[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 178 (Monday, September 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48320-48321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-24384]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket 70-7001]


Notice of Amendment to Certificate of Compliance GDP-1 for the 
U.S. Enrichment Corporation Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant Paducah, KY

    The Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, has 
made a determination that the following amendment request is not 
significant in accordance with 10 CFR 76.45. In making that 
determination, the staff concluded that: (1) There is no change in the 
types or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may 
be released offsite; (2) there is no significant increase in individual 
or cumulative occupational radiation exposure; (3) there is no 
significant construction impact; (4) there is no significant increase 
in the potential for, or radiological or chemical consequences from, 
previously analyzed accidents; (5) the proposed changes do not result 
in the possibility of a new or different kind of accident; (6) there is 
no significant reduction in any margin of safety; and (7) the proposed 
changes will not result in an overall decrease in the effectiveness of 
the plant's safety, safeguards or security programs. The basis for this 
determination for the amendment request is shown below.
    The NRC staff has reviewed the certificate amendment application 
and concluded that it provides reasonable assurance of adequate safety, 
safeguards, and security, and compliance with NRC requirements. 
Therefore, the Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards, is prepared to issue an amendment to the Certificate of 
Compliance for the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The staff has 
prepared a Compliance Evaluation Report which provides details of the 
staff's evaluation.
    The NRC staff has determined that this amendment satisfies the 
criteria for a categorical exclusion in accordance with 10 CFR 51.22. 
Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact 
statement or environmental assessment need be prepared for this 
amendment.
    USEC or any person whose interest may be affected may file a 
petition, not exceeding 30 pages, requesting review of the Director's 
Decision. The petition must be filed with the Commission not later than 
15 days after publication of this Federal Register notice. A petition 
for review of the Director's Decision shall set forth with 
particularity the interest of the petitioner and how that interest may 
be affected by the results of the decision. The petition should

[[Page 48321]]

specifically explain the reasons why review of the Decision should be 
permitted with particular reference to the following factors: (1) The 
interest of the petitioner; (2) how that interest may be affected by 
the Decision, including the reasons why the petitioner should be 
permitted a review of the Decision; and (3) the petitioner's areas of 
concern about the activity that is the subject matter of the Decision. 
Any person described in this paragraph (USEC or any person who filed a 
petition) may file a response to any petition for review, not to exceed 
30 pages, within 10 days after filing of the petition. If no petition 
is received within the designated 15-day period, the Director will 
issue the final amendment to the Certificate of Compliance without 
further delay. If a petition for review is received, the decision on 
the amendment application will become final in 60 days, unless the 
Commission grants the petition for review or otherwise acts within 60 
days after publication of this Federal Register notice.
    A petition for review must be filed with the Secretary, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: 
Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff, or may be delivered to the 
Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, 
NW., Washington, DC, by the above date.
    For further details with respect to the action see (1) the 
application for amendment and (2) the Commission's Compliance 
Evaluation Report. These items are available for public inspection at 
the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L 
Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the Local Public Document Room.
    Date of amendment request: June 16, 1997.
    Brief description of amendment: The amendment proposes to revise 
the Technical Safety Requirement (TSR) for the Nuclear Criticality 
Safety Program by adding a new program element.

Basis for Finding of No Significance

    1. The proposed amendment will not result in a change in the types 
or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be 
released offsite.
    The proposed change involves revision of the Nuclear Criticality 
Safety Program TSR to add a new program element on identification of 
safety structures, systems and components (SSCs) required to meet the 
double contingency. Because there are no effluent release associated 
with this change, the proposed changes will not affect the effluent.
    2. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant increase 
in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure.
    The proposed changes do not relate to controls used to minimize 
occupational radiation exposures, therefore, the changes will not 
increase exposure.
    3. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant 
construction impact.
    The proposed changes will not result in any construction, 
therefore, there will be no construction impacts.
    4. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant increase 
in the potential for, or radiological or chemical consequences from, 
previously analyzed accidents.
    The proposed changes will not increase the probability of 
occurrence or consequence of any postulated accident currently 
identified in the safety analysis report. Therefore, there is no 
significant increase in the potential for or radiological or chemical 
consequences from previously evaluated accidents.
    5. The proposed amendment will not result in the possibility of a 
new or different kind of accident.
    Changing the TSR to add a new program element will not create a new 
or different type of accident. The proposed changes would not create 
new operating conditions or new plant configuration that could lead to 
a new or different type of accident.
    6. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant 
reduction in any margin of safety.
    There are no increases in the probability or consequences of a 
criticality and no new accident initiators were identified. These 
changes do not increase the margins of safety. In fact safety may be 
enhanced by putting more emphasis on the clear identification of SSCs 
necessary to meet the double contingency principle.
    7. The proposed amendment will not result in an overall decrease in 
the effectiveness of the plant's safety, safeguards or security 
programs.
    Implementation of the proposed changes do not change the safety, 
safeguards, or security programs. Although the program element is being 
added to the TSR, there was already a commitment to identify the SSCs. 
The effectiveness of the safety, safeguards, and security programs is 
not decreased.
    Effective date: The amendment to Certificate of Compliance GDP-1 
becomes effective 30 days after being signed by the Director, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
    Certificate of Compliance No. GDP-1: Amendment will revise 
Technical Safety Requirement for the nuclear criticality safety program 
by adding a new program element.
    Local Public Document Room location: Paducah Public Library, 555 
Washington Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42003.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 2nd day of September 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
William F. Kane,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 97-24384 Filed 9-12-97; 8:45 am]
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