Shaw AREVA MOX Services; Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility, 63442-63444 [2014-25274]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 205 / Thursday, October 23, 2014 / Notices
CFR), establishes a general license
authorizing any physician, clinical
laboratory, veterinarian in the practice
of veterinary medicine, or hospital to
possess certain small quantities of
byproduct material for in vitro clinical
or laboratory test not involving the
internal or external administration of
the byproduct material or the radiation
therefrom to human beings or animals.
Possession of byproduct material under
10 CFR 31.11 is not authorized until the
physician, clinical laboratory,
veterinarian in the practice of veterinary
medicine, or hospital has filed NRC
Form 483 and received from the
Commission a validated copy of NRC
Form 483 with a registration number.
The public may examine and have
copied for a fee publicly-available
documents, including the final
supporting statement, at the NRC’s
Public Document Room, Room O–1F21,
One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville
Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. The
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document will be available on the
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Comments and questions should be
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Comments received after this date will
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submitted by telephone at 202–395–
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mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 20th day
of October 2014.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Tremaine Donnell,
NRC Clearance Officer, Office of Information
Services.
[FR Doc. 2014–25252 Filed 10–22–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[Docket No. 70–3098; NRC–2014–0235]
Shaw AREVA MOX Services; Mixed
Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Environmental assessment and
finding of no significant impact;
issuance.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) is considering
extending the expiration date for
Construction Authorization (CA)
CAMOX–001 issued to Shaw AREVA
MOX Services for the Mixed Oxide Fuel
Fabrication Facility on the Savannah
River Site in Aiken, South Carolina.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID
NRC–2014–0235 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of
information regarding this document.
You may obtain 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–2014–0235. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Carol
Gallagher; telephone: 301–287–3422;
email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For
technical questions, contact the
individual listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
document.
• NRC’s Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may obtain 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. The request to
extend the construction authorization
expiration date, dated May 16, 2014, is
available in ADAMS under Accession
No. ML14132A342.
• 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:
David Tiktinsky, Office of Nuclear
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S.
SUMMARY:
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Nuclear Regulatory Commission;
Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone:
301–287–9155; email: David.Tiktinsky@
nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The NRC is considering extending the
CA expiration date specified in CA
CAMOX–001 issued to Shaw AREVA
MOX Services (MOX Services) for the
Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility.
The facility is located on the
Department of Energy’s Savannah River
Site in Aiken, South Carolina.
Therefore, as required by § 51.21 of Title
10 of the Code of Federal Regulations
(10 CFR), the NRC performed an
environmental assessment. Based on the
results of the environmental assessment
that follows, the NRC has determined
not to prepare an environmental impact
statement for the action of extending the
expiration date of the construction
authorization, and is issuing a finding of
no significant impact.
II. Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would extend
the expiration date of CA CAMOX–001
from March 30, 2015, to March 30, 2025.
MOX Services submitted the CA
extension request by letter dated May
12, 2014 (ADAMS Accession No.
ML14132A342). MOX Services
submitted the request to extend the CA
at least 90 days before the expiration of
the existing CA, therefore, in accordance
with 10 CFR 2.109(a), the existing CA
will remain in effect until the NRC staff
has completed the review of the request.
The proposed extension will not
expand the scope of any work to be
performed that is not already allowed by
the existing construction authorization.
The extension will grant the MOX
Services additional time to complete
construction in accordance with the
previously approved CA.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is necessary to
give the CA holder adequate time to
complete construction of the Mixed
Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility. The CA
for the MFFF was originally issued on
March 30, 2005, with an expiration date
of March 31, 2015. MOX Services has
stated in their May 12, 2014, request
that various factors have contributed to
the need for an extension of the CA. The
factors include: (a) The MFFF is a
unique first of a kind facility of this type
to be licensed in the United States
under 10 CFR part 70; (b) annual
funding/appropriations supporting
construction activities have been less
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that the projected funding profile for
several years; (c) requirements of
nuclear procurements coupled with a
shortage of qualified vendors have
resulted in delayed delivery of
components; (d) a shortage of qualified
construction workers have resulted in
longer durations for key construction
activities, and (e) a 2-year delay between
issuance of the CA and the start of
nuclear construction.
