Revisions to the Standard Review Plan for the Review of License Application for a Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Revisions to the Standard Review Plan for the Review of License

Application for a Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Availability of Final Revision 3 to the SRP.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is announcing the

availability of Final Revision 3 to the Standard Review Plan for the

Review of a License Application for a Low-Level Radioactive Waste

Disposal Facility (SRP). The availability of Proposed Draft Revision 3

to the SRP (NUREG-1200) was noticed for public comment in the Federal

Register on July 12, 1993. In this final revision, NRC made changes to

the proposed SRP draft sections in response to comments from the

Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste, State regulators, and the general

public. In addition, three administrative changes to the SRP have also

been completed during finalization of this revision. The additional

changes were not contained in draft version of the SRP noticed for

comment because they are considered administrative and not technical

changes. The three administrative modifications are: (1) Providing each

SRP reference with a designation of essential or helpful; (2) providing

each SRP section a designation which indicates the technical,

disciplines sufficient to assure a meaningful review of a license

application which contains the information requested in NUREG-1199,

``Standard Format and Content of a License Application for a

Radioactive Low-Level Waste Disposal Facility'' (SF&C) and; (3)

replacing references to the old Part 20 with new sections appropriate

for the new Part 20 issued on May 20, 1991. These administrative

changes have required revisions to each section of the SRP and this

entire final version has thus been issued as Revision 3 dated March

1994.

Comments and suggestion for improvements in regulatory guidance

documents such as Standard Review Plans are encouraged at any time.

Regulatory guidance documents will be revised periodically, to

accommodate appropriate comments and reflect new information or

experience.

DATES: The document is effective as of March 1994.

ADDRESSES: Copies of Final Revision 3 may be purchased from the

Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, P.O. Box

37082, Washington, DC 20013-7082. Copies are also available from the

National Technical Information Service, 5283 Port Royal Road,

Springfield, VA 22161. A copy is also available for inspection and

copying for a fee in the NRC Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW.

(Lower Level), Washington, DC.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff

has developed guidance for regulators to review an application for a

low-level radioactive waste disposal facility license (NUREG-1200).

This guidance has been revised in the light of developing technology

and as a result of continual internal review and interaction with the

State regulatory agencies. The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy

Amendments Act of 1985 required that NRC ``establish procedures and

develop the technical capability'' to process such license applications

(PL 99-240; Sec 9(1)). As a result NRC staff developed both a Standard

Format and Content Guide (SF&CG) and a Standard Review Plan (SRP),

NUREG-1199 and NUREG 1200 respectively, to facilitate the licensing

process. These documents, which sufficient to prepare and review an

application, have undergone additional review by the NRC staff and the

States and the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste.

The NRC staff has formalized the revisions suggested by this review

process in the form of Revision 3 to the SRP. This final revision is

based upon experience gained in using the SRP for reviews and

recognition that guidance on special issues would be helpful to the

States. NRC anticipates periodic review and revision of the SRP as

practical experience with its use continues and as technological

changes occur which indicate a need to revise the SRP.

Some administrative aspects of Revision 3 affect the entire

document. However, SRP chapters with technical changes in revision 3

are as follows:

1 Licensing Process (A New SRP Chapter)

3.2 Design Considerations

3.2 A Guidance on Soil Cover Systems Placed Over Low-Level

Radioactive Waste

4.1 Receipt and Inspection of Waste

4.2 Waste Handling and Interim Storage

4.3 Waste Disposal Operations

6.1 Release of Radioactivity-Introduction

7.1 Occupation Radiation Exposures

7.2 Radionuclide Inventories

7.3 Radiation Protection Design Features and Operating Procedures

7.4 Radiation Protection Program

Copies of the final revisions (Revision 3) may be obtained from the

NRC Public Document Room at the address listed under the SUMMARY

section of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LeRoy S. Person, Office of Nuclear

Materials Safety and Safeguards, US Nuclear Regulatory Commission,

Washington, DC 20555; telephone (301) 504-2575.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 8th day of April 1994.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

John J. Surmeier,

Acting Chief, Low-Level Waste Management Branch, Division of Low-Level

Waste Management and Decommissioning, Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards.

[FR Doc. 94-11230 Filed 5-9-94; 8:45 am]

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