83_FR_2692 83 FR 2680 - Southern California Edison Company; San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3

83 FR 2680 - Southern California Edison Company; San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 12 (January 18, 2018)

Page Range2680-2685
FR Document2018-00715

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an exemption from the requirement to maintain a specified level of onsite property damage insurance in response to an October 22, 2015, request from the Southern California Edison Company (the licensee). Specifically, the licensee requested that the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, be granted an exemption to permit the licensee to reduce its onsite property damage insurance from $1.06 billion to $50 million.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 12 (Thursday, January 18, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 12 (Thursday, January 18, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2680-2685]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-00715]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-206, 50-361, and 50-362; NRC-2018-0004]


Southern California Edison Company; San Onofre Nuclear Generating 
Station, Units 1, 2, and 3

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Exemption; issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an 
exemption from the requirement to maintain a specified level of onsite 
property damage insurance in response to an October 22, 2015, request 
from the Southern California Edison Company (the licensee). 
Specifically, the licensee requested that the San Onofre Nuclear 
Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, be granted an exemption to 
permit the licensee to reduce its onsite property damage insurance from 
$1.06 billion to $50 million.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2018-0004 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may obtain publicly-available information related to this document 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking website: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2018-0004. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; 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 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 this 
document.
     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: Marlayna Vaaler, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-3178; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3 
(SONGS), operated by the Southern California Edison Company (SCE) is 
located approximately 4 miles south of San Clemente, California. The 
SONGS, Unit 1, Docket No. 50-206, was a Westinghouse 456 megawatt 
electric (MWe) pressurized water reactor which was granted Facility 
Operating License No. DPR-13 on January 1, 1968 (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML13309A138), and ceased operation on November 30, 1992 (ADAMS 
Accession No. ML13319B040). The licensee completed defueling on March 
6, 1993 (ADAMS Accession No. ML13319B055), and maintained the unit in 
SAFSTOR until June 1999, when it initiated decommissioning (ADAMS 
Accession No. ML13319B111). On December 28, 1993 (ADAMS Accession No.

[[Page 2681]]

ML13319B059), the NRC approved the Permanently Defueled Technical 
Specifications for SONGS, Unit 1.
    The SCE submitted the proposed Decommissioning Plan for SONGS, Unit 
1, on November 3, 1994 (ADAMS Accession No. ML13319B073). As a result 
of the 1996 revision to the regulations in section 50.82 of title 10 of 
the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), the NRC replaced the 
requirement for a decommissioning plan with a requirement for a Post 
Shutdown Decommissioning Activities Report (PSDAR). On August 28, 1996, 
the SONGS, Unit 1, Decommissioning Plan became the SONGS 1 PSDAR (61 FR 
67079; December 19, 1996). On December 15, 1998 (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML13184A353), SCE submitted an update to the PSDAR to the NRC, as 
required by 10 CFR 50.82(a)(7), in order to begin planning for the 
dismantlement and decommissioning of SONGS, Unit 1.
    The SONGS, Units 2 and 3, Docket Nos. 50-361 and 50-362, are 
Combustion Engineering 1127 MWe pressurized water reactors, which were 
granted Facility Operating Licenses NPF-10 on February 16, 1982, and 
NPF-15 on November 15, 1982, respectively. In June 2013, pursuant to 10 
CFR 50.82(a)(1)(i), the licensee certified to the NRC that as of June 
7, 2013, operations had ceased at SONGS, Units 2 and 3 (ADAMS Accession 
No. ML131640201). The licensee subsequently certified, pursuant to 10 
CFR 50.82(a)(1)(ii), that all fuel had been removed from the reactor 
vessels of both units, and committed to maintaining the units in a 
permanently defueled status (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML13204A304 and 
ML13183A391 for Unit 2 and Unit 3, respectively). Therefore, pursuant 
to 10 CFR 50.82(a)(2), SCE's 10 CFR part 50 licenses no longer 
authorize operation of SONGS or emplacement or retention of fuel into 
the reactor vessels. The licensee is still authorized to possess and 
store irradiated nuclear fuel. Irradiated fuel is currently being 
stored onsite in spent fuel pools (SFPs) and in dry casks at an 
Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI).
    The PSDAR for SONGS, Units 2 and 3, was submitted on September 23, 
2014 (ADAMS Accession No. ML14272A121), and the associated public 
meeting was held on October 27, 2014, in Carlsbad, California (ADAMS 
Accession No. ML14352A063). The NRC confirmed its review of the SONGS, 
Units 2 and 3, PSDAR and addressed public comments in a letter dated 
August 20, 2015 (ADAMS Accession No. ML15204A383). On July 17, 2015, 
the NRC approved the Permanently Defueled Technical Specifications for 
SONGS, Units 2 and 3 (ADAMS Accession No. ML15139A390).

II. Request/Action

    Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12, ``Specific exemptions,'' SCE requested an 
exemption from 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1), by letter dated October 22, 2015 
(ADAMS Accession No. ML15299A220). The exemption from the requirements 
of 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1) would permit the licensee to reduce the required 
level of onsite property damage insurance from $1.06 billion to $50 
million.
    The regulation at 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1) requires each licensee to have 
and maintain onsite property damage insurance to stabilize and 
decontaminate the reactor and reactor site in the event of an accident. 
The onsite insurance coverage must be either $1.06 billion or whatever 
amount of insurance is generally available from private sources 
(whichever is less).
    The licensee states that the risk of an incident at a permanently 
shutdown and defueled reactor is much less than the risk from an 
operating power reactor. In addition, since reactor operation is no 
longer authorized at SONGS, there are no events that would require the 
stabilization of reactor conditions after an accident. Similarly, the 
risk of an accident that that would result in significant onsite 
contamination at SONGS is also much lower than the risk of such an 
event at operating reactors. Therefore, SCE is requesting an exemption 
from 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1) to reduce its onsite property damage insurance 
from $1.06 billion to $50 million, commensurate with the reduced risk 
of an incident at the permanently shutdown and defueled SONGS site.

III. Discussion

    Under 10 CFR 50.12, the Commission may, upon application by any 
interested person or upon its own initiative, grant exemptions from the 
requirements of 10 CFR part 50 when (1) the exemptions are authorized 
by law, will not present an undue risk to public health or safety, and 
are consistent with the common defense and security; and (2) any of the 
special circumstances listed in 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2) are present.
    The financial protection limits of 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1) were 
established after the Three Mile Island accident out of concern that 
licensees may be unable to financially cover onsite cleanup costs in 
the event of a major nuclear accident. The specified $1.06 billion 
coverage amount requirement was developed based on an analysis of an 
accident at a nuclear reactor operating at power, resulting in a large 
fission product release and requiring significant resource expenditures 
to stabilize the reactor and ultimately decontaminate and cleanup the 
site.
    These cost estimates were developed based on the spectrum of 
postulated accidents for an operating nuclear reactor. Those costs were 
derived from the consequences of a release of radioactive material from 
the reactor. Although the risk of an accident at an operating reactor 
is very low, the consequences onsite and offsite can be significant. In 
an operating plant, the high temperature and pressure of the reactor 
coolant system (RCS), as well as the inventory of relatively short-
lived radionuclides, contribute to both the risk and consequences of an 
accident. With the permanent cessation of reactor operations at SONGS 
and the permanent removal of the fuel from the reactor cores, such 
accidents are no longer possible. As a result, the reactors, RCS, and 
supporting systems no longer operate and have no function related to 
the storage of the irradiated fuel. Therefore, postulated accidents 
involving failure or malfunction of the reactors, RCS, or supporting 
systems are no longer applicable.
    As described in the PSDAR, SONGS, Unit 1, is being returned to a 
condition suitable for unrestricted use. According to SCE, there are no 
structures, systems, or components (SSCs) classified as safety-related 
remaining at SONGS, Unit 1. Plant dismantlement is complete and nearly 
all of the SSCs have been shipped offsite for disposal. Only the spent 
fuel, reactor vessel, and the below-grade portions of some buildings 
remain onsite. The principal remaining decommissioning activities are 
soil remediation, compaction, and grading. This is to be completed in 
conjunction with the future decommissioning of the ISFSI subsequent to 
shipment offsite of the SONGS stored spent fuel.
    The licensee also stated that decommissioning of SONGS, Units 2 and 
3, has begun and the nuclear reactors and essentially all associated 
SSCs in the nuclear steam supply system and balance of plant that 
supported the generation of power have been retired in place and are 
being prepared for removal. The SSCs that remain operable are 
associated with the SFPs and the spent fuel building, are needed to 
meet other regulatory requirements, or are needed to support other site 
facilities (e.g., radioactive waste handling, ventilation and air 
conditioning, etc.). No remaining active SSCs are classified as safety-
related.

