.215 describes a method that the staff of the NRC considers acceptable for use in satisfying the requirements for documenting the completion of ITAAC.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is amending its adjudicatory rules of practice. This rule makes changes to the NRC's adjudicatory process that the NRC believes will promote fairness, efficiency, and openness in NRC adjudicatory proceedings. This rule also corrects errors and omissions that have been identified since the major revisions to the NRC's rules of practice in early 2004.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is amending the size standard that it uses to qualify an NRC licensee as a “small entity” under the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended. The NRC is increasing its receipts-based, small business size standard from $6.5 million to $7 million to conform to the standard set by the Small Business Administration (SBA). This size standard reflects the most commonly used SBA size standard for nonmanufacturing industries. The SBA adjusted this standard on July 18, 2008 (73 FR 41237), to account for inflation.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of August 22, 2012, for the direct final rule that appeared in the Federal Register of July 3, 2012 (77 FR 39385). This direct final rule amended the size standard that the NRC uses to qualify an NRC licensee as a “small entity” under the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended. The NRC is increasing its receipts-based, small business size standard from $6.5 million to $7 million to conform to the standard set by the Small Business Administration (SBA). This document confirms the effective date.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is amending its regulations related to verification of nuclear power plant construction activities through inspections, tests, analyses, and acceptance criteria (ITAAC) under a combined license, and issuing a revision to Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.215, “Guidance for ITAAC Closure Under 10 CFR [Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations ] Part 52.” The final rule contains new provisions that apply after a licensee has completed an ITAAC and submitted an ITAAC closure notification. The new provisions require licensees to report new information materially altering the basis for determining that inspections, tests, or analyses were performed as required, or that acceptance criteria are met, and to notify the NRC of the completion of all ITAAC activities. In addition, the NRC is including editorial corrections to existing language in the NRC's regulations to make that language consistent with language in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA). Regulatory Guide 1.215 describes a method that the staff of the NRC considers acceptable for use in satisfying the requirements for documenting the completion of ITAAC.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is amending its adjudicatory rules of practice. This rule makes changes to the NRC's adjudicatory process that the NRC believes will promote fairness, efficiency, and openness in NRC adjudicatory proceedings. This rule also corrects errors and omissions that have been identified since the major revisions to the NRC's rules of practice in early 2004.