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NRC RIN: 3150-AG47 Publication ID: Spring 2009 
Title: Integrated Rulemaking for Decommissioning Nuclear Power Reactors [NRC-2009-0083] 
Abstract: A staff requirements memorandum dated June 23, 1999, directed the NRC staff to consider an integrated, risk-informed decommissioning rule rather than individual rulemakings to address emergency preparedness, insurance, safeguards, operator staffing, and backfit for nuclear power plants that are being decommissioned. SECY-99-168, dated June 30, 1999, recommended that the integrated approach be approved and outlined staff plans for pursuing such a rulemaking. Accordingly, the staff has subsumed previous rulemaking activities in the areas of emergency planning, insurance, safeguards, operator staffing, and backfit into one integrated rulemaking effort. This rulemaking would apply to licensees who certified under section 50.82(a) that they have permanently ceased facility operation(s) and have permanently removed fuel from the reactor vessel. The Commission approved this approach in an SRM dated December 21, 1999. This rulemaking also would address a petition for rulemaking submitted by the North Carolina Public Utility Commission (PRM-50-57). In SECY-00-0145, dated June 28, 2000, the NRC staff recommended a decommissioning rulemaking plan in the areas of emergency planning, insurance, safeguards, operator staffing, and backfit (the integrated decommissioning rulemaking plan). The rulemaking plan relied on a draft decommissioning risk study as the basis for its recommendations. The Commission returned the rulemaking plan to the staff for rework in September 2000, based on changes to the decommissioning risk study findings. The decommissioning risk study, NUREG-1738, was issued in January 2001. After assessing the findings in the risk study, the staff presented a policy options paper to the Commission, SECY-01-0100, dated June 4, 2001, that provided options and made recommendations on issues to be addressed in the integrated rulemaking. Following the terrorist events of September 11, 2001, the NRC staff recommended and the Commission approved the withdrawal of SECY-01-0101 because of the likely changes in the staff’s position on decommissioning plant safeguards. The decommissioning policy position will be revisited when a broad-scope NRC safeguards policy is developed in response to potential terrorist acts at nuclear facilities. The schedule for the integrated rulemaking cannot be determined at this time. 
Agency: Nuclear Regulatory Commission(NRC)  Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant 
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Long-Term Actions 
Major: No  Unfunded Mandates: No 
CFR Citation: 10 CFR 50   
Legal Authority: 42 USC 2201    42 USC 5841   
Legal Deadline:  None
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
NPRM  To Be Determined    
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No  Government Levels Affected: None 
Small Entities Affected: No  Federalism: No 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No 
RIN Data Printed in the FR: No 
Agency Contact:
Mark S. Delligatti
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs ,
Washington, DC 20555-0001
Phone:301 415-8518
Email: mark.delligatti@nrc.gov