[[Page 2682]]

    During reactor decommissioning, the largest radiological risks are 
associated with the storage of spent fuel onsite. In its October 22, 
2015, exemption request, SCE discusses both design-basis and beyond 
design-basis events involving irradiated fuel stored in the SFPs. The 
licensee determined that there are no possible design-basis events at 
SONGS that could result in an offsite radiological release exceeding 
the limits established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 
(EPA) early-phase Protective Action Guidelines (PAGs) of 1 rem 
(roentgen equivalent man) at the exclusion area boundary, as a way to 
demonstrate that any possible radiological releases would be minimal 
and not require precautionary protective actions (e.g., sheltering in 
place or evacuation). The staff evaluated the radiological consequences 
associated with various decommissioning activities, and design basis 
accidents at SONGS, in consideration of SONGS's permanently shut down 
and defueled status. The possible design-basis accident scenarios at 
SONGS have greatly reduced radiological consequences. Based on its 
review, the staff concluded that no reasonably conceivable design-basis 
accident exists that could cause an offsite release greater than the 
EPA PAGs.
    The only incident that might lead to a significant radiological 
release at a decommissioning reactor is a zirconium fire. The zirconium 
fire scenario is a postulated, but highly unlikely, beyond design-basis 
accident scenario that involves loss of water inventory from the SFP, 
resulting in a significant heat-up of the spent fuel, and culminating 
in substantial zirconium cladding oxidation and fuel damage. The 
probability of a zirconium fire scenario is related to the decay heat 
of the irradiated fuel stored in the SFP. Therefore, the risks from a 
zirconium fire scenario continue to decrease as a function of the time 
that SONGS has been permanently shut down. The licensee provided a 
detailed analysis of hypothetical beyond-design-basis accidents that 
could result in a radiological release at SONGS in its March 31, 2014, 
submittal to the NRC (ADAMS Accession No. ML14092A332), as supplemented 
by letters dated September 9, October 2, October 7, October 27, 
November 3, and December 15, 2014 (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML14258A003, 
ML14280A265, ML14287A228, ML14303A257, ML14309A195, and ML14351A078, 
respectively). One of these beyond design-basis accidents involves a 
complete loss of SFP water inventory, where cooling of the spent fuel 
would be primarily accomplished by natural circulation of air through 
the uncovered spent fuel assemblies. The licensee's analysis of this 
accident shows that by August 31, 2014, air-cooling of the spent fuel 
assemblies will be sufficient to keep the fuel within a safe 
temperature range indefinitely without fuel damage or offsite 
radiological release.
    The Commission has previously authorized a lesser amount of onsite 
financial protection, based on this analysis of the zirconium fire 
risk. In SECY-96-256, ``Changes to Financial Protection Requirements 
for Permanently Shutdown Nuclear Power Reactors, 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1) and 
10 CFR 140.11,'' dated December 17, 1996 (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML15062A483), the staff recommended changes to the power reactor 
financial protection regulations that would allow licensees to lower 
onsite insurance levels to $50 million upon demonstration that the fuel 
stored in the SFP can be air-cooled. In its Staff Requirements 
Memorandum to SECY-96-256, dated January 28, 1997 (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML15062A454), the Commission supported the staff's recommendation that, 
among other things, would allow permanently shutdown power reactor 
licensees to reduce commercial onsite property damage insurance 
coverage to $50 million when the licensee was able to demonstrate the 
technical criterion that the spent fuel could be air-cooled if the 
spent fuel pool was drained of water. The staff has used this technical 
criterion to grant similar exemptions to other decommissioning reactors 
(e.g., Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station, published in the Federal 
Register on January 19, 1999 (64 FR 2920); and Zion Nuclear Power 
Station, published in the Federal Register on December 28, 1999 (64 FR 
72700)). These prior exemptions were based on these licensees 
demonstrating that the SFP could be air-cooled, consistent with the 
technical criterion discussed above.
    In SECY-00-0145, ``Integrated Rulemaking Plan for Nuclear Power 
Plant Decommissioning,'' dated June 28, 2000, and SECY-01-0100, 
``Policy Issues Related to Safeguards, Insurance, and Emergency 
Preparedness Regulations at Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plants 
Storing Fuel in the Spent Fuel Pool,'' dated June 4, 2001 (ADAMS 
Accession Nos. ML003721626 and ML011450420, respectively), the NRC 
staff discussed additional information concerning SFP zirconium fire 
risks at decommissioning reactors and associated implications for 
onsite property damage insurance. Providing an analysis of when the 
spent fuel stored in the SFP is capable of air-cooling is one measure 
that can be used to demonstrate that the probability of a zirconium 
fire is exceedingly low. However, the staff has more recently used an 
additional analysis that bounds an incomplete drain down of the SFP 
water, or some other catastrophic event (such as a complete drainage of 
the SFP with rearrangement of spent fuel rack geometry and/or the 
addition of rubble to the SFP). The analysis postulates that decay heat 
transfer from the spent fuel via conduction, convection, or radiation 
would be impeded. This analysis is often referred to as an adiabatic 
heatup.
    The licensee's analyses referenced in its exemption request 
demonstrates that under conditions where the SFP water inventory has 
drained completely and only air-cooling of the stored irradiated fuel 
is available, there is reasonable assurance that after August 2014, the 
SONGS spent fuel will remain at temperatures far below those associated 
with a significant radiological release. However, a portion of the air-
cooling analyses credits operation of the normal fuel building 
ventilation systems because the fuel building structures are robust and 
offer little potential for natural air exchange with the environment 
for cooling. Because the normal fuel building ventilation could become 
unavailable during an initiating event that would lead to complete SFP 
drainage (i.e., a seismic event), the NRC staff also relied upon the 
additional time that the fuel in the SONGS SFPs has had to cool since 
the plant was permanently shutdown in June 2013 during its evaluation 
of the licensee's exemption request. As discussed in the staff response 
to a question in SECY-00-0145, ``the staff believes that full insurance 
coverage must be maintained for 5 years or until a licensee can show by 
analysis that its spent fuel pool is no longer vulnerable to such [a 
zirconium] fire.''
    Although the official certifications for permanent cessation of 
power operations and permanent removal of fuel from the reactor vessel 
were not submitted until June 2013, the staff notes that SONGS was in 
an extended outage to address steam generator issues, and neither 
SONGS, Units 2 nor 3, have produced power since January 2012. This 
additional storage time for the fuel in the SONGS SFPs has allowed it 
to cool for greater than the 5 years suggested in SECY-00-0145, which 
supports the conclusion that zirconium fire risks from the irradiated 
fuel stored in the SFPs is of negligible concern and exemption from the 
requested requirements is warranted.

[[Page 2683]]

    In addition to the air-cooling scenario, the licensee's adiabatic 
heat-up analyses demonstrate that as of October 12, 2014, there would 
be at least 17 hours after the loss of all means of cooling (both air 
and/or water), before the spent fuel cladding would reach a temperature 
where the potential for a significant offsite radiological release 
could occur. The licensee states that for this loss of all cooling 
scenario, 10 hours is sufficient time for personnel to respond with 
additional resources, equipment, and capability to restore cooling to 
the SFPs, even after a non-credible, catastrophic event.
    As provided in SCE's letters dated October 7 and December 15, 2014, 
the licensee furnished information concerning its makeup strategies, in 
the event of a loss of SFP coolant inventory. The multiple strategies 
for providing makeup to the SFPs include: using existing plant systems 
for inventory makeup; an internal strategy that relies on installed 
fire water pumps and service water or fire water storage tanks; or an 
external strategy that uses portable pumps to initiate makeup flow into 
the SFPs through a seismic standpipe and standard fire hoses routed to 
the SFPs or to a spray nozzle. These strategies will be maintained by a 
license condition until such time as all fuel has been moved to dry 
storage in an onsite ISFSI. The licensee states that the equipment 
needed to perform these actions are located onsite, and that the 
external makeup strategy (using portable pumps) is capable of being 
deployed within 2 hours. The licensee also stated that, considering the 
very low-probability of beyond design-basis accidents affecting the 
SFPs, these diverse strategies provide defense-in-depth and time to 
mitigate and prevent a zirconium fire, using makeup or spray into the 
SFPs before the onset of zirconium cladding rapid oxidation.
    In the safety evaluation of the licensee's request for exemptions 
from certain emergency planning requirements dated June 4, 2015 (ADAMS 
Accession No. ML15082A204), the NRC staff assessed the SCE accident 
analyses associated with the radiological risks from a zirconium fire 
at the permanently shutdown and defueled SONGS site. The NRC staff has 
confirmed that under conditions where cooling air flow can develop, 
suitably conservative calculations indicate that by the end of August 
2014, the fuel would remain at temperatures where the cladding would be 
undamaged for an unlimited period. The staff also finds that the 
additional cooling time provided for the fuel between January 2012 and 
the issuance of this exemption provides reasonable assurance that 
zirconium fire risks from the irradiated fuel stored in the SFPs is of 
negligible concern. For the very unlikely beyond design-basis accident 
scenario, where the SFP coolant inventory is lost in such a manner that 
all methods of heat removal from the spent fuel are no longer 
available, there will be a minimum of 10 hours from the initiation of 
the accident until the cladding reaches a temperature where offsite 
radiological release might occur. The staff finds that 10 hours is 
sufficient time to support deployment of mitigation equipment, 
consistent with plant conditions, to prevent the zirconium cladding 
from reaching a point of rapid oxidation.
    The staff's basis as to why it considers $50 million to be an 
adequate level of onsite property damage insurance for a 
decommissioning reactor, once the spent fuel in the SFP is no longer 
susceptible to a zirconium fire, is provided in SECY-96-256. The staff 
has postulated that there is still a potential for other radiological 
incidents at a decommissioning reactor that could result in significant 
onsite contamination besides a zirconium fire. In SECY-96-256, the NRC 
staff cited the rupture of a large (~450,000 gallon) liquid radioactive 
waste storage tank containing slightly radioactive water, causing soil 
contamination and potential groundwater contamination, as the most 
costly postulated event to decontaminate and remediate (other than a 
SFP zirconium fire). The postulated large liquid radwaste storage tank 
rupture event was determined to have a bounding onsite cleanup cost of 
approximately $50 million.
    The NRC staff has determined that the licensee's proposed reduction 
in onsite property damage insurance coverage to a level of $50 million 
is consistent with SECY-96-256 and subsequent insurance considerations, 
resulting from additional zirconium fire risks, as discussed in SECY-
00-0145 and SECY-01-0100. In addition, the NRC staff notes that similar 
exemptions have been granted to other permanently shutdown and defueled 
power reactors, upon demonstration that the criterion of the zirconium 
fire risks from the irradiated fuel stored in the SFP is of negligible 
concern. As previously stated, the staff concluded that as of October 
12, 2014, sufficient irradiated fuel decay time has elapsed at SONGS to 
decrease the probability of an onsite radiological release from a 
postulated zirconium fire accident to negligible levels. In addition, 
the licensee's proposal to reduce onsite insurance to a level of $50 
million is consistent with the maximum estimated cleanup costs for the 
recovery from the rupture of a large liquid radwaste storage tank. 
Finally, the staff notes that in accordance with the SONGS PSDAR, all 
spent fuel will be removed from the SFPs and moved into dry storage at 
an onsite independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) by the 
end of 2019, and the probability of an initiating event that would 
threaten pool integrity occurring before that time is extremely low, 
which further supports the conclusion that the zirconium fire risk is 
negligible.

