NRC NEWS

 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 

 Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200

 Washington, DC 20555-001 E-mail: opa@nrc.gov 

 Web Site: http://www.nrc.gov/OPA

No. 01-120 October 4, 2001

NRC ISSUES FINAL RULE ON STORAGE OF CERTAIN

ìGREATER THAN CLASS Cî WASTE IN AN INDEPENDENT 

SPENT FUEL STORAGE FACILITY

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is publishing amendments to its regulations to allow

storage of power-reactor-related ìgreater than Class Cî radioactive waste in an independent spent fuel

storage installation or a monitored retrievable storage installation. The amendments also clarify that

the licensing responsibility for this waste remains under federal jurisdiction.

ìGreater than Class Cî waste is a form of low-level radioactive waste with high enough

concentrations of long-lived radioactive materials that it is generally unsuitable for near-surface land

disposal. It is so named because its radioactivity exceeds the NRC concentration limits established for

Class C low-level waste, which can be routinely buried in a low-level waste disposal facility.

Greater than Class C waste at nuclear power plants includes irradiated metal components from

reactors, as well as filters and resins from reactor operations and decommissioning. Unlike the other

classes of low-level waste which may be disposed of in near-surface facilities, greater than Class C

waste is generally considered not suitable for near-surface disposal. The authority to possess this type

of radioactive material is included under the reactor license.

The amendments allow licensing for interim storage of greater than Class C waste in a manner

consistent with licensing interim storage of spent fuel (high-level radioactive waste) and would

maintain federal jurisdiction for storage of such waste. This will provide public health and

environmental protection in a manner comparable to that which is currently required for storage of spent

fuel at an independent spent fuel storage installation, which may be located on or off the reactor site. 

This rulemaking also will provide reactor licensees with flexibility in selecting a regulatory approach to

storing reactor-related greater than Class C waste after termination of their Part 50 license.

The amendments respond to a 1995 petition from the Portland General Electric Company on

storage of greater than Class C waste from its Trojan nuclear plant in Oregon, which is in the process of

being decommissioned.

The NRC believes the rule change is necessary because (1) previous requirements did not

adequately address storage of reactor-related greater than Class C waste; (2) there were jurisdictional
issues regarding NRC and Agreement State authority over reactor-related greater than Class C waste

storage activities; and (3) it will reduce regulatory burden on licensees, NRC and Agreement States. 

(Agreement States are states that have assumed regulatory authority over certain radioactive material.)

The NRC published a proposed rule on this subject for comment last June, and made minor

changes as a result of the 18 comment letters received.

The amendments will be published shortly in the Federal Register, and will become effective 30

days after publication.

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