[Federal Register: May 24, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 99)] [Proposed Rules] [Page 27935] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr24my99-20]

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 10 CFR Part 63 Public Meetings on Proposed Licensing Criteria for the Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Wastes in a Proposed Geologic Repository at Yucca Mountain, NV

AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice of additional public meetings in Nevada.

SUMMARY: On May 5, 1999, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) extended the public comment period on NRC's proposed rule for evaluating a possible future U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) license application requesting NRC approval of a potential repository for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada (64 FR 24092).

The NRC has regulatory responsibility over any DOE facility for commercial high-level waste disposal. The proposed NRC regulations would establish the criteria and standards against which NRC would evaluate a DOE license application for the Yucca Mountain site.

The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on February 22, 1999 (64 FR 8640). The Commission's extended public comment period expires June 30, 1999. In view of the extension, during the week of June 14, 1999, the NRC staff will hold three additional public meetings in the State of Nevada to:

(1) Engage the public in a discussion of the proposed rule; (2) outline the roles and responsibilities of government and the public in the licensing process; and (3) listen to the safety issues and concerns presented by the citizens of Nevada in order to ensure that the process for developing the final rule gives full consideration to the views and concerns of the public.

Copies of the proposed rule will be available at the public meeting and can also be obtained from Judy Goodwin, Mail Stop T-7F3, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. The meetings will open with an NRC presentation on the proposed rule, followed by public discussion. The meetings will be facilitated by Francis X. Cameron, Special Counsel for Public Liaison, of the NRC.

DATES: The first public meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 15, 1999, from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm. The second public meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 16, 1999, from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm. The third public meeting will be held on Thursday, June 17, 1999, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

ADDRESSES: The first public meeting with be held at: The Amargosa Valley Community Center in Amargosa Valley, Nevada. The second public meeting with be held at: The Richard Tam Alumni Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada. The third public meeting with be held at: The Caliente City Hall in Caliente, (Lincoln County) Nevada.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Francis X. Cameron, Special Counsel for Public Liaison, Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, or by telephone: (301) 415-1642, or by e-mail: fxc@nrc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Members of the public who are unable to attend the meeting are invited to send written comments on the proposed rule to Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff. Comments may be hand-delivered to 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland between 7:30 am and 4:15 pm on Federal workdays.

Comments may also be provided via the NRC's interactive rulemaking web site through the NRC home page (http://www.nrc.gov) This site provides the availability to upload comments as files (any format), if your web browser supports that function.

For information about the interactive rulemaking site, contact Ms. Carol Gallagher by telephone: (301) 415-5905, or by e-mail: Carol Gallagher. Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 17th day of May, 1999. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. John T. Greeves, Director, Division of Waste Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.

[FR Doc. 99-12899 Filed 5-21-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P