2010-5674. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

ACTION:

Notice of pending NRC action to submit an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and solicitation of public comment.

SUMMARY:

The NRC invites public comment about our intention to request the OMB's approval for renewal of an existing information collection that is summarized below. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

Information pertaining to the requirement to be submitted:

1. The title of the information collection: NRC Forms 540 and 540A, “Uniform Low-Level Radioactive Waste Manifest (Shipping Paper) and Continuation Page”; NRC Forms 541 and 541A, “Uniform Low-Level Radioactive Waste Manifest, Container and Waste Description, and Continuation Page”; NRC Forms 542 and 542A, “Uniform Low-Level Radioactive Waste Manifest, Index and Regional Compact Tabulation, and Continuation Page”.

2. Current OMB approval number: 3150-0164, 3150-0165, and 3150-0166.

3. How often the collection is required: Forms are used by shippers whenever radioactive waste is shipped. Quarterly or less frequent reporting is made to Agreement States depending on specific license conditions. No reporting is made to the NRC.

4. Who is required or asked to report: All NRC or Agreement State low-level waste facilities licensed pursuant to 10 CFR Part 61 or equivalent Agreement State regulations. All generators, collectors, and processors of low-level waste intended for disposal at a low- level waste facility must complete the appropriate forms.

5. The number of annual respondents:

NRC Form 540 and 540A: 220

NRC Form 541 and 541A: 220

NRC Form 542 and 542A: 22

6. The number of hours needed annually to complete the requirement or request:

NRC Form 540 and 540A: 4,200

NRC Form 541 and 541A: 18,480

NRC Form 542 and 542A: 567

7. Abstract: NRC Forms 540, 541, and 542, together with their continuation pages, designated by the “A” suffix, provide a set of standardized forms to meet Department of Transportation (DOT), NRC, and State requirements. The forms were developed by NRC at the request of low-level waste industry groups. The forms provide uniformity and efficiency in the collection of information contained in manifests which are required to control transfers of low-level radioactive waste intended for disposal at a land disposal facility. NRC Form 540 contains information needed to satisfy DOT shipping paper requirements in 49 CFR Part 172 and the waste tracking requirements of NRC in 10 CFR Part 20. NRC Form 541 contains information needed by disposal site facilities to safely dispose of low-level waste and information to meet NRC and State requirements regulating these activities. NRC Form 542, completed by waste collectors or processors, contains information which facilitates tracking the identity of the waste generator. That tracking becomes more complicated when the waste forms, dimensions, or packagings are changed by the waste processor. Each container of waste shipped from a waste processor may contain waste from several different generators. The information provided on NRC Form 542 permits the States and Compacts to know the original generators of low-level waste, as authorized by the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985, so they can ensure that waste is disposed of in the appropriate Compact.

Submit, by May 17, 2010 comments that address the following questions:

1. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the NRC to properly perform its functions? Does the information have practical utility?

2. Is the burden estimate accurate?

3. Is there a way to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected?

4. How can the burden of the information collection be minimized, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology?

A copy of the draft supporting statement may be viewed free of charge at the NRC Public Document Room, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Room O-1 F21, Rockville, Maryland 20852. OMB clearance requests are available at the NRC worldwide Web site: http://www.nrc.gov/​public-involve/​doc-comment/​omb/​index.html. The document will be available on the NRC home page site for 60 days after the signature date of this notice. Comments submitted in writing or in electronic form will be made available for public inspection. Because your comments will not be edited to remove any identifying or contact information, the NRC cautions you against including any information in your submission that you do not want to be publicly disclosed. Comments submitted should reference Docket No. NRC-2010-0091. You may submit your comments by any of the following methods. Electronic comments: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket No. NRC-2010-0091. Mail comments to NRC Clearance Officer, Tremaine Donnell (T-5 F52), U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. Questions about the information collection requirements may be directed to the NRC Clearance Officer, Tremaine Donnell (T-5 F52), U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, by telephone at 301-415-6258, or by e-mail to [e-mail].

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 10th day of March 2010.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Tremaine Donnell,

NRC Clearance Officer, Office of Information Services.