Press Release-10-183, NRC Seeks Comment on Proposed Regulations for Protection of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel in Transit

Press Release-10-183: NRC Seeks Comment on Proposed Regulations for Protection of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel in Transit

ML102860680
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Issue date:	10/13/2010
From:	Office of Public Affairs
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Press Release-10-183
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NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 E-mail: opa.resource@nrc.gov Site: http://www.nrc.gov No.10-183 October 13, 2010 NRC SEEKS COMMENT ON PROPOSED REGULATIONS FOR PROTECTION OF IRRADIATED NUCLEAR FUEL IN TRANSIT The Nuclear Regulatory Commission seeks public comment on proposed amendments to its regulations for the physical protection of irradiated nuclear reactor fuel during transit.

The proposed amendments would establish generic security requirements similar to measures imposed by the agency in Orders to licensees following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. They would establish acceptable performance standards and objectives for the protection of spent nuclear fuel shipments from theft, diversion, or radiological sabotage.

Details of the measures imposed by Orders over the past several years are protected as Safeguards Information. In general, the Orders resulted in enhancements in the following areas: preplanning and coordination with states and local law enforcement agencies; improved communications among movement control personnel; the development of normal and contingency procedures; and more thorough background investigations of individuals associated with the shipment. The proposed rule would address all of these areas.

The proposed rule also addresses several issues raised by the state of Nevada in a 1999 petition for rulemaking. NRCs review of the Nevada petition was put on hold following the 2001 attacks.

The proposed rule and draft guidance documents were published Oct. 13 in the Federal Register. They are available online at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-25392.pdf for the proposed rule, and http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-25784.pdf for the implementation guidance.

Comments will be accepted through Jan.11, 2011. Comments may be submitted over the federal governments rulemaking website, http://www.regulations.gov, using Docket ID:

NRC-2009-0163. They may also be emailed to Rulemaking.Comments@nrc.gov or faxed to 301- 415-1101.

News releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address:

http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC homepage at www.nrc.gov also offers a SUBSCRIBE link. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's Web site.