[Federal Register: December 4, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 233)]
[Rules and Regulations]               
[Page 72091]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04de02-1]                         




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Rules and Regulations
                                                Federal Register
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


10 CFR Chapter 1


RIN 3150-AF61


 
Electronic Maintenance and Submission of Information Revision, 
Withdrawal of Direct Final Rule


AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.


ACTION: Direct final rule: Withdrawal.


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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is withdrawing a 
direct final rule that would have amended its rules to clarify when and 
how licensees and other members of the public might use electronic 
means to communicate with the agency. The NRC is taking this action 
because it has received significant adverse comments on the rule. Those 
comments will now be considered as comments on the identical proposed 
rule that was published concurrently with the direct final rule. The 
agency will address those comments in a later final rule.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John A. Skoczlas, (301) 415-7186, 
EIE@nrc.gov; or Brenda J. Shelton, (301) 415-7233, bjs1@nrc.gov.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 6, 2002 (67 FR 57084), the NRC 
published a direct final rule in the Federal Register amending its 
regulations to clarify when and how the public might communicate with 
the agency through electronic media. Appended to the rule, for comment, 
was guidance on how to submit documents to the agency electronically. 
The direct final rule and the guidance were to have become effective on 
December 5, 2002. The NRC also concurrently published for comment an 
identical proposed rule on September 6, 2002 (67 FR 57120).
    In the September 6, 2002, notice of the direct final rule, the NRC 
stated that if any significant adverse comments were received, a timely 
notice of withdrawal of the direct final rule would be published in the 
Federal Register, and no rule and guidance would take effect until the 
comments had been addressed and rule text revised if necessary.
    The NRC received significant adverse comments on the rule; 
therefore, the NRC is withdrawing the direct final rule, and neither it 
nor the guidance that was appended to it will take effect on December 
5, 2002. As stated in the September 6, 2002, notice of the direct final 
rule, the NRC will now treat the comments as comments on the companion 
proposed rule, and will address those comments in a later final rule. 
The NRC will not initiate a second comment period on the rule.


    Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 27th day of November, 2002.


    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Annette Vietti-Cook,
Secretary of the Commission.
[FR Doc. 02-30704 Filed 12-3-02; 8:45 am]

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