Entergy Nuclear Indian Point Unit 2, LLC; Entergy Nuclear Indian Point Unit 3, LLC; Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.; Indian Point Nuclear Generating Units Nos. 2 and 3; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact, 74832-74834 [2011-30901]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 231 / Thursday, December 1, 2011 / Notices
emcdonald on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
your comments. For additional
instructions on submitting comments
and instructions on accessing
documents related to this action, see
‘‘Submitting Comments and Accessing
Information’’ in the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION section of this document.
You may submit comments by one of
the following methods:
• Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for documents filed under Docket ID
NRC–2011–0256. Address questions
about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher,
telephone: (301) 492–3668; email:
Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov.
• Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey,
Chief, Rules, Announcements, and
Directives Branch (RADB), Office of
Administration, Mail Stop: TWB–05–
B01M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
0001.
• Fax comments to: RADB at (301)
492–3446.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
John Wise, Division of License Renewal,
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation,
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone:
(301) 415–8489; email:
John.Wise@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Submitting Comments and Accessing
Information
Comments submitted in writing or in
electronic form will be posted on the
NRC Web site and on the Federal
rulemaking Web site, https://
www.regulations.gov. Because your
comments will not be edited to remove
any identifying or contact information,
the NRC cautions you against including
any information in your submission that
you do not want to be publicly
disclosed.
The NRC requests that any party
soliciting or aggregating comments
received from other persons for
submission to the NRC inform those
persons that the NRC will not edit their
comments to remove any identifying or
contact information, and therefore, they
should not include any information in
their comments that they do not want
publicly disclosed.
You can access publicly available
documents related to this document
using the following methods:
• NRC’s Public Document Room
(PDR): The public may examine and
have copied, for a fee, publicly available
documents at the NRC’s PDR, Room
O1–F21, One White Flint North, 11555
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland
20852.
• NRC’s Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System
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(ADAMS): Publicly available documents
created or received at the NRC are
available online in the NRC Library at
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/
adams.html. From this page, the public
can gain entry into ADAMS, which
provides text and image files of the
NRC’s public documents. If you do not
have access to ADAMS or if there are
problems in accessing the documents
located in ADAMS, contact the NRC’s
PDR reference staff at 1–(800) 397–4209,
(301) 415–4737, or by email to
pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The draft LR–
ISG–2011–01 is available electronically
under ADAMS Accession Number
ML112360626. The GALL Report and
SRP–LR are available under ADAMS
Accession Nos. ML103490041 and
ML103490036, respectively.
• Federal Rulemaking Web site:
Public comments and supporting
materials related to this notice can be
found at https://www.regulations.gov by
searching on Docket ID NRC–2011–
0256.
• NRC’s Interim Staff Guidance Web
site: The LR–ISG documents are also
available online under the ‘‘License
Renewal’’ heading at https://
www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doccollections/#int.
Background
The NRC issues LR–ISGs to
communicate insights and lessons
learned and to address emergent issues
not covered in license renewal guidance
documents, such as the GALL Report
and SRP–LR. In this way, the NRC staff
and stakeholders may use the guidance
in an LR–ISG document before it is
incorporated into a formal license
renewal guidance document revision.
The NRC staff issues LR–ISG in
accordance with the LR–ISG Process,
Revision 2 (ADAMS Accession No.
ML100920158), for which a notice of
availability was published in the
Federal Register on June 22, 2010 (75
FR 35510).
The NRC staff has determined that
existing guidance in the SRP–LR and
GALL Report may not adequately
address aging management of stainless
steel structures and components
exposed to treated borated water.
Specifically, for pressurized water
reactors, the guidance inappropriately
credits boron as a corrosion inhibitor in
place of other aging management
activities. As a result, aging effects such
as loss of material, cracking, and
reduction of heat transfer may not be
adequately managed. The staff has
proposed to revise the SRP–LR and
GALL Report to align the guidance for
treated borated water with that for
treated (non-borated) water. The
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revisions include adding the One-Time
Inspection Program to verify the
effectiveness of the Water Chemistry
Program to manage loss of material and
cracking of stainless steel structures and
components exposed to treated borated
water and adding reduction of heat
transfer due to fouling as an aging effect
requiring management for stainless steel
heat exchanger tubes exposed to treated
borated water.
On November 8, 2011 (ADAMS
Accession No. ML11325A119), the NRC
requested public comments on draft LR–
ISG–2011–01. By letter dated November
14, 2011, NEI requested a 15-day
extension to the comment period. The
NRC staff is granting NEI’s request for
an extension. The NRC staff believes
that granting this extension will allow
stakeholders a chance to better prepare
their responses to LR–ISG–2011–01.
Proposed Action
By this action, the NRC is requesting
public comments on draft LR–ISG–
2011–01. This LR–ISG proposes certain
revisions to NRC guidance in the SRP–
LR and GALL Report. The NRC staff will
make a final determination regarding
issuance of the LR–ISG after it considers
any public comments received in
response to this request.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 22nd
day of November, 2011.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Melanie A. Galloway,
Acting Director, Division of License Renewal,
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2011–30903 Filed 11–30–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50–247 and 50–286; NRC–
2011–0278]
Entergy Nuclear Indian Point Unit 2,
LLC; Entergy Nuclear Indian Point Unit
3, LLC; Entergy Nuclear Operations,
Inc.; Indian Point Nuclear Generating
Units Nos. 2 and 3; Environmental
Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of an exemption from the
requirements of Title 10 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (10 CFR) part 50,
Appendix R, ‘‘Fire Protection Program
for Nuclear Power Facilities Operating
Prior to January 1, 1979,’’ for Facility
Operating License Nos. DPR–26 and
DPR–64 issued to Entergy Nuclear
Operations, Inc. (Entergy or the
licensee), for operation of the Indian
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 231 / Thursday, December 1, 2011 / Notices
Point Nuclear Generating Unit Nos. 2
and 3 (IP2 and IP3) located in
Westchester County, NY. Therefore, as
required by 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC
performed an environmental
assessment. Based on the results of the
environmental assessment, the NRC is
issuing a finding of no significant
impact.
emcdonald on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
Entergy proposed that the NRC grant
exemptions to certain NRC requirements
pertaining to the NRC Fire Regulations.
The proposed action is detailed in the
licensee’s applications dated March 6,
2009, as supplemented by letters dated
October 1, 2009, May 4, 2010,
September 29, 2010, January 19, 2011,
February 10, 2011, and May 26, 2011.
The licensee’s applications and
supplemental submissions are
accessible electronically from the
Agencywide Documents Access and
Management System (ADAMS) with
Accession Nos. ML090770151,
ML090760993, ML092810230,
ML092810231, ML101320230,
ML101320263, ML102930237,
ML102930234, ML110310013,
ML110310242, ML110540321,
ML110540322, ML11158A196, and
ML11158A197.
Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS)
2006–10, ‘‘Regulatory Expectations With
Appendix R Paragraph III.G.2 Operator
Manual Actions,’’ documents the NRC
position on the use of operator manual
actions (OMAs) as part of a compliance
strategy to meet the requirements of 10
CFR Part 50, Appendix R, Section
III.G.2. The NRC requires plants which
credit manual actions for 10 CFR part
50, Appendix R, Section III.G.2
compliance to obtain NRC approval for
the manual actions using the exemption
process in accordance with the
requirements of 10 CFR 50.12. In
response, the licensee proposed this
licensing action which would exempt
IP2 and IP3 from certain requirements of
10 CFR part 50, Appendix R, Section
III.G.2.
Entergy proposed a number of OMAs
in lieu of one of the means specified in
Section III.G.2 to ensure a train of
equipment used for hot shutdown is
available when redundant trains are in
the same fire area. Therefore, Entergy
requested exemptions from the
requirements of 10 CFR 50, Appendix R,
Paragraph III.G.2 for IP2 and IP3 to the
extent that OMAs are necessary to
achieve and maintain hot shutdown for
fire areas in which both trains of safeshutdown cables or equipment are
located in the same fire area. The fire
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areas involved are Fire Areas C, F, H, J,
K, P, and YD for IP2 and Fire Areas
AFW–6, PAB–2, ETN–4, TBL–5, and
YARD–7 for IP3.
Tables 2 through 8 for IP2 and Tables
2 through 9 for IP3 in Attachment 2 of
the Entergy letters, dated October 1,
2009, list, on a fire area basis, the
specific OMAs proposed for recovery or
protection of the credited equipment
train for achieving and maintaining hot
shutdown conditions in these Appendix
R, Paragraph III.G.2, fire areas.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is requested to
permit the licensee an alternate method
from those specified in 10 CFR Part 50,
to achieve and maintain hot shutdown
conditions in the event of a fire that
could disable electrical cables and
equipment in the Fire Areas of IP2 and
IP3 listed in the licensee’s request for
exemption.
The criteria for granting specific
exemptions from 10 CFR part 50
regulations are specified in 10 CFR
50.12. In accordance with 10 CFR
50.12(a)(1), the NRC is authorized to
grant an exemption upon determining
that the exemption is authorized by law,
will not present an undue risk to the
public health and safety, and is
consistent with the common defense
and security.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed
Action
The NRC has completed its evaluation
of the environmental impact of the
proposed action. The staff has
concluded that such actions would not
adversely affect the environment. The
proposed action would not result in an
increased radiological hazard. There
will be no change to the radioactive
effluent releases that effect radiation
exposures to plant workers and
members of the public. No changes will
be made to plant structures or the site
property. Therefore, no changes or
different types of radiological impacts
are expected as a result of the proposed
exemptions.
The proposed action does not result
in changes to land use or water use, or
result in changes to the quality or
quantity of non-radiological effluents.
No changes to the National Pollution
Discharge Elimination System permit
are needed. No effects on the aquatic or
terrestrial habitat in the vicinity or the
plant, or to threatened, endangered, or
protected species under the Endangered
Species Act, or impacts to essential fish
habitat covered by the MagnusonSteven’s Act are expected. There are no
impacts to historical and cultural
resources. There would be no impact to
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74833
socioeconomic resources. Therefore, no
changes or different types of nonradiological environmental impacts are
expected as a result of the proposed
exemptions.
Accordingly, the NRC concludes that
there are no significant environmental
impacts associated with the proposed
action. The details of the staff’s safety
evaluation will be provided in the
exemption, when it is issued.
Environmental Impacts of the
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As alternatives to the proposed action,
the NRC staff is considering denial of
the proposed action (i.e., the ‘‘noaction’’ alternative) or requiring the
licensee to modify the facility to achieve
compliance with Appendix R. Denial of
the application would result in no
change in current environmental
impacts. Modification of the facility
may result in minor increases in local
traffic from contractors hired to work at
the facility. This would be considerably
fewer than the large number of
contractors that are hired for about 30
days every spring to assist with the
refueling outages at the facility. The
environmental impacts of the proposed
action and the alternative actions are
similar.
Alternative Use of Resources
The action does not involve the use of
any different resources than those
previously considered in the Final
Environmental Statement for IP2, dated
September 30, 1972, or the Final
Environmental Statement for IP3, dated
February 28, 1975.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy,
on February 8, 2011, the staff consulted
with the New York State (NYS) official,
at the NYS Energy Research and
Development Authority, regarding the
environmental impact of the proposed
action. The NYS official provided
comments by email dated May 11, 2011
(ADAMS Accession No. ML112010063).
NYS opposed the granting of the
requested exemptions to the licensee.
NYS also stated an opinion that the
public should be offered an opportunity
to comment on the environmental
impacts and potential alternatives to the
proposed action. The NRC staff notes
that there is no legal requirement to
solicit public comment on exemption
requests, and none has been solicited in
this case. This exemption request will
not have a significant effect on the
environment, as the largest impact
would be a small number of additional
contractors working at the facility. The
remainder of the NYS comments
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 231 / Thursday, December 1, 2011 / Notices
concerned compliance with the NRC’s
fire protection rules, and will be
addressed in a separate letter.
