2013-18315. Revisions to Environmental Review for Renewal of Nuclear Power Plant Operating Licenses; Correction

AGENCY:

Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION:

Final rule; correcting amendment.

SUMMARY:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is correcting a final rule that was published in the Federal Register on June 20, 2013, and effective on July 22, 2013. The final rule amended the NRC's environmental protection regulations by updating the Commission's 1996 findings on the environmental effect of renewing the operating license of a nuclear power plant. Compliance with the provisions of the rule is required by June 20, 2014. This correcting amendment is necessary to clarify and correct the revisions made to the statutory authority that is cited in the authority citation of the final rule.

DATES:

This correction is effective on July 31, 2013.

ADDRESSES:

Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2008-0608 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information for this final rule. You may access information related to this final rule, which the NRC possesses and is publicly available, by any of the following methods:

• Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2008-0608. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: [phone]; email: [e-mail]. For technical questions, contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document.
• NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): You may access publicly available documents online in the NRC Library at http://www.nrc.gov/​reading-rm/​adams.html. To begin the search, select “ADAMS Public Documents” and then select “Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.” For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to [e-mail]. The ADAMS accession number for each document referenced in this document (if that document is available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that a document is referenced.
• NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Leslie S. Terry, Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone: [phone], email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Discussion

On June 20, 2013 (78 FR 37281), the NRC published a final rule in the Federal Register 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. This document is necessary to clarify and correct the revisions made to the statutory authority that is cited in the authority citation for part 51 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR). The revisions made to the authority citation in the final rule were administrative in nature and did not change the statutory authority. The authority citation for 10 CFR part 51 is corrected by inserting missing punctuation and changing incorrect punctuation.

II. Rulemaking Procedure

Because this amendment constitutes a minor technical correction to the NRC's authority citation for the prior final rule amending its environmental protection regulations, the Commission finds that the notice and comment provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act are unnecessary and is exercising its authority under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) to publish this amendment as a final rule. This amendment does not require action by any person or entity regulated by the NRC. Also, the final rule does not change the substantive responsibilities of any person or entity regulated by the NRC.

List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 51

Administrative practice and procedure, Environmental impact statement, Nuclear materials, Nuclear power plants and reactors, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

For the reasons set out in the preamble and under the authority of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended; the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as amended; and 5 U.S.C. 552 and 553, 10 CFR part 51 is corrected by making the following correcting amendment.

PART 51—ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REGULATIONS FOR DOMESTIC LICENSING AND RELATED REGULATORY FUNCTIONS

1. The authority citation for part 51 is revised to read as follows:

Authority: Atomic Energy Act sec. 161, 1701 (42 U.S.C. 2201, 2297f); Energy Reorganization Act secs. 201, 202, 211 (42 U.S.C. 5841, 5842, 5851); Government Paperwork Elimination Act sec. 1704 (44 U.S.C. 3504 note). Subpart A also issued under National Environmental Policy Act secs. 102, 104, 105 (42 U.S.C. 4332, 4334, 4335); Pub. L. 95-604, Title II, 92 Stat. 3033-3041; Atomic Energy Act sec. 193 (42 U.S.C. 2243). Sections 51.20, 51.30, 51.60, 51.80, and 51.97 also issued under Nuclear Waste Policy Act secs. 135, 141, 148 (42 U.S.C. 10155, 10161, 10168). Section 51.22 also issued under Atomic Energy Act sec. 274 (42 U.S.C. 2021) and under Nuclear Waste Policy Act sec. 121 (42 U.S.C. 10141). Sections 51.43, 51.67, and 51.109 also issued under Nuclear Waste Policy Act sec. 114(f) (42 U.S.C. 10134(f)).

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 25th day of July 2013.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Cindy Bladey,

Chief, Rules, Announcements, and Directives Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Office of Administration.