82_FR_53081 82 FR 52862 - Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Small Modular Reactors and Other New Technologies

82 FR 52862 - Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Small Modular Reactors and Other New Technologies

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 219 (November 15, 2017)

Page Range52862-52862
FR Document2017-24672

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is making available a regulatory basis document in support of a rulemaking that would develop new emergency preparedness (EP) requirements for small modular reactors (SMRs) and other new technologies (ONTs), such as non- light-water reactors and medical isotope production facilities. The regulatory basis concludes that there is sufficient justification to proceed with rulemaking to develop a clear set of rules and guidance for EP for SMRs and ONTs. The regulatory basis also concludes that the principle of using a dose-at-distance and consequence-oriented approach to determine the appropriate size of an emergency planning zone can be applied to SMRs and ONTs. The NRC is not seeking public comment on this document. There will be an opportunity for formal public comment on the proposed rule when it is published in the Federal Register.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 219 (Wednesday, November 15, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 219 (Wednesday, November 15, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 52862]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24672]


========================================================================
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.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 219 / Wednesday, November 15, 2017 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 52862]]



NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

10 CFR Parts 50 and 52

[NRC-2015-0225]
RIN 3150-AJ68


Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Small Modular Reactors 
and Other New Technologies

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Regulatory basis; availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is making 
available a regulatory basis document in support of a rulemaking that 
would develop new emergency preparedness (EP) requirements for small 
modular reactors (SMRs) and other new technologies (ONTs), such as non-
light-water reactors and medical isotope production facilities. The 
regulatory basis concludes that there is sufficient justification to 
proceed with rulemaking to develop a clear set of rules and guidance 
for EP for SMRs and ONTs. The regulatory basis also concludes that the 
principle of using a dose-at-distance and consequence-oriented approach 
to determine the appropriate size of an emergency planning zone can be 
applied to SMRs and ONTs. The NRC is not seeking public comment on this 
document. There will be an opportunity for formal public comment on the 
proposed rule when it is published in the Federal Register.

DATES: The regulatory basis is available on November 15, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2015-0225 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 Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2015-0225. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact 
the individuals 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 http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and 
then 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, 301-415-4737, or by email to [email protected]. The 
ADAMS accession number for each document referenced (if it is available 
in ADAMS) is provided the first time that it is mentioned in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
     NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public 
documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Carrera, Office of New 
Reactors, telephone: 301-415-1078, email: [email protected]; and 
Edward Roach, Office of Nuclear Security Incident and Response, 
telephone: 301-287-9228, email: [email protected]. Both are staff of 
the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The NRC published the draft regulatory basis in the Federal 
Register on April 13, 2017 (82 FR 17768), for a 75-day public comment 
period. In the draft regulatory basis, the NRC requested feedback from 
the public on questions related to the scope of the draft regulatory 
basis, performance-based approach, regulatory impacts, and cumulative 
effects of regulation.
    The NRC received 57 written comments from governmental and non-
governmental organizations and individuals, which are available at 
https://www.regulations.gov under Docket ID NRC-2015-0225. The 
commenters included approximately 45 individuals, 4 environmental 
groups, 3 industry groups, 1 Native American Tribal organization, 3 
State organizations, and 1 Federal agency. The comments discussed 
topics such as: Consequence-based approach, collocation, dose 
assessment, emergency planning zone and offsite EP, siting of multi-
module facilities, regulatory analysis, scope of the draft regulatory 
basis, safety, and general rulemaking principles such as performance-
based and technology-inclusive approaches. The NRC staff considered the 
comments in finalizing the regulatory basis. The regulatory basis is 
available in ADAMS under Accession No. ML17206A265 or on the Federal 
rulemaking Web site, www.regulations.gov, under Docket ID NRC-2015-
0225.