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
letters dated March 6, 2009, as
supplemented by letters dated October
1, 2009, May 4, 2010, September 29,
2010, January 19, 2011, February 10,
2011, and May 26, 2011. The licensee’s
applications and supplemental
submissions are accessible
electronically from the Agencywide
Documents Access and Management
System (ADAMS) with Accession Nos.
ML090770151, ML090760993,
ML092810230, ML092810231,
ML101320230, ML101320263,
ML102930237, ML102930234,
ML110310013, ML110310242,
ML110540321, ML110540322,
ML11158A196, and ML11158A197.
Publicly available versions of the
documents may be examined, and/or
copied for a fee, at the NRC’s Public
Document Room (PDR), located at One
White Flint North, Public File Area O1
F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor),
Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available
documents created or received at the
NRC are accessible electronically
through the Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System
(ADAMS) in the NRC Library at https://
www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.
Persons who do not have access to
ADAMS or who encounter problems in
accessing the documents located in
ADAMS should contact the NRC PDR
Reference staff by telephone at 1–(800)
397–4209 or (301) 415–4737, or send an
email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov.
emcdonald on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 21st day
of November 2011.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John P. Boska,
Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing
Branch I–1, Division of Operating Reactor
Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2011–30901 Filed 11–30–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:34 Nov 30, 2011
Jkt 226001
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[NRC–2011–0228]
Interim Staff Guidance on Aging
Management Program for Steam
Generators
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Interim staff guidance; issuance.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) is issuing License
Renewal Interim Staff Guidance (LR–
ISG), LR–ISG–2011–02, ‘‘Aging
Management Program for Steam
Generators.’’ This LR–ISG provides the
NRC staff’s evaluation of the suitability
of using Revision 3 of the Nuclear
Energy Institute’s (NEI) document, NEI
97–06, ‘‘Steam Generator Program
Guidelines,’’ (NRC’s Agencywide
Documents Access and Management
System (ADAMS) Accession No.
ML111310712) to manage steam
generator aging. The LR–ISG revises the
NRC staff’s aging management
recommendations currently described in
Chapter XI.M19 of NUREG–1801,
‘‘Generic Aging Lessons Learned (GALL)
Report,’’ Revision 2, dated December
2010, which is available in ADAMS
under Accession No. ML103490041; and
NUREG–1800, Revision 2, ‘‘Standard
Review Plan for Review of License
Renewal Applications for Nuclear
Power Plants,’’ which is available in
ADAMS under Accession No.
ML103490036.
SUMMARY:
You can access publicly
available documents related to this
document using the following methods:
• NRC’s Public Document Room
(PDR): The public may examine and
have copied, for a fee, publicly available
documents at the NRC’s PDR, O1–F21,
One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville
Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
• ADAMS: Publicly available
documents created or received at the
NRC are available online in the NRC
Library at https://www.nrc.gov/readingrm/adams.html. From this page, the
public can gain entry into ADAMS,
which provides text and image files of
the NRC’s public documents. If you do
not have access to ADAMS or if there
are problems in accessing the
documents located in ADAMS, contact
the NRC’s PDR reference staff at 1–(800)
397–4209, (301) 415–4737, or by email
to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The LR–ISG–
2011–02 is available under ADAMS
Accession No. ML11297A085.
• Federal Rulemaking Web Site:
Public comments and supporting
materials related to this final rule can be
ADDRESSES:
PO 00000
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Sfmt 4703
found at https://www.regulations.gov by
searching on Docket ID NRC–2011–
0228. Address questions about NRC
dockets to Carol Gallagher, telephone:
(301) 492–3668; email:
Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov.
• NRC’s Interim Staff Guidance Web
Site: LR–ISG documents are also
available online under the ‘‘License
Renewal’’ heading at https://
www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doccollections/#int.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Seung Min, Division of License
Renewal, Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
0001; telephone: (301) 415–2045, or
email: Seung.Min@nrc.gov, or Ms.
Evelyn Gettys, Division of License
Renewal, Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
001; telephone: (301) 415–4029, or
email: Evelyn.Gettys@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Revision 2 of NEI 97–06 was issued in
September 2005. Since that time, all
licensees have adopted new steam
generator technical specification
requirements. Revision 3 of NEI 97–06
was provided to the NRC on May 6,
2011.
