Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 189 / Thursday, September 28, 2000 / Notices 58297

8On rare occasions, it may become necessary for

LSC to raise additional issues for comment. In such

a case, LSC may issue a Revised NPRM and repeat

the comment process.

(which consists of the regulatory text

and preamble).8 The draft of the Final

Rule will be shared with the OIG for

review and comment. The draft of the

Final Rule will be submitted to the

President with a Statement of Issues.

The President may then: approve the

draft of the Final Rule for submission to

the Committee for its consideration;

return it to OLA for revisions as

necessary; or, jointly with the

Committee, terminate the rulemaking.

Once approved, the draft of the Final

Rule will be set for consideration by the

Committee at a public meeting. The

draft of the Final Rule and Statement of

Issues will be provided to the

Committee and the Board sufficiently in

advance of the meeting to permit

appropriate consideration. In addition, a

notice of the meeting announcing the

placement of the Final Rule on the

Committee agenda will be published in

the Federal Register. At the Committee

meeting, management will present a

summary of the Comments and the draft

Final Rule with the assistance of OLA.

It is anticipated that the Committee will

accept public comment as needed to

assist in its deliberations. The

Committee will vote on whether to

recommend the Final Rule to the Board

or return it to staff for revisions.

If the draft Final Rule is approved by

the Committee for review by the Board,

the Board will consider the draft Final

Rule and vote to adopt it or to return it

to the Committee for further action. At

its discretion, the Board may request the

participation of members of the public

during its deliberations. Once the Final

Rule is adopted by the Board, OLA will

make any necessary technical revisions

to it and submit the final version for

approval for publication to the Board’s

designee (for example, the Board Chair

or the Committee Chair). The Final Rule

will then be published in the Federal

Register and placed on LSC’s website.

Establishment of Mailing List

As noted above, public notice that a

rulemaking proceeding has begun will

be accomplished through posting a

notice to that effect on the LSC website,

and by sending notice by mail to those

who have previously requested such

notice. With this notice, LSC is formally

establishing a mailing list dedicated to

that purpose. Persons and organizations

wishing to be notified by mail when

LSC undertakes a rulemaking

proceeding should submit a notice

indicating such interest and providing

contact information (name, title,

organization and mailing address) to

Mattie C. Condray at the address listed

above.

Victor M. Fortuno,

General Counsel and Vice President for Legal

Affairs.

[FR Doc. 00–24836 Filed 9–27–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7050–01–P

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: Under the paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104–

13 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), and as part

of its continuing effort to reduce

paperwork and respondent burden, the

National Science Foundation (NSF) is

inviting the general public or other

Federal agencies to comment on this

proposed continuing information

collection.

DATES: Written comments on this notice

must be received by November 27, 2000

to be assured of consideration.

Comments received after that date will

be considered to the extent practicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

further information or for a copy of the

collection instrument and instructions

contact Ms. Suzanne H. Plimpton, NSF

Reports Clearance Officer, via surface

mail: National Science Foundation,

ATTN: NSF Reports Clearance Officer,

Suite 295, 4201 Wilson Boulevard,

Arlington, VA 22230 or e-mail:

splimpto@nsf.gov. Individuals who use

a telecommunications device for the

deaf (TDD) may call the Federal

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–

800–877–8339 between 8 a.m. and 8

p.m., Eastern time, Monday through

Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title of Collection: 2001 National

Survey of Recent College Graduates.

OMB Control No.: 3145–0077.

Expiration Date of Approval: February

28, 2002.

1. Abstract

The National Survey of Recent

College Graduates (NSRCG) has been

conducted biennially since 1974. For

the 2001 cycle, a sample of individuals

who have recently earned bachelor’s

and master’s degrees in science and

engineering from U.S. institutions will

be surveyed. The purpose of the study

is to provide national estimates

describing the relationship between

education and employment for

bachelor’s and master’s recipients in

science and engineering. The study is

one of three components of the

Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data

System (SESTAT), which produces

national estimates of the size and

characteristics of the nation’s science

and engineering population.

The National Science Foundation Act

of 1950, as subsequently amended,

includes a statutory charge to ‘‘* * *

provide a central clearinghouse for the

collection, interpretation, and analysis

of data on scientific and engineering

resources, and to provide a source of

information for policy formulation by

other agencies of the Federal

Government.’’ The National Survey of

Recent College Graduates is designed to

comply with these mandates by

providing information on the supply

and utilization of scientists and

engineers at the bachelor’s and master’s

degree level. Collected data will be used

to produce estimates of the

characteristics of these individuals.

They will also provide necessary input

into the SESTAT labor force data

system, which produces national

estimates of the size and characteristics

of the country’s science and engineering

population. The Foundation uses this

information to prepare congressionally

mandated reports such as Women and

Minorities in Science and Engineering

and Science and Engineering Indicators.

A public release file of collected data,

designed to protect respondent

confidentiality, is expected to be made

available to researchers on CD–ROM

and on the World Wide Web.

The Survey will be primarily

conducted using Computer Assisted

Telephone Interviews (CATI).

Questionnaires will be mailed only to

those individuals who are unwilling to

provide information over the telephone

but willing to complete a mail

questionnaire. CATI interviewing will

begin in April 2001 and is estimated to

end in December 2001. The survey will

be collected in conformance with the

Privacy Act of 1974 and the individual’s

response to the survey is voluntary. NSF

will insure that all information collected

will be kept strictly confidential and

will be used only for research or

statistical purposes, analyzing data, and

preparing scientific reports and articles.