The Exemption Is Authorized by Law

    In accordance with 10 CFR 50.12, the Commission may grant 
exemptions from the regulations in 10 CFR part 50 as the Commission 
determines are authorized by law. The NRC staff has determined that 
granting the licensee's proposed exemption will not result in a 
violation of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, Section 170, as amended, 
other laws, or the Commission's regulations, which require licensees to 
maintain adequate financial protection. Therefore, the proposed 
exemption for SONGS from the onsite property damage insurance 
requirements of 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1) is authorized by law.

The Exemption Will Not Present an Undue Risk to Public Health and 
Safety

    The onsite property damage insurance requirements of 10 CFR 
50.54(w)(1) were established to provide financial assurance that 
following a significant nuclear incident, onsite conditions could be 
stabilized and the site decontaminated. The requirements of 10 CFR 
50.54(w)(1) and the existing level of onsite insurance coverage for 
SONGS are predicated on the assumption that the reactor is operating. 
However, SONGS is a permanently shutdown and defueled facility. The 
permanently defueled status of the facility has resulted in a 
significant reduction in the number and severity of potential 
accidents, and correspondingly, a significant reduction in the 
potential for and severity of onsite property damage. The proposed 
reduction in the amount of onsite insurance coverage does not impact 
the probability or consequences of potential accidents. The proposed 
level of insurance coverage is commensurate with the reduced risk and 
reduced cost consequences of potential nuclear accidents at SONGS. 
Therefore, the NRC staff concludes that granting the requested 
exemption will not present an undue risk to the health and safety of 
the public.

[[Page 2684]]

The Exemption Is Consistent With the Common Defense and Security

    The proposed exemption would not eliminate any requirements 
associated with physical protection of the site and would not adversely 
affect SCE's ability to physically secure the site or protect special 
nuclear material. Physical security measures at SONGS are not affected 
by the requested exemption. Therefore, the proposed exemption is 
consistent with the common defense and security.

Special Circumstances

    Under 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii), special circumstances are present if 
the application of the regulation in the particular circumstances would 
not serve the underlying purpose of the rule or is not necessary to 
achieve the underlying purpose of the rule. The underlying purpose of 
10 CFR 50.54(w)(1) is to provide reasonable assurance that adequate 
funds will be available to stabilize conditions and cover onsite 
cleanup costs associated with site decontamination, following an 
accident that results in the release of a significant amount of 
radiological material. Because SONGS is permanently shut down and 
defueled, it is no longer possible for the radiological consequences of 
design-basis accidents or other credible events at SONGS to exceed the 
limits of the EPA PAGs at the exclusion area boundary. The licensee has 
performed site-specific analyses of highly unlikely, beyond-design-
basis zirconium fire accidents involving the stored irradiated fuel in 
the SFPs. The analyses show that after October 12, 2014, the 
probabilities of such an accident are minimal. The NRC staff's 
evaluation of the licensee's analyses confirm this conclusion.
    The NRC staff also finds that the licensee's proposed $50 million 
level of onsite insurance is consistent with the bounding cleanup and 
decontamination cost, as discussed in SECY-96-256, to account for 
hypothetical rupture of a large liquid radwaste tank at the SONGS site, 
should such an event occur. The staff notes that the SONGS technical 
specifications provide controls for unprotected outdoor liquid storage 
tanks to limit the quantity of radioactivity contained in these tanks, 
in the event of an uncontrolled release of the contents of these tanks. 
Therefore, the staff concludes that the application of the current 
requirements in 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1) to maintain $1.06 billion in onsite 
insurance coverage is not necessary to achieve the underlying purpose 
of the rule for the permanently shutdown and defueled SONGS reactors.
    Under 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(iii), special circumstances are present 
whenever compliance would result in undue hardship or other costs that 
are significantly in excess of those contemplated when the regulation 
was adopted, or that are significantly in excess of those incurred by 
others similarly situated. The NRC staff concludes that if the licensee 
was required to continue to maintain an onsite insurance level of $1.06 
billion, the associated insurance premiums would be in excess of those 
necessary and commensurate with the radiological contamination risks 
posed by the SONGS site now that it has entered decommissioning. In 
addition, such insurance levels would be significantly in excess of 
other decommissioning reactor facilities that have been granted similar 
exemptions by the NRC.
    The NRC staff finds that compliance with the existing rule would 
result in an undue hardship or other costs that are significantly in 
excess of those contemplated when the regulation was adopted and are 
significantly in excess of those incurred by others similarly situated. 
Therefore, the special circumstances required by 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii) 
and 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(iii) exist for the proposed exemption from the 
onsite property damage insurance requirements of 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1).

Environmental Considerations

    The NRC approval of an exemption to insurance or indemnity 
requirements belongs to a category of actions that the Commission, by 
rule or regulation, has declared to be a categorical exclusion, after 
first finding that the category of actions does not individually or 
cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment. 
Specifically, the exemption is categorically excluded from further 
analysis under 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25). Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25), 
the granting of an exemption from the requirements of any regulation in 
Chapter I of 10 CFR is a categorical exclusion provided that (i) there 
is no significant hazards consideration; (ii) there is no significant 
change in the types or significant increase in the amounts of any 
effluents that may be released offsite; (iii) there is no significant 
increase in individual or cumulative public or occupational radiation 
exposure; (iv) there is no significant construction impact; (v) there 
is no significant increase in the potential for or consequences from 
radiological accidents; and (vi) the requirements from which an 
exemption is sought are among those identified in 10 CFR 
51.22(c)(25)(vi).
    The NRC staff has determined that approval of the exemption request 
involves no significant hazards consideration because reducing the 
licensee's onsite property damage insurance at the decommissioning San 
Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, does not (1) 
involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an 
accident previously evaluated; (2) create the possibility of a new or 
different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated; or 
(3) involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety. The exempted 
financial protection regulation is unrelated to the operation of SONGS.
    Accordingly, there is no significant change in the types or 
significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be 
released offsite, and no significant increase in individual or 
cumulative public or occupational radiation exposure. The exempted 
regulation is not associated with construction, so there is no 
significant construction impact. The exempted regulation does not 
concern the source term (i.e., potential amount of radiation involved 
an accident) or accident mitigation; therefore, there is no significant 
increase in the potential for, or consequences from, a radiological 
accident. In addition, there would be no significant impacts to biota, 
water resources, historic properties, cultural resources, or 
socioeconomic conditions in the region. The requirement for onsite 
property damage insurance may be viewed as involving surety, insurance, 
or indemnity matters in accordance with 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25)(vi).
    Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b) and 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25), no 
environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need be 
prepared in connection with the approval of this exemption request.