On September 30, 2011 (76 FR 60937),
the NRC published a request for public
comments on draft LR–ISG–2011–02 in
the Federal Register. The public
comment period closed on October 20,
2011. The NRC received no comments
and is issuing LR–ISG–2011–02. This
LR–ISG will be incorporated into the
next formal license renewal guidance
document revision.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 21st day
of November 2011.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Melanie A. Galloway,
Acting Director, Division of License Renewal,
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2011–30896 Filed 11–30–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
OVERSEAS PRIVATE INVESTMENT
CORPORATION
Submission for OMB Review;
comments request
Overseas Private Investment
Corporation (OPIC).
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
Under the provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.
SUMMARY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 231 (Thursday, December 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74832-74834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30901]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-247 and 50-286; NRC-2011-0278]
Entergy Nuclear Indian Point Unit 2, LLC; Entergy Nuclear Indian
Point Unit 3, LLC; Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.; Indian Point
Nuclear Generating Units Nos. 2 and 3; Environmental Assessment and
Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of an exemption from the requirements of Title 10 of the Code
of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) part 50, Appendix R, ``Fire Protection
Program for Nuclear Power Facilities Operating Prior to January 1,
1979,'' for Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-26 and DPR-64 issued to
Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (Entergy or the licensee), for
operation of the Indian
[[Page 74833]]
Point Nuclear Generating Unit Nos. 2 and 3 (IP2 and IP3) located in
Westchester County, NY. Therefore, as required by 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC
performed an environmental assessment. Based on the results of the
environmental assessment, the NRC is issuing a finding of no
significant impact.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
Entergy proposed that the NRC grant exemptions to certain NRC
requirements pertaining to the NRC Fire Regulations. The proposed
action is detailed in the licensee's applications dated March 6, 2009,
as supplemented by letters dated October 1, 2009, May 4, 2010,
September 29, 2010, January 19, 2011, February 10, 2011, and May 26,
2011. The licensee's applications and supplemental submissions are
accessible electronically from the Agencywide Documents Access and
Management System (ADAMS) with Accession Nos. ML090770151, ML090760993,
ML092810230, ML092810231, ML101320230, ML101320263, ML102930237,
ML102930234, ML110310013, ML110310242, ML110540321, ML110540322,
ML11158A196, and ML11158A197.
Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2006-10, ``Regulatory Expectations
With Appendix R Paragraph III.G.2 Operator Manual Actions,'' documents
the NRC position on the use of operator manual actions (OMAs) as part
of a compliance strategy to meet the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50,
Appendix R, Section III.G.2. The NRC requires plants which credit
manual actions for 10 CFR part 50, Appendix R, Section III.G.2
compliance to obtain NRC approval for the manual actions using the
exemption process in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR 50.12.
In response, the licensee proposed this licensing action which would
exempt IP2 and IP3 from certain requirements of 10 CFR part 50,
Appendix R, Section III.G.2.
Entergy proposed a number of OMAs in lieu of one of the means
specified in Section III.G.2 to ensure a train of equipment used for
hot shutdown is available when redundant trains are in the same fire
area. Therefore, Entergy requested exemptions from the requirements of
10 CFR 50, Appendix R, Paragraph III.G.2 for IP2 and IP3 to the extent
that OMAs are necessary to achieve and maintain hot shutdown for fire
areas in which both trains of safe-shutdown cables or equipment are
located in the same fire area. The fire areas involved are Fire Areas
C, F, H, J, K, P, and YD for IP2 and Fire Areas AFW-6, PAB-2, ETN-4,
TBL-5, and YARD-7 for IP3.
Tables 2 through 8 for IP2 and Tables 2 through 9 for IP3 in
Attachment 2 of the Entergy letters, dated October 1, 2009, list, on a
fire area basis, the specific OMAs proposed for recovery or protection
of the credited equipment train for achieving and maintaining hot
shutdown conditions in these Appendix R, Paragraph III.G.2, fire areas.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is requested to permit the licensee an
alternate method from those specified in 10 CFR Part 50, to achieve and
maintain hot shutdown conditions in the event of a fire that could
disable electrical cables and equipment in the Fire Areas of IP2 and
IP3 listed in the licensee's request for exemption.