II. Publicly-Available Documents

    As the NRC continues its ongoing proposed rulemaking effort to 
implement EP requirements for SMRs and ONTs in parts 50 and 52 of title 
10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the NRC is making documents 
publicly available on the Federal rulemaking Web site, 
www.regulations.gov, under Docket ID NRC-2015-0225. The current status 
of this rulemaking effort, as well as other NRC planned rulemaking 
activities, can be found on the NRC public Web site at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/rulemaking-ruleforum/active/RuleIndex.html.
    The NRC may post additional materials relevant to this rulemaking 
at www.regulations.gov, under Docket ID NRC-2015-0225. Please take the 
following actions if you wish to receive alerts when changes or 
additions occur in a docket folder: (1) Navigate to the docket folder 
(NRC-2015-0225); (2) click the ``Email Alert'' link; and (3) enter your 
email address and select how frequently you would like to receive 
emails (daily, weekly, or monthly).

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 8th day of November, 2017.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Patricia K. Holahan,
Director, Division of Rulemaking, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2017-24672 Filed 11-14-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P



                                                  52862

                                                  Proposed Rules                                                                                                Federal Register
                                                                                                                                                                Vol. 82, No. 219

                                                                                                                                                                Wednesday, November 15, 2017



                                                  This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER                    email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For                   organizations, and 1 Federal agency.
                                                  contains notices to the public of the proposed          technical questions, contact the                      The comments discussed topics such as:
                                                  issuance of rules and regulations. The                  individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER                 Consequence-based approach,
                                                  purpose of these notices is to give interested          INFORMATION CONTACT section of this                   collocation, dose assessment, emergency
                                                  persons an opportunity to participate in the            document.
                                                  rule making prior to the adoption of the final                                                                planning zone and offsite EP, siting of
                                                  rules.
                                                                                                             • NRC’s Agencywide Documents                       multi-module facilities, regulatory
                                                                                                          Access and Management System                          analysis, scope of the draft regulatory
                                                                                                          (ADAMS): You may obtain publicly-                     basis, safety, and general rulemaking
                                                  NUCLEAR REGULATORY                                      available documents online in the                     principles such as performance-based
                                                  COMMISSION                                              ADAMS Public Documents collection at                  and technology-inclusive approaches.
                                                                                                          http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/                        The NRC staff considered the comments
                                                  10 CFR Parts 50 and 52                                  adams.html. To begin the search, select
                                                                                                                                                                in finalizing the regulatory basis. The
                                                                                                          ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then
                                                  [NRC–2015–0225]                                                                                               regulatory basis is available in ADAMS
                                                                                                          select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS
                                                  RIN 3150–AJ68                                           Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS,                    under Accession No. ML17206A265 or
                                                                                                          please contact the NRC’s Public                       on the Federal rulemaking Web site,
                                                  Emergency Preparedness                                  Document Room (PDR) reference staff at                www.regulations.gov, under Docket ID
                                                  Requirements for Small Modular                          1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by                   NRC–2015–0225.
                                                  Reactors and Other New Technologies                     email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The                    II. Publicly-Available Documents
                                                  AGENCY:  Nuclear Regulatory                             ADAMS accession number for each
                                                  Commission.                                             document referenced (if it is available in               As the NRC continues its ongoing
                                                  ACTION: Regulatory basis; availability.                 ADAMS) is provided the first time that                proposed rulemaking effort to
                                                                                                          it is mentioned in the SUPPLEMENTARY                  implement EP requirements for SMRs
                                                  SUMMARY:    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory                 INFORMATION section.                                  and ONTs in parts 50 and 52 of title 10
                                                  Commission (NRC) is making available                       • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and                   of the Code of Federal Regulations, the
                                                  a regulatory basis document in support                  purchase copies of public documents at                NRC is making documents publicly
                                                  of a rulemaking that would develop new                  the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One                       available on the Federal rulemaking
                                                  emergency preparedness (EP)                             White Flint North, 11555 Rockville                    Web site, www.regulations.gov, under
                                                  requirements for small modular reactors                 Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.                      Docket ID NRC–2015–0225. The current
                                                  (SMRs) and other new technologies                       FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      status of this rulemaking effort, as well
                                                  (ONTs), such as non-light-water reactors                Andrew Carrera, Office of New Reactors,               as other NRC planned rulemaking
                                                  and medical isotope production                          telephone: 301–415–1078, email:                       activities, can be found on the NRC
                                                  facilities. The regulatory basis                        Andrew.Carrera@nrc.gov; and Edward
                                                  concludes that there is sufficient                                                                            public Web site at https://www.nrc.gov/
                                                                                                          Roach, Office of Nuclear Security                     reading-rm/doc-collections/rulemaking-
                                                  justification to proceed with rulemaking                Incident and Response, telephone: 301–
                                                  to develop a clear set of rules and                                                                           ruleforum/active/RuleIndex.html.
                                                                                                          287–9228, email: Edward.Roach@
                                                  guidance for EP for SMRs and ONTs.                      nrc.gov. Both are staff of the U.S.                      The NRC may post additional
                                                  The regulatory basis also concludes that                Nuclear Regulatory Commission,                        materials relevant to this rulemaking at
                                                  the principle of using a dose-at-distance               Washington, DC 20555–0001.                            www.regulations.gov, under Docket ID
                                                  and consequence-oriented approach to                    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                            NRC–2015–0225. Please take the
                                                  determine the appropriate size of an                                                                          following actions if you wish to receive
                                                  emergency planning zone can be                          I. Background                                         alerts when changes or additions occur
                                                  applied to SMRs and ONTs. The NRC is                       The NRC published the draft                        in a docket folder: (1) Navigate to the
                                                  not seeking public comment on this                      regulatory basis in the Federal Register              docket folder (NRC–2015–0225); (2)
                                                  document. There will be an opportunity                  on April 13, 2017 (82 FR 17768), for a                click the ‘‘Email Alert’’ link; and (3)
                                                  for formal public comment on the                        75-day public comment period. In the                  enter your email address and select how
                                                  proposed rule when it is published in                   draft regulatory basis, the NRC                       frequently you would like to receive
                                                  the Federal Register.                                   requested feedback from the public on                 emails (daily, weekly, or monthly).
                                                  DATES: The regulatory basis is available                questions related to the scope of the
                                                  on November 15, 2017.                                                                                           Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 8th day
                                                                                                          draft regulatory basis, performance-
                                                                                                                                                                of November, 2017.
                                                  ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID                    based approach, regulatory impacts, and
                                                  NRC–2015–0225 when contacting the                       cumulative effects of regulation.                       For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
                                                  NRC about the availability of                              The NRC received 57 written                        Patricia K. Holahan,
                                                  information for this action. You may                    comments from governmental and non-
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PROPOSALS