IV. Conclusions

    Accordingly, the Commission has determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR 
50.12(a), the exemption from 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1) is authorized by law, 
will not present an undue risk to the public health and safety, and is 
consistent with the common defense and security. In addition, special 
circumstances are present. Therefore, the Commission hereby grants SCE 
an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1), to permit the 
licensee to reduce its onsite property damage insurance to a level of 
$50 million.
    This exemption is effective upon issuance.


[[Page 2685]]


    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, on January 10, 2018.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Gregory Suber,
Deputy Division Director, Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery 
and Waste Programs, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2018-00715 Filed 1-17-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7590-01-P



                                                2680                         Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 12 / Thursday, January 18, 2018 / Notices

                                                advisory/acrs.html for additional                       regarding these restrictions will be                   You may obtain publicly-available
                                                information about the ACRS. Criteria                    provided upon request. As a part of the                information related to this document
                                                used to evaluate candidates include                     Stop Trading on Congressional                          using any of the following methods:
                                                education and experience, demonstrated                  Knowledge Act of 2012, which bans                         • Federal Rulemaking website: Go to
                                                skills in nuclear reactor safety matters,               insider trading by members of Congress,                http://www.regulations.gov and search
                                                the ability to solve complex technical                  their staff, and other high-level Federal              for Docket ID NRC–2018–0004. Address
                                                problems, and the ability to work                       employees, candidates for appointments                 questions about NRC dockets to Carol
                                                collegially on a board, panel, or                       will be required to disclose additional                Gallagher; telephone: 301–415–3463;
                                                committee. The Commission, in                           financial transactions.                                email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For
                                                selecting its Committee members, also                      A resume describing the educational                 technical questions, contact the
                                                considers the need for specific expertise               and professional background of the                     individual listed in the FOR FURTHER
                                                to accomplish the work expected to be                   candidate, including any special                       INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
                                                before the ACRS. ACRS Committee                         accomplishments, publications, and                     document.
                                                members are appointed for four-year                     professional references should be                         • NRC’s Agencywide Documents
                                                terms with no term limits. The                          provided. Candidates should provide                    Access and Management System
                                                Commission looks to fill one vacancy as                 their current address, telephone                       (ADAMS): You may obtain publicly
                                                a result of this request. For this position,            number, and email address. All                         available documents online in the
                                                a candidate must have extensive                         candidates will receive careful                        ADAMS Public Documents collection at
                                                experience in nuclear power plant light                 consideration. Appointment will be                     http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/
                                                water reactor (LWR) severe accident                     made without regard to factors such as                 adams.html. To begin the search, select
                                                behavior, accident source terms (i.e.,                  race, color, religion, national origin, sex,           ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then
                                                fission product release and transport                   age, or disabilities. Candidates must be               select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS
                                                and aerosol/particulate dynamics for                    citizens of the United States and be able              Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS,
                                                LWRs), and advanced reactor systems.                    to devote approximately 100 days per                   please contact the NRC’s Public
                                                Best qualified candidates must also have                year to Committee business, but may not                Document Room (PDR) reference staff at
                                                at least 20 years of broad experience and               be compensated for more than 130                       1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by
                                                a distinguished record of achievement                   calendar days. Resumes will be                         email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The
                                                in one or more areas of nuclear science                 accepted until February 20, 2018.                      ADAMS accession number for each
                                                and technology or related engineering                                                                          document referenced (if it is available in
                                                                                                          Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 11th day
                                                disciplines. It would be useful if the                  of January, 2018.                                      ADAMS) is provided the first time that
                                                candidate also has experience in fuel                                                                          it is mentioned in this document.
                                                                                                          For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
                                                qualification, fuel performance, fuel                                                                             • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and
                                                fabrication and process development, as                 Annette L. Vietti-Cook,
                                                                                                                                                               purchase copies of public documents at
                                                well as irradiation testing and post-                   Secretary of the Commission.
                                                                                                                                                               the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One
                                                irradiation examination. Candidates                     [FR Doc. 2018–00770 Filed 1–17–18; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                                                                               White Flint North, 11555 Rockville
                                                with pertinent graduate level experience                BILLING CODE 7590–01–P                                 Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
                                                will be given additional consideration.
                                                                                                                                                               FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                   Consistent with the requirements of
                                                the Federal Advisory Committee Act,                     NUCLEAR REGULATORY                                     Marlayna Vaaler, Office of Nuclear
                                                the Commission seeks candidates with                    COMMISSION                                             Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S.
                                                diverse backgrounds, so that the                                                                               Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
                                                                                                        [Docket Nos. 50–206, 50–361, and 50–362;               Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone:
                                                membership on the Committee is fairly                   NRC–2018–0004]
                                                balanced in terms of the points of view                                                                        301–415–3178; email:
                                                represented and functions to be                                                                                Marlayna.Vaaler@nrc.gov.
                                                                                                        Southern California Edison Company;
                                                performed by the Committee.                             San Onofre Nuclear Generating                          SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                Candidates will undergo a thorough                      Station, Units 1, 2, and 3                             I. Background
                                                security background check to obtain the
                                                security clearance that is mandatory for                AGENCY:  Nuclear Regulatory                               The San Onofre Nuclear Generating
                                                all ACRS members. The security                          Commission.                                            Station, Units 1, 2, and 3 (SONGS),
                                                background check will involve the                       ACTION: Exemption; issuance.                           operated by the Southern California
                                                completion and submission of                                                                                   Edison Company (SCE) is located
                                                paperwork to the NRC. Candidates for                    SUMMARY:   The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory                 approximately 4 miles south of San
                                                ACRS appointments may be involved in                    Commission (NRC) is issuing an                         Clemente, California. The SONGS, Unit
                                                or have financial interests related to                  exemption from the requirement to                      1, Docket No. 50–206, was a
                                                NRC-regulated aspects of the nuclear                    maintain a specified level of onsite                   Westinghouse 456 megawatt electric
                                                industry. However, because conflict-of-                 property damage insurance in response                  (MWe) pressurized water reactor which
                                                interest considerations may restrict the                to an October 22, 2015, request from the               was granted Facility Operating License
                                                participation of a candidate in ACRS                    Southern California Edison Company                     No. DPR–13 on January 1, 1968
                                                activities, the degree and nature of any                (the licensee). Specifically, the licensee             (ADAMS Accession No. ML13309A138),
                                                such restriction on an individual’s                     requested that the San Onofre Nuclear                  and ceased operation on November 30,
                                                activities as a member will be                          Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, be              1992 (ADAMS Accession No.
                                                                                                        granted an exemption to permit the                     ML13319B040). The licensee completed
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES




                                                considered in the selection process.
                                                   Each qualified candidate’s financial                 licensee to reduce its onsite property                 defueling on March 6, 1993 (ADAMS
                                                interests must be reconciled with                       damage insurance from $1.06 billion to                 Accession No. ML13319B055), and
                                                applicable Federal and NRC rules and                    $50 million.                                           maintained the unit in SAFSTOR until
                                                regulations prior to final appointment.                 ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID                   June 1999, when it initiated
                                                This might require divestiture of                       NRC–2018–0004 when contacting the                      decommissioning (ADAMS Accession
                                                securities or discontinuance of certain                 NRC about the availability of                          No. ML13319B111). On December 28,
                                                contracts or grants. Information                        information regarding this document.                   1993 (ADAMS Accession No.


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                                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 12 / Thursday, January 18, 2018 / Notices                                            2681

