STP Nuclear Operating Company; South Texas Project, 70588-70589 [2013-28379]

Download as PDF 70588 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 228 / Tuesday, November 26, 2013 / Notices records. Proposed for permanent retention are significant enforcement actions. Dated: November 20, 2013. Laurence Brewer, Director, National Records Management Program. [FR Doc. 2013–28318 Filed 11–25–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7515–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket Nos. 50–498, and 50–499; NRC– 2010–0375] STP Nuclear Operating Company; South Texas Project Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Final supplement 48 to generic environmental impact statement for license renewal of nuclear plants; issuance. AGENCY: Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has published the final, plant-specific, Supplement 48 to the ‘‘Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants (GEIS),’’ NUREG–1437 (ML13322A890), regarding the renewal of operating license NPF–76 and NPF– 80 for an additional 20 years of operation for the South Texas Project (STP). The STP site is located in Bay City, Texas. Possible alternatives to the proposed action (license renewal) include no action and reasonable alternative energy sources. ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2010–0375 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You may access publicly-available information related to this action by the following methods: • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2010–0375. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301–287–3422; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact the individual(s) listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document. • NRC’s Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): You may access publiclyavailable documents online in the NRC Library at https://www.nrc.gov/readingrm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS, emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 18:04 Nov 25, 2013 Jkt 232001 please contact the NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4837, or by email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The ADAMS accession number for each document referenced in this notice (if that document is available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that a document is referenced. Additional information regarding accessing materials related to this action is under Section II, Document Availability heading in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document. • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public documents at the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tam Tran, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555– 0001; telephone: 301–415–3617; email: Tam.Tran@nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Discussion The NRC received an application, dated October 25, 2010 (ML103360179), from STP Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC), filed pursuant to Section 103 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and Part 54 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), to renew the operating license for STPNOC. Renewal of the license would authorize the applicant to operate the facility for an additional 20-year period beyond the period specified in the current operating license. The current operating licenses for STPNOC, Units 1 and 2 (NPF–76 and NPF–80), expires on August 20, 2027, and December 15, 2028. The final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) is being issued as part of the NRC’s process to decide whether to issue renewed licenses to STPNOC, pursuant to 10 CFR Part 54. The final SEIS was prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the NRC’s regulations for implementing NEPA in 10 CFR Part 51. In the final SEIS, the NRC staff assessed the potential environmental impacts from the operation, refurbishment, and decommissioning of the proposed STP license renewal. The NRC staff assessed the impacts of the proposed action on land use, historic and cultural resources, air quality, geology and soils, water resources, ecological resources, transportation, public and occupational health, waste management, socioeconomics, and environmental PO 00000 Frm 00061 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 justice. In preparing this final SEIS, the NRC staff also reviewed, considered, evaluated, and addressed the public comments received during the scoping process and on the draft SEIS. In addition to the proposed action, the NRC staff considered a reasonable range of alternatives, including the no-action alternative. Under the no-action alternative, the NRC would deny STPNOC’s request for renewed operating licenses for the STP units. Other alternatives the NRC staff considered include: (1) natural gas-fired combined cycle (NGCC); (2) new nuclear; (3) supercritical coal; (4) combination alternative (NGCC, wind, and energy conservation and efficiency); (5) purchased power; (6) offsite new nuclear-, gas-, or coal-generation; (7) energy conservation and energy efficiency; (8) wind power; (9) solar power; (10) hydroelectric power; (11) ocean wave and current energy; (12) geothermal power; (13) municipal solid waste; (14) biomass; (15) biofuels; (16) oil-fired power; (17) fuel cells; and (18) delayed retirement. These alternatives, except for the NGCC, new nuclear, supercritical coal, combination alternative, and purchased power were eliminated from further analysis because of technical, resource availability, or current commercial limitations that would not justify inclusion in the range of reasonable alternatives. As discussed in Section 9.4 of the final supplement, the NRC staff determined that the adverse environmental impacts of renewed licenses for STPNOC are not great enough to deny this option for energy planning decision-makers. This recommendation is based on: (1) the analysis and findings in the GEIS; (2) information provided in the environmental report and other documents submitted by STPNOC; (3) consultation with Federal, State, local, and tribal government agencies; (4) the NRC staff’s own independent environmental review; and (5) consideration of public comments received during the scoping process and on the draft SEIS. II. Document Availability Documents related to this notice are available on the NRC’s Plant Application for Licenses Renewal Web site at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/ operating/licensing/renewal/ applications/south-texas-project.html. The final SEIS for the proposed STP project may also be accessed on the internet at https://www.nrc.gov/readingrm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr1437/ and selecting ‘‘Supplement 48.’’ E:\FR\FM\26NON1.SGM 26NON1 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 228 / Tuesday, November 26, 2013 / Notices The STPNOC’s license application, the STPNOC’s Environmental Report, and the NRC’s final SEIS are available in ADAMS under Accession Numbers ML103010262, ML103010263, and ML13322A890. A copy of the final SEIS will be available at the Bay City Library, 1100 7th Street, Bay City, TX 77414. section of this document. • Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey, Chief, Rules, Announcements, and Directives Branch (RADB), Office of Administration, Mail Stop: 3WFN, 06–44M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555– 0001. For additional direction on accessing information and submitting comments, see ‘‘Accessing Information and Submitting Comments’’ in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: INFORMATION CONTACT Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day of November, 2013. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Brian D. Wittick, Chief, Projects Branch 2, Division of License Renewal, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. I. Accessing Information and Submitting Comments [FR Doc. 2013–28379 Filed 11–25–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7509–01–P A. Accessing Information NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC–2013–0257] Biweekly Notice; Applications and Amendments to Facility Operating Licenses and Combined Licenses Involving No Significant Hazards Considerations emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES Background Pursuant to Section 189a. (2) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is publishing this regular biweekly notice. The Act requires the Commission to publish notice of any amendments issued, or proposed to be issued and grants the Commission the authority to issue and make immediately effective any amendment to an operating license or combined license, as applicable, upon a determination by the Commission that such amendment involves no significant hazards consideration, notwithstanding the pendency before the Commission of a request for a hearing from any person. This biweekly notice includes all notices of amendments issued, or proposed to be issued from October 31, 2013 to November 13, 2013. The last biweekly notice was published on November 12, 2013 (78 FR 67402). ADDRESSES: You may submit comment by any of the following methods (unless this document describes a different method for submitting comments on a specific subject): • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2013–0257. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301–287–3422; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact the individual(s) listed in the FOR FURTHER VerDate Mar<15>2010 18:04 Nov 25, 2013 Jkt 232001 Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2013– 0257 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You may access publicly-available information related to this action by the following methods: • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2013–0257. • NRC’s Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): You may access publiclyavailable documents online in the NRC Library at https://www.nrc.gov/readingrm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The ADAMS accession number for each document referenced in this notice (if that document is available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that a document is referenced. • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public documents at the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. B. Submitting Comments Please include Docket ID NRC–2013– 0257 in the subject line of your comment submission, in order to ensure that the NRC is able to make your comment submission available to the public in this docket. The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your comment submission. The NRC posts all comment submissions at https:// www.regulations.gov as well as entering the comment submissions into ADAMS. PO 00000 Frm 00062 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 70589 The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove identifying or contact information. If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to remove such information before making the comment submissions available to the public or entering the comment submissions into ADAMS. Notice of Consideration of Issuance of Amendments to Facility Operating Licenses and Combined Licenses, Proposed No Significant Hazards Consideration Determination, and Opportunity for a Hearing The Commission has made a proposed determination that the following amendment requests involve no significant hazards consideration. Under the Commission’s regulations in section 50.92 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), this means that operation of the facility in accordance with the proposed amendment would not (1) involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated; or (2) create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated; or (3) involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety. The basis for this proposed determination for each amendment request is shown below. The Commission is seeking public comments on this proposed determination. Any comments received within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice will be considered in making any final determination. Normally, the Commission will not issue the amendment until the expiration of 60 days after the date of publication of this notice. The Commission may issue the license amendment before expiration of the 60day period provided that its final determination is that the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration. In addition, the Commission may issue the amendment prior to the expiration of the 30-day comment period should circumstances change during the 30-day comment period such that failure to act in a timely way would result, for example in derating or shutdown of the facility. Should the Commission take action prior to the expiration of either the E:\FR\FM\26NON1.SGM 26NON1

