REGULATIONS AND AMENDMENTS PUT INTO EFFECT - FY 2002

Interim Storage for Greater Than Class C Waste - Parts 30, 70, 72, and 150 

On October 11, 2001 (66 FR 51823), the NRC published an amendment to its

regulations, effective November 13, 2001, to allow licensing for the interim storage of Greater

than Class C (GTCC) waste in a manner that is consistent with current licensing for the interim

storage of spent fuel and to maintain Federal jurisdiction for storage of reactor-related GTCC

waste. The final rule only applies to the interim storage of GTCC waste generated or used by

commercial nuclear power plants. This amendment also simplifies and clarifies the licensing

process.

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: NAC-UMS Revision - Part 72

On October 16, 2001 (66 FR 52486), the NRC published an amendment to its

regulations, effective December 31, 2001, revising the NAC-UMS Universal Storage System

listing within the list of approved spent fuel storage casks to include Amendment No. 2 to

Certificate of Compliance No. 1015. The companion proposed rule was published in the

Federal Register on October 16, 2001 (66 FR 52554).

Operator License Eligibility and Use of Simulation Facilities in Operator Licensing - 

Part 55

On October 17, 2001 (66 FR 52657), the NRC published an amendment to its

regulations, effective November 16, 2001, to permit applicants for operator and senior operator

licenses to fulfill a portion of the required experience prerequisites by manipulating a plantreferenced simulator as an alternative to manipulation of the controls of the actual nuclear

power plant. 

Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Wastes in a Proposed Geologic Repository at Yucca

Mountain, NV - Parts 2, 19, 20, 21, 30, 40, 51, 60, 61, 63, 70, 72, 73, and 75

On November 2, 2001 (66 FR 55732), the NRC published licensing criteria for disposal

of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive wastes in the proposed geologic repository at

Yucca Mountain, Nevada. As mandated by law, this amendment, effective December 3, 2001, 

changes the Commission’s technical requirements and criteria, as necessary, to be consistent

with final environmental standards for Yucca Mountain issued by the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency. The criteria address how a repository system at Yucca Mountain must

perform and specify that the system must comprise both natural and engineered barriers. The

Commission is also changing its generic criteria for disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level

radioactive wastes in geologic repositories. These changes make clear that the generic criteria

do not apply, nor may they be the subject of litigation, in any NRC licensing proceeding for a

repository at Yucca Mountain.
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List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: FuelSolutions Cask System Revision - 

Part 72

On November 14, 2001 (66 FR 56982), the NRC published an amendment to its

regulations, effective January 28, 2002, revising the BNFL FuelSolutions cask system listing

within the list of approved spent fuel storage casks to include Amendment No. 2 to Certificate of

Compliance No. 1026. The companion proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on

November 14, 2001 (66 FR 57002).

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: Standardized NUHOMS-24P, -52B, and -

61BT Revision - Part 72

On November 29, 2001 (66 FR 59531), the NRC published an amendment to its

regulations, effective February 12, 2002, revising the Transnuclear West, Inc., Standardized

NUHOMS-24P, -52B, and -61BT cask system listing within the list of approved spent fuel

storage casks to include Amendment No. 4 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1004. The

companion proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on November 29, 2001 (66 FR

59547).

Minor Errors in Regulatory Text; Correction - Parts 20, 30, 32, 34, 40, 50, and 51

On December 14, 2001 (66 FR 64737), the NRC published an amendment to its

regulations, effective immediately, to correct omissions, typographical errors, and erroneous

citations and references that appear in Title 10, Chapter I, of the Code of Federal Regulations. 

This rule also corrects an omission of text in a final rulemaking that was originally published on

April 12, 1999 (64 FR 17506) (Radiological Criteria for License Termination of Uranium

Recovery Facilities).

Revised Filing Requirements - Parts 1, 20, 34, 70, 71, 72, and 73

On January 25, 2002 (67 FR 3584), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

to revise filing and advance notification requirements to reflect organizational changes within

the NRC. This amendment, effective immediately, is necessary to correct telephone numbers,

eliminate duplicative filings, and inform the public of administrative changes within the NRC.

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: NAC-MPC Revision - Part 72

On March 15, 2002 (67 FR 11566), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations,

effective May 29, 2002, revising the NAC International Multi-Purpose Canister cask system

listing within the list of approved spent fuel storage casks to include Amendment No. 2 to

Certificate of Compliance No. 1025. The companion proposed rule was published in the

Federal Register on March 15, 2002 (67 FR 11629).

