[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 246 (Thursday, December 23, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 72019]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-33350]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

10 CFR Part 72

RIN 3150-AG36


List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: (VSC-24) Revision; 
Withdrawal of Direct Final Rule

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Direct final rule; withdrawal.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is withdrawing a 
direct final rule that would have revised the Pacific Sierra Nuclear 
Associates (PSNA) VSC-24 cask system listing within the ``List of 
Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks'' to include Amendment No. 1 to the 
Certificate of Compliance. The NRC is taking this action because it has 
received significant adverse comments in response to an identical 
proposed rule which was concurrently published with the direct final 
rule.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stan Turel, Office of Nuclear 
Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555. Telephone (301) 415-6234 (E-mail: [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 22, 1999 (64 FR 51187), the NRC 
published in the Federal Register a direct final rule amending its 
regulations in 10 CFR 72.214 to revise the PSNA VSC-24 cask system 
listing within the ``List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks'' to 
include Amendment No. 1 to the Certificate of Compliance. Amendment No. 
1 modifies the present cask system design to permit a licensee to store 
burnable poison rod assemblies in VSC-24 casks along with the spent 
fuel under the provisions of the general license issued under 10 CFR 
72.210. The direct final rule was to become effective on December 6, 
1999. The NRC also concurrently published an identical proposed rule on 
September 22, 1999 (64 FR 51270).
    In the September 22, 1999, direct final rule, NRC stated that if 
any significant adverse comments were received, a notice of timely 
withdrawal of the direct final rule would be published in the Federal 
Register. As a result, the direct final rule would not take effect.
    On December 3, 1999, the NRC published a document extending the 
effective date of the direct final rule from December 6, 1999 to 
January 5, 2000 (64 FR 67700). The NRC received significant adverse 
comments on the direct final rule; therefore, the NRC is withdrawing 
the direct final rule. As stated in the September 22, 1999, direct 
final rule, NRC will address the comments received on the September 22, 
1999, companion proposed rule in a subsequent final rule. The NRC will 
not initiate a second comment period on this action.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 17th day of December, 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Carl J. Paperiello,
Acting Executive Director for Operations.
[FR Doc. 99-33350 Filed 12-22-99; 8:45 am]
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