The criteria for granting specific exemptions from 10 CFR part 50
regulations are specified in 10 CFR 50.12. In accordance with 10 CFR
50.12(a)(1), the NRC is authorized to grant an exemption upon
determining that the exemption is authorized by law, will not present
an undue risk to the public health and safety, and is consistent with
the common defense and security.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC has completed its evaluation of the environmental impact of
the proposed action. The staff has concluded that such actions would
not adversely affect the environment. The proposed action would not
result in an increased radiological hazard. There will be no change to
the radioactive effluent releases that effect radiation exposures to
plant workers and members of the public. No changes will be made to
plant structures or the site property. Therefore, no changes or
different types of radiological impacts are expected as a result of the
proposed exemptions.
The proposed action does not result in changes to land use or water
use, or result in changes to the quality or quantity of non-
radiological effluents. No changes to the National Pollution Discharge
Elimination System permit are needed. No effects on the aquatic or
terrestrial habitat in the vicinity or the plant, or to threatened,
endangered, or protected species under the Endangered Species Act, or
impacts to essential fish habitat covered by the Magnuson-Steven's Act
are expected. There are no impacts to historical and cultural
resources. There would be no impact to socioeconomic resources.
Therefore, no changes or different types of non-radiological
environmental impacts are expected as a result of the proposed
exemptions.
Accordingly, the NRC concludes that there are no significant
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action. The details
of the staff's safety evaluation will be provided in the exemption,
when it is issued.
Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As alternatives to the proposed action, the NRC staff is
considering denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action''
alternative) or requiring the licensee to modify the facility to
achieve compliance with Appendix R. Denial of the application would
result in no change in current environmental impacts. Modification of
the facility may result in minor increases in local traffic from
contractors hired to work at the facility. This would be considerably
fewer than the large number of contractors that are hired for about 30
days every spring to assist with the refueling outages at the facility.
The environmental impacts of the proposed action and the alternative
actions are similar.
Alternative Use of Resources
The action does not involve the use of any different resources than
those previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for
IP2, dated September 30, 1972, or the Final Environmental Statement for
IP3, dated February 28, 1975.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on February 8, 2011, the
staff consulted with the New York State (NYS) official, at the NYS
Energy Research and Development Authority, regarding the environmental
impact of the proposed action. The NYS official provided comments by
email dated May 11, 2011 (ADAMS Accession No. ML112010063). NYS opposed
the granting of the requested exemptions to the licensee. NYS also
stated an opinion that the public should be offered an opportunity to
comment on the environmental impacts and potential alternatives to the
proposed action. The NRC staff notes that there is no legal requirement
to solicit public comment on exemption requests, and none has been
solicited in this case. This exemption request will not have a
significant effect on the environment, as the largest impact would be a
small number of additional contractors working at the facility. The
remainder of the NYS comments
[[Page 74834]]
concerned compliance with the NRC's fire protection rules, and will be
addressed in a separate letter.
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 letters dated March 6, 2009, as supplemented by letters
dated October 1, 2009, May 4, 2010, September 29, 2010, January 19,
2011, February 10, 2011, and May 26, 2011. The licensee's applications
and supplemental submissions are accessible electronically from the
Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) with
Accession Nos. ML090770151, ML090760993, ML092810230, ML092810231,
ML101320230, ML101320263, ML102930237, ML102930234, ML110310013,
ML110310242, ML110540321, ML110540322, ML11158A196, and ML11158A197.
Publicly available versions of the documents may be examined, and/or
copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), located at
One White Flint North, Public File Area O1 F21, 11555 Rockville Pike
(first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available documents
created or received at the NRC are accessible electronically through
the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) in the
NRC Library at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. Persons who do
not have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in accessing the
documents located in ADAMS should contact the NRC PDR Reference staff
by telephone at 1-(800) 397-4209 or (301) 415-4737, or send an email to
pdr.resource@nrc.gov.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 21st day of November 2011.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John P. Boska,
Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch I-1, Division of
Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2011-30901 Filed 11-30-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
