[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 10, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 10CFR30.72]

[Page 480-486]
 
                            TITLE 10--ENERGY
 
                CHAPTER I--NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
 
PART 30--RULES OF GENERAL APPLICABILITY TO DOMESTIC LICENSING OF BYPRODUCT MATERIAL--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 30.72  Schedule C--Quantities of radioactive materials requiring consideration of the need for an emergency plan for responding to a release.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Release   Quantity
              Radioactive material \1\               fraction   (curies)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actinium-228.......................................    0.001       4,000
Americium-241......................................     .001           2
Americium-242......................................     .001           2
Americium-243......................................     .001           2
Antimony-124.......................................     .01        4,000
Antimony-126.......................................     .01        6,000
Barium-133.........................................     .01       10,000
Barium-140.........................................     .01       30,000
Bismuth-207........................................     .01        5,000
Bismuth-210........................................     .01          600
Cadmium-109........................................     .01        1,000
Cadmium-113........................................     .01           80
Calcium-45.........................................     .01       20,000
Californium-252....................................     .001   9 (20 mg)
Carbon-14 (non-carbon dioxide).....................     .01       50,000
Cerium-141.........................................     .01       10,000
Cerium-144.........................................     .01          300
Cesium-134.........................................     .01        2,000
Cesium-137.........................................     .01        3,000
Chlorine-36........................................     .5           100
Chromium-51........................................     .01      300,000
Cobalt-60..........................................     .001       5,000
Copper-64..........................................     .01      200,000
Curium-242.........................................     .001          60
Curium-243.........................................     .001           3
Curium-244.........................................     .001           4
Curium-245.........................................     .001           2
Europium-152.......................................     .01          500
Europium-154.......................................     .01          400
Europium-155.......................................     .01        3,000
Germanium-68.......................................     .01        2,000
Gadolinium-153.....................................     .01        5,000
Gold-198...........................................     .01       30,000
Hafnium-172........................................     .01          400
Hafnium-181........................................     .01        7,000
Holmium-166m.......................................     .01          100
Hydrogen-3.........................................     .5        20,000
Iodine-125.........................................     .5            10
Iodine-131.........................................     .5            10
Indium-114m........................................     .01        1,000
Iridium-192........................................     .001      40,000
Iron-55............................................     .01       40,000
Iron-59............................................     .01        7,000
Krypton-85.........................................    1.0     6,000,000
Lead-210...........................................     .01            8
Manganese-56.......................................     .01       60,000
Mercury-203........................................     .01       10,000
Molybdenum-99......................................     .01       30,000
Neptunium-237......................................     .001           2
Nickel-63..........................................     .01       20,000
Niobium-94.........................................     .01          300
Phosphorus-32......................................     .5           100
Phosphorus-33......................................     .5         1,000
Polonium-210.......................................     .01           10
Potassium-42.......................................     .01        9,000
Promethium-145.....................................     .01        4,000
Promethium-147.....................................     .01        4,000
Ruthenium-106......................................     .01          200
Samarium-151.......................................     .01        4,000
Scandium-46........................................     .01        3,000
Selenium-75........................................     .01       10,000
Silver-110m........................................     .01        1,000
Sodium-22..........................................     .01        9,000
Sodium-24..........................................     .01       10,000
Strontium-89.......................................     .01        3,000
Strontium-90.......................................     .01           90
Sulfur-35..........................................     .5           900
Technitium-99......................................     .01       10,000
Technitium-99m.....................................     .01      400,000
Tellurium-127m.....................................     .01        5,000
Tellurium-129m.....................................     .01        5,000
Terbium-160........................................     .01        4,000
Thulium-170........................................     .01        4,000
Tin-113............................................     .01       10,000
Tin-123............................................     .01        3,000
Tin-126............................................     .01        1,000
Titanium-44........................................     .01          100
Vanadium-48........................................     .01        7,000
Xenon-133..........................................    1.0       900,000
Yttrium-91.........................................     .01        2,000
Zinc-65............................................     .01        5,000
Zirconium-93.......................................     .01          400
Zirconium-95.......................................     .01        5,000
Any other beta-gamma emitter.......................     .01       10,000
Mixed fission products.............................     .01        1,000
Mixed corrosion products...........................     .01       10,000
Contaminated equipment beta-gamma..................     .001      10,000
Irradiated material, any form other than solid          .01        1,000
 noncombustible....................................
Irradiated material, solid noncombustible..........     .001      10,000
Mixed radioactive waste, beta-gamma................     .01        1,000
Packaged mixed waste, beta-gamma \4\...............     .001      10,000

