Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 114 / Friday, June 13, 1997 / Notices 32387

reactor located at the licensee’s site in

Windham County, Vermont. The License provides, among other

things, that the Vermont Yankee

Nuclear Power Station is subject to all

rules, regulations, and orders of the

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the

Commission) now or hereafter in effect.

II.

On November 19, 1980, the

Commission published a revised

Section 10 CFR 50.48 and a new

Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 regarding

fire protection features of nuclear power

plants. The revised Section 50.48 and

Appendix R became effective on

February 17, 1981. Section III of

Appendix R contains 15 subsections,

lettered A through O, each of which

specifies requirements for a particular

aspect of the fire protection features at

a nuclear power plant. Subsection III.G

is the subject of the licensee’s

exemption request. Paragraph III.G.2.c

of Section III.G, ‘‘Fire Protection of Safe

Shutdown Capability,’’ of Appendix R

to 10 CFR part 50, requires the

following: Enclosure of cable and equipment and

associated non-safety circuits of one

redundant train in a fire barrier having

a 1-hour fire rating. In addition, fire

detectors and an automatic fire

suppression system shall be installed in

the fire area.

The licensee requested an exemption

from these requirements to allow the

use of fire-resistant cables in the cable

vault instead of enclosing the cables in

fire barriers having a 1-hour fire

resistance rating. An exemption is

needed because the Firezone R cables

do not meet the literal requirements of

the regulation. Installation of fire

detectors and an automatic fire

suppression system is not part of this

exemption.

III.

By letter dated May 28, 1996, as

supplemented by letters dated July 26

and November 15, 1996, the licensee

requested an exemption from Section

III.G of Appendix R. In particular, the

licensee requested an exemption from

the requirements of Section III.G.2.c to

allow the use of fire-resistant cables

instead of enclosing the cables in fire

barriers having a 1-hour fire resistance

rating. The licensee proposed to use

Rockbestos Firezone R Appendix R

fireproof cable to control equipment that

is necessary to ensure cooling of the

corner room of the Reactor Building in

the event of a fire in the cable vault. The

cables of concern consist of four

stainless steel steathed cables. The

Rockbestos Firezone R Appendix R

fireproof cable has been tested by

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Inc., in

order to provide data on the electrical

characteristics of the fire resistant cable

under controlled fire exposure

conditions and during an extended cool

down period. The staff concluded that

the cables as they were installed were

bounded by the UL fire test, used to

justify the 1-hour rating of the cables.

Based on the automatic detection and

suppression systems provided for the

area, and fire brigade response for

manual fire fighting activities, there is

reasonable assurance that postulated

fires in the Cable Vault would be

detected, controlled, and extinguished

prior to temperatures rising to a level

that could challenge structural support

capabilities of the fire resistant cables,

cable tray network, and overhead

conduit. Following from the discussion

above, and on the bases of the same

cable construction for the tested and

installed cables, the test results for the

Firezone R cable as contained in the UL

report, and the installed and tested

configurations for the cables, the staff

concludes that the installed Firezone R

cables provide an equivalent electrical

functionality as would be provided by

enclosing cables in a 1-hour fire rated

barrier in the licensee’s specific

application. On the basis of the staff’s

review of the information provided by

the licensee, the staff has concluded that

the Firezone R cables proposed by the

licensee will remain functional during

postulated fires at Vermont Yankee and,

therefore, postulated fires would not

prevent plant operators from achieving

and maintaining safe shutdown. The

staff concluded, therefore, that the use

of the Firezone R cables at Vermont

Yankee in lieu of a 1-hour fire-rated

barrier satisfies the underlying purpose

of Section III.G.2.c of Appendix R to 10

CFR Part 50. Therefore, the licensee’s

request for exemption from Section

III.G.2.c of Appendix R to 10 CFR part

50 should be granted.

IV.

Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2), the

Commission will not consider granting

an exemption except under special

circumstances. Under subsection

(a)(2)(ii), special circumstances are

present whenever application of the

subject 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 Section

III.G of Appendix R is to establish fire

protection features such that the plant

will maintain the ability to perform safe

shutdown functions in the event of a

fire. The staff has reviewed the

proposed alternative and has concluded,

as previously described, that use of

Firezone R cables in lieu of a 1-hour

fire-rated barrier ensures that one train

of systems that is necessary to achieve

and maintain hot shutdown is free of

fire damage. Therefore, the staff

concludes that special circumstances

exist for the licensee’s requested

exemption in that imposition of the

literal requirements of the regulation in

these particular circumstances is not

necessary to achieve the underlying

purpose of Appendix R to 10 CFR part

50.

Accordingly, the Commission has

determined that pursuant to 10 CFR

50.12(a)(2)(ii), special circumstances

exist in that use of Firezone R cables in

lieu of a 1-hour fire-rated barrier in the

cable vault satisfies the underlying

purpose of Appendix R to 10 CFR part

50. Further, the staff has concluded that

the requested exemption is authorized

by law, will not present an undue risk

to public health and safety, and is

consistent with the common defense

and security. Therefore, the Commission

hereby grants the exemption request

from the requirements of Section III.G of

Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 described

in Section III above.

Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the

Commission has determined that the

issuance of this exemption will have no

significant impact on the quality of the

human environment (62 FR 30357).

This exemption is effective upon

issuance.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day

of June 1997.

For the Nuclear Reactor Regulation.

Samuel J. Collins,

Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor

Regulation.

[FR Doc. 97–15516 Filed 6–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P

PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY

CORPORATION

Interest Assumption for Determining

Variable-Rate Premium; Interest

Assumptions for Multiemployer Plan

Valuations Following Mass Withdrawal

AGENCY: Pension Benefit Guaranty

Corporation.

ACTION: Notice of interest rates and

assumptions.

SUMMARY: This notice informs the public

of the interest rates and assumptions to

be used under certain Pension Benefit

Guaranty Corporation regulations. These

rates and assumptions are published

elsewhere (or are derivable from rates

published elsewhere), but are collected
32388 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 114 / Friday, June 13, 1997 / Notices

and published in this notice for the

convenience of the public. Interest rates

are also published on the PBGC’s home

page (http://www.pbgc.gov).

DATES: The interest rate for determining

the variable-rate premium under part

4006 applies to premium payment years

beginning in June 1997. The interest

assumptions for performing

multiemployer plan valuations

following mass withdrawal under part

4281 apply to valuation dates occurring

in July 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Harold J. Ashner, Assistant General

Counsel, Office of the General Counsel,

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation,

1200 K Street, NW., Washington, DC

20005, 202–326–4024 (202–326–4179

for TTY and TDD).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Variable-Rate Premiums

Section 4006(a)(3)(E)(iii)(II) of the

Employee Retirement Income Security

Act of 1974 and § 4006.4(b)(1) of the

PBGC’s regulation on Premium Rates

(29 CFR part 4006) prescribe use of an

assumed interest rate in determining a

single-employer plan’s variable-rate

premium. The rate is a specified

percentage (currently 80 percent) of the

annual yield on 30-year Treasury

securities for the month preceding the

beginning of the plan year for which

premiums are being paid (the ‘‘premium

payment year’’). The yield figure is

reported in Federal Reserve Statistical

Releases G.13 and H.15.

The assumed interest rate to be used

in determining variable-rate premiums

for premium payment years beginning

in June 1997 (i.e., 80 percent of the yield

figure for May 1997) is 5.55 percent. The

following table lists the assumed

interest rates to be used in determining

variable-rate premiums for premium

payment years beginning between July

1996 and June 1997.

