Radiological Criteria for Decommissioning

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

10 CFR Parts 20, 30, 40, 50, 51, 70, and 72

RIN 3150-AD65

Radiological Criteria for Decommissioning

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Extension of Comment Period for Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: On August 22, 1994, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

published for comment a proposed rule on Radiological Criteria for

Decommissioning (59 FR 43200). The period for submitting comments on

the proposed rule ends on December 20, 1994. The Commission is

extending the comment period for the proposed rule until January 20,

1995 for the following reasons: the proposed rule did not explicitly

seek comments on the appropriateness of the proposed 15 mrem/yr

distinguishable from background radiation standard; the complexity of

the issues involved; the broad interest in the rulemaking; the

solicitation of comments on supporting documents (e.g., NUREG-1500);

and the short time available for submitting written comments after the

Site Characterization Workshop held November 29-30, 1994, and the SSAB

Workshop held from December 6-8, 1994.

DATES: Submit comments by January 20, 1995. Comments received after

this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the

Commission is able to assure consideration only for comments received

on or before this date.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to: Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission, Washington, DC 20555. ATTN: Docketing and Service Branch.

Hand deliver comments to: 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville,

Maryland, between 7:45 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. Federal workdays.

Comments may be submitted electronically, in either ASCII text or

Wordperfect format, by calling the NRC Enhanced Participatory

Rulemaking on Radiological Criteria for Decommissioning Electronic

Bulletin Board, 1-800-880-6091 (58 FR 37760; July 13, 1993). The

bulletin board may be accessed using a personal computer, a modem, and

most commonly available communications software packages. Communication

software parameters should be set as follows: parity to none, data bits

to 8, and stop bits to 1 (N,8,1). Use ANSI or VT-100 terminal

emulation. Background documents on the rulemaking are also available

for downloading and viewing on the bulletin board. For more information

about this bulletin board, call Ms. Christine Daily, U.S. Nuclear

Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555. Phone (301) 415-6026; FAX

(301) 415-5385, e-mail [email protected]

In addition, comments may be submitted electronically by calling

the NRC Online subsystem on FedWorld. This bulletin board can be

accessed directly by dialing the toll free number: 1-800-303-9672.

Communication software parameters should be set as follows: parity to

none, data bits to 8, and stop bits to 1 (N,8,1). Using ANSI or VT-100

terminal emulation, the NRC rulemaking subsystems can then be accessed

by selecting the ``Rules Menu'' option from the ``NRC Main Menu.'' For

further information about options available for NRC at FedWorld consult

the ``Help/Information Center'' from the ``NRC Main Menu.''

The NRC subsystem on FedWorld can also be accessed by a direct dial

phone number for the main FedWorld BBS: 703-321-8020; Telnet via

Internet: fedworld.gov (192.239.93.3); File Transfer Protocol (FTP) via

Internet: ftp.fedworld.gov (192.239.92.205); and World Wide Web using:

http://www.fedworld.gov (this is the Uniform Resource Locator (URL)).

If using a method other than the toll free number to contact

FedWorld, then the NRC subsystem will be accessed from the main

FedWorld menu by selecting the ``F--Regulatory, Government

Administration and State Systems'', then selecting ``A--Regulatory

Information Mall''. At that point, a menu will be displayed that has an

option ``A--U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission'' that will take you to

the NRC Online main menu. You can also go directly to the NRC Online

area by typing ``/go nrc'' at a FedWorld command line. If you access

NRC from FedWorld's main menu, then you may return to FedWorld by

selecting the ``Return to FedWorld'' option from the NRC Online Main

Menu. However, if you access NRC at FedWorld by using NRC's toll-free

number, then you will have full access to all NRC systems, but you will

not have access to the main FedWorld system. For more information on

NRC bulletin boards call Mr. Arthur Davis, Systems Integration and

Development Branch, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC

20555, telephone (301) 415-5780; e-mail AXD[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Charleen T. Raddatz, Office of

Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,

Washington, DC 20555, telephone (301) 415-6215.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 22, 1994, the Nuclear Regulatory

Commission published for comment a proposed rule on Radiological

Criteria for Decommissioning (59 FR 43200). The period for submitting

comments on the proposed rule ends on December 20, 1994. The Commission

is extending the comment period for the proposed rule until January 20,

1995, for the following reasons: the original Federal Register Notice

did not explicitly seek comments on the appropriateness of the proposed

15 mrem/yr distinguishable from background radiation standard; the

complexity of the issues involved; the broad interest in the

rulemaking; the solicitation of comments on supporting documents (e.g.,

NUREG-1500); and the short time available for submitting written

comments after the Site Characterization Workshop held November 29-30,

1994, and the SSAB Workshop held from December 6-8, 1994.

During a review of the August 22, 1994, notice of proposed

rulemaking, a concern was expressed that sufficient emphasis had not

been placed on the Commission's desire to receive comment on the

appropriateness of the proposed 15 mrem/y distinguishable from

background standard. Since the 15 mrem/yr distinguishable from

background proposed standard is central to the proposed rule, the

Commission is particularly interested in comments concerning the

appropriateness of this standard. Comments received during the enhanced

participatory workshop process expressed a range of viewpoints and

recommendations concerning an appropriate dose or risk level. For

example, some commenters recommended that NRC decommissioning standards

be based on, and be consistent with, the scientific information and

advice of such organizations as NCRP and ICRP; that NRC consider

adopting a risk limit standard equating to a radiation dose of 25 to

100 mrem/y; and that the NRC establish a risk or dose limit on the

order of the variability of natural background radiation occurring

across the United States. Other commenters recommended using the NCRP

recommendation of a ``Negligible Individual Risk Level'' of 1 mrem/y as

the limit; using values consistent with the EPA standards of one in

10,000 to 1 in 1,000,000 lifetime risk of fatal cancer promulgated

under superfund; and that NRC use a zero increment above background in

establishing its standard. A more complete discussion of the comments

received is contained in the supplemental information for the proposed

rule (59 FR 43200).

Commenters are also invited to comment on each of the other issues

presented in the original Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (59 FR 43200).

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 2nd day of December 1994.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

John C. Hoyle,

Acting Secretary of the Commission.

[FR Doc. 94-30336 Filed 12-8-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590-01-P