SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments

A. Obtaining Information

Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2022-0044 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information for this action. You may obtain publicly available information related to this action by any of the following methods:

• Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2022-0044.
• NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): You may obtain publicly available documents online in the ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/​reading-rm/​adams.html. To begin the search, 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 PDR.Resource@nrc.gov. A copy of the collection of information and related instructions may be obtained without charge by accessing ADAMS Accession No. ML22046A247. The supporting statement is available in ADAMS under Accession No. ML22045A449.
• NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public documents, by appointment, at the NRC's PDR, Room P1 B35, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. To make an appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (ET), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
• NRC's Clearance Officer: A copy of the collection of information and related instructions may be obtained without charge by contacting the NRC's Clearance Officer, David Cullison, Office of the Chief Information Officer, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-2084; email: Infocollects.Resource@nrc.gov.

B. Submitting Comments

The NRC encourages electronic comment submission through the Federal rulemaking website ( https://www.regulations.gov). Please include Docket ID NRC-2022-0044 in your comment submission. ( printed page 21673)

The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact information in comment submissions that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your comment submission. All comment submissions are posted at https://www.regulations.gov and entered into ADAMS. Comment submissions are not routinely edited to remove identifying or contact information.

If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons for submission to the OMB, then you should inform those persons not to include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should state that comment submissions are not routinely edited to remove such information before making the comment submissions available to the public or entering the comment into ADAMS.

II. Background

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the NRC is requesting public comment on its intention to request the OMB's approval for the information collection summarized below.

1. The title of the information collection: Collection of Research Code Non-Disclosure Agreement Information.

2. OMB approval number: 3150-0240.

3. Type of submission: Extension.

4. The form number, if applicable: Not applicable.

5. How often the collection is required or requested: The collection is required every time an NRC developed code is requested by users.

6. Who will be required or asked to respond: Users of the code from domestic and foreign licensees, universities, corporations, and members of the public, as well as foreign technical support organizations.

7. The estimated number of annual responses: 962.

8. The estimated number of annual respondents: 962.

9. The estimated number of hours needed annually to comply with the information collection requirement or request: 962.

10. Abstract: This information collection request is a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) used for domestic and foreign entities to obtain and use the NRC's nuclear safety analytical computer codes. NRC develops and uses computer codes to independently model and evaluate safety issues associated with the licensed use of radioactive materials. As a global leader in nuclear regulatory research and safety assessment, NRC is frequently approached by domestic and international organizations requesting copies of NRC computer codes. In general, to obtain an NRC code an individual or organization first agrees to not redistribute the code ( i.e., non- disclosure) through an NDA. The NDA also imposes terms and conditions for code use, and requires notification to NRC of code errors, code modifications, and updated user information. An officially signed and executed NDA of users agreeing to the terms and conditions is current NRC practice for access to NRC-developed computer codes. Once the NDA has been signed, received, reviewed, and accepted, the requesting individual or organization is given access to the requested code. The information collection enables the NRC to ensure that proper procedures and agreements are in place to guide the distribution and use of these codes according to NRC and U.S. Government policies and international agreements such as import-export restrictions and intellectual property rights. Further information collection on code errors and modifications by code users permits NRC to maintain control and quality of its codes in a timely and efficient manner.

III. Specific Requests for Comments

The NRC is seeking comments that address the following questions:

1. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the NRC to properly perform its functions? Does the information have practical utility?

2. Is the estimate of the burden of the information collection accurate?

3. Is there a way to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected?

4. How can the burden of the information collection on respondents be minimized, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology?

87 FR 21672