Agencies

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 26, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70588-70589]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28379]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-498, and 50-499; NRC-2010-0375]


STP Nuclear Operating Company; South Texas Project

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Final supplement 48 to generic environmental impact statement 
for license renewal of nuclear plants; issuance.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission (NRC) has published the final, plant-specific, Supplement 48 
to the ``Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of 
Nuclear Plants (GEIS),'' NUREG-1437 (ML13322A890), regarding the 
renewal of operating license NPF-76 and NPF-80 for an additional 20 
years of operation for the South Texas Project (STP). The STP site is 
located in Bay City, Texas. Possible alternatives to the proposed 
action (license renewal) include no action and reasonable alternative 
energy sources.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2010-0375 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may access publicly-available information related to this action by the 
following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2010-0375. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-287-
3422; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact 
the individual(s) listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section 
of this document.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may access publicly-available documents online in the NRC 
Library at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the 
search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and then select ``Begin Web-
based ADAMS Search.'' For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's 
Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-
4837, or by email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The ADAMS accession number 
for each document referenced in this notice (if that document is 
available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that a document is 
referenced. Additional information regarding accessing materials 
related to this action is under Section II, Document Availability 
heading in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
     NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public 
documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tam Tran, Office of Nuclear Reactor 
Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-
0001; telephone: 301-415-3617; email: Tam.Tran@nrc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Discussion

    The NRC received an application, dated October 25, 2010 
(ML103360179), from STP Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC), filed 
pursuant to Section 103 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, 
and Part 54 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), to 
renew the operating license for STPNOC. Renewal of the license would 
authorize the applicant to operate the facility for an additional 20-
year period beyond the period specified in the current operating 
license. The current operating licenses for STPNOC, Units 1 and 2 (NPF-
76 and NPF-80), expires on August 20, 2027, and December 15, 2028.
    The final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) is 
being issued as part of the NRC's process to decide whether to issue 
renewed licenses to STPNOC, pursuant to 10 CFR Part 54. The final SEIS 
was prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the NRC's regulations for implementing 
NEPA in 10 CFR Part 51. In the final SEIS, the NRC staff assessed the 
potential environmental impacts from the operation, refurbishment, and 
decommissioning of the proposed STP license renewal. The NRC staff 
assessed the impacts of the proposed action on land use, historic and 
cultural resources, air quality, geology and soils, water resources, 
ecological resources, transportation, public and occupational health, 
waste management, socioeconomics, and environmental justice. In 
preparing this final SEIS, the NRC staff also reviewed, considered, 
evaluated, and addressed the public comments received during the 
scoping process and on the draft SEIS.
    In addition to the proposed action, the NRC staff considered a 
reasonable range of alternatives, including the no-action alternative. 
Under the no-action alternative, the NRC would deny STPNOC's request 
for renewed operating licenses for the STP units. Other alternatives 
the NRC staff considered include: (1) natural gas-fired combined cycle 
(NGCC); (2) new nuclear; (3) supercritical coal; (4) combination 
alternative (NGCC, wind, and energy conservation and efficiency); (5) 
purchased power; (6) offsite new nuclear-, gas-, or coal-generation; 
(7) energy conservation and energy efficiency; (8) wind power; (9) 
solar power; (10) hydroelectric power; (11) ocean wave and current 
energy; (12) geothermal power; (13) municipal solid waste; (14) 
biomass; (15) biofuels; (16) oil-fired power; (17) fuel cells; and (18) 
delayed retirement. These alternatives, except for the NGCC, new 
nuclear, supercritical coal, combination alternative, and purchased 
power were eliminated from further analysis because of technical, 
resource availability, or current commercial limitations that would not 
justify inclusion in the range of reasonable alternatives.
    As discussed in Section 9.4 of the final supplement, the NRC staff 
determined that the adverse environmental impacts of renewed licenses 
for STPNOC are not great enough to deny this option for energy planning 
decision-makers. This recommendation is based on: (1) the analysis and 
findings in the GEIS; (2) information provided in the environmental 
report and other documents submitted by STPNOC; (3) consultation with 
Federal, State, local, and tribal government agencies; (4) the NRC 
staff's own independent environmental review; and (5) consideration of 
public comments received during the scoping process and on the draft 
SEIS.

II. Document Availability

    Documents related to this notice are available on the NRC's Plant 
Application for Licenses Renewal Web site at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/applications/south-texas-project.html. The final SEIS for the proposed STP project may also be 
accessed on the internet at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr1437/ and selecting ``Supplement 48.''

[[Page 70589]]

    The STPNOC's license application, the STPNOC's Environmental 
Report, and the NRC's final SEIS are available in ADAMS under Accession 
Numbers ML103010262, ML103010263, and ML13322A890.
    A copy of the final SEIS will be available at the Bay City Library, 
1100 7th Street, Bay City, TX 77414.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day of November, 2013.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Brian D. Wittick,
Chief, Projects Branch 2, Division of License Renewal, Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2013-28379 Filed 11-25-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7509-01-P

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.