Editorial Note on Part 70
Editorial Note: Nomenclature changes to part 70 appear at 81 FR 86910, Dec. 2, 2016.

§ 70.20b General license for carriers of transient shipments of formula quantities of strategic special nuclear material, special nuclear material of moderate strategic significance, special nuclear material of low strategic significance, and irradiated reactor fuel. ( a ) A general license is hereby issued to any person to possess transient shipments of the following kinds and quantities of special nuclear material: ( 1 ) A formula quantity of special nuclear material of the types and quantities subject to the requirements of §§ 73.20, 73.25, 73.26, and 73.27 of this chapter.
( 2 ) Special nuclear material of moderate and low strategic significance of the types and quantities subject to the requirements of § 73.67 of this chapter.
( 3 ) Irradiated reactor fuel of the type and quantity subject to the requirements of § 73.37 of this chapter.
( b ) Persons generally licensed under this section are exempt from the requirements of parts 19 and 20 of this chapter and the requirements of this part, except §§ 70.32 (a) and (b), 70.52, 70.55, 70.91, 70.81, and 70.82.
( c ) Persons generally licensed under this section to possess a transient shipment of special nuclear material of the kind and quantity specified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section shall provide physical protection for that shipment in accordance with or equivalent to §§ 73.20(a), 73.20(b), 73.25, and 73.1200 of this chapter from the time a shipment enters a United States port until it exits that or another United States port.
( d ) Persons generally licensed under this section to possess a transient shipment of special nuclear material of moderate or low strategic significance of the kind and quantity specified in paragraph (a)(2) of this section shall provide physical protection for that shipment in accordance with or equivalent to § 73.67 of this chapter and shall comply with the requirements of § 73.1200 of this chapter.
( e ) Persons generally licensed under this section to possess a transient shipment of irradiated reactor fuel of the kind and quantity specified in paragraph (a)(3) of this section shall provide physical protection for that shipment in accordance with or equivalent to § 73.37 of this chapter and shall comply with the requirements of § 73.1200 of this chapter.
( f ) ( 1 ) Persons generally licensed under this section, who plan to carry transient shipments with scheduled stops at United States ports, shall notify in writing the Director, Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response, using an appropriate method listed in § 70.5(a). Classified notifications shall be sent to the NRC headquarters classified mailing address listed in appendix A to part 73 of this chapter.
( 2 ) A person generally licensed under this section shall assure that: ( i ) The notification will be received at least 10 days before transport of the shipment commences at the shipping facility;
( ii ) The NRC Headquarters Operations Center shall be notified by telephone at least 2 days before commencement of the shipment at the numbers listed in appendix A to part 73 of this chapter. Classified notifications shall be made by secure telephone.
( iii ) The NRC Headquarters Operations Center shall be notified by telephone of schedule changes greater than ±6 hours at the numbers listed in appendix A to part 73 of this chapter. Classified notifications shall be made by secure telephone.
( 3 ) Persons who are generally licensed under paragraph (a)(1) of this section must include the information listed in paragraphs (f)(3)(i) through (ix) of this section. Persons who are generally licensed under § 70.20b(a)(2) and § 70.20b(a)(3) must include the information listed in paragraphs (f)(3) (i) through (viii) of this section. ( i ) Location of all scheduled stops in United States territory;
( ii ) Arrival and departure times for all scheduled stops in United States territory;
( iii ) The type of transport vehicle;
( iv ) A physical description of the shipment (elements, isotopes, and enrichments);
( v ) The number and types of containers;
( vi ) The name and telephone number of the carrier's representative at each stopover location in United States territory;
( vii ) The estimated time and date that shipment will commence and that each country (other than the United States) along the route is scheduled to be entered;
( viii ) For shipments between countries that are not party to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, provide assurances, as far as is practicable, that this nuclear material will be protected during international transport at levels described in Annex I to that Convention (see appendices E and F of part 73 of this chapter); and
( ix ) A physical protection plan for implementing the requirement of § 70.20b(c), which will include the use of armed personnel to protect the shipment during the time the shipment is in a United States port.
( g ) Persons generally licensed under this section making unscheduled stops at United States ports, immediately after the decision to make an unscheduled stop, shall: ( 1 ) Provide to the Director, Office of Security Policy and Incident Response, the information required under paragraph (f) of this section.
( 2 ) In the case of persons generally licensed under paragraph (a)(1) of this section, arrange for local law enforcement authorities or trained and qualified private guards to protect the shipment during the stop.
( 3 ) In the case of persons generally licensed under paragraph (a)(2) of this section, arrange for the shipment to be protected as required in § 73.67(e) of this chapter.
( 4 ) In the case of persons generally licensed under paragraph (a)(3) of this section, arrange for the shipment to be protected as required in § 73.37(e) of this chapter.
( 5 ) Implement these arrangements within a reasonable time after the arrival of the shipment at a United States port to remain in effect until the shipment exits that or another United States port.
[52 FR 9652, Mar. 26, 1987, as amended at 60 FR 24552, May 9, 1995; 67 FR 3585, Jan. 25, 2002; 68 FR 14529, Mar. 26, 2003; 68 FR 23575, May 5, 2003; 68 FR 58817, Oct. 10, 2003; 72 FR 35145, June 27, 2007; 74 FR 62683, Dec. 1, 2009; 83 FR 58723, Nov. 21, 2018; 88 FR 15881, Mar. 14, 2023]