[Federal Register: July 10, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 132)]
[Notices]
[Page 36017-36018]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10jy01-97]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-312]
Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Rancho Seco Nuclear
Generating Station; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of an exemption from certain requirements of 10 CFR 50.54 and
10 CFR 73.55 and an associated amendment to Facility Operating License
No. DPR-54, issued to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (the
licensee), for the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station, a
permanently shutdown nuclear reactor facility located in Sacramento
County, California.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would eliminate the security plan requirements
from the 10 CFR part 50 licensed site after the spent nuclear fuel has
been transferred to the 10 CFR part 72 licensed Independent Spent Fuel
Storage Installation (ISFSI).
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for a license amendment and exemption dated February 20,
2001.
The Need for the Proposed Action
Sections 50.54 and 73.55 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations require that licensees establish and maintain physical
protection and security for activities involving nuclear fuel within
the 10 CFR part 50 licensed area of a facility. The proposed action is
needed because there will no longer be any nuclear fuel in the 10 CFR
part 50 licensed facility to protect against radiological sabotage or
diversion after the transfer of the spent nuclear fuel to the Rancho
Seco ISFSI. Subpart H of 10 CFR part 72 establishes physical protection
and relies on 10 CFR 73.51 to
[[Page 36018]]
define the requirements for physical protection of spent nuclear fuel
stored in an ISFSI under a specific license issued pursuant to 10 CFR
part 72. The Rancho Seco ISFSI, which is located adjacent to the 10 CFR
part 50 licensed site, has a separate NRC approved security plan to
protect the spent nuclear fuel stored there from radiological sabotage
and diversion as promulgated under 10 CFR part 72, subpart H. The
proposed action will allow the licensee to conserve resources for
decommissioning activities.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and
concludes that exempting the facility from security requirements will
not have any adverse environmental impacts. There will be minor savings
of energy and vehicular use associated with the security force no
longer performing patrols, checks, and normal security functions.
The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability
or consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of
any effluents that may be released off site, and there is no
significant increase in occupational or public radiation exposure.
Therefore, there are no significant radiological environmental impacts
associated with the proposed action.
With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed
action does not involve any historic sites. It does not affect non-
radiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact.
Therefore, there are no significant non-radiological environmental
impacts associated with the proposed action.
Accordingly, the NRC concludes that there are no significant
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered
denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative).
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
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the
Rancho Seco Generating Station.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on June 18, 2001, the staff
consulted with the California State official, Frank Hauck of the
Radiological Preparedness Unit, regarding the environmental impact of
the proposed action. The State official had no comments.
Finding of No Significant Impact
On the basis of the environmental assessment, the NRC concludes
that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the
quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the NRC has determined
not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed
action.
For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the
licensee's letter dated February 20, 2001. Documents may be examined,
and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document Room, located at
One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville,
Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible electronically
from the Agencywide Documents Access and Management Systems (ADAMS)
Public Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at the NRC web site,
http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/ADAMS/index.html. If you do not have access to
ADAMS or if there are problems in accessing the documents located in
ADAMS, contact the NRC Public Document Room (PDR) Reference staff at 1-
800-397-4209, 301-415-4737 or by email to pdr@nrc.gov.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 2nd day of July 2001.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Stephen Dembek,
Chief, Section 2, Project Directorate IV, Division of Licensing Project
Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 01-17037 Filed 7-9-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P