                                                ML13319B059), the NRC approved the                      Permanently Defueled Technical                         a nuclear reactor operating at power,
                                                Permanently Defueled Technical                          Specifications for SONGS, Units 2 and                  resulting in a large fission product
                                                Specifications for SONGS, Unit 1.                       3 (ADAMS Accession No.                                 release and requiring significant
                                                   The SCE submitted the proposed                       ML15139A390).                                          resource expenditures to stabilize the
                                                Decommissioning Plan for SONGS, Unit                                                                           reactor and ultimately decontaminate
                                                1, on November 3, 1994 (ADAMS                           II. Request/Action
                                                                                                                                                               and cleanup the site.
                                                Accession No. ML13319B073). As a                           Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12, ‘‘Specific                   These cost estimates were developed
                                                result of the 1996 revision to the                      exemptions,’’ SCE requested an                         based on the spectrum of postulated
                                                regulations in section 50.82 of title 10 of             exemption from 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1), by                  accidents for an operating nuclear
                                                the Code of Federal Regulations (10                     letter dated October 22, 2015 (ADAMS                   reactor. Those costs were derived from
                                                CFR), the NRC replaced the requirement                  Accession No. ML15299A220). The                        the consequences of a release of
                                                for a decommissioning plan with a                       exemption from the requirements of 10                  radioactive material from the reactor.
                                                requirement for a Post Shutdown                         CFR 50.54(w)(1) would permit the                       Although the risk of an accident at an
                                                Decommissioning Activities Report                       licensee to reduce the required level of               operating reactor is very low, the
                                                (PSDAR). On August 28, 1996, the                        onsite property damage insurance from                  consequences onsite and offsite can be
                                                SONGS, Unit 1, Decommissioning Plan                     $1.06 billion to $50 million.                          significant. In an operating plant, the
                                                became the SONGS 1 PSDAR (61 FR                            The regulation at 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1)
                                                                                                                                                               high temperature and pressure of the
                                                67079; December 19, 1996). On                           requires each licensee to have and
                                                                                                                                                               reactor coolant system (RCS), as well as
                                                December 15, 1998 (ADAMS Accession                      maintain onsite property damage
                                                                                                                                                               the inventory of relatively short-lived
                                                No. ML13184A353), SCE submitted an                      insurance to stabilize and
                                                                                                                                                               radionuclides, contribute to both the
                                                update to the PSDAR to the NRC, as                      decontaminate the reactor and reactor
                                                                                                                                                               risk and consequences of an accident.
                                                required by 10 CFR 50.82(a)(7), in order                site in the event of an accident. The
                                                                                                                                                               With the permanent cessation of reactor
                                                to begin planning for the dismantlement                 onsite insurance coverage must be either
                                                                                                                                                               operations at SONGS and the permanent
                                                and decommissioning of SONGS, Unit                      $1.06 billion or whatever amount of
                                                                                                                                                               removal of the fuel from the reactor
                                                1.                                                      insurance is generally available from
                                                                                                                                                               cores, such accidents are no longer
                                                   The SONGS, Units 2 and 3, Docket                     private sources (whichever is less).
                                                                                                           The licensee states that the risk of an             possible. As a result, the reactors, RCS,
                                                Nos. 50–361 and 50–362, are
                                                                                                        incident at a permanently shutdown                     and supporting systems no longer
                                                Combustion Engineering 1127 MWe
                                                                                                        and defueled reactor is much less than                 operate and have no function related to
                                                pressurized water reactors, which were
                                                                                                        the risk from an operating power                       the storage of the irradiated fuel.
                                                granted Facility Operating Licenses
                                                                                                        reactor. In addition, since reactor                    Therefore, postulated accidents
                                                NPF–10 on February 16, 1982, and
                                                                                                        operation is no longer authorized at                   involving failure or malfunction of the
                                                NPF–15 on November 15, 1982,
                                                                                                        SONGS, there are no events that would                  reactors, RCS, or supporting systems are
                                                respectively. In June 2013, pursuant to
                                                                                                        require the stabilization of reactor                   no longer applicable.
                                                10 CFR 50.82(a)(1)(i), the licensee
                                                certified to the NRC that as of June 7,                 conditions after an accident. Similarly,                  As described in the PSDAR, SONGS,
                                                2013, operations had ceased at SONGS,                   the risk of an accident that that would                Unit 1, is being returned to a condition
                                                Units 2 and 3 (ADAMS Accession No.                      result in significant onsite                           suitable for unrestricted use. According
                                                ML131640201). The licensee                              contamination at SONGS is also much                    to SCE, there are no structures, systems,
                                                subsequently certified, pursuant to 10                  lower than the risk of such an event at                or components (SSCs) classified as
                                                CFR 50.82(a)(1)(ii), that all fuel had                  operating reactors. Therefore, SCE is                  safety-related remaining at SONGS, Unit
                                                been removed from the reactor vessels                   requesting an exemption from 10 CFR                    1. Plant dismantlement is complete and
                                                of both units, and committed to                         50.54(w)(1) to reduce its onsite property              nearly all of the SSCs have been
                                                maintaining the units in a permanently                  damage insurance from $1.06 billion to                 shipped offsite for disposal. Only the
                                                defueled status (ADAMS Accession Nos.                   $50 million, commensurate with the                     spent fuel, reactor vessel, and the
                                                ML13204A304 and ML13183A391 for                         reduced risk of an incident at the                     below-grade portions of some buildings
                                                Unit 2 and Unit 3, respectively).                       permanently shutdown and defueled                      remain onsite. The principal remaining
                                                Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR                           SONGS site.                                            decommissioning activities are soil
                                                50.82(a)(2), SCE’s 10 CFR part 50                                                                              remediation, compaction, and grading.
                                                licenses no longer authorize operation                  III. Discussion                                        This is to be completed in conjunction
                                                of SONGS or emplacement or retention                       Under 10 CFR 50.12, the Commission                  with the future decommissioning of the
                                                of fuel into the reactor vessels. The                   may, upon application by any interested                ISFSI subsequent to shipment offsite of
                                                licensee is still authorized to possess                 person or upon its own initiative, grant               the SONGS stored spent fuel.
                                                and store irradiated nuclear fuel.                      exemptions from the requirements of 10                    The licensee also stated that
                                                Irradiated fuel is currently being stored               CFR part 50 when (1) the exemptions                    decommissioning of SONGS, Units 2
                                                onsite in spent fuel pools (SFPs) and in                are authorized by law, will not present                and 3, has begun and the nuclear
                                                dry casks at an Independent Spent Fuel                  an undue risk to public health or safety,              reactors and essentially all associated
                                                Storage Installation (ISFSI).                           and are consistent with the common                     SSCs in the nuclear steam supply
                                                   The PSDAR for SONGS, Units 2 and                     defense and security; and (2) any of the               system and balance of plant that
                                                3, was submitted on September 23, 2014                  special circumstances listed in 10 CFR                 supported the generation of power have
                                                (ADAMS Accession No. ML14272A121),                      50.12(a)(2) are present.                               been retired in place and are being
                                                and the associated public meeting was                      The financial protection limits of 10               prepared for removal. The SSCs that
                                                held on October 27, 2014, in Carlsbad,                  CFR 50.54(w)(1) were established after                 remain operable are associated with the
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                                                California (ADAMS Accession No.                         the Three Mile Island accident out of                  SFPs and the spent fuel building, are
                                                ML14352A063). The NRC confirmed its                     concern that licensees may be unable to                needed to meet other regulatory
                                                review of the SONGS, Units 2 and 3,                     financially cover onsite cleanup costs in              requirements, or are needed to support
                                                PSDAR and addressed public comments                     the event of a major nuclear accident.                 other site facilities (e.g., radioactive
                                                in a letter dated August 20, 2015                       The specified $1.06 billion coverage                   waste handling, ventilation and air
                                                (ADAMS Accession No. ML15204A383).                      amount requirement was developed                       conditioning, etc.). No remaining active
                                                On July 17, 2015, the NRC approved the                  based on an analysis of an accident at                 SSCs are classified as safety-related.


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                                                2682                         Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 12 / Thursday, January 18, 2018 / Notices

                                                   During reactor decommissioning, the                  where cooling of the spent fuel would                  stored in the SFP is capable of air-
                                                largest radiological risks are associated               be primarily accomplished by natural                   cooling is one measure that can be used
                                                with the storage of spent fuel onsite. In               circulation of air through the uncovered               to demonstrate that the probability of a
                                                its October 22, 2015, exemption request,                spent fuel assemblies. The licensee’s                  zirconium fire is exceedingly low.
                                                SCE discusses both design-basis and                     analysis of this accident shows that by                However, the staff has more recently
                                                beyond design-basis events involving                    August 31, 2014, air-cooling of the spent              used an additional analysis that bounds
                                                irradiated fuel stored in the SFPs. The                 fuel assemblies will be sufficient to keep             an incomplete drain down of the SFP
                                                licensee determined that there are no                   the fuel within a safe temperature range               water, or some other catastrophic event
                                                possible design-basis events at SONGS                   indefinitely without fuel damage or                    (such as a complete drainage of the SFP
                                                that could result in an offsite                         offsite radiological release.                          with rearrangement of spent fuel rack
                                                radiological release exceeding the limits                  The Commission has previously                       geometry and/or the addition of rubble
                                                established by the U.S. Environmental                   authorized a lesser amount of onsite                   to the SFP). The analysis postulates that
                                                Protection Agency’s (EPA) early-phase                   financial protection, based on this                    decay heat transfer from the spent fuel
                                                Protective Action Guidelines (PAGs) of                  analysis of the zirconium fire risk. In                via conduction, convection, or radiation
                                                1 rem (roentgen equivalent man) at the                  SECY–96–256, ‘‘Changes to Financial                    would be impeded. This analysis is
                                                exclusion area boundary, as a way to                    Protection Requirements for                            often referred to as an adiabatic heatup.
                                                demonstrate that any possible                           Permanently Shutdown Nuclear Power                        The licensee’s analyses referenced in
                                                radiological releases would be minimal                  Reactors, 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1) and 10                    its exemption request demonstrates that
                                                and not require precautionary protective                CFR 140.11,’’ dated December 17, 1996                  under conditions where the SFP water
                                                actions (e.g., sheltering in place or                   (ADAMS Accession No. ML15062A483),                     inventory has drained completely and
                                                evacuation). The staff evaluated the                    the staff recommended changes to the                   only air-cooling of the stored irradiated
                                                radiological consequences associated                    power reactor financial protection                     fuel is available, there is reasonable
                                                with various decommissioning                            regulations that would allow licensees                 assurance that after August 2014, the
                                                activities, and design basis accidents at               to lower onsite insurance levels to $50                SONGS spent fuel will remain at
                                                SONGS, in consideration of SONGS’s                      million upon demonstration that the                    temperatures far below those associated
                                                permanently shut down and defueled                      fuel stored in the SFP can be air-cooled.              with a significant radiological release.
                                                status. The possible design-basis                       In its Staff Requirements Memorandum                   However, a portion of the air-cooling
                                                accident scenarios at SONGS have                        to SECY–96–256, dated January 28,                      analyses credits operation of the normal
                                                greatly reduced radiological                            1997 (ADAMS Accession No.                              fuel building ventilation systems
                                                consequences. Based on its review, the                  ML15062A454), the Commission
                                                                                                                                                               because the fuel building structures are
                                                staff concluded that no reasonably                      supported the staff’s recommendation
                                                                                                                                                               robust and offer little potential for
                                                conceivable design-basis accident exists                that, among other things, would allow
                                                                                                                                                               natural air exchange with the
                                                that could cause an offsite release                     permanently shutdown power reactor
                                                                                                                                                               environment for cooling. Because the
                                                greater than the EPA PAGs.                              licensees to reduce commercial onsite
                                                                                                                                                               normal fuel building ventilation could
                                                                                                        property damage insurance coverage to
                                                   The only incident that might lead to                                                                        become unavailable during an initiating
                                                                                                        $50 million when the licensee was able
                                                a significant radiological release at a                                                                        event that would lead to complete SFP
                                                                                                        to demonstrate the technical criterion
                                                decommissioning reactor is a zirconium                                                                         drainage (i.e., a seismic event), the NRC
                                                                                                        that the spent fuel could be air-cooled
                                                fire. The zirconium fire scenario is a                                                                         staff also relied upon the additional
                                                                                                        if the spent fuel pool was drained of
                                                postulated, but highly unlikely, beyond                 water. The staff has used this technical               time that the fuel in the SONGS SFPs
                                                design-basis accident scenario that                     criterion to grant similar exemptions to               has had to cool since the plant was
                                                involves loss of water inventory from                   other decommissioning reactors (e.g.,                  permanently shutdown in June 2013
                                                the SFP, resulting in a significant heat-               Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station,                     during its evaluation of the licensee’s
                                                up of the spent fuel, and culminating in                published in the Federal Register on                   exemption request. As discussed in the
                                                substantial zirconium cladding                          January 19, 1999 (64 FR 2920); and Zion                staff response to a question in SECY–
                                                oxidation and fuel damage. The                          Nuclear Power Station, published in the                00–0145, ‘‘the staff believes that full
                                                probability of a zirconium fire scenario                Federal Register on December 28, 1999                  insurance coverage must be maintained
                                                is related to the decay heat of the                     (64 FR 72700)). These prior exemptions                 for 5 years or until a licensee can show
                                                irradiated fuel stored in the SFP.                      were based on these licensees                          by analysis that its spent fuel pool is no
                                                Therefore, the risks from a zirconium                   demonstrating that the SFP could be air-               longer vulnerable to such [a zirconium]
                                                fire scenario continue to decrease as a                 cooled, consistent with the technical                  fire.’’
                                                function of the time that SONGS has                     criterion discussed above.                                Although the official certifications for
                                                been permanently shut down. The                            In SECY–00–0145, ‘‘Integrated                       permanent cessation of power
                                                licensee provided a detailed analysis of                Rulemaking Plan for Nuclear Power                      operations and permanent removal of
                                                hypothetical beyond-design-basis                        Plant Decommissioning,’’ dated June 28,                fuel from the reactor vessel were not
                                                accidents that could result in a                        2000, and SECY–01–0100, ‘‘Policy                       submitted until June 2013, the staff
                                                radiological release at SONGS in its                    Issues Related to Safeguards, Insurance,               notes that SONGS was in an extended
                                                March 31, 2014, submittal to the NRC                    and Emergency Preparedness                             outage to address steam generator
                                                (ADAMS Accession No. ML14092A332),                      Regulations at Decommissioning                         issues, and neither SONGS, Units 2 nor
                                                as supplemented by letters dated                        Nuclear Power Plants Storing Fuel in                   3, have produced power since January
                                                September 9, October 2, October 7,                      the Spent Fuel Pool,’’ dated June 4, 2001              2012. This additional storage time for
                                                October 27, November 3, and December                                                                           the fuel in the SONGS SFPs has allowed
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                                                                                                        (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML003721626
                                                15, 2014 (ADAMS Accession Nos.                          and ML011450420, respectively), the                    it to cool for greater than the 5 years
                                                ML14258A003, ML14280A265,                               NRC staff discussed additional                         suggested in SECY–00–0145, which
                                                ML14287A228, ML14303A257,                               information concerning SFP zirconium                   supports the conclusion that zirconium
                                                ML14309A195, and ML14351A078,                           fire risks at decommissioning reactors                 fire risks from the irradiated fuel stored
                                                respectively). One of these beyond                      and associated implications for onsite                 in the SFPs is of negligible concern and
                                                design-basis accidents involves a                       property damage insurance. Providing                   exemption from the requested
                                                complete loss of SFP water inventory,                   an analysis of when the spent fuel                     requirements is warranted.


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                                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 12 / Thursday, January 18, 2018 / Notices                                             2683

