63204 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 228 / Wednesday, November 26, 1997 / Notices

containment as a result of a lube oil leak

from the RCPs. The ROALs are a low

pressure system. The 3000 psi minimum

design pressure of the ROALs is

significantly higher than the 30 psig line

operating pressures. All piping

components associated with the suction

and discharge of the portable oil transfer

pump skid are appropriately rated for

the service conditions. The hose

connections are flexible hoses, and

therefore, are not subjected to

mechanical vibration and thermal

stresses.

Oil leakage from the ROALs is not

expected to occur during oil transfer

operations. The ROALs are used only

periodically and operated using

controlled procedures and processes.

The controlled oil addition process

includes determining the amount of oil

to be added, performing a walk down

before oil addition to check for leakage,

and local and control room monitoring

of the oil addition process. Following

the addition of the proper amount of oil,

the ROAL is drained either by gravity or

by reversing the pump suction and

discharge connections and pumping

down the line. The upper and lower

reservoirs contain only limited

quantities of oil, 175 and 10 gallons,

respectively. Based on the maximum oil

addition allowed by procedures, the

maximum potential oil spill will be only

12 gallons.

During power operation, damage to

the ROALs would not occur because the

reactor building access and work

activities are limited during this time.

Further, following refueling outages,

containment close-out procedures

require visual inspections to assure the

integrity of the ROALs.

Inside the D-ring, the ROALs travel

over or along hot components that are

insulated with a non-absorbing material

or encased mineral wool. The surface

temperatures of the insulation are below

the ignition temperature of the oil, such

that the insulation would not be a

potential ignition source. The

construction of this insulation makes it

less likely for potential leaking oil to

soak the encased mineral wool. Any

potential oil leak in this area would be

reasonably expected to travel down the

insulation to the floor. Further, there are

spot-type heat detectors located in this

general area which can provide early

warning to the control room in the event

of a fire.

Outside the secondary shield wall, the

ROALs do not travel over any hot main

coolant pipes or steam lines and any

potential leak in this area would pool on

the floor and have no opportunity for

ignition.

The ROALs are routed through two

fire areas in the reactor building (RB),

elevations 95 and 119 feet, designated as

RB–95–300 and RB–119–302. The

licensee has administrative controls that

are designed to control the type,

amount, use and location of

combustibles. Proper control of

combustibles minimizes the possibility

of starting, spreading, or contributing to

a fire. The probability for a fire hazard

in this area is minimal because of

separation of redundant components,

the surrounding concrete structure,

minimal or no intervening combustibles

in the area, high ROAL design pressure

and low operating pressure, and the

short duration and infrequency of oil

addition operations. However, the

licensee has evaluated a worst case lube

oil fire for these fire areas that contain

ROALs and concluded that it is

bounded by the CR3’s existing Fire

Hazards Analysis and Appendix R fire

study.

In 1985, when the ROALs were

originally installed, they were

functionally leak tested with no visible

leakage detected. During the last 12

years of performance there has been no

indication of any leakage from the

ROALs.

Fire detection and manual fire

suppression equipment is available in

the vicinity of the lube oil fill lines. In

the event of a fire, it is expected that a

detector will alarm while the fire is in

its incipient stages. Operators would

then take appropriate action to mitigate

the consequences of the fire. This

provides further assurance that a worstcase postulated fire would not damage

safe shutdown equipment.

Based on the design features of the

ROALs and associated lube oil

collection systems, and the licensee’s

proposed compensatory actions, there is

reasonable assurance that the RCP lube

oil system will not lead to a major fire

hazard. In addition, based on the

present level of fire protection provided

for the RCPs, if a fire were to occur in

the area, there is reasonable assurance

that the fire will be detected and

mitigated. Therefore, the staff finds the

ROALs without an oil collection system

acceptable.

The underlying purpose of 10 CFR

part 50, Appendix R, Section III.O, is to

ensure that lube oil from all potential

pressurized and unpressurized leakage

sites in the reactor coolant pump lube

oil systems would be collected and not

become a fire hazard such that ‘‘the

capability to achieve and maintain safe

shutdown conditions during and after

any postulated fire in the plant’’ will be

ensured. On the basis of its review and

evaluation of the licensee’s exemption

request, the staff concludes that the

addition of an oil collection system for

the ROALs is not necessary to achieve

the underlying purpose of the rule.

Therefore, an exemption from the

requirement for providing a lube oil

collection system for the RCP Motor

ROALs is acceptable.

V

For the foregoing reasons, the NRC

staff has concluded that pursuant to 10

CFR 50.12(a) an exemption permitting

the licensee’s proposed use of ROALs

without an oil collection system is

authorized by law, will not present an

undue risk to public health and safety

and is consistent with the common

defense and security. The NRC staff has

determined that there are special

circumstances present, as specified in

10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii), in that

application of 10 CFR part 50, Appendix

R, Section III.O, is not necessary in

order to achieve the underlying purpose

of this regulation.

Accordingly, the Commission hereby

grants an exemption from the technical

requirements of 10 CFR part 50,

Appendix R, Section III.O to the extent

that the ROALs need not be provided

with an oil collection system.

Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, the

Commission has determined that the

granting of this exemption will not have

a significant effect on the quality of the

human environment (62 FR 59752).

This exemption is effective upon

issuance.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day

of November 1997.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Samuel J. Collins,

Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor

Regulation.

[FR Doc. 97–31085 Filed 11–25–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P

NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

[Docket Number 40–6622]

Pathfinder Mines Corporation

AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission.

ACTION: Amendment of Source Material

License SUA–442 to change three

reclamation milestone dates.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission has amended Pathfinder

Mines Corporation’s (PMC’s) Source

Material License SUA–442 to change

three reclamation milestone dates. This

amendment was requested by PMC in
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 228 / Wednesday, November 26, 1997 / Notices 63205

its letter dated September 11, 1997, and

the receipt of the request by NRC was

noticed in the Federal Register on

October 6, 1997.

The license amendment modifies

License Condition 50 to change

completion dates for three sitereclamation milestones. The new dates

approved by the NRC extend

completion of placement of the interim

cover over tailings pile by two years,

and completion of placement of the

final radon barrier and placement of the

erosion protection cover by three years.

PMC attributes the delays to a

substantial volume of water still

remaining to be evaporated from the

tailings system, before an interim cover

could be placed. Based on the review of

PMC’s submittal, the NRC staff

concludes that the delays are

attributable to factors beyond the

control of PMC, the proposed work is

scheduled to be completed as

expeditiously as practicable, and the

added risk to the public health and

safety is not significant.

An environmental assessment is not

required since this action is

categorically excluded under 10 CFR

51.22(c)(11), and an environmental

report from the licensee is not required

by 10 CFR 51.60(b)(2).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PMC’s

amended license, and the NRC staff’s

technical evaluation of the amendment

request are being made available for

public inspection at the Commission’s

Public Document Room at 2120 L Street,

NW. (Lower Level), Washington, DC

20555.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mohammad W. Haque, Uranium

Recovery Branch, Division of Waste

Management, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission, Washington, DC 20555.

Telephone (301) 415–6640.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day

of November, 1997.

Joseph J. Holonich,

Chief, Uranium Recovery Branch, Division

of Waste Management, Office of Nuclear

Material Safety and Safeguards.

[FR Doc. 97–31086 Filed 11–25–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P

NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

Application for a License To Export

Special Nuclear Material

Pursuant to 10 CFR 110.70(b) ‘‘Public

notice of receipt of an application’’,

please take notice that the Nuclear

Regulatory Commission has received the

following application for an export

license. Copies of the application are on

file in the Nuclear Regulatory

Commission’s Public Document Room

located at 2120 L Street, N.W.,

Washington, D.C.

A request for a hearing or petition for

leave to intervene may be filed within

30 days after publication of this notice

in the Federal Register. Any request for

hearing or petition for leave to intervene

shall be served by the requester or

petitioner upon the applicant, the Office

of the General Counsel, U.S. Nuclear

Regulatory Commission, Washington,

D.C. 20555; the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear

Regulatory Commission, Washington,

D.C. 20555; and the Executive Secretary,

U.S. Department of State, Washington,

D.C. 20520.

The information concerning the

application follows.

NRC EXPORT LICENSE APPLICATION

Name of applicant, date of application, date received, application No.

Description of material

End use Country of

origin Material type Total quantity

Transnuclear, Inc., October 27,

1997, October 29, 1997,

XSNM03012.

High-enriched Uranium (93.3%) ....... 26.738 kg ... Fabrication of target material for production of medical isotopes.Canada.

Dated this 12th day of November 1997 at

Rockville, Maryland.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Ronald D. Hauber,

Director, Division of Nonproliferation,

Exports and Multilateral Relations, Office of

International Programs.

[FR Doc. 97–30968 Filed 11–25–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–M

NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

Advisory Committee on Reactor

Safeguards Subcommittee Meeting on

Planning and Procedures

The ACRS Subcommittee on Planning

and Procedures will hold a meeting on

December 3, 1997, Room T–2B1, 11545

Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland.

The entire meeting will be open to

public attendance, with the exception of

a portion that may be closed pursuant

to 5 U.S.C. 552b(c) (2) and (6) to discuss

organizational and personnel matters

that relate solely to internal personnel

rules and practices of ACRS, and

information the release of which would

constitute a clearly unwarranted

invasion of personal privacy.

The agenda for the subject meeting

shall be as follows:

Wednesday, December 3, 1997—10:00

a.m. until 11:30 a.m.

The Subcommittee will discuss

proposed ACRS activities and related

matters. It may also discuss the

qualifications of candidates for

appointment to the ACRS. The purpose

of this meeting is to gather information,

analyze relevant issues and facts, and to

formulate proposed positions and

actions, as appropriate, for deliberation

by the full Committee.

Oral statements may be presented by

members of the public with the

concurrence of the Subcommittee

Chairman; written statements will be

accepted and made available to the

Committee. Electronic recordings will

be permitted only during those portions

of the meeting that are open to the

pubic, and questions may be asked only

by members of the Subcommittee, its

consultants, and staff. Persons desiring

to make oral statements should notify

the cognizant ACRS staff person named

below five days prior to the meeting, if

possible, so that appropriate

arrangements can be made.

Further information regarding topics

to be discussed, the scheduling of

sessions open to the pubic, whether the

meeting has been canceled or

rescheduled, the Chairman’s ruling on

requests for the opportunity to present

oral statements, and the time allotted

therefor can be obtained by contacting

the cognizant ACRS staff person, Dr.

John T. Larkins (telephone: 301/415–

7360) between 7:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.

(EST). Persons planning to attend this