[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 184 (Tuesday, September 23, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49710-49711]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-25213]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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, 
Kentucky

    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 
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

[[Page 49711]]

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: August 11, 1997.
    Brief description of amendment: The amendment proposes to revise 
Compliance Plan Issue 3, Action 7 which provides for the modification 
of the C-360 autoclave controls to add a low instrument air pressure 
switch to initiate containment upon loss of instrument air. Instead of 
adding a low instrument air pressure switch, USEC proposes to provide a 
second channel for high pressure containment that does not rely on 
instrument air. USEC also proposes to extend the due date from August 
31, 1997 to October 31, 1997.
    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 the High Pressure Isolation and Steam 
Pressure Control Systems. The change will not affect the function of 
the system. Because there are no effluent releases associated with this 
change, the proposed change will not affect effluents.
    2. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant increase 
in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure.
    The proposed changes will not significantly increase any exposure 
to radiation. Therefore, the changes will not result in a significant 
increase in individual or cumulative radiation exposure.
    3. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant 
construction impact.
    The proposed changes will not result in any building construction, 
only equipment modification, 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. The proposed change will 
reduce the failure modes of the High Pressure Isolation and Steam 
Pressure Control Systems. The extension of the completion date will not 
significantly increase the probability of an accident. The existing 
Justification for Continued Operation will remain in effect during the 
two-month extension. 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.
    The function of the High Pressure Isolation and Steam Pressure 
Control systems will not be changed by the modifications. The proposed 
changes will not create any new or different type of accident.
    6. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant 
reduction in any margin of safety.
    The safety limit associated with the modifications remains 
unchanged. The proposed change will provide for two safety channels for 
initiating autoclave containment that do not rely on instrument air. 
These changes do not decrease the margins of safety.
    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. Therefore, the effectiveness of the 
safety, safeguards, and security programs is not decreased.
    Effective date: The amendment to Certificate of Compliance GDP-1 
becomes effective immediately after being signed by the Director, 
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
    Certificate of Compliance No. GDP-1: Amendment will revise the 
Compliance Plan Issue 3, Action 7 on the autoclave upgrades to extend 
the due date by two months and to allow for mechanical-electrical 
pressure switches instead of pneumatic switches.
    Local Public Document Room location: Paducah Public Library, 555 
Washington Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42003.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 15th day of September 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Carl J. Paperiello,
Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 97-25213 Filed 9-22-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P