Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 139 /Tuesday, July 21, 1998 / Notices 39115

Register on November 5, 1996. Where

these changes represent a change to the

current licensing basis for SSES, Units

1 and 2, they have been justified on a

case-by-case and will be described in

the staff’s safety evaluation to be issued

with the license amendment.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed

Action

The Commission has completed its

evaluation of the proposed action and

concludes that the proposed TS

conversion would not increase the

probability or consequences of accidents

previously analyzed and would not

affect facility radiation levels or facility

radiological effluents.

Changes that are administrative in

nature would have no effect on the

technical content of the TSs and are

acceptable. The increased clarity and

understanding these changes bring to

the TSs are expected to improve the

operator’s control of the plant in normal

and accident conditions.

Relocation of requirements to

licensee-controlled documents would

not change the requirements

themselves. Future changes to these

requirements may be made by the

licensee under 10 CFR 50.59 or other

NRC-approved control mechanisms,

which ensures continued maintenance

of adequate requirements. All such

relocations have been found to be in

conformance with the guidelines of

NUREG–1433 and the Final Policy

Statement, and, therefore, are

acceptable.

Changes involving more restrictive

requirements would be likely to

enhance the safety of plant operations

and are acceptable.

Changes involving less restrictive

requirements have been reviewed

individually. When requirements have

been shown to provide little or no safety

benefit or to place unnecessary burdens

on plant operations, those requirements

have been relaxed in an overall effort to

enhance safety. The changes will not

increase the probability or consequences

of accidents, no changes are being made

in the types of any effluents that may be

released offsite, and there is no

significant increase in the allowable

individual or cumulative occupational

radiation exposure. Accordingly, the

Commission concludes that there are no

significant radiological environmental

impacts associated with the proposed

action.

With regard to potential

nonradiological impacts, the proposed

action does involve features located

entirely within the restricted area as

defined in 10 CFR Part 20. It does not

affect nonradiological plant effluents

and has no other environmental impact.

Accordingly, the Commission

concludes that there are no significant

nonradiological environmental impacts

associated with the proposed action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

Since the Commission has concluded

there is no measurable environmental

impact associated with the proposed

action, any alternatives with equal or

greater environmental impact need not

be evaluated. The principal alternative

to this action would be to deny the

request for the amendment. Such action

would not reduce the environmental

impacts of plant operations.

Alternative Use of Resources

This action does not involve the use

of any resources not previously

considered in the Final Environmental

Statement related to the operation of the

SSES, Units 1 and 2, dated June 1981.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

In accordance with its stated policy,

on June 19, 1998, the staff consulted

with the Pennsylvania State official, Mr.

M. Mangi of the Pennsylvania

Department of Environmental Protection

Bureau, Division of Nuclear Safety,

regarding the environmental impact of

the proposed action. The State official

had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

Based upon the environmental

assessment, the Commission concludes

that the proposed action will not have

a significant effect on the quality of the

human environment. Accordingly, the

Commission has determined not to

prepare an environmental impact

statement for the proposed action.

For further details with respect to the

proposed action, see the licensee’s letter

dated August 1, 1996, as supplemented

by letters dated November 26, 1997,

January 6, March 2, April 24, and June

18, 1998, which 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

located at the Osterhout Free Library,

Reference Department, 71 South

Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 15th day

of July 1998.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Robert A. Capra,

Director, Project Directorate I–2, Division of

Reactor Projects—I/II, Office of Nuclear

Reactor Regulation.

[FR Doc. 98–19364 Filed 7–20–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P

NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

Potential for Degradation of the

Emergency Core Cooling System and

the Containment Spray System After a

Loss-of-Coolant Accident Because of

Construction and Protective Coating

Deficiencies and Foreign Material in

Containment; Issue

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory

Commission.

ACTION: Notice of Issuance.

SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (NRC) has issued Generic

Letter (GL) 98–04 to all holders of

operating licenses for nuclear power

reactors, except those who have

permanently ceased operations and

have certified that fuel has been

permanently removed from the reactor

vessel, to alert licensees to the fact that

foreign material continues to be found

inside operating nuclear power plant

containments. During a design basis

loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA), this

foreign material could block the

emergency core cooling system (ECCS)

or safety-related containment spray

system (CSS) flow paths or damage

ECCS or safety-related CSS equipment.

In addition, construction deficiencies

and problems with the material

condition of ECCS structures, systems,

and components (SSCs) inside the

containment continue to be found.

Design deficiencies also have been

found which could potentially degrade

the ECCS or safety-related CSS. No

actions or information are requested

regarding these issues. The NRC has

issued many previous generic

communications on this subject and

expects licensees to have considered

possible actions at their facilities to

address these concerns.

The NRC is also issuing this generic

letter to alert licensees to the problems

associated with the material condition

of protective coatings inside the

containment and to request information

under 10 CFR 50.54(f) for the purpose

of evaluating their programs for

ensuring that protective coatings do not

detach from their substrate during a

design basis LOCA and interfere with

the operation of the ECCS and the

safety-related CSS. The NRC intends to

use this information to assess whether

current regulatory requirements are

being correctly implemented and

whether they should be revised.

The NRC expects addressees to ensure

that the ECCS and the safety-related CSS

remain capable of performing their

intended safety functions. The NRC will

conduct inspections to ensure
39116 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 139 /Tuesday, July 21, 1998 / Notices

compliance with existing licensing

bases and respond to discovered

inadequacies with aggressive

enforcement consistent with its

enforcement policy.

The generic letter is available in the

NRC Public Document Room under

accession number 9807010291.

DATES: The generic letter was issued on

July 14, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Not applicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

James A. Davis, at (301) 415–2713.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

generic letter does not constitute a

backfit as defined in 10 CFR 50.109(a)(1)

since it does not impose modifications

of or additions to structures, systems or

components or to design or operation of

an addressee’s facility. It also does not

impose an interpretation of the

Commission’s rules that is either new or

different from a previous staff position.

The staff, therefore, has not performed

a backfit analysis.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 14th day

of July 1998.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Jack W. Roe,

Acting Director, Division of Reactor Program

Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor

Regulation.

[FR Doc. 98–19363 Filed 7–20–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD

Agency Forms Submitted for OMB

Review

AGENCY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44

U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Railroad

Retirement Board (RRB) has submitted

the following proposal(s) for the

collection of information to the Office of

Management and Budget for review and

approval.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSAL(S):

(1) Collection title: Pay Rate Report.

(2) Form(s) submitted: UI–1e.

(3) OMB Number: 3220–0097.

(4) Expiration date of current OMB

clearance: 9/30/1998.

(5) Type of request: Revision of a

currently approved collection.

(6) Respondents: Individuals or

households.

(7) Estimated annual number of

respondents: 750.

(8) Total annual responses: 750.

(9) Total annual reporting hours: 63.

(10) Collection description: Under the

Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act.

The daily benefit rate for unemployment

and sickness benefits depends on the

employee’s last daily rate of pay. The

report obtains information from the

employee and verification from the

employer of the claimed rate of pay for

use in determining whether an increase

in the daily benefit rate is due.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Copies of the form and supporting

documents can be obtained from Chuck

Mierzwa, the agency clearance officer

(312–751–3363). Comments regarding

the information collection should be

addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad

Retirement Board, 844 North Rush

Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611–2092 and

the OMB reviewer, Laura Oliven (202)

395–7316), Office of Management and

Budget, Room 10230, New Executive

Office Building, Washington, D.C.

20503.

Chuck Mierzwa,

Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 98–19381 Filed 7–20–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905–01–M

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD

Agency Forms Submitted for OMB

Review

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44

U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Railroad

Retirement Board (RRB) has submitted

the following proposal(s) for the

collection of information to the Office of

Management and Budget for review and

approval.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSAL(S):

(1) Collection title: Report of Medicaid

State Office Buy-In Status.

(2) Form(s) submitted: RL–380–F.

(3) OMB Number: 3220–0185.

(4) Expiration date of current OMB

clearance: 9/30/1998.

(5) Type of request: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

(6) Respondents: State Government.

(7) Estimated annual number of

respondents: 600.

(8) Total annual responses: 600.

(9) Total annual reporting hours: 100.

(10) Collection description: Under the

Railroad Retirement Act, the Railroad

Retirement Board administers the

Medicare program for persons covered

by the railroad retirement system. The

collection obtains the information

needed to determine if certain railroad

beneficiaries are entitled to receive

Supplemental Medical Insurance

program coverage under a state buy-in

agreement in states in which they

reside.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Copies of the form and supporting

documents can be obtained from Chuck

Mierzwa, the agency clearance officer

(312–751–3363). Comments regarding

the information collection should be

addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad

Retirement Board, 844 North Rush

Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611–2092 and

the OMB reviewer, Laura Oliven (202–

395–7316), Office of Management and

Budget, Room 10230, New Executive

Office Building, Washington, DC 20503.

Chuck Mierzwa,

Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 98–19382 Filed 7–20–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs

Administration

Office of Hazardous Materials Safety;

Notice of Applications for Exemptions

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: List of applicants for

exemptions.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

procedures governing the application

for, and the processing of, exemptions

from the Department of Transportation’s

Hazardous Materials Regulations (49

CFR Part 107, Subpart B), notice is

hereby given that the Office of

Hazardous Materials Safety has received

the applications described herein. Each

mode of transportation for which a

particular exemption is requested is

indicated by a number in the ‘‘Nature of

Application’’ portion of the table below

as follows: 1—Motor vehicle, 2—Rail

freight, 3—Cargo vessel, 4—Cargo

aircraft only, 5—Passenger carrying

aircraft.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before August 20, 1998.

ADDRESS COMMENTS TO: Records Center,

Research and Special Programs,

Administration, U.S. Department of

Transportation, Washington, DC 20590.

Comments should refer to the

application number and be submitted in

triplicate. If confirmation of receipt of

comments is desired, include a selfaddressed stamped postcard showing

the exemption application number.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Copies of the applications (See Docket

Number) are available for inspection at

the New Docket Management Facility,

PL–401, at the U.S. Department of

Transportation, Nassif Building, 400 7th

Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590.

This notice of receipt of applications

for new exemptions is published in

accordance with Part 107 of the

Hazardous Materials Transportation Act

(49 U.S.C. 1806; 49 CFR 1.53(e)).