99-27761. Addendum to Subagreement Pertaining to State Resident Engineers Between the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the State of Illinois

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 205 (Monday, October 25, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57487-57488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27761]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Addendum to Subagreement Pertaining to State Resident Engineers 
Between the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the State of Illinois

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Publication of Addendum No. 1 to Subagreement No. 3 Between NRC 
and the State of Illinois.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the State of 
Illinois entered into Subagreement No. 3 on December 18, 1990 (55 FR 
51973). The Subagreement defined the way in which the NRC and the 
State, with the assistance of State Resident Engineers, cooperate in 
planning and conducting inspections of nuclear power plants in Illinois 
to ensure compliance with NRC regulations. The purpose of Addendum No. 
1 is to modify Subagreement No. 3 to address inspections at permanently 
shut down nuclear power plants in Illinois that remain under license by 
the NRC. The text of Addendum No. 1 between the NRC and the State of 
Illinois follows.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Spiros C. Droggitis, Office of State 
Programs, telephone [phone], e-mail [e-mail].

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 19th day of October, 1999.
    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Paul H. Lohaus,
Director Office of State Programs.

Addendum No. 1 to Subagreement No. 3 Pertaining to State Resident 
Engineers Between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the 
State of Illinois

I. Purpose

    The purpose of this Addendum is to modify Subagreement No. 3 
pertaining to State Resident Engineers between the U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the State of Illinois (State), 
hereafter referred to as Subagreement No. 3, to address State 
inspections at permanently shut down nuclear power plants in Illinois 
that remain under license by the NRC.

II. Background

    A. The NRC and the State entered into Subagreement No. 3 to define 
the way in which NRC and the State, with the assistance of State 
Resident Engineers will cooperate in planning and conducting 
inspections at operating nuclear power plants in Illinois. Subagreement 
No. 3 provided, among other things, for interaction and cooperation 
between State Resident Engineers and NRC Resident Inspectors. Since the 
entry into Subagreement No. 3, ``State Resident Engineers'' as referred 
to in Subagreement No. 3, have become known as ``State Resident 
Inspectors.''
    B. Since the entry into Subagreement No. 3, NRC has received notice 
that a licensed nuclear power plant in Illinois has permanently ceased 
operations and has begun decommissioning.
    C. It is NRC's practice to, approximately one year after shut down, 
withdraw its resident inspectors from licensed nuclear power plants 
that have permanently ceased operations and are undergoing 
decommissioning and to conduct inspections of such power plants with 
staff from its Regional offices.
    D. The NRC has requested and the State of Illinois has agreed, in 
accordance with Section X. of Subagreement 3, to modify the 
Subagreement to recognize the changed circumstances for licensed power 
plants that are permanently shut down, are undergoing decommissioning, 
and are no longer inspected by NRC resident inspectors, and to provide 
for continued cooperation and coordination with the State of Illinois 
with regard to inspections at such plants.

III. Modifications

    A. Subagreement No. 3 is modified as provided in this Addendum. 
Subagreement No. 3 shall remain in full and complete effect except as 
specifically modified in this Addendum. Insofar as any provisions in 
Subagreement No. 3 are inconsistent with this Addendum, this Addendum 
shall control for the purposes of decommissioning inspections at 
permanently shut down commercial nuclear power reactors.
    B. The title to Subagreement No. 3 is modified to read 
``SUBAGREEMENT NO. 3 BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION AND 
THE STATE OF ILLINOIS PERTAINING TO STATE RESIDENT INSPECTORS AND STATE 
INSPECTORS FOR DECOMMISSIONING PLANTS.''

[[Page 57488]]

    C. Section VI.C.13 of Subagreement No. 3 is modified to read as 
follows: All written communications with the licensee will be made 
through NRC. After completing its portion of a safety inspection, the 
State will document to NRC its inspection's scope, details, and results 
in a report written in the format described in the NRC Inspection 
Manual. The NRC will use the information, as appropriate, in 
preparation of the NRC's final report. The State is responsible for the 
technical adequacy of State Resident Inspector's or State Inspector's 
inspection reports.
    D. ``State Resident Engineer'' is modified in Subagreement No. 3 to 
read ``State Resident Inspector.''
    E. State personnel who conduct decommissioning inspections pursuant 
to this Addendum and who need not be resident at nuclear power plants 
shall be referred to as ``State Inspectors.''
    F. After NRC's withdrawal of its resident inspectors from licensed 
nuclear power plants in Illinois that have permanently ceased 
operations, State participation in NRC decommissioning inspections at 
these facilities will be governed by Subagreement 3 and this Addendum. 
This Addendum will not apply to State inspections conducted pursuant to 
any authority other than Subagreement No. 3.
    G. State Inspectors will be State Resident Inspectors qualified and 
certified by the State in accordance with the NRC Inspection Manual, or 
its equivalent, for the specific inspection function they are to 
perform.
    H. The State will utilize the NRC's Master Inspection Plan as the 
basis for proposing State Inspectors' participation in NRC scheduled 
decommissioning inspections. The State will submit inspection 
recommendations to the NRC Regional Administrator, Region III (or 
designee), at least one month prior to the scheduled inspection to 
allow sufficient time for NRC review and approval.
    I. The State will perform decommissioning safety inspections only 
in accordance with the inspection plans using applicable procedures in 
the NRC Inspection Manual.
    J. To facilitate cooperation and efficient use of resources, NRC 
and State Inspectors will conduct joint team decommissioning 
inspections under this Addendum. An NRC inspector will lead the team 
and be in charge of the inspection.
    K. The principal senior management contacts for this Addendum will 
be the Director, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, Region III, and 
the Manager, Office of Nuclear Facility Safety, Illinois Department of 
Nuclear Safety.

    Dated: September 28, 1999.

    For the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Frank J. Miraglia,
Acting Executive Director for Operations.
    Dated: October 4, 1999.

    For the State of Illinois.
Thomas W. Ortciger,
Director, Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety.
[FR Doc. 99-27761 Filed 10-22-99; 8:45 am]
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