                                                                                                                                                                Director, Division of Rulemaking, Office of
                                                  obtain publicly-available information                   governmental organizations and                        Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
                                                  related to this action by any of the                    individuals, which are available at                   [FR Doc. 2017–24672 Filed 11–14–17; 8:45 am]
                                                  following methods:                                      https://www.regulations.gov under                     BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
                                                     • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to                 Docket ID NRC–2015–0225. The
                                                  http://www.regulations.gov and search                   commenters included approximately 45
                                                  for Docket ID NRC–2015–0225. Address                    individuals, 4 environmental groups, 3
                                                  questions about NRC dockets to Carol                    industry groups, 1 Native American
                                                  Gallagher; telephone: 301–415–3463;                     Tribal organization, 3 State


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Document Created: 2018-10-25 10:37:36
Document Modified: 2018-10-25 10:37:36
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionProposed Rules
ActionRegulatory basis; availability.
DatesThe regulatory basis is available on November 15, 2017.
ContactAndrew Carrera, Office of New Reactors, telephone: 301-415-1078, email: [email protected]; and Edward Roach, Office of Nuclear Security Incident and Response, telephone: 301-287-9228, email: [email protected] Both are staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.
FR Citation82 FR 52862 
RIN Number3150-AJ68
CFR Citation10 CFR 50
10 CFR 52

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