10 CFR Part 30 - RULES OF GENERAL APPLICABILITY TO DOMESTIC LICENSING OF BYPRODUCT MATERIAL

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a new regulatory guide (RG) 4.22, “Decommissioning Planning During Operations.” The guide describes a method that the NRC staff considers acceptable for use by holders of licenses in complying with the NRC's Decommissioning Planning Rule (DPR) (76 FR 35512; June 17, 2011). The DPR went into effect on December 17, 2012, and is intended to minimize the likelihood of new “legacy sites,” which are NRC-licensed facilities with insufficient resources to complete decommissioning activities and termination of a license at the end of operations.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is amending its regulations to make requirements for distributors of byproduct material clearer, less prescriptive, and more risk-informed and up to date. The Commission is also redefining categories of devices to be used under exemptions, adding explicit provisions regarding the sealed source and device registration process, and adding flexibility to the licensing of users of sealed sources and devices. This action is primarily intended to make licensing processes more efficient and effective. These changes will affect manufacturers and distributors of sources and devices containing byproduct material and future users of some products currently used under a general or specific license.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a new regulatory guide (RG) 4.22, “Decommissioning Planning During Operations.” The guide describes a method that the NRC staff considers acceptable for use by holders of licenses in complying with the NRC's Decommissioning Planning Rule (DPR) (76 FR 35512; June 17, 2011). The DPR went into effect on December 17, 2012, and is intended to minimize the likelihood of new “legacy sites,” which are NRC-licensed facilities with insufficient resources to complete decommissioning activities and termination of a license at the end of operations.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will consider the issue raised in the petition for rulemaking (PRM) submitted by Annette User, on behalf of GE Osmonics, Inc. (GE or the petitioner), in the rulemaking process. The petitioner requests that the NRC amend its regulations regarding the commercial distribution of byproduct material to allow recipients of exempt quantities of polymer (polycarbonate or polyester) track etch (PCTE) membranes that have been irradiated with mixed fission products (MFP) to commercially redistribute the material without a license. In its review of the PRM, the NRC concluded that the petitioner raised a valid issue concerning regulatory control of the commercial distribution of PCTE membranes that the NRC will consider in its rulemaking process.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is seeking input from the public, licensees, Agreement States, non-Agreement States, and other stakeholders on revised draft regulatory guide (DG) 4014, “Decommissioning Planning During Operations.” This guide describes a method that the NRC staff considers acceptable for use in complying with the NRC's Decommissioning Planning Rule. The NRC will hold a public meeting and concurrent Webinar to facilitate the public's and other stakeholders' comments.

On December 13, 2011 (76 FR 77431), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) re-issued Draft Regulatory Guide, DG-4014, “Decommissioning Planning During Operations” in the Federal Register with a public comment period ending on February 10, 2012. The NRC is re-opening the public comment period for DG-4014 from February 10, 2012 to March 30, 2012. DG-4014 describes a method that the NRC staff considers acceptable for use in complying with the NRC's Decommissioning Planning Rule.