In May 2014, MOX Services
determined that in order to bound the
potential completion date of the facility,
with respect to the dependence of
annual congressional funding, that the
CA should be extended to March 31,
2025.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed
Action
The environmental impacts associated
with the construction of the facility
have been previously discussed and
evaluated in MOX Services Mixed
Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility
Environmental Report, Revision 5, dated
June 10, 2004.
The NRC staff previously evaluated
the environmental impacts of
construction and operation of this
facility. In January 2005, the NRC staff
issued NUREG–1767, ‘‘Final
Environmental Impact Statement on the
Construction and Operation of a
Proposed Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication
Facility at the Savannah River Site,
South Carolina (Vol. 1: ML050240233;
Vol. 2: ML050240250) (FEIS). The FEIS
stated that after weighing the costs and
benefits of the proposed action and
comparing alternatives, the staff
concluded that (a) the applicable
environmental requirements set forth in
FEIS Chapter 6, and (b) the proposed
mitigation measures discussed in FEIS
Chapter 5 would eliminate or
substantially lessen any potential
environmental impacts associated with
the proposed action. The staff also
concluded that the overall benefits of
the proposed MOX facility outweigh its
disadvantages and costs.
As part of the application for
extension of the CA, MOX Services has
concluded that activities conducted to
date are still bounded by the MOX
Services Environmental Report. MOX
Services has also concluded that the
extension of the CA expiration would
not authorize or result in any new
activities or result in changes of
significance as defined 10 CFR Part
51.60(b)(2).
Under the authorization within
CAMOX–001 Rev 3, MOX Services has
made substantial progress in the
construction of the MFFF with overall
construction status in excess of 60
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percent complete. Significant progress
has been made in construction of
Principal Structures, Systems, and
Components (PSSCs) and other nonPSSCs. For example, the MOX Fuel
Fabrication Building (PSSC–036) is
substantially complete, including the
roof and the exterior structure, with
only temporary construction openings
remaining. More than 200,000 pounds
of ventilation system ductwork (PSSC–
004, –005, –006, –041, –050) has been
installed. Seventy of 73 tanks have been
installed (PSSC–003, –009, –010, –023,
–041, 043, –045). Approximately 20
gloveboxes (PSSC–024) have been
installed. Installation of approximately
1000 fire dampers (PSSC–021) has
commenced. These PSSC activities have
been completed in accordance with
MOX Services’ NRC-approved Quality
Assurance Plan. Construction activities
that are not related to PSSCs include
completion of the Administration
Building, Technical Support Building,
Craft Support Building, and Secured
Warehouse as well as the installation of
more than 70,000 linear feet of nonPSSC electrical cable. In addition, MOX
Services has completed in-advance
testing of 27 process units.
While significant progress has been
made on construction of the MFFF,
additional time is required for
completion of construction. Key
structures remaining to be constructed
include the Emergency Generator
Building (PSSC–016) and the Reagents
Processing Building (non-PSSC). Other
key PSSC related construction activities
remaining include completing
installation of ventilation systems
(PSSC–004, –005, –006, –041, –050),
including fire dampers (PSSC–021), fire
detection and suppression system
(PSSC–022), diesel generator and
support systems (PSSC–012, –017,
–018), process units (various PSSCs),
and gloveboxes (PSSC–024). These
activities are authorized under
CAMOX–001 Rev. 3 and will be
constructed in accordance with the
MOX Project Quality Assurance Plan.
MOX Services has made substantial
progress in the construction of the MOX
Fuel Fabrication building and other
support buildings. Most of the
remaining construction activities will
take place within the existing buildings.
Therefore, most of the environmental
impacts discussed in MOX Services’
Environmental Report have occurred
and the impacts are consistent with the
staff’s FEIS. The requested extension of
the CA is for the time needed to
complete construction and does not
impact the scope of activities.
Accordingly, the extension does not
involve any additional impacts or
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63443
represent a significant change to those
impacts described and analyzed in the
previous environmental report. Based
on the foregoing, the NRC staff has
concluded that the proposed action
would have no significant
environmental impact.
Environmental Impacts of the
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
A possible alternative to the proposed
action would be to deny the request, or
the no-action alternative. If the NRC
denies the extension request, then MOX
Services will need to cease construction
activities in 2015 when the CA expires.
Because most of the construction
activities have already taken place, the
impacts of this alternative would not be
significantly different that if NRC
approved the extension request.
Alternative Use of Resources
Since the CA holder has no plans to
perform any new activities that were not
considered in previous environmental
reviews, the spreading out of time for
the construction of the remainder of the
facility does not involve the use of
resources not previously considered in
the environmental documents for the
MFFF.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy,
on July 29, 2014, the NRC staff
consulted with officials from the South
Carolina Department of Health and
Environmental Control regarding the
environmental impact of the proposed
action. The State officials had no
comments.
III. Finding of No Significant Impact
Based on the details provided in this
environmental assessment, the NRC
staff concludes that the proposed action
of extending the expiration date of CA
from March 30, 2015, to March 30, 2025,
does not involve any different impacts
or a significant change to those impacts
described and analyzed in the original
environmental impact statement.
Therefore, the NRC staff has determined
that extending the CA completion date
will not have a significant effect on the
quality of the human environment
because it does not involve any
additional impacts or represent a
significant change to those impacts
described and analyzed in the previous
environmental report and FEIS.
Accordingly, the NRC has determined
not to prepare an environmental impact
statement for the proposed action.
This finding and documents related to
this action such as the CA holder’s
request for extension dated May 12,
2014 (ADAMS Accession No.
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63444
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 205 / Thursday, October 23, 2014 / Notices
ML14132A342) and related
environmental documents (FEIS: Vol. 1:
ML050240233; Vol. 2: ML050240250)
are available electronically at 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.’’
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 16th day
of October 2014.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert Johnson,
Chief, Fuel Manufacturing Branch, Division
of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, Office
of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2014–25274 Filed 10–22–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[Docket No. 72–08; NRC–2011–0085]
Exelon Generation Corporation, LLC;
Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant;
Independent Spent Fuel Storage
Installation
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Environmental assessment and
finding of no significant impact; reissuance.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) is re-issuing an
Environmental Assessment (EA) and
Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) for the proposed renewal of
NRC License SNM–2505 for the
continued operation of the Independent
Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI)
at the Exelon Generation Corporation,
LLC (Exelon Generation), Calvert Cliffs
Nuclear Power Plant site in Calvert
County, Maryland. The re-issued EA
includes the NRC staff’s consideration
of the impacts of continued storage of
spent nuclear fuel (as documented in
NUREG–2157, ‘‘Generic Environmental
Impact Statement for Continued Storage
of Spent Fuel’’) as an appendix to the
EA. The re-issued EA also includes an
update to the cumulative impacts
assessment to address new information
about reasonably foreseeable future
actions in the vicinity of or associated
with the ISFSI site.
DATES: The re-issued EA and FONSI are
available as of October 23, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID
NRC–2011–0085 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of
information regarding this document.
You may access publicly-available
information related to this document
using any of the following methods:
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:52 Oct 22, 2014
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• Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for Docket ID NRC–2011–0085. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Carol
Gallagher; telephone: 301–287–3422;
email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For
technical questions, contact the
individual listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
document.
• NRC’s Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly
available documents online in the
ADAMS Public Documents collection 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, 301–415–4737, or by
email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The
ADAMS accession number for each
document referenced in this document
(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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
James Park, Office of Nuclear Material
Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555–0001; telephone: 301–415–
6935; email: James.Park@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
On September 17, 2010, Exelon
Generation submitted an application
(ADAMS Accession No. ML102650247)
to the NRC to renew NRC License SNM–
2505 for the Calvert Cliffs ISFSI in
Calvert County, Maryland, for a period
of 40 years. Exelon Generation
supplemented its application by
submittals dated February 10, 2011,
March 9, 2011, June 28, 2011, and
December 15, 2011 (ADAMS Accession
Nos. ML110620120, ML110730731,
ML11180A270, and ML11364A024).
The NRC staff prepared an EA in
accordance with § 51.30(a) of Title 10 of
the Code of Federal Regulations (10
CFR), publishing a notice of issuance for
the EA and a FONSI in the Federal
Register on June 8, 2012 (77 FR 34093).
The NRC’s licensing proceedings for
nuclear reactors and ISFSIs have
historically relied upon a generic
determination codified in the NRC’s
regulations (10 CFR Part 51) to satisfy
the agency’s obligations under the
PO 00000
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National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), with respect
to the narrow area of the environmental
impacts of storage of spent nuclear fuel
(spent fuel) beyond a reactor’s licensed
life for operation and prior to ultimate
disposal (continued storage). The Court
of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit, in New York v. NRC, 681 F. 3d
471 (D.C. Cir. 2012), vacated the NRC’s
2010 update to that rule (75 FR 81031;
December 23, 2010) and remanded it to
the NRC. Thereafter, the Commission
determined on August 7, 2012, that the
NRC would not issue licenses
dependent upon the formerly known
Waste Confidence Decision and
Temporary Storage Rule until the Court
of Appeals’ was appropriately addressed
(Commission Order CLI–12–16, ADAMS
Accession No. ML12220A199).
On September 19, 2014 (79 FR 56238),
the NRC published a final rule at 10
CFR 51.23, ‘‘Environmental impacts of
continued storage of spent nuclear fuel
beyond the licensed life for operations
of a reactor’’ (RIN 3150–AJ20; NRC–
2012–0246). That rule, effective October
20, 2014, codifies the NRC’s generic
determinations in NUREG–2157
(ADAMS Accession Nos. ML14196A105
and ML14196A107) regarding the
environmental impacts of the continued
storage of spent fuel. In CLI–14–08
(ADAMS Accession No. ML14238A213),
the Commission held that the revised 10
CFR 51.23 and associated NUREG–2157
cure the deficiencies identified by the
court in New York v. NRC, 681 F.3d 471
(D.C. Cir. 2012) and stated that the rule
satisfies the NRC’s NEPA obligations
with respect to continued storage. The
rule, however, does not authorize the
storage of spent fuel.
In EAs prepared for future relevant
licensing actions related to a reactor’s
spent nuclear fuel, 10 CFR 51.23(b) now
requires the NRC to consider the
environmental impacts of continued
storage, if the impacts of continued
storage of spent fuel are relevant to the
proposed action. An appendix to the reissued EA (ADAMS Accession No.
ML14282A278) prepared for the
proposed renewal of the Calvert Cliffs
ISFSI license provides the NRC staff’s
consideration of the impact
determinations in NUREG–2157
regarding continued storage.
The NRC staff has also updated its
assessment of cumulative impacts to
include new information about
reasonably foreseeable future actions
(RFFAs) in the vicinity of or associated
with the ISFSI site. These RFFAs
include Exelon Generation’s proposed
expansion of the ISFSI and updates to
the Cove Point liquefied natural gas
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 205 (Thursday, October 23, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63442-63444]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25274]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 70-3098; NRC-2014-0235]
Shaw AREVA MOX Services; Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact;
issuance.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
extending the expiration date for Construction Authorization (CA)
CAMOX-001 issued to Shaw AREVA MOX Services for the Mixed Oxide Fuel
Fabrication Facility on the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South
Carolina.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2014-0235 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You
may obtain 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-2014-0235. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-287-
3422; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of
this document.
NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may obtain 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-
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. The request to extend the construction authorization
expiration date, dated May 16, 2014, is available in ADAMS under
Accession No. ML14132A342.
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: David Tiktinsky, Office of Nuclear
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission;
Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-287-9155; email:
David.Tiktinsky@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The NRC is considering extending the CA expiration date specified
in CA CAMOX-001 issued to Shaw AREVA MOX Services (MOX Services) for
the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility. The facility is located on
the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site in Aiken, South
Carolina. Therefore, as required by Sec. 51.21 of Title 10 of the Code
of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), the NRC performed an environmental
assessment. Based on the results of the environmental assessment that
follows, the NRC has determined not to prepare an environmental impact
statement for the action of extending the expiration date of the
construction authorization, and is issuing a finding of no significant
impact.
II. Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would extend the expiration date of CA CAMOX-
001 from March 30, 2015, to March 30, 2025. MOX Services submitted the
CA extension request by letter dated May 12, 2014 (ADAMS Accession No.
ML14132A342). MOX Services submitted the request to extend the CA at
least 90 days before the expiration of the existing CA, therefore, in
accordance with 10 CFR 2.109(a), the existing CA will remain in effect
until the NRC staff has completed the review of the request.
The proposed extension will not expand the scope of any work to be
performed that is not already allowed by the existing construction
authorization. The extension will grant the MOX Services additional
time to complete construction in accordance with the previously
approved CA.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is necessary to give the CA holder adequate
time to complete construction of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication
Facility. The CA for the MFFF was originally issued on March 30, 2005,
with an expiration date of March 31, 2015. MOX Services has stated in
their May 12, 2014, request that various factors have contributed to
the need for an extension of the CA. The factors include: (a) The MFFF
is a unique first of a kind facility of this type to be licensed in the
United States under 10 CFR part 70; (b) annual funding/appropriations
supporting construction activities have been less
[[Page 63443]]
that the projected funding profile for several years; (c) requirements
of nuclear procurements coupled with a shortage of qualified vendors
have resulted in delayed delivery of components; (d) a shortage of
qualified construction workers have resulted in longer durations for
key construction activities, and (e) a 2-year delay between issuance of
the CA and the start of nuclear construction.
In May 2014, MOX Services determined that in order to bound the
potential completion date of the facility, with respect to the
dependence of annual congressional funding, that the CA should be
extended to March 31, 2025.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The environmental impacts associated with the construction of the
facility have been previously discussed and evaluated in MOX Services
Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility Environmental Report, Revision 5,
dated June 10, 2004.
The NRC staff previously evaluated the environmental impacts of
construction and operation of this facility. In January 2005, the NRC
staff issued NUREG-1767, ``Final Environmental Impact Statement on the
Construction and Operation of a Proposed Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication
Facility at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina (Vol. 1:
ML050240233; Vol. 2: ML050240250) (FEIS). The FEIS stated that after
weighing the costs and benefits of the proposed action and comparing
alternatives, the staff concluded that (a) the applicable environmental
requirements set forth in FEIS Chapter 6, and (b) the proposed
mitigation measures discussed in FEIS Chapter 5 would eliminate or
substantially lessen any potential environmental impacts associated
with the proposed action. The staff also concluded that the overall
benefits of the proposed MOX facility outweigh its disadvantages and
costs.
As part of the application for extension of the CA, MOX Services
has concluded that activities conducted to date are still bounded by
the MOX Services Environmental Report. MOX Services has also concluded
that the extension of the CA expiration would not authorize or result
in any new activities or result in changes of significance as defined
10 CFR Part 51.60(b)(2).
Under the authorization within CAMOX-001 Rev 3, MOX Services has
made substantial progress in the construction of the MFFF with overall
construction status in excess of 60 percent complete. Significant
progress has been made in construction of Principal Structures,
Systems, and Components (PSSCs) and other non-PSSCs. For example, the
MOX Fuel Fabrication Building (PSSC-036) is substantially complete,
including the roof and the exterior structure, with only temporary
construction openings remaining. More than 200,000 pounds of
ventilation system ductwork (PSSC-004, -005, -006, -041, -050) has been
installed. Seventy of 73 tanks have been installed (PSSC-003, -009, -
010, -023, -041, 043, -045). Approximately 20 gloveboxes (PSSC-024)
have been installed. Installation of approximately 1000 fire dampers
(PSSC-021) has commenced. These PSSC activities have been completed in
accordance with MOX Services' NRC-approved Quality Assurance Plan.
Construction activities that are not related to PSSCs include
completion of the Administration Building, Technical Support Building,
Craft Support Building, and Secured Warehouse as well as the
installation of more than 70,000 linear feet of non-PSSC electrical
cable. In addition, MOX Services has completed in-advance testing of 27
process units.
While significant progress has been made on construction of the
MFFF, additional time is required for completion of construction. Key
structures remaining to be constructed include the Emergency Generator
Building (PSSC-016) and the Reagents Processing Building (non-PSSC).
Other key PSSC related construction activities remaining include
completing installation of ventilation systems (PSSC-004, -005, -006, -
041, -050), including fire dampers (PSSC-021), fire detection and
suppression system (PSSC-022), diesel generator and support systems
(PSSC-012, -017, -018), process units (various PSSCs), and gloveboxes
(PSSC-024). These activities are authorized under CAMOX-001 Rev. 3 and
will be constructed in accordance with the MOX Project Quality
Assurance Plan.
MOX Services has made substantial progress in the construction of
the MOX Fuel Fabrication building and other support buildings. Most of
the remaining construction activities will take place within the
existing buildings. Therefore, most of the environmental impacts
discussed in MOX Services' Environmental Report have occurred and the
impacts are consistent with the staff's FEIS. The requested extension
of the CA is for the time needed to complete construction and does not
impact the scope of activities. Accordingly, the extension does not
involve any additional impacts or represent a significant change to
those impacts described and analyzed in the previous environmental
report. Based on the foregoing, the NRC staff has concluded that the
proposed action would have no significant environmental impact.
Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action
A possible alternative to the proposed action would be to deny the
request, or the no-action alternative. If the NRC denies the extension
request, then MOX Services will need to cease construction activities
in 2015 when the CA expires. Because most of the construction
activities have already taken place, the impacts of this alternative
would not be significantly different that if NRC approved the extension
request.
Alternative Use of Resources
Since the CA holder has no plans to perform any new activities that
were not considered in previous environmental reviews, the spreading
out of time for the construction of the remainder of the facility does
not involve the use of resources not previously considered in the
environmental documents for the MFFF.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on July 29, 2014, the NRC
staff consulted with officials from the South Carolina Department of
Health and Environmental Control regarding the environmental impact of
the proposed action. The State officials had no comments.
III. Finding of No Significant Impact
Based on the details provided in this environmental assessment, the
NRC staff concludes that the proposed action of extending the
expiration date of CA from March 30, 2015, to March 30, 2025, does not
involve any different impacts or a significant change to those impacts
described and analyzed in the original environmental impact statement.
Therefore, the NRC staff has determined that extending the CA
completion date will not have a significant effect on the quality of
the human environment because it does not involve any additional
impacts or represent a significant change to those impacts described
and analyzed in the previous environmental report and FEIS.
Accordingly, the NRC has determined not to prepare an environmental
impact statement for the proposed action.
This finding and documents related to this action such as the CA
holder's request for extension dated May 12, 2014 (ADAMS Accession No.
[[Page 63444]]
ML14132A342) and related environmental documents (FEIS: Vol. 1:
ML050240233; Vol. 2: ML050240250) are available electronically at 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.''
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 16th day of October 2014.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert Johnson,
Chief, Fuel Manufacturing Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and
Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2014-25274 Filed 10-22-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