                                                   In addition to the air-cooling scenario,             provides reasonable assurance that                     estimated cleanup costs for the recovery
                                                the licensee’s adiabatic heat-up analyses               zirconium fire risks from the irradiated               from the rupture of a large liquid
                                                demonstrate that as of October 12, 2014,                fuel stored in the SFPs is of negligible               radwaste storage tank. Finally, the staff
                                                there would be at least 17 hours after                  concern. For the very unlikely beyond                  notes that in accordance with the
                                                the loss of all means of cooling (both air              design-basis accident scenario, where                  SONGS PSDAR, all spent fuel will be
                                                and/or water), before the spent fuel                    the SFP coolant inventory is lost in such              removed from the SFPs and moved into
                                                cladding would reach a temperature                      a manner that all methods of heat                      dry storage at an onsite independent
                                                where the potential for a significant                   removal from the spent fuel are no                     spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) by
                                                offsite radiological release could occur.               longer available, there will be a                      the end of 2019, and the probability of
                                                The licensee states that for this loss of               minimum of 10 hours from the                           an initiating event that would threaten
                                                all cooling scenario, 10 hours is                       initiation of the accident until the                   pool integrity occurring before that time
                                                sufficient time for personnel to respond                cladding reaches a temperature where                   is extremely low, which further
                                                with additional resources, equipment,                   offsite radiological release might occur.
                                                                                                                                                               supports the conclusion that the
                                                and capability to restore cooling to the                The staff finds that 10 hours is sufficient
                                                                                                                                                               zirconium fire risk is negligible.
                                                SFPs, even after a non-credible,                        time to support deployment of
                                                catastrophic event.                                     mitigation equipment, consistent with                  The Exemption Is Authorized by Law
                                                   As provided in SCE’s letters dated                   plant conditions, to prevent the
                                                October 7 and December 15, 2014, the                    zirconium cladding from reaching a                        In accordance with 10 CFR 50.12, the
                                                licensee furnished information                          point of rapid oxidation.                              Commission may grant exemptions from
                                                concerning its makeup strategies, in the                   The staff’s basis as to why it considers            the regulations in 10 CFR part 50 as the
                                                event of a loss of SFP coolant inventory.               $50 million to be an adequate level of                 Commission determines are authorized
                                                The multiple strategies for providing                   onsite property damage insurance for a                 by law. The NRC staff has determined
                                                makeup to the SFPs include: using                       decommissioning reactor, once the                      that granting the licensee’s proposed
                                                existing plant systems for inventory                    spent fuel in the SFP is no longer                     exemption will not result in a violation
                                                makeup; an internal strategy that relies                susceptible to a zirconium fire, is                    of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954,
                                                on installed fire water pumps and                       provided in SECY–96–256. The staff has                 Section 170, as amended, other laws, or
                                                service water or fire water storage tanks;              postulated that there is still a potential             the Commission’s regulations, which
                                                or an external strategy that uses portable              for other radiological incidents at a                  require licensees to maintain adequate
                                                pumps to initiate makeup flow into the                  decommissioning reactor that could                     financial protection. Therefore, the
                                                SFPs through a seismic standpipe and                    result in significant onsite                           proposed exemption for SONGS from
                                                standard fire hoses routed to the SFPs                  contamination besides a zirconium fire.                the onsite property damage insurance
                                                or to a spray nozzle. These strategies                  In SECY–96–256, the NRC staff cited the
                                                                                                                                                               requirements of 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1) is
                                                will be maintained by a license                         rupture of a large (∼450,000 gallon)
                                                                                                                                                               authorized by law.
                                                condition until such time as all fuel has               liquid radioactive waste storage tank
                                                been moved to dry storage in an onsite                  containing slightly radioactive water,                 The Exemption Will Not Present an
                                                ISFSI. The licensee states that the                     causing soil contamination and                         Undue Risk to Public Health and Safety
                                                equipment needed to perform these                       potential groundwater contamination, as
                                                actions are located onsite, and that the                the most costly postulated event to                      The onsite property damage insurance
                                                external makeup strategy (using portable                decontaminate and remediate (other                     requirements of 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1)
                                                pumps) is capable of being deployed                     than a SFP zirconium fire). The                        were established to provide financial
                                                within 2 hours. The licensee also stated                postulated large liquid radwaste storage               assurance that following a significant
                                                that, considering the very low-                         tank rupture event was determined to                   nuclear incident, onsite conditions
                                                probability of beyond design-basis                      have a bounding onsite cleanup cost of                 could be stabilized and the site
                                                accidents affecting the SFPs, these                     approximately $50 million.                             decontaminated. The requirements of 10
                                                diverse strategies provide defense-in-                     The NRC staff has determined that the               CFR 50.54(w)(1) and the existing level
                                                depth and time to mitigate and prevent                  licensee’s proposed reduction in onsite                of onsite insurance coverage for SONGS
                                                a zirconium fire, using makeup or spray                 property damage insurance coverage to                  are predicated on the assumption that
                                                into the SFPs before the onset of                       a level of $50 million is consistent with              the reactor is operating. However,
                                                zirconium cladding rapid oxidation.                     SECY–96–256 and subsequent                             SONGS is a permanently shutdown and
                                                   In the safety evaluation of the                      insurance considerations, resulting from               defueled facility. The permanently
                                                licensee’s request for exemptions from                  additional zirconium fire risks, as
                                                                                                                                                               defueled status of the facility has
                                                certain emergency planning                              discussed in SECY–00–0145 and SECY–
                                                                                                                                                               resulted in a significant reduction in the
                                                requirements dated June 4, 2015                         01–0100. In addition, the NRC staff
                                                (ADAMS Accession No. ML15082A204),                      notes that similar exemptions have been                number and severity of potential
                                                the NRC staff assessed the SCE accident                 granted to other permanently shutdown                  accidents, and correspondingly, a
                                                analyses associated with the                            and defueled power reactors, upon                      significant reduction in the potential for
                                                radiological risks from a zirconium fire                demonstration that the criterion of the                and severity of onsite property damage.
                                                at the permanently shutdown and                         zirconium fire risks from the irradiated               The proposed reduction in the amount
                                                defueled SONGS site. The NRC staff has                  fuel stored in the SFP is of negligible                of onsite insurance coverage does not
                                                confirmed that under conditions where                   concern. As previously stated, the staff               impact the probability or consequences
                                                cooling air flow can develop, suitably                  concluded that as of October 12, 2014,                 of potential accidents. The proposed
                                                                                                                                                               level of insurance coverage is
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                                                conservative calculations indicate that                 sufficient irradiated fuel decay time has
                                                by the end of August 2014, the fuel                     elapsed at SONGS to decrease the                       commensurate with the reduced risk
                                                would remain at temperatures where the                  probability of an onsite radiological                  and reduced cost consequences of
                                                cladding would be undamaged for an                      release from a postulated zirconium fire               potential nuclear accidents at SONGS.
                                                unlimited period. The staff also finds                  accident to negligible levels. In                      Therefore, the NRC staff concludes that
                                                that the additional cooling time                        addition, the licensee’s proposal to                   granting the requested exemption will
                                                provided for the fuel between January                   reduce onsite insurance to a level of $50              not present an undue risk to the health
                                                2012 and the issuance of this exemption                 million is consistent with the maximum                 and safety of the public.


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                                                2684                         Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 12 / Thursday, January 18, 2018 / Notices

                                                The Exemption Is Consistent With the                    shutdown and defueled SONGS                            is sought are among those identified in
                                                Common Defense and Security                             reactors.                                              10 CFR 51.22(c)(25)(vi).
                                                                                                           Under 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(iii), special                 The NRC staff has determined that
                                                   The proposed exemption would not                     circumstances are present whenever                     approval of the exemption request
                                                eliminate any requirements associated                   compliance would result in undue                       involves no significant hazards
                                                with physical protection of the site and                hardship or other costs that are                       consideration because reducing the
                                                would not adversely affect SCE’s ability                significantly in excess of those                       licensee’s onsite property damage
                                                to physically secure the site or protect                contemplated when the regulation was                   insurance at the decommissioning San
                                                special nuclear material. Physical                      adopted, or that are significantly in                  Onofre Nuclear Generating Station,
                                                security measures at SONGS are not                      excess of those incurred by others                     Units 1, 2, and 3, does not (1) involve
                                                affected by the requested exemption.                    similarly situated. The NRC staff                      a significant increase in the probability
                                                Therefore, the proposed exemption is                    concludes that if the licensee was                     or consequences of an accident
                                                consistent with the common defense                      required to continue to maintain an                    previously evaluated; (2) create the
                                                and security.                                           onsite insurance level of $1.06 billion,               possibility of a new or different kind of
                                                Special Circumstances                                   the associated insurance premiums                      accident from any accident previously
                                                                                                        would be in excess of those necessary                  evaluated; or (3) involve a significant
                                                   Under 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii), special                and commensurate with the radiological                 reduction in a margin of safety. The
                                                circumstances are present if the                        contamination risks posed by the                       exempted financial protection
                                                application of the regulation in the                    SONGS site now that it has entered                     regulation is unrelated to the operation
                                                particular circumstances would not                      decommissioning. In addition, such                     of SONGS.
                                                serve the underlying purpose of the rule                insurance levels would be significantly                   Accordingly, there is no significant
                                                or is not necessary to achieve the                                                                             change in the types or significant
                                                                                                        in excess of other decommissioning
                                                underlying purpose of the rule. The                                                                            increase in the amounts of any effluents
                                                                                                        reactor facilities that have been granted
                                                underlying purpose of 10 CFR                                                                                   that may be released offsite, and no
                                                                                                        similar exemptions by the NRC.
                                                50.54(w)(1) is to provide reasonable                                                                           significant increase in individual or
                                                                                                           The NRC staff finds that compliance                 cumulative public or occupational
                                                assurance that adequate funds will be                   with the existing rule would result in an
                                                available to stabilize conditions and                                                                          radiation exposure. The exempted
                                                                                                        undue hardship or other costs that are                 regulation is not associated with
                                                cover onsite cleanup costs associated                   significantly in excess of those
                                                with site decontamination, following an                                                                        construction, so there is no significant
                                                                                                        contemplated when the regulation was                   construction impact. The exempted
                                                accident that results in the release of a               adopted and are significantly in excess
                                                significant amount of radiological                                                                             regulation does not concern the source
                                                                                                        of those incurred by others similarly                  term (i.e., potential amount of radiation
                                                material. Because SONGS is                              situated. Therefore, the special
                                                permanently shut down and defueled, it                                                                         involved an accident) or accident
                                                                                                        circumstances required by 10 CFR                       mitigation; therefore, there is no
                                                is no longer possible for the radiological              50.12(a)(2)(ii) and 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(iii)
                                                consequences of design-basis accidents                                                                         significant increase in the potential for,
                                                                                                        exist for the proposed exemption from                  or consequences from, a radiological
                                                or other credible events at SONGS to                    the onsite property damage insurance
                                                exceed the limits of the EPA PAGs at the                                                                       accident. In addition, there would be no
                                                                                                        requirements of 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1).                    significant impacts to biota, water
                                                exclusion area boundary. The licensee
                                                has performed site-specific analyses of                 Environmental Considerations                           resources, historic properties, cultural
                                                highly unlikely, beyond-design-basis                                                                           resources, or socioeconomic conditions
                                                                                                           The NRC approval of an exemption to                 in the region. The requirement for onsite
                                                zirconium fire accidents involving the                  insurance or indemnity requirements
                                                stored irradiated fuel in the SFPs. The                                                                        property damage insurance may be
                                                                                                        belongs to a category of actions that the              viewed as involving surety, insurance,
                                                analyses show that after October 12,                    Commission, by rule or regulation, has
                                                2014, the probabilities of such an                                                                             or indemnity matters in accordance
                                                                                                        declared to be a categorical exclusion,                with 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25)(vi).
                                                accident are minimal. The NRC staff’s                   after first finding that the category of
                                                evaluation of the licensee’s analyses                                                                             Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR
                                                                                                        actions does not individually or                       51.22(b) and 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25), no
                                                confirm this conclusion.                                cumulatively have a significant effect on              environmental impact statement or
                                                   The NRC staff also finds that the                    the human environment. Specifically,                   environmental assessment need be
                                                licensee’s proposed $50 million level of                the exemption is categorically excluded                prepared in connection with the
                                                onsite insurance is consistent with the                 from further analysis under 10 CFR                     approval of this exemption request.
                                                bounding cleanup and decontamination                    51.22(c)(25). Pursuant to 10 CFR
                                                cost, as discussed in SECY–96–256, to                   51.22(c)(25), the granting of an                       IV. Conclusions
                                                account for hypothetical rupture of a                   exemption from the requirements of any                    Accordingly, the Commission has
                                                large liquid radwaste tank at the SONGS                 regulation in Chapter I of 10 CFR is a                 determined that, pursuant to 10 CFR
                                                site, should such an event occur. The                   categorical exclusion provided that (i)                50.12(a), the exemption from 10 CFR
                                                staff notes that the SONGS technical                    there is no significant hazards                        50.54(w)(1) is authorized by law, will
                                                specifications provide controls for                     consideration; (ii) there is no significant            not present an undue risk to the public
                                                unprotected outdoor liquid storage                      change in the types or significant                     health and safety, and is consistent with
                                                tanks to limit the quantity of                          increase in the amounts of any effluents               the common defense and security. In
                                                radioactivity contained in these tanks,                 that may be released offsite; (iii) there is           addition, special circumstances are
                                                in the event of an uncontrolled release                 no significant increase in individual or
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                                                                                                                                                               present. Therefore, the Commission
                                                of the contents of these tanks. Therefore,              cumulative public or occupational                      hereby grants SCE an exemption from
                                                the staff concludes that the application                radiation exposure; (iv) there is no                   the requirements of 10 CFR 50.54(w)(1),
                                                of the current requirements in 10 CFR                   significant construction impact; (v)                   to permit the licensee to reduce its
                                                50.54(w)(1) to maintain $1.06 billion in                there is no significant increase in the                onsite property damage insurance to a
                                                onsite insurance coverage is not                        potential for or consequences from                     level of $50 million.
                                                necessary to achieve the underlying                     radiological accidents; and (vi) the                      This exemption is effective upon
                                                purpose of the rule for the permanently                 requirements from which an exemption                   issuance.


