[Federal Register: March 29, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 61)]
[Notices]               
[Page 15257-15258]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29mr02-125]                         

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

 
Yucca Mountain Review Plan, NUREG-1804, Revision 2,; Draft Report 
for Comment

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is announcing the 
availability of, and requesting comments on, ``Yucca Mountain Review 
Plan, NUREG-1804, Revision 2, Draft Report for Comment.'' The ``Yucca 
Mountain Review Plan'' provides guidance to the NRC staff for 
evaluating a potential license application for a geologic repository.

DATES: Comments should be submitted at the public meetings, or in 
writing by March 29, 2002. Comments received after this date will be 
considered, if it is practical to do so, but the Commission is able to 
assure consideration only for comments received on or before this date.
    In addition to providing opportunity for written (and electronic) 
comments, public meetings on the ``Yucca Mountain Review Plan'' will be 
held during the public comment period. A notice announcing these 
meetings will be published in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to: Michael T. Lesar, Chief, Rules 
and Directives Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Office of 
Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Mail Stop T-6D59, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001. Deliver comments to 11545 Rockville Pike, 
Rockville, Maryland, between 7:45 a.m. and 4:15 p.m., on Federal 
workdays.
    Copies of any comments received and documents related to this 
action may be examined at the NRC Public Document Room, One White Flint 
North, Public File Area O1-F21, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, 
Maryland. Documents are also available electronically at NRC's Public 
Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-

[[Page 15258]]

rm.html. From this site, the public can gain entry into NRC's Agency-
wide Documents Access and Management System, which provides text and 
image files of NRC's public documents. For more information, contact 
the NRC's Public Document Room Reference staff by telephone at (800) 
397-4209, (301) 415-4737, or e-mail: pdr@nrc.gov.
    The document is also available at NRC's website at: http://
www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr1804/. You may 
also send comments electronically from this website by clicking on 
comment form. If a hard copy is preferred, a free single copy of the 
``Yucca Mountain Review Plan, NUREG-1804, Revision 2, Draft Report for 
Comment,'' may be requested by writing to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, ATTN: Reproduction and Distribution Services Branch, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001; sending an e-mail to Distribution@nrc.gov; 
or by sending a fax to (301) 415-2289. A copy of the ``Yucca Mountain 
Review Plan, NUREG-1804, Revision 2, Draft Report for Comment,'' is 
also available for inspection, and copying for a fee, in the NRC's 
Public Document Room, One White Flint North, Public File Area O1-F21, 
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Jeffrey A. Ciocco, High-Level Waste 
Branch, Division of Waste Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety 
and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Mail Stop T-7F3, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone (301) 415-6391, e-mail: 
jac3@nrc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The licensing criteria are contained in the 
Commission's regulations (part 63), ``Disposal of High-Level 
Radioactive Wastes in a Proposed Geologic Repository at Yucca Mountain, 
NV'' (November 2, 2001; 66 FR 55732). The Secretary of Energy has 
recommended to President Bush the Yucca Mountain site for the 
development of a nuclear waste repository. President Bush has notified 
Congress that Yucca Mountain is qualified for a construction permit 
application. The law now gives Nevada the opportunity to disapprove the 
President's recommendation, and, if they do, then Congress will have an 
opportunity to act. The Department of Energy (DOE) would submit any 
license application to the NRC. NRC then must review and either approve 
or disapprove the license application.
    The principal purpose of the ``Yucca Mountain Review Plan'' is to 
ensure the quality and uniformity of NRC staff review of a potential 
license application. The ``Yucca Mountain Review Plan'' has separate 
sections for reviews of repository safety before permanent closure, 
repository safety after permanent closure, the research and development 
program to resolve safety questions, the performance confirmation 
program, and administrative and programmatic requirements. Each of 
these sections would support NRC's review of DOE's compliance 
determination with specific regulatory requirements from part 63. The 
regulations and the Yucca Mountain Review Plan'' are risk-informed and 
performance-based to the extent practical.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 22nd day of March 2002.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Janet R. Schlueter,
Chief, High-Level Waste Branch, Division of Waste Management, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 02-7606 Filed 3-28-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P