2. Expected Respondents

We will sample approximately 27,500

graduates with bachelor’s and master’s

degrees in science and engineering from

U.S. academic institutions

58298 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 189 / Thursday, September 28, 2000 / Notices

3. Burden on the Public

The amount of time to complete the

questionnaire may vary depending on

an individual’s circumstances; however,

on average it will take approximately 30

minutes to complete the survey. We

estimate that the total annual burden

will be 13,750 hours during the year.

Special Areas for Review: NSF request

special review and comments in the

following areas:

(a) Whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of the

Foundation, including whether the

information will have practical utility;

(b) The accuracy of the Foundation’s

estimate of the burden of the proposed

collection of information;

(c) Ways to enhance the quality,

utility, and clarity of the information to

be collected; and

(d) Ways to minimize the burden of

the collection of information on those

who are to respond.

Dated: September 22, 2000.

Suzanne H. Plimpton,

NSF Reports Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 00–24876 Filed 9–27–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7555–01–M

NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50–458]

Entergy Gulf States, Inc. and Entergy

Operations, Inc.; River Bend Station,

Unit 1; Environmental Assessment and

Finding of No Significant Impact

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (NRC) is considering

issuance of an amendment to Facility

Operating License No. NPF–47, issued

to Entergy Gulf States, Inc. and Entergy

Operations, Inc. (EOI, or the licensee)

for operation of the River Bend Station,

Unit 1 (RBS), located in Saint

Francisville, Louisiana.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

The proposed action would allow EOI

to increase the maximum reactor core

power level from 2894 megawatts

thermal (MWt) to 3039 MWt, which is

an increase of five percent of rated core

thermal power for the RBS.

The proposed action is in accordance

with EOI’s application for amendment

dated July 30, 1999, as supplemented by

letters dated April 3, May 9, July 18, and

August 24, 2000.

Need for the Proposed Action

The proposed action permits an

increase in the licensed core thermal

power from 2894 MWt to 3039 MWt and

provides the flexibility to increase the

potential electrical output of RBS.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed

Action

EOI has submitted an environmental

evaluation supporting the proposed

power uprate and provided a summary

of its conclusions concerning both the

radiological and non-radiological

environmental impacts of the proposed

action. Based on the NRC’s independent

analyses and the evaluation performed

by the licensee, the staff concludes that

the proposed increase in power is not

expected to result in a significant

environmental impact.

Radiological Environmental

Assessment

Radwaste Systems

The reactor coolant contains activated

corrosion products, which are the result

of metallic materials entering the water

and being activated in the reactor

region. Under power uprate conditions,

the feedwater flow increases with power

and the activation rate in the reactor

region increases with power. The net

result may be an increase in the

activated corrosion product production.

However, the total volume of processed

waste is not expected to increase

appreciably.

Non-condensible radioactive gas from

the main condenser, along with air

inleakage, normally contains activation

gases (principally N–16, O–19 and N–

13) and fission product radioactive

noble gases. This is the major source of

radioactive gas (greater than all other

sources combined). These noncondensible gases, along with nonradioactive air, are continuously

removed from the main condensers

which discharge into the offgas system.

The gaseous effluents will remain

within the original limits following

implementation of power uprate.

EOI has concluded that the operation

of the radwaste systems at RBS will not

be impacted by operation at uprated

power conditions and the slight increase

in effluents discharged would continue

to meet the requirements of Part 20 of

Title 10 of the Code of Federal

Regulations (10 CFR) and 10 CFR Part

50, Appendix I. Therefore, power uprate

will not appreciably affect the ability to

process liquid or gaseous radioactive

effluents and there are no significant

environmental effects from radiological

releases.

Dose Consideration

EOI evaluated the effects of power

uprate on the radiation sources within

the plant and radiation levels during

normal and post-accident conditions.

Post-operation radiation levels in most

areas of the plant are expected to

increase by no more than the percentage

increase in power level. In a few areas

near the spent fuel pool cooling system

piping and the reactor water piping,

where accumulation of corrosion

product crud is expected, as well as

near some liquid radwaste equipment,

the increase could be slightly higher. In

this regard, procedural controls are

expected to compensate for increased

radiation levels. Occupational doses for

normal operations will be maintained

within acceptable limits by the site aslow-as-reasonably-achievable program.

Power uprate does not involve

significant increases in the offsite doses

to the public from noble gases, airborne

particulates, iodine, tritium, or liquid

effluents. A review of the normal

radiological effluent doses shows that,

at the current power level, doses are less

than one percent of the doses allowed

by Technical Specifications (TSs).

Present offsite radiation levels are a

negligible portion of background

radiation. Therefore, the normal offsite

doses are not significantly affected by

operation at the uprated power level

and remain below the limits of 10 CFR

Part 20 and 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix

I.

The change in core inventory

resulting from power uprate is expected

to increase post-accident radiation

levels by no more than the percentage

increase in power level. The licensee

reanalyzed the control rod drop

accident, the loss-of-coolant accident

(LOCA), the fuel handling accident, the

instrument line break accident, and the

main steam line break accident for

power uprate conditions. The slight

increase in the post-accident radiation

levels has no significant effect on the

plant nor on the habitability of the

control room envelope, the Emergency

Operations Facility, or the Technical

Support Center. Thus, the licensee has

determined that access to areas

requiring post-accident occupancy will

not be significantly affected by power

uprate. The licensee evaluated the

whole body and thyroid doses at the

exclusion area boundary that might

result from the postulated design basis

LOCA and determined that doses

remain below established regulatory

limits. Therefore, the results of the

radiological analyses remain below the

10 CFR Part 100 guidelines and all

radiological safety margins are

maintained.