[[Page 481]]


Any other alpha emitter............................     .001           2
Contaminated equipment, alpha......................     .0001         20
Packaged waste, alpha \4\..........................     .0001         20
Combinations of radioactive materials listed above   ........  .........
 \1\...............................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ For combinations of radioactive materials, consideration of the need
  for an emergency plan is required if the sum of the ratios of the
  quantity of each radioactive material authorized to the quantity
  listed for that material in Schedule C exceeds one.
\2\ Waste packaged in Type B containers does not require an emergency
  plan.


[54 FR 14061, Apr. 7, 1989, as amended at 61 FR 9902, Mar. 12, 1996]

 Appendix A to Part 30--Criteria Relating to Use of Financial Tests and 
 Parent Company Guarantees for Providing Reasonable Assurance of Funds 
                           for Decommissioning

                             I. Introduction

    An applicant or licensee may provide reasonable assurance of the 
availability of funds for decommissioning based on obtaining a parent 
company guarantee that funds will be available for decommissioning costs 
and on a demonstration that the parent company passes a financial test. 
This appendix establishes criteria for passing the financial test and 
for obtaining the parent company guarantee.

                           II. Financial Test

    A. To pass the financial test, the parent company must meet the 
criteria of either paragraph A.1 or A.2 of this section:
    1. The parent company must have:
    (i) Two of the following three ratios: A ratio of total liabilities 
to net worth less than 2.0; a ratio of the sum of net income plus 
depreciation, depletion, and amortization to total liabilities greater 
than 0.1; and a ratio of current assets to current liabilities greater 
than 1.5; and
    (ii) Net working capital and tangible net worth each at least six 
times the current decommissioning cost estimates for the total of all 
facilities or parts thereof (or prescribed amount if a certification is 
used), or, for a power reactor licensee, at least six times the amount 
of decommissioning funds being assured by a parent company guarantee for 
the total of all reactor units or parts thereof (Tangible net worth 
shall be calculated to exclude the net book value of the nuclear 
unit(s)); and
    (iii) Tangible net worth of at least $10 million; and
    (iv) Assets located in the United States amounting to at least 90 
percent of the total assets or at least six times the current 
decommissioning cost estimates for the total of all facilities or parts 
thereof (or prescribed amount if a certification is used), or, for a 
power reactor licensee, at least six times the amount of decommissioning 
funds being assured by a parent company guarantee for the total of all 
reactor units or parts thereof.
    2. The parent company must have:
    (i) A current rating for its most recent bond issuance of AAA, AA, 
A, or BBB as issued by Standard and Poor's or Aaa, Aa, A, or Baa as 
issued by Moody's; and
    (ii) Tangible net worth each at least six times the current 
decommissioning cost estimates for the total of all facilities or parts 
thereof (or prescribed amount if a certification is used), or, for a 
power reactor licensee, at least six times the amount of decommissioning 
funds being assured by a parent company guarantee for the total of all 
reactor units or parts thereof (Tangible net worth shall be calculated 
to exclude the net book value of the nuclear unit(s)); and
    (iii) Tangible net worth of at least $10 million; and
    (iv) Assets located in the United States amounting to at least 90 
percent of the total assets or at least six times the current 
decommissioning cost estimates for the total of all facilities or parts 
thereof (or prescribed amount if a certification is used), or, for a 
power reactor licensee, at least six times the amount of decommissioning 
funds being assured by a parent company guarantee for the total of all 
reactor units or parts thereof.
    B. The parent company's independent certified public accountant must 
have compared the data used by the parent company in the financial test, 
which is derived from the independently audited, year end financial 
statements for the latest fiscal year, with the amounts in such 
financial statement. In connection with that procedure the licensee 
shall inform NRC within 90 days of any matters coming to the auditor's 
attention which cause the auditor to believe that the data specified in 
the financial test should be adjusted and that the company no longer 
passes the test.
    C. 1. After the initial financial test, the parent company must 
repeat the passage of the test within 90 days after the close of each 
succeeding fiscal year.
    2. If the parent company no longer meets the requirements of 
paragraph A of this section, the licensee must send notice to the 
Commission of intent to establish alternate financial assurance as 
specified in the Commission's regulations. The notice must be sent by 
certified mail within 90 days after the end of the fiscal year for which 
the year end financial data show that the parent company no longer meets 
the financial test requirements. The licensee must provide alternate 
financial assurance within 120 days after the end of such fiscal year.

[[Page 482]]

                      III. Parent Company Guarantee

    The terms of a parent company guarantee which an applicant or 
licensee obtains must provide that:
    A. The parent company guarantee will remain in force unless the 
guarantor sends notice of cancellation by certified mail to the licensee 
and the Commission. Cancellation may not occur, however, during the 120 
days beginning on the date of receipt of the notice of cancellation by 
both the licensee and the Commission, as evidenced by the return 
receipts.
    B. If the licensee fails to provide alternate financial assurance as 
specified in the Commission's regulations within 90 days after receipt 
by the licensee and Commission of a notice of cancellation of the parent 
company guarantee from the guarantor, the guarantor will provide such 
alternative financial assurance in the name of the licensee.
    C. The parent company guarantee and financial test provisions must 
remain in effect until the Commission has terminated the license.
    D. If a trust is established for decommissioning costs, the trustee 
and trust must be acceptable to the Commission. An acceptable trustee 
includes an appropriate State or Federal Government agency or an entity 
which has the authority to act as a trustee and whose trust operations 
are regulated and examined by a Federal or State agency.

[53 FR 24046, June 27, 1988, as amended at 63 FR 50479, Sept. 22, 1998]

  Appendix B to Part 30--Quantities \1\ of Licensed Material Requiring 
                                Labeling

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Material                           Microcuries
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Americium-241..............................................          .01
Antimony-122...............................................          100
Antimony-124...............................................           10
Antimony-125...............................................           10
Arsenic-73.................................................          100
Arsenic-74.................................................           10
Arsenic-76.................................................           10
Arsenic-77.................................................          100
Barium-131.................................................           10
Barium-133.................................................           10
Barium-140.................................................           10
Bismuth-210................................................            1
Bromine-82.................................................           10
Cadmium-109................................................           10
Cadmium-115m...............................................           10
Cadmium-115................................................          100
Calcium-45.................................................           10
Calcium-47.................................................           10
Carbon-14..................................................          100
Cerium-141.................................................          100
Cerium-143.................................................          100
Cerium-144.................................................            1
Cesium-131.................................................        1,000
Cesium-134m................................................          100
Cesium-134.................................................            1
Cesium-135.................................................           10
Cesium-136.................................................           10
Cesium-137.................................................           10
Chlorine-36................................................           10
Chlorine-38................................................           10
Chromium-51................................................        1,000
Cobalt-58m.................................................           10
Cobalt-58..................................................           10
Cobalt-60..................................................            1
Copper-64..................................................          100
Dysprosium-165.............................................           10
Dysprosium-166.............................................          100
Erbium-169.................................................          100
Erbium-171.................................................          100
Europium-152 9.2 h.........................................          100
Europium-152 13 yr.........................................            1
Europium-154...............................................            1
Europium-155...............................................           10
Fluorine-18................................................        1,000
Gadolinium-153.............................................           10
Gadolinium-159.............................................          100
Gallium-72.................................................           10
Germanium-71...............................................          100
Gold-198...................................................          100
Gold-199...................................................          100
Hafnium-181................................................           10
Holmium-166................................................          100
Hydrogen-3.................................................        1,000
Indium-113m................................................          100
Indium-114m................................................           10
Indium-115m................................................          100
Indium-115.................................................           10
Iodine-125.................................................            1
Iodine-126.................................................            1
Iodine-129.................................................          0.1
Iodine-131.................................................            1
Iodine-132.................................................           10
Iodine-133.................................................            1
Iodine-134.................................................           10
Iodine-135.................................................           10
Iridium-192................................................           10
Iridium-194................................................          100
Iron-55....................................................          100
Iron-59....................................................           10
Krypton-85.................................................          100
Krypton-87.................................................           10
Lanthanum-140..............................................           10
Lutetium-177...............................................          100
Manganese-52...............................................           10
Manganese-54...............................................           10
Manganese-56...............................................           10
Mercury-197m...............................................          100
Mercury-197................................................          100
Mercury-203................................................           10
Molybdenum-99..............................................          100
Neodymium-147..............................................          100
Neodymium-149..............................................          100
Nickel-59..................................................          100
Nickel-63..................................................           10
Nickel-65..................................................          100
Niobium-93m................................................           10
Niobium-95.................................................           10
Niobium-97.................................................           10
Osmium-185.................................................           10
Osmium-191m................................................          100
Osmium-191.................................................          100
Osmium-193.................................................          100
Palladium-103..............................................          100
Palladium-109..............................................          100
Phosphorus-32..............................................           10
Platinum-191...............................................          100
Platinum-193m..............................................          100
Platinum-193...............................................          100
Platinum-197m..............................................          100
Platinum-197...............................................          100

[[Page 483]]


Plutonium-239..............................................          .01
Polonium-210...............................................          0.1
Potassium-42...............................................           10
Praseodymium-142...........................................          100
Praseodymium-143...........................................          100
Promethium-147.............................................           10
Promethium-149.............................................           10
Radium-226.................................................          .01
Rhenium-186................................................          100
Rhenium-188................................................          100
Rhodium-103m...............................................          100
Rhodium-105................................................          100
Rubidium-86................................................           10
Rubidium-87................................................           10
Ruthenium-97...............................................          100
Ruthenium-103..............................................           10
Ruthenium-105..............................................           10
Ruthenium-106..............................................            1
Samarium-151...............................................           10
Samarium-153...............................................          100
Scandium-46................................................           10
Scandium-47................................................          100
Scandium-48................................................           10
Selenium-75................................................           10
Silicon-31.................................................          100
Silver-105.................................................           10
Silver-110m................................................            1
Silver-111.................................................          100
Sodium-24..................................................           10
Strontium-85...............................................           10
Strontium-89...............................................            1
Strontium-90...............................................          0.1
Strontium-91...............................................           10
Strontium-92...............................................           10
Sulphur-35.................................................          100
Tantalum-182...............................................           10
Technetium-96..............................................           10
Technetium-97m.............................................          100
Technetium-97..............................................          100
Technetium-99m.............................................          100
Technetium-99..............................................           10
Tellurium-125m.............................................           10
Tellurium-127m.............................................           10
Tellurium-127..............................................          100
Tellurium-129m.............................................           10
Tellurium-129..............................................          100
Tellurium-131m.............................................           10
Tellurium-132..............................................           10
Terbium-160................................................           10
Thallium-200...............................................          100
Thallium-201...............................................          100
Thallium-202...............................................          100
Thallium-204...............................................           10
Thorium (natural) \1\......................................          100
Thulium-170................................................           10
Thulium-171................................................           10
Tin-113....................................................           10
Tin-125....................................................           10
Tungsten-181...............................................           10
Tungsten-185...............................................           10
Tungsten-187...............................................          100
Uranium (natural) \2\......................................          100
Uranium-233................................................          .01
Uranium-234--Uranium-235...................................          .01
Vanadium-48................................................           10
Xenon-131m.................................................        1,000
Xenon-133..................................................          100
Xenon-135..................................................          100
Ytterbium-175..............................................          100
Yttrium-90.................................................           10
Yttrium-91.................................................           10
Yttrium-92.................................................          100
Yttrium-93.................................................          100
Zinc-65....................................................           10
Zinc-69m...................................................          100
Zinc-69....................................................        1,000
Zirconium-93...............................................           10
Zirconium-95...............................................           10
Zirconium-97...............................................           10
Any alpha emitting radionuclide not listed above or                  .01
 mixtures of alpha emitters of unknown composition.........
Any radionuclide other than alpha emitting radionuclides,             .1
 not listed above or mixtures of beta emitters of unknown
 composition...............................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Based on alpha disintegration rate of Th-232, Th-230 and their
  daughter products.
\2\ Based on alpha disintegration rate of U-238, U-234, and U-235.

    Note: For purposes of Sec. 20.303, where there is involved a 
combination of isotopes in known amounts, the limit for the combination 
should be derived as follows: Determine, for each isotope in the 
combination, the ratio between the quantity present in the combination 
and the limit otherwise established for the specific isotope when not in 
combination. The sum of such ratios for all the isotopes in the 
combination may not exceed ``1'' (i.e., ``unity'').

[35 FR 6425, Apr. 22, 1970, as amended at 36 FR 16898, Aug. 26, 1971; 38 
FR 29314, Oct. 24, 1973; 39 FR 23991, June 28, 1974; 45 FR 71763, Oct. 
30, 1980. Redesignated at 56 FR 23391, May 21, 1991, and further 
redesignated at 58 FR 67659, Dec. 22, 1993]

 Appendix C to Part 30--Criteria Relating to Use of Financial Tests and 
    Self Guarantees for Providing Reasonable Assurance of Funds for 
                             Decommissioning

                             I. Introduction

    An applicant or licensee may provide reasonable assurance of the 
availability of funds for decommissioning based on furnishing its own 
guarantee that funds will be available for decommissioning costs and on 
a demonstration that the company passes the financial test of Section II 
of this appendix. The terms of the self-guarantee are in Section III of 
this appendix. This appendix establishes criteria for passing the 
financial test for the self guarantee and establishes the terms for a 
self-guarantee.

                           II. Financial Test

    A. To pass the financial test, a company must meet all of the 
following criteria:
    (1) Tangible net worth at least 10 times the total current 
decommissioning cost estimate for the total of all facilities or parts 
thereof (or the current amount required if certification is used), or, 
for a power reactor licensee, at least 10 times the amount of 
decommissioning funds being assured by a self

[[Page 484]]

guarantee, for all decommissioning activities for which the company is 
responsible as self-guaranteeing licensee and as parent-guarantor for 
the total of all reactor units or parts thereof (Tangible net worth 
shall be calculated to exclude the net book value of the nuclear 
unit(s)).
    (2) Assets located in the United States amounting to at least 90 
percent of total assets or at least 10 times the total current 
decommissioning cost estimate for the total of all facilities or parts 
thereof (or the current amount required if certification is used), or, 
for a power reactor licensee, at least 10 times the amount of 
decommissioning funds being assured by a self guarantee, for all 
decommissioning activities for which the company is responsible as self-
guaranteeing licensee and as parent-guarantor for the total of all 
reactor units or parts thereof.
    (3) A current rating for its most recent bond issuance of AAA, AA, 
or A as issued by Standard and Poors (S&P), or Aaa, Aa, or A as issued 
by Moodys.
    B. To pass the financial test, a company must meet all of the 
following additional requirements:
    (1) The company must have at least one class of equity securities 
registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
    (2) The company's independent certified public accountant must have 
compared the data used by the company in the financial test which is 
derived from the independently audited, yearend financial statements for 
the latest fiscal year, with the amounts in such financial statement. In 
connection with that procedure, the licensee shall inform NRC within 90 
days of any matters coming to the attention of the auditor that cause 
the auditor to believe that the data specified in the financial test 
should be adjusted and that the company no longer passes the test.
    (3) After the initial financial test, the company must repeat 
passage of the test within 90 days after the close of each succeeding 
fiscal year.
    C. If the licensee no longer meets the requirements of Section II.A. 
of this appendix, the licensee must send immediate notice to the 
Commission of its intent to establish alternate financial assurance as 
specified in the Commission's regulations within 120 days of such 
notice.

                       III. Company Self-Guarantee

    The terms of a self-guarantee which an applicant or licensee 
furnishes must provide that:
    A. The guarantee will remain in force unless the licensee sends 
notice of cancellation by certified mail to the Commission. Cancellation 
may not occur, however, during the 120 days beginning on the date of 
receipt of the notice of cancellation by the Commission, as evidenced by 
the return receipt.
    B. The licensee shall provide alternative financial assurance as 
specified in the Commission's regulations within 90 days following 
receipt by the Commission of a notice of cancellation of the guarantee.
    C. The guarantee and financial test provisions must remain in effect 
until the Commission has terminated the license or until another 
financial assurance method acceptable to the Commission has been put in 
effect by the licensee.
    D. The licensee will promptly forward to the Commission and the 
licensee's independent auditor all reports covering the latest fiscal 
year filed by the licensee with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
pursuant to the requirements of section 13 of the Securities and 
Exchange Act of 1934.
    E. If, at any time, the licensee's most recent bond issuance ceases 
to be rated in any category of ``A'' or above by either Standard and 
Poors or Moodys, the licensee will provide notice in writing of such 
fact to the Commission within 20 days after publication of the change by 
the rating service. If the licensee's most recent bond issuance ceases 
to be rated in any category of A or above by both Standard and Poors and 
Moodys, the licensee no longer meets the requirements of Section II.A. 
of this appendix.
    F. The applicant or licensee must provide to the Commission a 
written guarantee (a written commitment by a corporate officer) which 
states that the licensee will fund and carry out the required 
decommissioning activities or, upon issuance of an order by the 
Commission, the licensee will set up and fund a trust in the amount of 
the current cost estimates for decommissioning.

[58 FR 68730, Dec. 29, 1993; 59 FR 1618, Jan. 12, 1994, as amended at 63 
FR 50479, Sept. 22, 1998]

 Appendix D to Part 30--Criteria Relating To Use of Financial Tests and 
     Self-Guarantee for Providing Reasonable Assurance of Funds for 
 Decommissioning by Commercial Companies That Have no Outstanding Rated 
                                  Bonds

                             I. Introduction

    An applicant or licensee may provide reasonable assurance of the 
availability of funds for decommissioning based on furnishing its own 
guarantee that funds will be available for decommissioning costs and on 
a demonstration that the company passes the financial test of Section II 
of this appendix. The terms of the self-guarantee are in Section III of 
this appendix. This appendix establishes criteria for passing the 
financial test for the self-guarantee and establishes the terms for a 
self-guarantee.

[[Page 485]]

                           II. Financial Test

    A. To pass the financial test a company must meet the following 
criteria:
    (1) Tangible net worth greater than $10 million, or at least 10 
times the total current decommissioning cost estimate (or the current 
amount required if certification is used), whichever is greater, for all 
decommissioning activities for which the company is responsible as self-
guaranteeing licensee and as parent-guarantor.
    (2) Assets located in the United States amounting to at least 90 
percent of total assets or at least 10 times the total current 
decommissioning cost estimate (or the current amount required if 
certification is used) for all decommissioning activities for which the 
company is responsible as self-guaranteeing licensee and as parent-
guarantor.
    (3) A ratio of cash flow divided by total liabilities greater than 
0.15 and a ratio of total liabilities divided by net worth less than 
1.5.
    B. In addition, to pass the financial test, a company must meet all 
of the following requirements:
    (1) The company's independent certified public accountant must have 
compared the data used by the company in the financial test, which is 
required to be derived from the independently audited year end financial 
statement based on United States generally accepted accounting practices 
for the latest fiscal year, with the amounts in such financial 
statement. In connection with that procedure, the licensee shall inform 
NRC within 90 days of any matters that may cause the auditor to believe 
that the data specified in the financial test should be adjusted and 
that the company no longer passes the test.
    (2) After the initial financial test, the company must repeat 
passage of the test within 90 days after the close of each succeeding 
fiscal year.
    (3) If the licensee no longer meets the requirements of paragraph 
II.A of this appendix, the licensee must send notice to the NRC of 
intent to establish alternative financial assurance as specified in NRC 
regulations. The notice must be sent by certified mail, return receipt 
requested, within 90 days after the end of the fiscal year for which the 
year end financial data show that the licensee no longer meets the 
financial test requirements. The licensee must provide alternative 
financial assurance within 120 days after the end of such fiscal year.

                       III. Company Self-Guarantee

    The terms of a self-guarantee which an applicant or licensee 
furnishes must provide that:
    A. The guarantee shall remain in force unless the licensee sends 
notice of cancellation by certified mail, return receipt requested, to 
the NRC. Cancellation may not occur until an alternative financial 
assurance mechanism is in place.
    B. The licensee shall provide alternative financial assurance as 
specified in the regulations within 90 days following receipt by the NRC 
of a notice of cancellation of the guarantee.
    C. The guarantee and financial test provisions must remain in effect 
until the Commission has terminated the license or until another 
financial assurance method acceptable to the Commission has been put in 
effect by the licensee.
    D. The applicant or licensee must provide to the Commission a 
written guarantee (a written commitment by a corporate officer) which 
states that the licensee will fund and carry out the required 
decommissioning activities or, upon issuance of an order by the 
Commission, the licensee will set up and fund a trust in the amount of 
the current cost estimates for decommissioning.

[63 FR 29542, June 1, 1998]

 Appendix E to Part 30--Criteria Relating to Use of Financial Tests and 
     Self-Guarantee For Providing Reasonable Assurance of Funds For 
   Decommissioning by Nonprofit Colleges, Universities, and Hospitals

                             I. Introduction

    An applicant or licensee may provide reasonable assurance of the 
availability of funds for decommissioning based on furnishing its own 
guarantee that funds will be available for decommissioning costs and on 
a demonstration that the applicant or licensee passes the financial test 
of Section II of this appendix. The terms of the self-guarantee are in 
Section III of this appendix. This appendix establishes criteria for 
passing the financial test for the self-guarantee and establishes the 
terms for a self-guarantee.

                           II. Financial Test

    A. For colleges and universities, to pass the financial test a 
college or university must meet either the criteria in Paragraph 
II.A.(1) or the criteria in Paragraph II.A.(2) of this appendix.
    (1) For applicants or licensees that issue bonds, a current rating 
for its most recent uninsured, uncollateralized, and unencumbered bond 
issuance of AAA, AA, or A as issued by Standard and Poors (S&P) or Aaa, 
Aa, or A as issued by Moodys.
    (2) For applicants or licensees that do not issue bonds, 
unrestricted endowment consisting of assets located in the United States 
of at least $50 million, or at least 30 times the total current 
decommissioning cost estimate (or the current amount required if 
certification is used), whichever is greater, for

[[Page 486]]

all decommissioning activities for which the college or university is 
responsible as a self-guaranteeing licensee.
    B. For hospitals, to pass the financial test a hospital must meet 
either the criteria in Paragraph II.B.(1) or the criteria in Paragraph 
II.B.(2) of this appendix:
    (1) For applicants or licensees that issue bonds, a current rating 
for its most recent uninsured, uncollateralized, and unencumbered bond 
issuance of AAA, AA, or A as issued by Standard and Poors (S&P) or Aaa, 
Aa, or A as issued by Moodys.
    (2) For applicants or licensees that do not issue bonds, all the 
following tests must be met:
    (a) (Total Revenues less total expenditures) divided by total 
revenues must be equal to or greater than 0.04.
    (b) Long term debt divided by net fixed assets must be less than or 
equal to 0.67.
    (c) (Current assets and depreciation fund) divided by current 
liabilities must be greater than or equal to 2.55.
    (d) Operating revenues must be at least 100 times the total current 
decommissioning cost estimate (or the current amount required if 
certification is used) for all decommissioning activities for which the 
hospital is responsible as a self-guaranteeing license.
    C. In addition, to pass the financial test, a licensee must meet all 
the following requirements:
    (1) The licensee's independent certified public accountant must have 
compared the data used by the licensee in the financial test, which is 
required to be derived from the independently audited year end financial 
statements, based on United States generally accepted accounting 
practices, for the latest fiscal year, with the amounts in such 
financial statement. In connection with that procedure, the licensee 
shall inform NRC within 90 days of any matters coming to the attention 
of the auditor that cause the auditor to believe that the data specified 
in the financial test should be adjusted and that the licensee no longer 
passes the test.
    (2) After the initial financial test, the licensee must repeat 
passage of the test within 90 days after the close of each succeeding 
fiscal year.
    (3) If the licensee no longer meets the requirements of Section I of 
this appendix, the licensee must send notice to the NRC of its intent to 
establish alternative financial assurance as specified in NRC 
regulations. The notice must be sent by certified mail, return receipt 
requested, within 90 days after the end of the fiscal year for which the 
year end financial data show that the licensee no longer meets the 
financial test requirements. The licensee must provide alternate 
financial assurance within 120 days after the end of such fiscal year.

                           III. Self-Guarantee

    The terms of a self-guarantee which an applicant or licensee 
furnishes must provide that--
    A. The guarantee shall remain in force unless the licensee sends 
notice of cancellation by certified mail, and/or return receipt 
requested, to the Commission. Cancellation may not occur unless an 
alternative financial assurance mechanism is in place.
    B. The licensee shall provide alternative financial assurance as 
specified in the Commission's regulations within 90 days following 
receipt by the Commission of a notice of cancellation of the guarantee.
    C. The guarantee and financial test provisions must remain in effect 
until the Commission has terminated the license or until another 
financial assurance method acceptable to the Commission has been put in 
effect by the licensee.
    D. The applicant or licensee must provide to the Commission a 
written guarantee (a written commitment by a corporate officer or 
officer of the institution) which states that the licensee will fund and 
carry out the required decommissioning activities or, upon issuance of 
an order by the Commission, the licensee will set up and fund a trust in 
the amount of the current cost estimates for decommissioning.
    E. If, at any time, the licensee's most recent bond issuance ceases 
to be rated in any category of ``A'' or above by either Standard and 
Poors or Moodys, the licensee shall provide notice in writing of such 
fact to the Commission within 20 days after publication of the change by 
the rating service.

[63 FR 29542, June 1, 1998]