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                                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 12 / Thursday, January 18, 2018 / Notices                                                            2685

                                                  Dated at Rockville, Maryland, on January              ADAMS accession number for each                        interested persons through ADAMS
                                                10, 2018.                                               document referenced (if it is available in             accession numbers as indicated.
                                                  For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.                ADAMS) is provided the first time that
                                                Gregory Suber,                                          a document is referenced. For the                                                                     ADAMS
                                                                                                                                                                            Document
                                                Deputy Division Director, Division of                   convenience of the reader, the ADAMS                                                               accession No.
                                                Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery and                   accession numbers are provided in a
                                                Waste Programs, Office of Nuclear Material                                                                     Massachusetts Institute of
                                                                                                        table in the ‘‘Availability of Documents’’               Technology Request for
                                                Safety and Safeguards.                                  section of this document.                                Renewal Application .........             ML16092A171
                                                [FR Doc. 2018–00715 Filed 1–17–18; 8:45 am]               • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and                     NRC Request for Additional
                                                BILLING CODE 7590–01–P                                  purchase copies of public documents at                   Information ........................      ML16257A205
                                                                                                        the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One                        MIT Response to Request
                                                                                                        White Flint North, 11555 Rockville                       for Additional Information ..             ML16302A017
                                                NUCLEAR REGULATORY                                      Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.                       Transmittal of MIT License
                                                COMMISSION                                              FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                                                                                                                                 Renewal (SNM–0986) .......                ML17086A517
                                                                                                                                                               Safety Evaluation Report for
                                                [Docket No. 70–0938; NRC–2016–0152]                     Tyrone D. Naquin, Office of Nuclear                      MIT License Renewal .......               ML17086A565
                                                                                                        Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S.                   SNM–986 MIT Materials Li-
                                                Massachusetts Institute of                              Nuclear Regulatory Commission,                           cense .................................   ML17086A581
                                                Technology, Cambridge,                                  Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone:
                                                Massachusetts; License Renewal;                         301–415–7352; email: Tyrone.Naquin@
                                                Issuance                                                                                                         Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 11th day
                                                                                                        nrc.gov.                                               of January, 2018.
                                                AGENCY:  Nuclear Regulatory                             SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                               For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
                                                Commission.                                                                                                    Tyrone D. Naquin,
                                                                                                        I. Discussion
                                                ACTION: License renewal; issuance.
                                                                                                                                                               Project Manager, Fuel Manufacturing Branch,
                                                                                                           Pursuant to section 2.106 of title 10 of            Division of Fuel Cycle Safety, Safeguards and
                                                SUMMARY:   The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory                  the Code of Federal Regulations (10                    Environmental Review, Office of Nuclear
                                                Commission (NRC) issued a renewal of                    CFR), the NRC is providing notice of the               Material Safety and Safeguards.
                                                Special Nuclear Materials (SNM)                         issuance of license renewal to Material                [FR Doc. 2018–00800 Filed 1–17–18; 8:45 am]
                                                License No. SNM–986 held by the                         License No. SNM–986, to MIT, which                     BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
                                                Massachusetts Institute of Technology                   authorizes MIT to possess and use SNM
                                                (MIT) to possess and use SNM for                        for education, research, and training
                                                education, research, and training                       programs at its campus in Cambridge,
                                                programs. The renewed license                                                                                  OFFICE OF PERSONNEL
                                                                                                        Massachusetts. This licensee’s request
                                                authorizes MIT to continue to possess                                                                          MANAGEMENT
                                                                                                        for renewal of its license was made on
                                                and use SNM for an additional 10 years                  February 24, 2016. Because the licensed
                                                from the date of issuance.                                                                                     President’s Commission on White
                                                                                                        material will be used for research and                 House Fellowships Advisory
                                                DATES: The renewed license SNM–986                      development and for educational                        Committee: Closed Meeting
                                                was issued on December 14, 2017.                        purposes, renewal of SNM License No.
                                                ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID                    SNM–986 is an action that is                           AGENCY: President’s Commission on
                                                NRC–2016–0152 when contacting the                       categorically excluded from a                          White House Fellowships, Office of
                                                NRC about the availability of                           requirement to prepare an                              Personnel Management.
                                                information regarding this document.                    environmental assessment or                            ACTION: Notice of meeting.
                                                You may obtain publicly-available                       environmental impact statement,
                                                information related to this document                    pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(c)(14)(v). A                  SUMMARY:   The President’s Commission
                                                using any of the following methods:                     notice of receipt of the license renewal               on White House Fellowships (PCWHF)
                                                   • Federal Rulemaking website: Go to                  application with an opportunity to                     was established by an Executive Order
                                                http://www.regulations.gov and search                   request a hearing and petition for leave               in 1964. The PCWHF is an advisory
                                                for Docket ID NRC–2016–0152. Address                    to intervene was published in the                      committee composed of Special
                                                questions about NRC dockets to Carol                    Federal Register on August 8, 2016 (81                 Government Employees appointed by
                                                Gallagher; telephone: 301–415–3463;                     FR 52478). The NRC did not receive a                   the President.
                                                email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For                     request for a hearing or for a petition for              Name of Committee: President’s
                                                technical questions, contact the                        leave to intervene. This license renewal               Commission on White House
                                                individual listed in the FOR FURTHER                    complies with the standards and                        Fellowships.
                                                INFORMATION CONTACT section of this                     requirements of the Atomic Energy Act                    Date: January 30, 2018.
                                                document.                                               of 1954, as amended, and the NRC’s                       Time: 8:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
                                                   • NRC’s Agencywide Documents                         rules and regulations as set forth in 10                 Place: Eisenhower Executive Office
                                                Access and Management System                            CFR Chapter 1. Accordingly, this license               Building.
                                                (ADAMS): You may obtain publicly-                       renewal was issued on December 14,                       Agenda: The Commission holds a
                                                available documents online in the                       2017, and is effective immediately.                    mid-year meeting to talk with current
                                                ADAMS Public Documents collection at                       The NRC prepared a safety evaluation                Fellows on how their placements are
                                                http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/                          report for the renewal of SNM–986 and                  going and discuss preparations for
                                                adams.html. To begin the search, select                                                                        future events.
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                                                                                                        concluded that the licensee can
                                                ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then                     continue to operate the facility without                 Location: Washington, DC.
                                                select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS                          endangering the health and safety of the               FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By
                                                Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS,                      public.                                                mail: Elizabeth Pinkerton, Director,
                                                please contact the NRC’s Public                                                                                President’s Commission on White
                                                Document Room (PDR) reference staff at                  II. Availability of Documents                          House Fellowships, 712 Jackson Place
                                                1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by                       The documents identified in the                      NW, Washington, DC 20503; By phone:
                                                email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The                      following table are available to                       202–395–4522.


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Document Created: 2018-01-18 00:42:23
Document Modified: 2018-01-18 00:42:23
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionExemption; issuance.
ContactMarlayna Vaaler, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-3178; email: [email protected]
FR Citation83 FR 2680 

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