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: HI-STORM 100 Revision - Part 72

On March 27, 2002 (67 FR 14627), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

revising the Holtec International HI-STORM 100 cask system listing within the list of approved

spent fuel storage casks to include Amendment No. 1 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1014. 
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The companion proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on March 27, 2002 (67 FR

14662). This direct final rule was withdrawn on June 7, 2002 (67 FR 39260).

Revision of the Skin Dose Limit - Part 20

On April 5, 2002 (67 FR 16298), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations,

effective June 4, 2002, changing the definition and method of calculating Shallow-dose

equivalents (SDEs) by specifying that the assigned SDE must be the dose averaged over the

10 square centimeters of skin receiving the highest exposure.

Medical Use of Byproduct Material - Parts 20, 32, and 35

On April 24, 2002 (67 FR 20250), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations,

effective October 24, 2002, regarding the medical use of byproduct material. This amendment

is one component of the Commission’s overall program for revising its regulatory framework for

medical use. The overall goals of this program are to focus NRC’s regulations on those

medical procedures that pose the highest risk to workers, patients, and the public and to

structure its regulations to be more risk-informed and more performance-based, consistent with

the NRC’s “Strategic Plan for Fiscal Year 1997-Fiscal Year 2002.”

Debt Collection Procedures - Part 15

On May 6, 2002 (67 FR 30315), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

concerning the procedures used to collect debts that are owed to the NRC. These

amendments, effective June 5, 2002, conform NRC regulations to the legislative changes

enacted in the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, and the amended procedures

presented in the Federal Claims Collection Standards issued by the Department of the Treasury

and the Department of Justice.

Revision of Fee Schedules; Fee Recovery for FY 2002 - Parts 170 and 171

On June 24, 2002 (67 FR 42612), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations,

effective August 23, 2002, to implement the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990

(OBRA-90), as amended, which requires that the NRC recover approximately 96 percent of its

budget authority in FY 2002, less the amounts appropriated from the Nuclear Waste Fund and

the General Fund. The amount to be recovered for FY 2002 is approximately $479.5 million.

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: HI-STORM 100 Revision - Part 72

On July 15, 2002 (67 FR 46369), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations,

effective July 15, 2002, revising the Holtec International HI-STORM 100 cask system listing

within the list of approved spent fuel storage casks to include Amendment No. 1 to Certificate of

Compliance No. 1014. 

Electronic Maintenance and Submission of Information - 10 CFR Chapter 1

On September 6, 2002 (67 FR 57084), the NRC published an amendment to its

regulations to clarify when and how licensees and other members of the public may use
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electronic means such as CD-ROM and e-mail to communicate with the NRC. These

amendments, effective December 5, 2002, are necessary to implement the Government

Paperwork Elimination Act. The companion proposed rule was published in the Federal

Register on September 6, 2002 (67 FR 57120).

Salary Offset Procedures for Collecting Debts Owed by Federal Employees to the

Federal Government - Part 16

On September 11, 2002 (67 FR 57506), the NRC published an amendment to its

regulations, effective October 11, 2002, concerning the procedures used to collect debts that

are owed to NRC by Federal employees. These amendments conform NRC regulations to the

legislative changes enacted in the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 and the amended

procedures presented in the Federal Claims Collection Standards issued by the Department of

the Treasury and the Department of Justice. 

Industry Codes and Standards; Amended Requirements - Part 50

On September 26, 2002 (67 FR 60520), the NRC published an amendment to its

regulations, effective October 28, 2002, to incorporate a later edition and addenda of the

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and the

ASME Code for Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants to provide updated rules

for construction, inservice inspections, and inservice testing of components in light-water cooled

nuclear power plants. This amendment incorporates by reference the latest edition and

addenda of the ASME BPV and OM Codes that have been approved for use by the NRC

subject to certain limitations and modifications. 

REGULATIONS AND AMENDMENTS PROPOSED

Debt Collection Procedures - Part 15

On October 5, 2001 (66 FR 50860), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

that would conform NRC regulations to the legislative changes enacted in the Debt Collection

Improvement Act of 1996 and the amended procedures presented in the Federal Claims

Collection Standards issued by the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Justice. 

The proposed action would allow the NRC to improve its collection of debts due the United

States.

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: NAC-UMS Revision - Part 72

On October 16, 2001 (66 FR 52554), the NRC published an amendment to its

regulations that would revise the NAC-UMS Universal Storage System listing within the list of

approved spent fuel storage casks to include Amendment No. 2 to Certificate of Compliance

No. 1015. Amendment No. 2 would add miscellaneous spent fuel related components to the

approved contents list for the NAC-UMS Universal Storage System and change the required

actions in response to a failure of the cask heat removal system. The companion direct final

rule was published in the Federal Register on October 16, 2001 (66 FR 52486).
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Availability of Official Records - Part 2

On October 17, 2001 (66 FR 52721), the NRC published an amendment to its

regulations that would require those who submit documents claimed to contain proprietary or

other confidential information to mark the information as specified to decrease the chances of

inadvertent public release of the information by the NRC, codify NRC’s current practices

delineating the circumstances under which the NRC will not return confidential documents that

have been submitted to the NRC, and clarify that the NRC will make as many copies of

copyrighted material submitted to the NRC as it needs to perform its mission. The proposed

rule is necessary to conform the NRC’s regulations regarding the availability of official records

to existing case law and NRC practice.

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: FuelSolutions Revision - Part 72

On November 14, 2001 (66 FR 57002), the NRC published an amendment to its

regulations that would revise the BNFL FuelSolutions cask system listing within the list of

approved spent fuel storage casks to include Amendment No. 2 to Certificate of Compliance

No. 1026. The companion direct final rule was published in the Federal Register on November

14, 2001 (66 FR 56982).

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: Standardized NUHOM-24P, -52B, and -61BT

Revision - Part 72

On November 29, 2001 (66 FR 59547), the NRC published an amendment to its

regulations that would revise the Transnuclear West, Inc., Standardized NUHOMS-24P, -52B,

and -61BT cask system listing within the list of approved spent fuel storage casks to include

Amendment No. 4 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1004. The companion direct final rule was

published in the Federal Register on November 29, 2001 (66 FR 59531).

Specification of a Probability for Unlikely Features, Events, and Processes - Part 63

On January 25, 2002 (67 FR 3628), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

governing the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes in a potential geologic repository at

Yucca Mountain, Nevada, that would define the term “unlikely” in quantitative terms. It would

be defined as a range of numerical values for use in determining whether a feature, event, or

process or sequence of events and processes should be excluded from certain required

assessments. This amendment would clarify how NRC plans to implement two of the final

environmental standards for Yucca Mountain issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency. 

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: Standardized Advanced NUHOMS-24PT1

Addition - Part 72

On February 11, 2002 (67 FR 6203), the NRC published an amendment to its

regulations that would add the Standardized Advanced NUHOMS-24PT1 Storage System to

the list of approved spent fuel storage casks. This amendment would allow the holders of power

reactor operating licenses to store spent fuel in the Standardized Advanced NUHOMS-24PT1

Storage System under a general license. 
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List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: NAC-MPC Revision - Part 72

On March 15, 2002 (67 FR 11629), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

that would revise the NAC International Multi-Purpose Canister (NAC-MPC) cask system listing

within the list of approved spent fuel storage casks to include Amendment No. 2 to Certificate of

Compliance No. 1025. The companion direct final rule was published in the Federal Register

on March 15, 2002 (67 FR 11566).

Incorporation by Reference of ASME BPV and OM Code Cases - Part 50

On March 19, 2002 (67 FR 12488), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

that would incorporate by reference certain American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

Code Cases that the NRC has reviewed and found acceptable for use.

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: HI-STORM 100 Revision - Part 72

On March 27, 2002 (67 FR 14662), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

that would revise the Holtec International HI-STORM 100 cask system listing within the list of

approved spent fuel storage casks to include Amendment No. 1 to Certificate of Compliance

No. 1014. The companion direct final rule was published in the Federal Register on March 27,

2002 (67 FR 14627).

Revision of Fee Schedules; Fee Recovery for FY 2002 - Parts 170 and 171

On March 27, 2002 (67 FR 14818), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

that would implement the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (OBRA-90), as amended,

which requires that the NRC recover approximately 96 percent of its budget authority in FY

2002, less the amounts appropriated from the Nuclear Waste Fund and the General Fund. The

amount to be recovered for FY 2002 is approximately $479.5 million. 

Salary Offset Procedures for Collecting Debts Owed by Federal Employees to the

Federal Government - Part 16

On April 24, 2002 (67 FR 20059), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

that would conform NRC regulations to the legislative changes enacted in the Debt Collection

Improvement Act of 1996 and the amended procedures presented in the Federal Claims

Collection Standards issued by the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Justice.