For premium

payment years

beginning in

The required

interest

rate is

July 1996 .............................. 5.65

August 1996 .......................... 5.62

September 1996 ................... 5.47

October 1996 ........................ 5.62

November 1996 .................... 5.45

December 1996 .................... 5.18

January 1997 ........................ 5.24

February 1997 ...................... 5.46

March 1997 ........................... 5.35

April 1997 .............................. 5.54

May 1997 .............................. 5.67

June 1997 ............................. 5.55

Multiemployer Plan Valuations

Following Mass Withdrawal

The PBGC’s regulation on Duties of

Plan Sponsor Following Mass

Withdrawal (29 CFR part 4281)

prescribes the use of interest

assumptions under the PBGC’s

regulation on Allocation of Assets in

Single-employer Plans (29 CFR part

4044). The interest assumptions

applicable to valuation dates in July

1997 under part 4044 are contained in

an amendment to part 4044 published

elsewhere in today’s Federal Register.

Tables showing the assumptions

applicable to prior periods are codified

in appendix B to 29 CFR part 4044.

Issued in Washington, D.C., on this 6th day

of June 1997.

John Seal,

Acting Executive Director, Pension Benefit

Guaranty Corporation.

[FR Doc. 97–15459 Filed 6–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7708–01–P

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD

Agency Forms Submitted for OMB

Review

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44

U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Railroad

Retirement Board (RRB) has submitted

the following proposal(s) for the

collection of information to the Office of

Management and Budget for review and

approval.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSAL(S):

(1) Collection title: Employee

Representatives’ Status and

Compensation Reports.

(2) Form(s) submitted: DC–2a, DC–2.

(3) OMB Number: 3220–0014.

(4) Expiration date of current OMB

clearance: 7/31/1997.

(5) Type of request: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

(6) Respondents: Business or other for

profit.

(7) Estimated annual number of

respondents: 85.

(8) Total annual responses: 85.

(9) Total annual reporting hours: 43.

(10) Collection description: Benefits

are provided under the Railroad

Retirement Act (RRA) for individuals

who are employee representatives as

defined in section 1 of the RRA. The

collection obtains information regarding

the status of such individuals and their

compensation.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Copies of the forms and supporting

documents can be obtained from Chuck

Mierzwa, the agency clearance officer

(312–751–3363). Comments regarding

the information collection should be

addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad

Retirement Board, 844 North Rush

Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611–2092 and

the OMB reviewer, Laura Oliven (202–

395–7316), Office of Management and

Budget, Room 10230, New Executive

Office Building, Washington, D.C.

20503.

Chuck Mierzwa,

Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–15490 Filed 6–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905–01–M

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE

COMMISSION

Proposed Collection; Comment

Request

Extension

Rule 17f–1(b)

SEC File No. 270–28 OMB Control

No. 3235–0032

Rule 17f–1(c) and Form X–17F–1A

SEC File No. 270–29 OMB Control

No. 3235–0037

Rule 17h–1T and 17h–2

SEC File No. 270–359 OMB Control

No. 3235–0410

Upon Written Request, Copies

Available From: Securities and

Exchange Commission, Office of Filings

and Information Services, Washington,

DC 20549.

Notice is hereby given that pursuant

to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities

and Exchange Commission

(‘‘Commission’’) is soliciting comments

on the collections of information

summarized below. The Commission

plans to submit these existing

collections of information to the Office

of Management and Budget for

extension and approval.

• Rule 17f–1(b) Requirements for

reporting and inquiry with respect to

missing, lost, counterfeit, or stolen

securities.

Rule 17f–1(b) requires approximately

19,000 entities in the securities industry

to register in the Lost and Stolen

Securities Program. Registration fulfills

a statutory requirement that entities

report and inquire about missing, lost,

counterfeit, or stolen securities.

Registration also allows entities in the

securities industry to gain access to a

confidential data base that stores

information for the Program.

It is estimated that 600 respondents

will register in the Lost and Stolen

Securities Program annually. It is also

estimated that each respondent will

register one time. The average number