10 CFR 70, Domestic Licensing
of Special Nuclear Material
Revision of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
09/05/2025
Requested
Previously Approved
10/31/2027
10/31/2027
1,039
1,036
58,922
58,814
686
676
FINAL RULE- Alternatives to the Use of
Credit Ratings The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is
amending its regulations for approved financial assurance
mechanisms for decommissioning in 10 CFR Parts 30, 40, 50, 70,
specifically for parent-company and self-guarantees that previously
required bond ratings issued by credit rating agencies and now is
replaced with a demonstration of a creditworthiness criterion. This
final rule implements the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street
Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 that directed agencies
to amend their regulations to remove any reference to or
requirement of reliance on credit ratings. This final rule affects
applicants and licensees who are required to provide
decommissioning financial assurance. The information collections
associated with the final rule have been submitted under the
following clearance numbers: 3150-XXXX Burden for 10 CFR Part 30,
Rules of General Applicability to Domestic Licensing of Byproduct
Material (this is a temporary clearance number, 3150-0017 is
currently unavailable for submissions due to the Regulatory
Framework for Fusion Machines proposed rule) 3150-0011 - 10 CFR
Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization
Facilities 3150-0009 - 10 CFR Part 70, Domestic Licensing of
Special Nuclear Material 3150-0029 - 10 CFR Part 40, Domestic
Licensing of Source Material Part 70 of title 10 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (10 CFR), establishes requirements for
licensees to own, acquire, receive, possess, use, and transfer
special nuclear material. The information in the applications,
reports, and records is used by the NRC to make licensing and or
regulatory determinations concerning the use of special nuclear
material.
The final rule’s changes to 10
CFR Part 70 will affect applicants during the period of this
clearance. The overall annual estimated burden increase due to the
final rule is 107.67 hours, covering one respondent annually. The
NRC issued this final rule to amend the approved financial
assurance mechanisms for decommissioning, specifically for
parent-company and self-guarantees that require bond ratings issued
by credit rating agencies. The rule implements the required
provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer
Protection Act of 2010. The Dodd-Frank Act directed agencies to
amend their regulations to remove any reference to or requirements
of reliance on credit ratings. Applicants and licensees that are
required to provide decommissioning financial assurance may be
impacted. The rule requires applicants and licensees that relied on
bond ratings issued by credit rating agencies for their financial
guarantee to instead rely on new financial tests currently provided
in NRC regulations that do not contain a credit rating criterion.
The NRC has revised the number of impacted entities from the
proposed rule to the final rule from 7 to 1.
$7,770,200
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Gregory Trussell 301
415-6445
No
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.
10 CFR 70, Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material