Broadening Scope of Access Authorization and Facility Security Clearance Regulations

AGENCY:

Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION:

Proposed rule.

SUMMARY:

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is proposing to amend its regulations to broaden the scope of the regulations applicable to persons who may require access to classified information, to include persons who may need access in connection with licensing and regulatory activities under the regulations that govern the disposal of high-level radioactive waste in geologic repositories, and persons who may need access in connection with other activities as the Commission may determine, such as vendors of advanced reactor designs. The Commission is also proposing to amend its regulations to broaden the scope of the regulations applicable to procedures for obtaining facility security clearances, to include persons who may need to use, process, store, reproduce, transmit, transport, or handle NRC classified information in connection with the above-identified activities. In addition, NRC is proposing to correct the scope section of the regulations that govern access authorization for licensee personnel to include certificate holders and applicants for a certificate; to clarify the definition of “license” in the regulations that govern access authorization for licensee personnel and govern facility security clearance to include a reference to the regulations that govern combined licenses; to correct a typographical error in the definition of “security container” in its facility security regulations; and to update the references to Executive Order 12958 which has been amended.

DATES:

Comments on the proposed rule must be received on or before January 14, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by any one of the following methods. Please include the following number (RIN 3150-AH52) in the subject line of your comments. Comments on rulemakings 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 personal information such as social security numbers and birth dates in your submission.

Mail comments to: Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, ATTN: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff.

E-mail comments to: SECY@nrc.gov. If you do not receive a reply e-mail confirming that we have received your comments, contact us directly at (301) 415-1966. You may also submit comments via the NRC's rulemaking Web site at http://ruleforum.llnl.gov . Address questions about our rulemaking website to Carol Gallagher (301) 415-5905; e-mail cag@nrc.gov. Comments can also be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov .

Hand deliver comments to: 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852, between 7:30 am and 4:15 pm Federal workdays. (Telephone (301) 415-1966).

Fax comments to: Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission at (301) 415-1101.

Publicly available documents related to this rulemaking may be viewed electronically on the public computers located at the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), O1 F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. The PDR reproduction contractor will copy documents for a fee. Selected documents, including comments, may be viewed and downloaded electronically via the NRC rulemaking Web site at http://ruleforum.llnl.gov .

Publicly available documents created or received at the NRC after November 1, 1999, are available electronically at the NRC's Electronic Reading Room at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html . From this site, the public can gain entry into the NRC's Agencywide Document Access and Management System (ADAMS), which provides text and image files of NRC's public documents. If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC Public Document Room (PDR) Reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737 or by e-mail to pdr@nrc.gov.

Note:

Public access to documents, including access via ADAMS and the PDR, has been temporarily suspended so that security reviews of publicly available documents may be performed and potentially sensitive information removed. However, access to the documents identified in this rule continues to be available through the rulemaking Web site at http://ruleforum.llnl.gov , which was not affected by the ADAMS shutdown. Please check with the listed NRC contact concerning any issues related to document availability.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Anthony N. Tse, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone (301) 415-6233, e-mail ant@nrc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

For additional information see the Direct Final Rule published in the final rules section of this Federal Register.

Procedural Background

Because NRC considers this action noncontroversial and routine, we are publishing this proposed rule concurrently as a direct final rule. The direct final rule will become effective on February 28, 2005. However, if the NRC receives significant adverse comments on the proposed rule by January 14, 2005, or if the NRC receives substantive comments on information collection requirements by January 14, 2005, then the NRC will publish a document to withdraw the direct final rule. If the direct final rule is withdrawn, the NRC will address the comments received in response to the proposed revisions in a subsequent final rule. Absent significant modifications to the proposed revisions requiring republication, the NRC will not initiate a second comment period for this action if the direct final rule is withdrawn.

A significant adverse comment is a comment where the commenter explains why the rule would be inappropriate, including challenges to the rule's underlying premise or approach, or would be ineffective or unacceptable without a change. A comment is adverse and significant if:

(1) The comment opposes the rule and provides a reason sufficient to require a substantive response in a notice-and-comment process. For example, a substantive response is required when:

(a) The comment causes the NRC staff to reevaluate (or reconsider) its position or conduct additional analysis;

(b) The comment raises an issue serious enough to warrant a substantive response to clarify or complete the record; or

(c) The comment raises a relevant issue that was not previously addressed or considered by the NRC staff.

(2) The comment proposes a change or an addition to the rule, and it is apparent that the rule would be ineffective or unacceptable without incorporation of the change or addition.

(3) The comment causes the staff to make a change (other than editorial) to the rule.

List of Subjects

10 CFR Part 25

• Classified information
• Criminal penalties
• Investigations
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
• Security measures

10 CFR Part 95

• Classified information
• Criminal penalties
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
• Security measures

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; the NRC is proposing to adopt the following amendments to 10 CFR Parts 25 and 95.

PART 25—ACCESS AUTHORIZATION FOR LICENSEE PERSONNEL

1. The authority citation for Part 25 is revised to read as follows:

Authority: Secs. 145, 161, 68 Stat. 942, 948, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2165, 2201); sec. 201, 88 Stat. 1242, as amended (42 U.S.C. 5841); sec. 1704, 112 Stat. 2750 (44 U.S.C. 3504 note); E.O. 10865, as amended, 3 CFR 1959-1963 Comp., p. 398 (50 U.S.C. 401, note); E.O. 12829, 3 CFR, 1993 Comp., p. 570; E.O. 12958, 3 CFR, 1995 Comp., p. 333, as amended by E.O. 13292, 3 CFR, 2004 Comp., p. 196; E.O. 12968, 3 CFR, 1995 Comp, p. 396.

Appendix A also issued under 96 Stat. 1051 (31 U.S.C. 9701).

2. Section 25.3 is revised to read as follows:

PART 95—FACILITY SECURITY CLEARANCE AND SAFEGUARDING OF NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION AND RESTRICTED DATA

6. The authority for Part 95 is revised to read as follows:

Authority: Secs. 145, 161, 193, 68 Stat. 942, 948, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2165, 2201); sec. 201, 88 Stat. 1242, as amended (42 U.S.C. 5841); sec. 1704, 112 Stat. 2750 (44 U.S.C. 3504 note); E.O. 10865, as amended, 3 CFR 1959-1963 Comp., p. 398 (50 U.S.C. 401, note); E.O. 12829, 3 CFR, 1993 Comp., p. 570; E.O. 12958, as amended, 3 CFR, 1995 Comp., p. 333, as amended by E.O. 13292, 3 CFR, 2004 Comp., p.196; E.O. 12968, 3 CFR, 1995 Comp., p. 391.

7. Section 95.3 is revised to read as follows: