NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC; Duane Arnold Energy Center Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation, 5847-5851 [2022-02122]
Download as PDF
5847
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 2, 2022 / Notices
Association of University Professors,
‘‘Annual Report on the Economic Status
of the Profession, 2020–21,’’ Academe,
March–April 2021, Survey Report Table
1. According to this report, the average
salary of an assistant professor across all
types of doctoral-granting institutions
(public, private-independent, religiously
affiliated) was $91,408. When divided
by the number of standard annual work
hours (2,080), this calculates to
approximately $44 per hour. Similarly,
the annualized estimate of costs to the
ELs, who are generally graduate
students, can be calculated using the
data published in the 2017 Science
Burden hours
per
respondent
Number of
respondents
Respondent type
Average
hourly
rate
Estimated
annual cost
PIs ....................................................................................................................
ELs/TLs ............................................................................................................
Industry Mentors ..............................................................................................
400
400
400
0.75
0.75
0.75
$44
12
44
$13,200
3,600
13,200
Total ..........................................................................................................
1,200
........................
........................
30,000
Estimated Number of Responses per
Report: Data collections involve all
awardees in the programs.
Dated: January 28, 2022.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science
Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2022–02160 Filed 2–1–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555–01–P
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[NRC–2022–0020]
Monthly Notice; Applications and
Amendments to Facility Operating
Licenses and Combined Licenses
Involving No Significant Hazards
Considerations; Correction
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Monthly notice; correction.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) is correcting a notice
that was published in the Federal
Register on January 25, 2022, regarding
an incorrect name of the attorney for the
licensee referenced in the License
Amendment Request table as ‘‘Steven
Hamrick, Managing Attorney—Nuclear,
Florida Power and Light Company, P.O.
Box 14000, Juno Beach, FL 33408–
0420’’ to read ‘‘Rick Giannantonio,
General Counsel, Energy Harbor Nuclear
Corp., Mail Stop A–GO–15, 76 South
Main Street, Akron, OH 44308.’’
DATES: February 2, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID
NRC–2022–0020 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of
information regarding this document.
You may obtain publicly available
information related to this document
using any of the following methods:
• Federal Rulemaking website: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
SUMMARY:
jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1
magazine article that a typical annual
stipend for graduate students in the
sciences is around $25,000. When
divided by the number of standard
annual work hours (2,080), this
calculates to approximately $12 per
hour.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
21:31 Feb 01, 2022
Jkt 256001
for Docket ID NRC–2022–0020. Address
questions about Docket IDs in
Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann;
telephone: 301–415–0624; email:
Stacy.Schumann@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
‘‘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.
• NRC’s PDR: You may examine and
purchase copies of public documents,
by appointment, at the NRC’s PDR,
Room P1 B35, One White Flint North,
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
Maryland 20852. To make an
appointment to visit the PDR, please
send an email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov
or call 1–800–397–4209 or 301–415–
4737, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
(ET), Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Karen Zeleznock, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555–0001, telephone: 301–415–
1118, email: Karen.Zeleznock@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Correction
In the Federal Register (FR) on
January 25, 2022, in FR Doc. 2022–
00765, on page 3847, in the table
‘‘License Amendment Request (s),’’ for
license amendment ‘‘Energy Harbor
Nuclear Corp. and Energy Harbor
Nuclear Generation LLC; Beaver Valley
PO 00000
Frm 00069
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Power Station, Units 1 and 2; Beaver
County, PA’’ correct ‘‘Name of Attorney
for Licensee, Mailing Address,’’ to read
‘‘Rick Giannantonio, General Counsel,
Energy Harbor Nuclear Corp., Mail Stop
A–GO–15, 76 South Main Street, Akron,
OH 44308.’’
Dated: January 27, 2022.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Caroline L. Carusone,
Deputy Director, Division of Operating
Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2022–02069 Filed 2–1–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[Docket No. 72–32; NRC–2022–0024]
NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC;
Duane Arnold Energy Center
Independent Spent Fuel Storage
Installation
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Environmental assessment and
finding of no significant impact;
issuance.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) is publishing this
notice regarding the issuance of an
Environmental Assessment (EA) and
Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) for its review and potential
approval of an exemption to NextEra
Energy Duane Arnold, LLC (NEDA) for
the Duane Arnold Energy Center (DAEC)
Independent Spent Fuel Storage
Installation (ISFSI). The exemption
would allow a failed fuel can (FFC) and
its contents at DAEC to exceed the
limits specified in Table 1–1t in
Appendix B, Technical Specifications,
of NRC Certificate of Compliance (CoC)
No. 1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\02FEN1.SGM
02FEN1
5848
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 2, 2022 / Notices
The EA and FONSI referenced in
this document are available on February
2, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID
NRC–2022–0024 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of
information regarding this document.
You may obtain publicly available
information related to this document
using any of the following methods:
• Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for Docket ID NRC–2022–0024. Address
questions about Docket IDs in
Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann;
telephone: 301–415–0624; email:
Stacy.Schumann@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
‘‘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. For the
convenience of the reader, instructions
about obtaining materials referenced in
this document are provided in the
‘‘Availability of Documents’’ section.
• NRC’s PDR: You may examine and
purchase copies of public documents,
by appointment, at the NRC’s PDR,
Room P1 B35, One White Flint North,
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
Maryland 20852. To make an
appointment to visit the PDR, please
send an email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov
or call 1–800–397–4209 or 301–415–
4737, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
(ET), Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tilda Liu, Office of Nuclear Material
Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555–0001; telephone: 404–997–
4730, email: Tilda.Liu@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1
I. Introduction
The NRC is considering the issuance
of an exemption to NEDA for the DAEC
ISFSI located in Palo, Iowa. Therefore,
as required by sections 51.21 and
51.30(a) of title 10 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (10 CFR), the NRC
performed an EA. The exemption, if
granted, would allow a FFC and its
contents at DAEC to exceed the limits
specified in Table 1–1t in Appendix B,
VerDate Sep<11>2014
21:31 Feb 01, 2022
Jkt 256001
Technical Specifications, of NRC
Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No.
1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17.
Based on the results of the EA,
discussed in this notice, the NRC has
determined not to prepare an
environmental impact statement for the
exemption request and is issuing a
FONSI.
II. Background
By letter dated October 21, 2021, as
supplemented by letters dated
December 10, 2021 and January 6, 2022,
NEDA submitted a one-time exemption
request to the NRC for the DAEC ISFSI,
in accordance with 10 CFR 72.7,
‘‘Specific exemptions,’’ from the
requirements of 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2),
(b)(2), (b)(3), (b)(4), (b)(5)(i), (b)(11), and
72.214. Specifically, the one-time
exemption request would, if granted,
permit an FFC and its contents at DAEC
to exceed the limits specified in Table
1–1t in Appendix B of NRC Certificate
of Compliance (CoC) No. 1004, Renewed
Amendment No. 17.
DAEC began operation in 1974 and is
owned and operated by NEDA. DAEC
permanently shut down its reactor on
August 10, 2020. By letter dated August
27, 2020, NEDA submitted its
certification of permanent cessation of
power operations, and by letter dated
October 12, 2020, NEDA certified that
all fuel had been removed from the
reactor as required under the provisions
of 10 CFR 50.82.
The NRC staff reviewed and approved
the Standardized NUHOMS® 61BTH
Type 2 dry shielded canister (DSC), and
the related basket structural analysis, as
part of Amendment No. 10 to CoC No.
1004, and the FFC as part of
Amendment No. 13 to CoC No. 1004.
The Standardized NUHOMS® System
FFC consists of a liner with an integral
bottom lid assembly, and a removable
top lid, designed to contain a failed fuel
assembly and any associated fuel
fragments/rubble to ensure assumptions
made in the criticality analysis for the
quantity and location of fuel rod
material are maintained.
As discussed in its October 21, 2021
request, as supplemented on December
10, 2021, and January 6, 2022, NEDA
identified a failed fuel assembly which,
when stored with a modified FFC, will
exceed the CoC Appendix B Technical
Specifications (TS) Table 1–1t
requirement that ‘‘[t]he total weight of
each failed fuel can plus all its content
shall be less than 705 lb.’’ The
modifications to the relevant FFC will
be evaluated against the criteria in 10
CFR 72.48 to determine whether they
require either a license or CoC
amendment.
PO 00000
Frm 00070
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
NEDA is proposing to modify an FFC
to accommodate a damaged bail handle
on a certain boiling water reactor failed
fuel assembly. The proposed
modification to the FFC would provide
the damaged bail handle adequate
clearance during loading operations to
lower the failed fuel assembly into place
without interference from surrounding
components, allowing the fuel assembly
to be safely lowered into its final
position. Because of its proposed
modification to the FFC, NEDA cannot
lift the FFC in the normal manner.
Instead, it will have to use additional
lifting hardware to accomplish this. The
additional hardware to be used will
cause the relevant FFC and its contents
to exceed the 705-pound weight limit in
CoC No. 1004, Renewed Amendment
No. 17. If the exemption is granted,
NEDA would be allowed to load a failed
fuel assembly in an FCC, within a DAEC
DSC No. 30 fuel cell, where the
combined weight of the failed fuel
assembly plus the FCC exceeds the 705pound limit. As a condition of this
exemption, however, NEDA would also
be required to leave at least two adjacent
DSC fuel cells empty to increase the
available margin for weight.
The NRC staff is performing both a
safety evaluation and an environmental
review to determine whether to grant
this exemption request. The NRC staff
will prepare a separate safety evaluation
report to document its safety review and
analysis. The NRC’s safety evaluation
report will evaluate the proposed
exemption to ensure reasonable
assurance of adequate protection of
public health and safety, and the
common defense and security. This EA
documents the environmental review
that the NRC staff prepared in
accordance with 10 CFR 51.21 and
51.30(a). The NRC’s decision whether to
grant the exemption will be based on
the results of the NRC staff’s review
documented in this EA, and the staff’s
safety review to be documented in the
safety evaluation report.
III. Environmental Assessment
Description of the Proposed Action
CoC No. 1004 constitutes the approval
and contains the conditions for the use
of the Standardized NUHOMS®
Horizontal Modular Storage System for
the storage of spent nuclear fuel under
the general licensing provisions of 10
CFR 72.210. The proposed action is for
the NRC to grant NEDA an exemption
from the requirements of 10 CFR
72.212(b)(3), (b)(5)(i), (b)(11), and
72.214, which require general licensees
to comply with the terms, conditions,
and specifications of the CoC No. 1004,
E:\FR\FM\02FEN1.SGM
02FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 2, 2022 / Notices
jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1
Renewed Amendment No. 17 and from
the requirements of 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2),
(b)(2), and (b)(4) to the extent those
three provisions require licensees to use
casks exactly as described in the
relevant TS.
In its October 21, 2021, exemption
request, supplemented on December 10,
2021, and January 6, 2022, NEDA
identified a failed fuel assembly that
weighs nominally 676 pounds. As
previously discussed, this failed fuel
assembly must be stored in a modified
FFC because of a bent bail handle
extending beyond the perimeter of the
dry shielded canister fuel compartment.
When this failed fuel assembly is stored
with the modified FFC, the total weight
will exceed the physical parameter limit
for failed fuel, specified in CoC No.
1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17,
Appendix B, TS Table 1–1t, which
states: ‘‘The total weight of each failed
fuel can plus all its content shall be less
than 705 lb.’’ As a result, NEDA is
requesting an exemption to load an FFC
such that the FFC and its contents
exceed the TS limit for the DAEC ISFSI.
More specifically, NEDA is requesting
NRC’s approval for the FFC in question,
plus all its contents, to weigh up to 800
lbs. NEDA further states that, should
this exemption be granted, the FFC in
question would be loaded within DSC
No. 30, which is the final DSC in the
near-term loading campaign and the
final loading campaign for DAEC. In
addition, as the NRC staff’s safety
evaluation will discuss, NEDA stated
that it is committing to leave a
minimum of two adjacent fuel cells in
DSC No. 30 empty.
Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is limited to
allowing Standardized NUHOMS®
61BTH Type 2 DSC, No. 30, to be loaded
and maintained at DAEC ISFSI in the
storage condition such that the FCC and
its contents weigh up to 800 pounds.
This cask will remain in this condition
for the duration of its use and will not
meet the 705-pound weight limit for
failed fuel specified in CoC No. 1004,
Renewed Amendment No. 17, Appendix
B, TS Table 1–1t, ‘‘BWR Fuel
Specification for the Fuel to be Stored
in the NUHOMS®-61BTH DSC.’’
DAEC is currently undergoing
decommissioning. For NEDA to
decommission the facility, it must place
the failed fuel assembly in a storage
cask. NEDA could dismantle the failed
fuel assembly and place the dismantled
component pieces of the failed fuel
assembly into separate FFCs within a
DSC to meet the total weight
requirement specified in CoC No. 1004,
Renewed Amendment No. 17, Appendix
VerDate Sep<11>2014
21:31 Feb 01, 2022
Jkt 256001
B, TS Table 1–1t. Dismantling the failed
fuel assembly and placing the
dismantled portions in multiple FFCs,
however, would result in increased risk
to plant personnel and the environment,
including additional occupational
radiation dose and the generation of
additional radiological waste.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed
Action
This EA evaluates the potential
environmental impacts of granting the
exemption to allow Standardized
NUHOMS® 61BTH Type 2 DSC, No. 30,
to be loaded and maintained at DAEC
ISFSI in the storage condition such that
the FCC and its contents weigh up to
800 pounds for the duration of its use
without restoring compliance with the
weight limit for failed fuel as specified
in CoC No. 1004, Renewed Amendment
No. 17, Appendix B, TS Table 1–1t.
The potential environmental impacts
of spent fuel storage under CoC No.
1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17, for
the Standardized NUHOMS® 61BTH
System, were evaluated by the NRC staff
prior to Renewed Amendment No. No.
17 being added to the list of approved
spent fuel storage casks in 10 CFR
72.214 (86 FR 26651). For the proposed
action, the only potential impacts from
granting the exemption will be as
discussed as follows. Nothing about
increasing the weight of this FFC would
cause any corresponding changes to the
environmental impacts discussed
during the original amendment. In
addition, non-radiological impacts will
not be greater than those considered in
the EA for CoC No. 1004, Renewed
Amendment No. 17.
On July 18, 1990 (55 FR 29181), the
NRC amended 10 CFR part 72 to
provide for the storage of spent fuel
under a general license in cask designs
approved by the NRC. The EA for the
1990 final rule analyzed the potential
environmental impact of using NRCapproved storage casks. The EA for the
NUHOMS® 61BTH System, CoC No.
