FAQ
    
    AGREEMENT STATES
    
    Facility Locator
    
    What's New
    
    Site Help
    
    Index A-Z
    
    Contact Us
    
    Email Updates
      
      
      
      
       
      Report a Safety Concern
                  Search
        Nuclear Reactors
  
  Power Reactors
Research & Test ReactorsOperating Reactors
New ReactorsOperator Licensing
Research ActivitiesNuclear Reactor Quick LinksNuclear Materials
  
  Types of Nuclear Materials
Fuel Cycle Facilities
Medical, Industrial, & Academic UsesUranium Recovery
Materials TransportationMaterials Environmental Reviews
National Materials ProgramNuclear Materials Quick LinksRadioactive Waste
  
  Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities
Low-Level Waste
Waste Incidental to Reprocessing
High-Level WasteUranium Mill Tailings
Low-Level Waste Disposal
High-Level Waste DisposalStorage of Spent Nuclear Fuel
Transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel
Research ActivitiesRadioactive Waste Quick LinksNuclear Security
  
  Domestic Safeguards
Information Security
Radioactive Material SecurityRequired Reporting for Clearance Holders
Insider Threat Program for Licensees
CybersecurityCriminal History & Firearms Checks
Contact UsPublic Meetings & Involvement
  
  The NRC Approach to Open Government
About Meetings Open to the Public
Conferences & SymposiaDocuments for Comment
NRC Rules and Petitions
Facilitating Stakeholder InvolvementNRC Information Quality Guidelines
Subscribe to E-mail UpdatesCommission Schedule
Public Meeting ScheduleAdjudications (Hearings)
Adjudicatory SubmissionsNRC Library
  
  Basic References
Document Collections
ADAMS Public Documents
Public Document Room
LSN LibraryFOIA & Privacy Act
Photos & Videos
Records Management
Training CoursesFAQ Index
Get Copies of Documents
Withholding of Sensitive Information
Controlled Unclassified Information Program (CUI)Electronic Hearing DocketAbout NRC
  
  The Commission
Organization & Functions
Governing Legislation
Plans, Budget, & Performance
Locations
History
Values
Direction-Setting & Policymaking
Research Activities
Radiation ProtectionFire Protection
Safety Culture
How We Regulate
Emergency Preparedness & Response
Public Affairs
Congressional Affairs
Enforcement
International Programs
State & Tribal ProgramsAlternative Dispute Resolution Programs
Privacy Program
Civil Rights Program
Contact Us
Career Opportunities
Contracting Opportunities
Small Businesses
Grant Opportunities
Generic SchedulesOther Links
  
  FAQ
Glossary
Facility Locator
What's NewSite Help
Index A-Z
Contact Us
Email UpdatesNRC Facebook
NRC Twitter Feed
NRC Linkedin
NRC Youtube Channel
NRC Flickr Gallery
NRC Blog Archived
NRC Email Subscriptions - GovDelivery Home
          About NRC  Radiation Protection  Related Information  Proposed Security Rulemaking for Independent Spent Fuel Storage InstallationsObjectives of the Proposed Security Rulemaking for Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installations
In pursuing the Proposed Security Rulemaking for Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installations (ISFSIs), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) seeks to achieve the following objectives, as described on this page:

Improve Consistency
	Establish the Generic Applicability of Security Orders
	Create a Risk-Informed and Performance-Based StructureImprove Consistency

The proposed security rulemaking for ISFSIs will update the NRC's security requirements in Title 10, Part 72, of the *Code of Federal Regulations* (10 CFR Part 72), "Licensing Requirements for the Independent Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level Radioactive Waste, and Reactor-Related Greater than Class C Waste," and 10 CFR Part 73, "Physical Protection of Plants and Materials." One objective of this update is to improve the consistency and clarity of the security regulations for Site-Specific and General ISFSI Licenses to achieve consistent outcomes across the wide range of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) storage facilities that exist today or that could be licensed under 10 CFR Part 72 in the future.

To achieve this objective, the rulemaking will do the following:

Create a more consistent and coherent regulatory structure for these types of waste storage facilities to improve agency transparency, regulatory clarity, and the ease-of-use of the regulations.
	Propose security requirements that are consistent with the Commission's recent Final Rule on Power Reactor Security Requirements, as published in Volume 74, page 13925, of the *Federal Register* (74 FR 13925), dated March 29, 2009.
	Propose security requirements that address the lessons learned from the following:
	NRC ISFSI inspections and power reactor force-on-force exercises held since the last update of the ISFSI security regulations
		licensing reviews of the power reactor security plans that were conducted in 2003 and 2004 following the issuance of security orders to power reactor licenseesEstablish the Generic Applicability of Security Orders

As a result of the proposed security rulemaking for ISFSIs, the relevant provisions of the security orders issued by the NRC to ISFSI licensees in 2002 and 2007 will be generically applicable. This will increase agency transparency and regulatory clarity.

Create a Risk-Informed and Performance-Based Structure

The proposed security rulemaking for ISFSIs and monitored retrievable storage installations (MRSs) will establish a risk-informed and performance-based structure in updating the security regulations. Additionally, it will consider one of the issues raised in a petition for rulemaking submitted by the C-10 Research and Education Foundation, which may be relevant to this rulemaking.

The NRC is proposing to establish a security-based dose limit in 10 CFR Part 73 that has the same values as those found in 10 CFR Part 72 for safety-related accidents. The regulation in 10 CFR 72.106, "Controlled Area of an ISFSI or MRS," requires a dose limit of 0.05 Sievert (Sv) (5 rem) for design-basis accidents. Under the proposed 10 CFR Part 73 rule, licensees would use the information supplied by the NRC in combination with site-specific information (such as storage cask type, and distance to the controlled area or site boundary), to calculate a potential dose and verify that it does not exceed 0.05 Sv. This would be an iterative process that considers changes to parameters in order to ensure that licensees do not exceed the limit. Licensees who exceeded the limit would be required to consider other options, such as increasing the site footprint, using engineered security features, or adjusting their security strategy.

Licensees would also be required to evaluate the effects from detonation of both land-based and waterborne vehicle bomb attacks against the spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste storage casks, facility, pool, central or secondary alarm systems, and security personnel defensive positions, as well as a transfer container if the transfer pathway is not protected by a temporary or permanent vehicle barrier system.

Additionally, licensees would be required to design, install, and implement a vehicle barrier system to mitigate the effects of a land-based or waterborne vehicle bomb attack.

With the implementation of the dose-based approach, the NRC would discontinue the current application of the design basis threat (DBT) for radiological sabotage to general license ISFSIs.

In addition, in developing the risk-informed and performance-based approach for the proposed rulemaking, the NRC considered the findings and recommendations contained in the 2004 report prepared by the National Academy of Sciences' National Research Council, entitled "Safety and Security of Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage: Report to Congress." This report contains national security information and is not publicly available. However a redacted version of the study, entitled "Safety and Security of Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage: Public Report," was published in 2006 and is available from the National Academy of Sciences for a fee.

      
      
      Page Last Reviewed/Updated Monday, June 8, 2020
    
    Section Navigation
        Navigation
          Background


Future Actions


Public Involvement


Rulemaking Objectives
        
        
        
Five representative photos of NRC’s regulatory arenas

        
        
        Spotlight
        Choose a Section

The CommissionLicense Renewal Generic Environmental ReviewJob OpeningsPalisades RestartEnvironmental JusticePilgrim Water ReleasesMonticello Tritium IssueInternational Strategy 2021-2025Tribal Liaison ProgramMAP-XTransformation at the NRC - UpdatedOIG HotlineRulemaking ActivityCommission DocumentsAdvanced ReactorsNuclear SecurityStrategic Plan
        
      Page Last Reviewed/Updated Monday, June 8, 2020  Home
NEWS RELEASES

EVENT REPORTS

ADAMS

OPEN GOV

DIGITAL GOVERNMENT

THE STUDENT CORNER

PHOTOS & VIDEOS

FOR DEVELOPERS
        About Us
STRATEGIC PLAN

BUDGET & PERFORMANCE

AGENCY FINANCIAL REPORT

LICENSE FEES

HISTORY OF THE NRC

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

NRC ETHICS

AGENCY STATUS

CONTACT US
        Popular Documents
INFO DIGEST

FACT SHEETS & BROCHURES

FORMS

ELECTRONIC SUBMITTALS APPLICATION

ADJUDICATORY SUBMISSIONS

NRC REPORTS - NUREG

NRC REGULATIONS - 10-CFR

INSPECTION REPORTS

PLAIN WRITING

ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS

RULEMAKING

GLOSSARY
        Stay Connected
    
    
    
    
    United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission
    
    
    
    
    Regulations.gov

USA.gov

FOIA

Whistleblower Protection

No Fear EEO

Inspector General

Site Map

Accessibility

Privacy Policy

Site Disclaimer

For Employees