10 CFR 72 - LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is confirming the effective date of January 30, 2012, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on November 14, 2011. This direct final rule amended the NRC's spent fuel storage regulations by revising the NAC International, Inc. (NAC) MAGNASTOR® System listing within the “List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks” to include Amendment No. 2 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC) Number 1031.

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.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is confirming the effective date of January 30, 2012, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on November 14, 2011. This direct final rule amended the NRC's spent fuel storage regulations by revising the NAC International, Inc. (NAC) MAGNASTOR® System listing within the “List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks” to include Amendment No. 2 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC) Number 1031.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment draft regulatory guide (DG) 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 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is amending its regulations to improve decommissioning planning and thereby reduce the likelihood that any current operating facility will become a legacy site. The amended regulations require licensees to conduct their operations to minimize the introduction of residual radioactivity into the site, which includes the site's subsurface soil and groundwater. Licensees also may be required to perform site surveys to determine whether residual radioactivity is present in subsurface areas and to keep records of these surveys with records important for decommissioning. The amended regulations require licensees to report additional details in their decommissioning cost estimate (DCE), eliminate the escrow account and line of credit as approved financial assurance mechanisms, and modify other financial assurance requirements. The amended regulations require decommissioning power reactor licensees to report additional information on the costs of decommissioning and spent fuel management.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will discuss with affected stakeholders vulnerability and threat information associated with the forthcoming security rulemaking to revise Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 72, “Licensing Requirements for the Independent Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level Radioactive Waste, and Reactor-Related Greater Than Class C Waste,” and 73, “Physical Protection of Plants and Materials.” This information will be used to inform the regulatory basis for the rulemaking which will issue new risk-informed and performance-based security regulations for Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and High-Level Radioactive Waste (HLW) storage facilities. The draft regulatory basis was published for comment in the Federal Register (FR) on December 16, 2009 (74 FR 66589). This meeting will be closed under exemptions 3.a and 3.b of the Commission's policy statement 1 , due to the expected discussion of classified information. 1 “Commission's Policy Statement on Enhancing Public Participation in NRC Meetings,” (67 FR 36920), May 28, 2002.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of June 13, 2011, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on March 28, 2011 (76 FR 17019). This direct final rule amended the NRC's spent fuel storage regulations to add the Holtec HI-STORM Flood/Wind cask system to the “List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks” as Certificate of Compliance Number 1032.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is making available for comment preliminary proposed rule language concerning the NRC's proposed amendments to the material control and accounting (MC&A) regulations. These regulations apply to NRC licensees who are authorized to hold special nuclear material (SNM) and to certain licensees within the jurisdiction of the Agreement States that hold SNM and submit material status reports to the NRC. The goal of this rulemaking is to revise and consolidate the MC&A requirements. This Notice briefly summarizes the proposed amendments. After the Commission has reviewed and approved the proposed rule, it will be formally published for comment.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) will participate in a public and closed meeting with affected stakeholders to discuss comments relevant to the staff's draft regulatory basis (previously referred to as the draft technical basis) for the forthcoming security rulemaking, “Security Requirements for Radiological Sabotage,” to revise the security requirements for facilities storing spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW). This meeting is a follow-up to the NRC's notice of availability of the draft technical basis and solicitation of public comments (74 FR 66589; December 16, 2009) to confirm that an adequate regulatory basis exists to proceed with rulemaking to issue new risk-informed and performance-based security regulations for SNF and HLW storage facilities. This portion of the meeting is open to the public and all interested parties may attend. The NRC is also presenting information on independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) vulnerability studies and information on proposed new regulatory guide, Draft Guide-5033, “Security Performance (Adversary) Characteristics for Physical Security Programs for 10 CFR [Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations] PART 72 Licensees.” This portion of the meeting will be closed under Exemptions 3.b of the Commission's policy statement, 1 due to the expected discussion of safeguards information. 1 “Commission's Policy Statement on Enhancing Public Participation in NRC Meetings” (67 FR 36920; May 28, 2002).

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is confirming the effective date of March 29, 2011, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on January 13, 2011 (76 FR 2243). This direct final rule amended the NRC's spent fuel storage regulations at Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR 72.214) to revise the NUHOMS® HD System listing to include Amendment Number 1 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC) Number 1030.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is amending its regulations that govern licensing requirements for the independent storage of spent nuclear fuel. These amendments include changes that enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the licensing process for spent nuclear fuel storage. Specifically, they extend and clarify the term limits for storage cask Certificates of Compliance (CoCs) and independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) specific licenses. The amendments also provide consistency between the general and specific ISFSI license requirements, and allow general licensees subject to these regulations to implement changes authorized by an amended CoC to a cask loaded under the initial CoC or an earlier amended CoC (a “previously loaded cask”).