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[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 25 (Thursday, February 6, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 5656]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-2978]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

10-Year License Terms for Materials Licensees

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
(NRC) is extending the license term for materials licenses issued 
pursuant to 10 CFR Part 30,1 ``Rules of General Applicability to 
Domestic Licensing of Byproduct Material''; Part 40, ``Domestic 
Licensing of Source Material''; and Part 70, ``Domestic Licensing of 
Special Nuclear Material'' from the current 5-year period to a 10-year 
period on the next renewal of the affected licenses with the exception 
of licenses issued pursuant to Part 35. The license term for licenses 
issued pursuant to Part 35 are established by regulation and must be 
revised by rulemaking. The 5-year term for licenses other than those 
issued pursuant to Part 35 has been a matter of practice (see 31 FR 
16367; December 22, 1966, and 32 FR 7172; May 12, 1967); the license 
term is not codified in the regulations.
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    \1\ Reference to Part 30 is intended to include 10 CFR Part 32, 
``Specific Domestic Licenses to Manufacture or Transfer Certain 
Items Containing Byproduct Material''; Part 33, ``Specific Domestic 
Licenses of Broad Scope for Byproduct Material''; Part 34, 
``Licenses for Radiography and Radiation Safety Requirements for 
Radiographic Operations''; Part 35, ``Medical Use of Byproduct 
Material''; Part 36, ``Licenses and Radiation Safety Requirements 
for Well Logging''; and any other regulations that are developed in 
the Part 30 series.
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    Over the past several years, the regulatory regime applicable to 
materials licensees has become more stable and predictable. NRC now has 
extensive experience in uniform application of health and safety 
regulations to materials licensees. NRC has developed specific 
regulatory criteria for materials users in various areas. For example, 
NRC has revised or amended, specific regulations in the following 
areas: Industrial radiography, medical use, irradiators, and well-
logging. In addition, NRC has recently revised its regulations 
regarding the standards for protection against radiation, to make them 
more compatible with international health and safety standards.
    NRC has concluded that the term for materials licenses can be 
increased from 5 to 10 years, with no adverse effect on public health, 
safety, or the environment. This conclusion is based on the existence 
of the mature regulatory regime currently in place. NRC's current 
practice of routinely being in contact with licensees through 
inspections, license amendments, and annual fee-billing procedures 
provides further support for increasing the term of materials licenses.
    Although NRC is announcing its expectation that materials licenses 
will be issued for 10-year terms, NRC may issue licenses for shorter 
terms depending on the individual circumstances of license applicants.

EFFECTIVE DATE: February 6, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Haney or Diane Flack, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards, Washington, DC 20555, telephone (301) 415-7206.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 31st day of January, 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Carl J. Paperiello,
Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 97-2978 Filed 2-5-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
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