The proposed action is intended to improve NRC’s collection of debts due the United States

from Federal employees.

Compatibility With IAEA Transportation Safety Standards (TS-R-1) and Other

Transportation Safety Amendments - Part 71

On April 30, 2002 (67 FR 21390), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

that would make NRC’s regulations compatible with the International Atomic Energy Agency

(IAEA) standards (ST-1(TS-R-1)) and codify other applicable requirements. This amendment

also would address the unintended economic impact of NRC’s emergency final rule entitled

“Fissile Material Shipments and Exemptions” (February 10, 1997; 62 FR 5907) and a petition for
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rulemaking submitted by International Energy Consultants, Inc. (PRM-71-12: February 19,

1998; 63 FR 8362).

Financial Information Requirements for Applications To Renew or Extend the Term of an

Operating License for a Power Reactor - Part 50

On June 4, 2002 (67 FR 38427), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

that would remove the requirement that non-electric-utility power reactor licensees submit

financial qualifications information in their license renewal applications and that would add a

new requirement that licensees of nuclear power reactors that are electric utilities reorganizing

as non-electric-utility entities without a license transfer must notify the NRC and submit

information on their financial qualifications.

Geological and Seismological Characteristics for Siting and Design of Dry Cask

Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installations and Monitored Retrievable Storage

Installations - Part 72

On July 22, 2002 (67 FR 47745), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

that would update the seismic siting and design criteria, including geologic, seismic, and

earthquake engineering considerations. The amendment would allow NRC and its licensees to

benefit from experience gained in the licensing of existing facilities and to incorporate the rapid

advancements in the earth sciences and earthquake engineering. The amendment also would

make the Part 72 regulations compatible with the 1996 revision to Part 100 that addressed

uncertainties in seismic hazard analysis and commensurate with the risk associated with an

independent spent fuel storage installation or a monitored retrievable storage installation.

Cost Recovery for Contested Hearings Involving U.S. National Security Initiatives -

Part 170

On July 31, 2002 (67 FR 49623), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

that would allow the NRC to recover its costs associated with contested hearings involving U.S.

Government national security related proceedings through licensing or other regulatory service

fees assessed to the affected applicant or licensee. 

Combustible Gas Control in Containment - Parts 50 and 52

On August 2, 2002 (67 FR 50374), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

that would set and consolidate combustible gas control regulations for future applicants and

licensees. The amendment would eliminate the requirements for hydrogen recombiners and

hydrogen purge systems and relax the requirements for hydrogen and oxygen monitoring

equipment to make them commensurate with their risk significance. 

Federal Advisory Committee Act Regulations - Part 7

On August 8, 2002 (67 FR 51501), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

on the Federal Advisory Committee Act to conform with newly issued General Services

Administration regulations.
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Event Notification Requirements - Parts 72 and 73

On August 22, 2002 (67 FR 54360), the NRC published an amendment to its event

notification regulations that would apply to an independent spent fuel storage installation and to

a monitored retrievable storage installation. The amendment would revise safeguards event

notification requirements that apply to facilities subject to Part 73. With respect to both the

event notification requirements and the safeguards event notification requirements, the

changes are intended to align these requirements with recent changes to the power reactor

event notification requirements. These changes would reduce licensee burden through the

consolidation of some notifications and lengthening the reporting period for other notifications.

Transfers of Certain Source Materials by Specific Licensees - Part 40

On August 28, 2002 (67 FR 55175), the NRC published an amendment to its regulations

that would require NRC approval for transfers from licensees of low concentrations of source

material (less than 0.05 percent by weight) to persons exempt from licensing. This amendment

would ensure that the regulations regarding transfers of materials containing low concentrations

of source material are adequate to protect public health and safety.

Electronic Maintenance and Submission of Information - 10 CFR Chapter 1

On September 6, 2002 (67 FR 57120), the NRC published an amendment to its

regulations that would clarify when and how licensees and other members of the public may

use electronic means such as CD-ROM and e-mail to communicate with the NRC. These

amendments are necessary to implement the Government Paperwork Elimination Act. The

companion direct final rule was published in the Federal Register on September 6, 2002 

(67 FR 57084).

ADVANCE NOTICES OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING

Entombment Options for Power Reactors - Parts 20 and 50

On October 16, 2001 (66 FR 52551), the NRC published an ANPRM that requested

comments on issuance of new regulations that would clarify the use of entombment for power

reactors. This ANPRM invited early input from affected parties and the public on the issues

surrounding the feasibility of entombment.