10 CFR Part 51, Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions
Revision of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
10/04/2024
Requested
Previously Approved
07/31/2025
08/31/2027
27
27
100,712
140,000
0
0
PROPOSED RULE - Generic Environmental Impact Statement for Licensing of New Nuclear Reactors
The NRC is proposing to amend the regulations that govern the NRCâs environmental reviews of new nuclear reactor applications under NEPA. The NRCâs regulations in § 51.45, Environmental report,â require each applicant to prepare and submit an environmental report which includes, among other things, a description of the proposed action, a statement of its purposes, a description of the environment affected, and a discussion of the environmental impacts of the proposed action and alternatives. The rulemaking would codify the generic findings of NUREG-2249, âGeneric Environmental Impact Statement for Licensing of New Nuclear Reactorsâ (NR GEIS), which presents impact analyses for the environmental issues common to many new nuclear reactors that can be addressed generically, thereby eliminating the need to repeatedly reproduce the same analyses each time a licensing application is submitted. The proposed rule would reduce burden on an applicant because they would not be required to assess the environmental impacts of NR GEIS Category 1 issues if: 1) the applicant has demonstrated that it has met the bounding values and assumption of each PPE and SPE parameter relevant to that Category 1 issue, and 2) the applicant has not identified any new and significant information that would change a conclusion related to a Category 1 issue in the NR GEIS. If a value or assumption is not met, then the applicant may be able to limit its analysis to just the impact of not meeting the value or assumption. Similarly, if the applicant identifies new and significant information that would change a conclusion in the NR GEIS, then the applicant may be able to limit its analysis to just the impact of the new and significant information. To comply with NEPA, the NRC uses the information in the environmental report along other information to conduct an independent environmental evaluation.
The NR GEIS and associated rulemaking incorporates text to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the environmental review for new nuclear reactor applications by codifying the NR GEIS findings in Table C-1 in Appendix C to Subpart A of 10 CFR Part 51. Improving the effectiveness and efficiency of new nuclear reactor environmental reviews will reduce the cost to industry in preparing environmental reports for new nuclear reactor applications and focuses resources on project-specific analyses. Burden for the 10 CFR Part 51 information collection will be reduced by 39,288 hours, from 140,000 to 100,712 hours.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Draft NUREG-2249, Generic Environmental Impact Statement for Licensing of New Nuclear Reactors.pdf
Regulatory Analysis for GEIS for New Reactor Licensing.docx
10 CFR Part 51, Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory