[Federal Register: April 12, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 69)]
[Notices]               
[Page 17690]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12ap99-125]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-029]

 
Yankee Atomic Electric Company; Yankee Nuclear Power Station; 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering the 
issuance of an amendment to the Yankee Atomic Electric Company (YAEC or 
licensee) license for the Yankee Nuclear Power Station (YNPS or plant) 
approving the License Termination Plan (LTP). YAEC submitted the LTP by 
letter dated May 15, 1997, by two separate letters dated December 18, 
1997, and a fourth letter dated January 23, 1998. The plant is located 
in Rowe Township, Franklin County, Massachusetts.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action is issuance of a license amendment approving 
the LTP. The LTP is required by regulations to include: (A) A site 
characterization; (B) identification of dismantlement activities not 
completed under the Post Shutdown Activities Report (PSDAR)/
Decommissioning Plan at the time of submitting the LTP; (C) plans for 
site remediation; (D) detailed plans for the final radiation survey; 
(E) a description of the end use of the site, if restricted [The YAEC 
application does not include restrictions; therefore, this item is not 
included in YAEC's LRP]; (F) an updated site-specific estimate of 
remaining decommissioning costs; and (G) a supplement to the 
environmental report describing any new information or significant 
environmental change associated with the licensee's proposed 
termination activities.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    Issuance of an amendment approving the LTP will allow the licensee 
to implement its final radiation survey plan to allow for a 
determination as to whether the release criteria for unrestricted use 
of the site after the YAEC license is terminated have been met.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    Issuance of the amendment approving the LTP will not have any 
significant effect on accident risk and probability of any other 
environmental impact is extremely remote.
    The staff's review of the four YAEC submittals of May 15, 1997, 
December 18, 1997 (2), and January 23, 1998, has concluded that the 
environmental and safety consequences of accidents that may potentially 
result in a radiological release are greatly decreased given the 
plant's permanently shutdown and defueled status and that the fuel has 
decayed for seven years since it was removed from the reactor.
    The licensee does not propose any disposal or relocation of fuel by 
this action. The proposed action does not increase the probability or 
consequences of any accidents, no changes are being made in the types 
of any effluents that may be released offsite, and there is no 
significant increase in the allowable occupational or public radiation 
exposure. Therefore, the proposed action would result in no significant 
radiological environmental impact.
    With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed 
action does not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no 
other non-radiological environmental impact. Accordingly, the 
Commission concludes that there are no significant environmental 
impacts associated with the proposed action.

Alternative to the Proposed Action

    Because the Commission concluded that there are no significant 
environmental effects that would result from the proposed action, any 
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impacts need not be 
evaluated.
    The principal alternative would be to deny the action. Denial of 
the application would result in no change in current environmental 
impacts. The environmental impacts of the proposed action and the 
alternative action are similar.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not evaluated 
in previous environmental reviews for the YNPS.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    On October 22, 1998, in accordance with its stated policy, the 
staff consulted with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts regarding the 
environmental impact of the proposed actions. The Commonwealth official 
had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based upon the foregoing environmental assessment, the Commission 
concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect 
on the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the Commission 
has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the 
proposed action.
    For further details with respect to this action, see the four YAEC 
submittals, referenced above, which are available for public inspection 
at the Commission's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20555, and at the local public document room at the 
Greenfield Community College, 1 College Drive, Greenfield, 
Massachusetts 01301.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, April 1, 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert A. Gramm,
Acting Director, Project Directorate IV & Decommissioning, Division of 
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-9042 Filed 4-9-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P