The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a draft regulatory guide for public comment. Regulatory Guides are developed to describe and make available to the public such information as methods acceptable to the NRC staff for implementing specific parts of the NRC's regulations, techniques used by the staff in evaluating specific problems or postulated accidents, and data needed by the staff in its review of applications for permits and licenses.

This draft guide, temporarily identified by its task number, DG-1117 (which should be mentioned in all correspondence concerning this draft guide), is Draft Regulatory Guide DG-1117, “Control of Combustible Gas Concentrations in Containment.” This draft guide is being developed to propose guidance acceptable to the NRC staff on meeting the requirements of a proposed amendment to 10 CFR 50.44. The Proposed Section 50.44 would provide requirements for the mitigation of combustible gas generated by a beyond-design-basis accident.

This draft guide has not received complete staff approval and does not represent an official NRC staff position.

Comments may be accompanied by relevant information or supporting data. Written comments may be submitted to the Rules and Directives Branch, Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555. Copies of comments received may be examined at the NRC Public Document Room, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD. Comments will be most helpful if received by October 16, 2002.

Comments received after this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the NRC is able to assure consideration only for comments received on or before this date.

You may also provide comments via the NRC's interactive rulemaking web site through the NRC home page. This site provides the ability to upload comments as files (any format) if your web browser supports that function. For information about the interactive rulemaking web site, contact Ms. Carol Gallagher, (301) 415-5905; e-mail CAG@NRC.GOV. For information about the draft guide and the related documents, contact Mr. D.C. Cullison at (301) 415-1212; e-mail DGC@NRC.GOV.

Although a time limit is given for comments on this draft guide, comments and suggestions in connection with items for inclusion in guides currently being developed or improvements in all published guides are encouraged at any time.

Regulatory guides are available for inspection at the NRC's Public Document Room, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD; the PDR's mailing address is USNRC PDR, Washington, DC 20555; telephone (301) 415-4737 or (800) 397-4205; fax (301) 415-3548; email PDR@NRC.GOV. Regulatory guides are posted on NRC's web page, <http://WWW.NRC.GOV> in the Electronic Reading Room. Requests for single copies of draft or final guides (which may be reproduced) or for placement on an automatic distribution list for single copies of future draft guides in specific divisions should be made in writing to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Attention: Reproduction and Distribution Services Section; or by e-mail to <DISTRIBUTION@NRC.GOV>; or by fax to (301) 415-2289. Telephone requests cannot be accommodated. Regulatory guides are not copyrighted, and Commission approval is not required to reproduce them.