The preapproval
is contingent upon the adoption of the final rule. It is requested
that NRC update ROCIS with the Federal Register citation once the
final rule has been published.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
04/30/2016
01/31/2016
01/31/2016
54
0
48
98,814
0
100,783
0
0
0
FINAL RULE, 10 CFR Part 51, Revisions
to Environmental Review for Renewal of Nuclear Power Plant
Operating Licenses The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is
amending its environmental protection regulations by updating the
Commission's 1996 findings on the environmental effect of renewing
the operating license of a nuclear power plant. The final rule
redefines the number of and scope of the environmental impact
issues that must be addressed by the NRC during license renewal
environmental reviews. This final rule also incorporates lessons
learned and knowledge gained from license renewal environmental
reviews conducted by the NRC since 1996. The NRC's regulatons at 10
CFR Part 51 specifies information to be provided by applicants and
licensees so that the NRC can make determinations necessary to
adhere to the policies, regulations, and public laws of the United
States, which are to be interpreted and administered in accordance
with the policies set forth in the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, as amended.
The final rule will decrease
the information collection burden for applicants for renewal of
nuclear power plant operating licenses and the total is 5,908.8
hours during a 3-year period (1,969.6 hours annually). The final
rule will decrease the annual burden for 10 CFR 51 from 100,783
hours to 94,874 hours by redefining the number and scope of the
environmental impact issues that applicants must address in their
environmental reports for renewal of nuclear power plant operating
licenses. Exhibit 3 presents the total information collection
burden reduction from 2013 through 2015 for industry and the NRC.
In the analysis done for the proposed rule, the estimated
annualized one-time reporting burden to industry for this
information collection was shown to increase by 1,800.0 hours
during the 3-year OMB clearance period. The change from a burden
increase (proposed rule) to a burden decrease (final rule) is
largely due to the following: The proposed rule analysis assumed
that a total of 18 applications were submitted to the NRC during
the 3-year OMB clearance period. The final rule analysis uses
updated information during the 3-year OMB clearance period that
assumes: 1) the NRC being bound by NEPA must use the revised
requirements to evaluate applications as of the Commission
affirmation date of the final rule (December 6, 2012), and 2)
licensee compliance with the revised requirements will not be
required until 2014 (i.e., one year from publication of the final
rule in the Federal Register). Consequently, the NRC will evaluate
13 applications during 2013, 3 in 2014 and 3 more in 2015. On the
other hand, licensees will submit 3 renewal applications to the NRC
during 2014 and 3 more in 2015. As a result of revising the number
of applications evaluated by the NRC and the number submitted by
licensees, there will be a decrease in the estimated annualized
one-time reporting burden to the NRC and industry for this
information collection. The proposed rule analysis assumed that
each applicant had to address all of the changes made to Table B-1.
The final rule analysis now assumes that each applicant addresses
only those Table B-1 changes applicable to the environmental impact
issues at the applicant's facility. Reducing the number of Table
B-1 changes addressed for some applicants will decrease the
estimated annualized one-time reporting burden to industry for this
information collection. The proposed rule analysis identified 15
issues that increased the reporting burden and 4 issues that
reduced this burden. Based on public comments received on the
proposed rule and the draft revised GEIS, a number of the
environmental impact issues identified in the proposed rule were
re-evaluated for detailed consideration in the final revised GEIS
and are reflected in changes made by the final rule. Consequently,
the final rule analysis identifies 17 issues that increase the
reporting burden and 18 issues that decrease this burden. The
change in the latter number from the proposed to final rule results
in a substantial decrease of the estimated annualized one-time
reporting burden to industry for this information collection. A
labor rate of $238/hr was used for the proposed rule analysis and
$274/hr for the final rule. However, the impact from the rise in
hourly rate is offset by the substantial increase in the number of
issues in the final rule that decrease the reporting burden to
industry for this information collection. As a result, the increase
in industry reporting burden that was determined for the proposed
rule becomes a decrease in total burden under the final rule
analysis.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
10 CFR Part 51, Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestice Licensing and Related Regulatory