1004, Renewed Amendment No. No. 17,
tiers off the EA issued for the July 18,
1990, final rule. Tiering off earlier EAs
is a standard process under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA) by which the impact analyses of
previous EAs can be cited by a
subsequent EA, such as this one, to
include the impacts of the proposed
action within the scope of the previous
EA.
On December 22, 1994 (59 FR 65898),
the NRC amended 10 CFR part 72 to add
the Standardized NUHOMS® Horizontal
Modular System to the list of approved
spent fuel storage casks under a general
license. The EA for the December 22,
PO 00000
Frm 00071
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
5849
1994, final rule concluded that there
would be no significant environmental
impact to adding the Standardized
NUHOMS® System, and therefore, the
NRC issued a FONSI, which was
validated through issuance of Renewed
Amendment No. 17 to the CoC on June
7, 2021.
This exemption request involves
neither the disturbance of land, the
construction of new facilities, nor
modifications to current operating
practices. The EA for NUHOMS®
61BTH System, CoC No. 1004, Renewed
Amendment No. 17, analyzed the effects
of design-basis accidents that could
occur during storage. Design-basis
accidents account for human-induced
events and the most severe natural
phenomena reported for the site and
surrounding area and the resultant
effects on the storage cask. The NRC
staff evaluated the exemption request
and concludes that the structural
integrity and confinement of the
NUHOMS® 61BTH System are
maintained within regulatory
requirements and the environmental
impacts of the proposed action will be
insignificant. In addition, the NRC staff
determined that the higher weight limit
for failed fuel, requested under this
exemption, would not adversely affect
structural performance, and the Type 2
DSC structural performance would not
be affected by the exemption request.
Therefore, there would be no significant
change in the types or amounts of any
effluent released, no significant increase
in individual or cumulative radiation
exposures, and no significant increase
in the potential for, or consequences of,
radiological accidents will occur. The
NRC staff also finds that occupational
exposure and offsite dose rates from this
exemption request will remain within
applicable 10 CFR part 20 limits.
Therefore, the proposed exemption
request will not result in radiological or
non-radiological environmental impacts
that significantly differ from impacts
evaluated in the EA supporting the
NUHOMS® 61BTH System, CoC No.
1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17,
Direct Final Rule. For these reasons, the
NRC concludes there are no significant
environmental impacts associated with
the exemption request for the
NUHOMS® 61BTH System Type 2 DSC.
Environmental Impacts of the
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
In addition to the proposed action, the
NRC staff also considered the no-action
alternative of denial of the proposed
exemption request. Denial of the
exemption request would require NEDA
to dismantle the failed fuel assembly
and place the resulting dismantled
E:\FR\FM\02FEN1.SGM
02FEN1
5850
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 2, 2022 / Notices
component pieces into separate FFCs
within a DSC to meet the total weight
requirement specified in CoC No. 1004,
Renewed Amendment No. 17, Appendix
B, TS Table 1–1t. Dismantling the failed
fuel assembly and placing its
dismantled components in multiple
FFCs would result in increased risk to
plant personnel and the environment,
including additional occupational
radiation dose and the generation of
additional radiological waste. Therefore,
the alternative could result in equal or
greater environmental impacts.
Agencies Consulted
By email dated December 17, 2021,
the NRC provided a copy of this draft
EA to the Bureau of Radiological Health,
Iowa Department of Public Health, for
review. By email dated January 4, 2022,
the Iowa Department of Public Health
indicated that it had no comments.
Endangered Species Act Section 7
Consultation
Section 7 of the Endangered Species
Act requires Federal agencies to consult
with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
or National Marine Fisheries Service
regarding actions that may affect listed
species or designated critical habitats.
The Endangered Species Act is intended
to prevent further decline of endangered
and threatened species and restore those
species and their critical habitat.
The NRC staff determined that a
consultation under Section 7 of the
Endangered Species Act is not required
because the proposed action will not
affect listed species or critical habitat.
National Historic Preservation Act
Section 106 Consultation
Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act (NHPA) requires
Federal agencies to consider the effects
of their undertakings on historic
properties. As stated in the NHPA,
historic properties are any prehistoric or
historic district, site, building, structure,
or object included in, or eligible for
inclusion in the National Register of
Historic Places.
The NRC determined that the scope of
activities described in this exemption
request do not have the potential to
cause effects on historic properties
because the NRC’s approval of this
exemption request will not authorize
new construction or land disturbance
activities. The NRC staff also
determined that the proposed action is
not a type of activity that has the
potential to impact historic properties
because the proposed action would
occur within the established DAEC site
boundary. Therefore, in accordance
with 36 CFR 800.3(a)(1), no consultation
is required under Section 106 of NHPA.
IV. Finding of No Significant Impact
The environmental impacts of the
proposed action, an exemption allowing
NEDA to load and maintain a modified
FFC for DAEC ISFSI in the storage
condition such that the FCC and its
contents weigh up to 800 pounds
instead of the current limit specified in
CoC No. 1004, Renewed Amendment
No. No. 17, Appendix B, TS Table 1–1t,
have been reviewed under the
requirements in 10 CFR part 51, which
implement NEPA.
In this EA, the NRC determined that
the environmental impacts of granting
this exemption will be no greater than
those described in the EA for the
NUHOMS® 61BTH System, CoC No.
1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17,
Direct Final Rule, and that nothing
about increasing the weight of this FFC
would cause any corresponding changes
to the environmental impacts discussed
during the original amendment. No
changes are being made in the types or
quantities of effluents that may be
released offsite, and there is no
significant increase in occupational or
public radiation exposures.
Accordingly, the NRC has determined
that a FONSI is appropriate, and an
environmental impact statement is not
warranted.
V. Availability of Documents
The documents identified in the
following table are available to
interested persons through one or more
of the following methods, as indicated.
ADAMS accession
No./Federal Register
citation
jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1
Document description
Final Rule: Storage of Spent Fuel in NRC-Approved Storage Casks at Power Reactor Sites, dated July 18, 1990 ...........
Final Rule: List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: Addition, dated December 22, 1994 .............................................
Direct Final Rule: List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: TN Americas LLC Standardized NUHOMS® Horizontal
Modular Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17, dated May 17, 2021.
Letter from NextEra Energy to NRC, ‘‘Certification of Permanent Cessation of Power Operations’’ dated August 27, 2020
Letter from NextEra Energy to NRC, ‘‘Certification of Permanent Removal of Fuel from the Reactor Vessel for Duane Arnold Energy Center,’’ dated October 12, 2020.
Letter from NextEra Energy to NRC, ‘‘Exemption Request for Failed Fuel Can Weight in a Certificate of Compliance
1004 Renewed Amendment 17 61BTH Type 2 Dry Shielded Canister,’’ dated October 21, 2021.
Letter from NextEra Energy to NRC, ‘‘Supplement to Exemption Request for Failed Fuel Can Weight in a Certificate of
Compliance 1004 Renewed Amendment 17 61BTH Type 2 Dry Shielded Canister,’’ dated December 10, 2021.
Letter from NextEra Energy to NRC, ‘‘Supplement to Exemption Request for Failed Fuel Can Weight in a Certificate of
Compliance 1004 Renewed Amendment 17 61BTH Type 2 Dry Shielded Canister,’’ dated January 6, 2022.
Renewal of Initial Certificate and Amendment Nos. 1 Through 11 and 13, Revision 1, and Amendment No. 14 of Certificate of Compliance No. 1004 for the Standardized NUHOMS® Horizontal Modular Storage System. Enclosure 25, Renewed Certificate of Compliance No. 1004, Amendment 13, Revision 1; Enclosure 26, Conditions for Cask Use and
Technical Specifications, Renewed Amendment 13, Revision 1, dated December 4, 2017.
Issuance of Certificate of Compliance No. 1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17, for the Standardized NUHOMS® Horizontal Modular Storage System, dated May 5, 2021.
Email from NRC to Iowa Department of Public Health Transmitting ‘‘State Consolation—Draft Environmental Assessment Regarding the Exemption Request for NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC, Duane Arnold Energy Center ISFSI
in Palo, Iowa,’’ dated December 17, 2021.
Email from State of Iowa Department of Public Health regarding ‘‘State Consultation—Draft Environmental Assessment
Regarding the Exemption Request for NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC, Duane Arnold Energy Center ISFSI in
Palo, Iowa,’’ dated January 4, 2022.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
21:31 Feb 01, 2022
Jkt 256001
PO 00000
Frm 00072
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
E:\FR\FM\02FEN1.SGM
02FEN1
55 FR 29181
59 FR 65898
86 FR 26651
ML20240A067
ML20286A317
ML21294A280
ML21344A186
ML22006A105
ML17338A117 and
ML17338A118, respectively
ML21109A325 (Package)
ML21354A672
ML22021B505
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 2, 2022 / Notices
Dated: January 27, 2022.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Yoira K. Diaz-Sanabria,
Chief, Storage and Transportation Licensing
Branch, Division of Fuel Management, Office
of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2022–02122 Filed 2–1–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[Docket No. 52–026; NRC–2008–0252]
Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Unit
4; Hearing Opportunity Associated
With Inspections, Tests, Analyses, and
Acceptance Criteria
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Notice of intended operation;
opportunity for hearing on conformance
with the acceptance criteria in the
combined license; and associated
orders.
AGENCY:
By letter dated January 18,
2022, Southern Nuclear Operating
Company (SNC) informed the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
that its scheduled date for initial
loading of fuel into the reactor for
Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP)
Unit 4 is September 2, 2022. The
Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended
(AEA), and NRC regulations provide the
public with an opportunity to request a
hearing regarding the licensee’s
conformance with the acceptance
criteria in the combined license (COL)
for the facility. This document
announces the public’s opportunity to
request a hearing and includes orders
imposing procedures for the hearing
process.
SUMMARY:
A request for a hearing must be
filed by April 4, 2022. Any potential
party as defined in section 2.4 of title 10
of the Code of Federal Regulations (10
CFR), who believes access to Sensitive
Unclassified Non-Safeguards
Information (SUNSI) or Safeguards
Information (SGI) is necessary for
contention preparation must request
access by February 14, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID
NRC–2008–0252 or NRC Docket No. 52–
026 when contacting the NRC about the
availability of information regarding this
document. You may obtain publicly
available information related to this
document using any of the following
methods:
• Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for Docket ID NRC–2008–0252. Address
questions about Docket IDs in
jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1
DATES:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
21:31 Feb 01, 2022
Jkt 256001
Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann;
telephone: 301–415–0624; email:
Stacy.Schumann@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
‘‘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 (if it is available in ADAMS)
is provided the first time that it is
mentioned in this document.
• NRC’s PDR: You may examine and
purchase copies of public documents,
by appointment, at the NRC’s PDR,
Room P1 B35, One White Flint North,
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
Maryland 20852. To make an
appointment to visit the PDR, please
send an email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov
or call 1–800–397–4209 or 301–415–
4737, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
(ET), Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
The inspections, tests, analyses, and
acceptance criteria (ITAAC) for this
COL, the licensee’s ITAAC closure
notifications, uncompleted ITAAC
notifications, and ITAAC post-closure
notifications; associated NRC inspection
and review documents; and other
supporting documents pertaining to
ITAAC closure for VEGP Unit 4 are
available electronically at https://
www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/colholder/vog4.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Cayetano Santos, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555–0001; telephone: 301–415–
7270, email: Cayetano.Santos@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
Pursuant to the AEA, and the
regulations in 10 CFR part 2, ‘‘Agency
Rules of Practice and Procedure,’’ and
10 CFR part 52, ‘‘Licenses,
Certifications, and Approvals for
Nuclear Power Plants,’’ notice is hereby
given that (1) the licensee intends to
operate VEGP Unit 4; (2) the NRC is
considering whether to find that the
acceptance criteria in the COL are met;
and (3) interested persons have an
opportunity to request a hearing
regarding conformance with the
PO 00000
Frm 00073
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
5851
acceptance criteria. This notice is
accompanied by an ‘‘Order Imposing
Additional Procedures for ITAAC
Hearings Before a Commission Ruling
on the Hearing Request’’ (Additional
Procedures Order) and an ‘‘Order
Imposing Procedures for Access to
Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards
Information [SUNSI] and Safeguards
Information [SGI] for Contention
Preparation’’ (SUNSI–SGI Access
Order).
A. Information on SNC’s Intent To
Operate VEGP Unit 4 and on the
Hearing Opportunity Associated With
Facility Operation
SNC was issued a COL for VEGP Unit
4 on February 10, 2012. Under the
provisions of Section 185b. of the AEA
and NRC regulations in 10 CFR 52.97(b),
ITAAC are included in a COL for the
purpose of establishing a means to
verify whether the facility has been
constructed and will be operated in
conformance with the license, the AEA,
and NRC rules and regulations. The
ITAAC are included as Appendix C to
the COL. Section 185b. of the AEA
requires that, after issuance of the COL,
the Commission shall ensure that the
prescribed inspections, tests, and
analyses are performed and, prior to
operation of the facility, shall find that
the prescribed acceptance criteria are
met. This AEA requirement is also set
forth in 10 CFR 52.103(g), which
expressly provides that operation of the
facility may not begin unless and until
the NRC finds that the acceptance
criteria for all ITAAC are met as
required by 10 CFR 52.103(g). Once the
10 CFR 52.103(g) finding is made, the
licensee may proceed to the operational
phase, which includes initial fuel load.
The NRC is considering whether to
make the 10 CFR 52.103(g) finding that
the acceptance criteria for all ITAAC are
met. Prior to making this finding,
Section 189a.(1)(B)(i) of the AEA
provides that the NRC shall publish in
the Federal Register a notice of
intended operation that shall provide
that any person whose interest may be
affected by operation of the plant may
within 60 days request the Commission
to hold a hearing on whether the facility
as constructed complies, or on
completion will comply, with the
acceptance criteria of the license. In the
licensee’s notification dated January 18,
2022 (ADAMS Accession No.
ML22018A075), the licensee informed
the NRC that its scheduled date for
initial loading of fuel into the reactor is
September 2, 2022.
E:\FR\FM\02FEN1.SGM
02FEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 2, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5847-5851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02122]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 72-32; NRC-2022-0024]
NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC; Duane Arnold Energy Center
Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact;
issuance.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is publishing
this notice regarding the issuance of an Environmental Assessment (EA)
and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for its review and
potential approval of an exemption to NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC
(NEDA) for the Duane Arnold Energy Center (DAEC) Independent Spent Fuel
Storage Installation (ISFSI). The exemption would allow a failed fuel
can (FFC) and its contents at DAEC to exceed the limits specified in
Table 1-1t in Appendix B, Technical Specifications, of NRC Certificate
of Compliance (CoC) No. 1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17.
[[Page 5848]]
DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on
February 2, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2022-0024 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You
may obtain publicly available information related to this document
using any of the following methods:
Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2022-0024. Address
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann;
telephone: 301-415-0624; email: [email protected]. 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 ``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 [email protected]. For the convenience of the reader,
instructions about obtaining materials referenced in this document are
provided in the ``Availability of Documents'' section.
NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public
documents, by appointment, at the NRC's PDR, Room P1 B35, One White
Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. To make
an appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to
[email protected] or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between
8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (ET), Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tilda Liu, Office of Nuclear Material
Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555-0001; telephone: 404-997-4730, email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The NRC is considering the issuance of an exemption to NEDA for the
DAEC ISFSI located in Palo, Iowa. Therefore, as required by sections
51.21 and 51.30(a) of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10
CFR), the NRC performed an EA. The exemption, if granted, would allow a
FFC and its contents at DAEC to exceed the limits specified in Table 1-
1t in Appendix B, Technical Specifications, of NRC Certificate of
Compliance (CoC) No. 1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17. Based on the
results of the EA, discussed in this notice, the NRC has determined not
to prepare an environmental impact statement for the exemption request
and is issuing a FONSI.
II. Background
By letter dated October 21, 2021, as supplemented by letters dated
December 10, 2021 and January 6, 2022, NEDA submitted a one-time
exemption request to the NRC for the DAEC ISFSI, in accordance with 10
CFR 72.7, ``Specific exemptions,'' from the requirements of 10 CFR
72.212(a)(2), (b)(2), (b)(3), (b)(4), (b)(5)(i), (b)(11), and 72.214.
Specifically, the one-time exemption request would, if granted, permit
an FFC and its contents at DAEC to exceed the limits specified in Table
1-1t in Appendix B of NRC Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1004,
Renewed Amendment No. 17.
DAEC began operation in 1974 and is owned and operated by NEDA.
DAEC permanently shut down its reactor on August 10, 2020. By letter
dated August 27, 2020, NEDA submitted its certification of permanent
cessation of power operations, and by letter dated October 12, 2020,
NEDA certified that all fuel had been removed from the reactor as
required under the provisions of 10 CFR 50.82.
The NRC staff reviewed and approved the Standardized NUHOMS[supreg]
61BTH Type 2 dry shielded canister (DSC), and the related basket
structural analysis, as part of Amendment No. 10 to CoC No. 1004, and
the FFC as part of Amendment No. 13 to CoC No. 1004. The Standardized
NUHOMS[supreg] System FFC consists of a liner with an integral bottom
lid assembly, and a removable top lid, designed to contain a failed
fuel assembly and any associated fuel fragments/rubble to ensure
assumptions made in the criticality analysis for the quantity and
location of fuel rod material are maintained.
As discussed in its October 21, 2021 request, as supplemented on
December 10, 2021, and January 6, 2022, NEDA identified a failed fuel
assembly which, when stored with a modified FFC, will exceed the CoC
Appendix B Technical Specifications (TS) Table 1-1t requirement that
``[t]he total weight of each failed fuel can plus all its content shall
be less than 705 lb.'' The modifications to the relevant FFC will be
evaluated against the criteria in 10 CFR 72.48 to determine whether
they require either a license or CoC amendment.
NEDA is proposing to modify an FFC to accommodate a damaged bail
handle on a certain boiling water reactor failed fuel assembly. The
proposed modification to the FFC would provide the damaged bail handle
adequate clearance during loading operations to lower the failed fuel
assembly into place without interference from surrounding components,
allowing the fuel assembly to be safely lowered into its final
position. Because of its proposed modification to the FFC, NEDA cannot
lift the FFC in the normal manner. Instead, it will have to use
additional lifting hardware to accomplish this. The additional hardware
to be used will cause the relevant FFC and its contents to exceed the
705-pound weight limit in CoC No. 1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17. If
the exemption is granted, NEDA would be allowed to load a failed fuel
assembly in an FCC, within a DAEC DSC No. 30 fuel cell, where the
combined weight of the failed fuel assembly plus the FCC exceeds the
705-pound limit. As a condition of this exemption, however, NEDA would
also be required to leave at least two adjacent DSC fuel cells empty to
increase the available margin for weight.
The NRC staff is performing both a safety evaluation and an
environmental review to determine whether to grant this exemption
request. The NRC staff will prepare a separate safety evaluation report
to document its safety review and analysis. The NRC's safety evaluation
report will evaluate the proposed exemption to ensure reasonable
assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety, and the
common defense and security. This EA documents the environmental review
that the NRC staff prepared in accordance with 10 CFR 51.21 and
51.30(a). The NRC's decision whether to grant the exemption will be
based on the results of the NRC staff's review documented in this EA,
and the staff's safety review to be documented in the safety evaluation
report.
III. Environmental Assessment
Description of the Proposed Action
CoC No. 1004 constitutes the approval and contains the conditions
for the use of the Standardized NUHOMS[supreg] Horizontal Modular
Storage System for the storage of spent nuclear fuel under the general
licensing provisions of 10 CFR 72.210. The proposed action is for the
NRC to grant NEDA an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR
72.212(b)(3), (b)(5)(i), (b)(11), and 72.214, which require general
licensees to comply with the terms, conditions, and specifications of
the CoC No. 1004,
[[Page 5849]]
Renewed Amendment No. 17 and from the requirements of 10 CFR
72.212(a)(2), (b)(2), and (b)(4) to the extent those three provisions
require licensees to use casks exactly as described in the relevant TS.
In its October 21, 2021, exemption request, supplemented on
December 10, 2021, and January 6, 2022, NEDA identified a failed fuel
assembly that weighs nominally 676 pounds. As previously discussed,
this failed fuel assembly must be stored in a modified FFC because of a
bent bail handle extending beyond the perimeter of the dry shielded
canister fuel compartment. When this failed fuel assembly is stored
with the modified FFC, the total weight will exceed the physical
parameter limit for failed fuel, specified in CoC No. 1004, Renewed
Amendment No. 17, Appendix B, TS Table 1-1t, which states: ``The total
weight of each failed fuel can plus all its content shall be less than
705 lb.'' As a result, NEDA is requesting an exemption to load an FFC
such that the FFC and its contents exceed the TS limit for the DAEC
ISFSI.
More specifically, NEDA is requesting NRC's approval for the FFC in
question, plus all its contents, to weigh up to 800 lbs. NEDA further
states that, should this exemption be granted, the FFC in question
would be loaded within DSC No. 30, which is the final DSC in the near-
term loading campaign and the final loading campaign for DAEC. In
addition, as the NRC staff's safety evaluation will discuss, NEDA
stated that it is committing to leave a minimum of two adjacent fuel
cells in DSC No. 30 empty.
Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is limited to allowing Standardized
NUHOMS[supreg] 61BTH Type 2 DSC, No. 30, to be loaded and maintained at
DAEC ISFSI in the storage condition such that the FCC and its contents
weigh up to 800 pounds. This cask will remain in this condition for the
duration of its use and will not meet the 705-pound weight limit for
failed fuel specified in CoC No. 1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17,
Appendix B, TS Table 1-1t, ``BWR Fuel Specification for the Fuel to be
Stored in the NUHOMS[supreg]-61BTH DSC.''
DAEC is currently undergoing decommissioning. For NEDA to
decommission the facility, it must place the failed fuel assembly in a
storage cask. NEDA could dismantle the failed fuel assembly and place
the dismantled component pieces of the failed fuel assembly into
separate FFCs within a DSC to meet the total weight requirement
specified in CoC No. 1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17, Appendix B, TS
Table 1-1t. Dismantling the failed fuel assembly and placing the
dismantled portions in multiple FFCs, however, would result in
increased risk to plant personnel and the environment, including
additional occupational radiation dose and the generation of additional
radiological waste.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
This EA evaluates the potential environmental impacts of granting
the exemption to allow Standardized NUHOMS[supreg] 61BTH Type 2 DSC,
No. 30, to be loaded and maintained at DAEC ISFSI in the storage
condition such that the FCC and its contents weigh up to 800 pounds for
the duration of its use without restoring compliance with the weight
limit for failed fuel as specified in CoC No. 1004, Renewed Amendment
No. 17, Appendix B, TS Table 1-1t.
The potential environmental impacts of spent fuel storage under CoC
No. 1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17, for the Standardized NUHOMS[supreg]
61BTH System, were evaluated by the NRC staff prior to Renewed
Amendment No. No. 17 being added to the list of approved spent fuel
storage casks in 10 CFR 72.214 (86 FR 26651). For the proposed action,
the only potential impacts from granting the exemption will be as
discussed as follows. Nothing about increasing the weight of this FFC
would cause any corresponding changes to the environmental impacts
discussed during the original amendment. In addition, non-radiological
impacts will not be greater than those considered in the EA for CoC No.
1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17.
On July 18, 1990 (55 FR 29181), the NRC amended 10 CFR part 72 to
provide for the storage of spent fuel under a general license in cask
designs approved by the NRC. The EA for the 1990 final rule analyzed
the potential environmental impact of using NRC-approved storage casks.
The EA for the NUHOMS[supreg] 61BTH System, CoC No. 1004, Renewed
Amendment No. No. 17, tiers off the EA issued for the July 18, 1990,
final rule. Tiering off earlier EAs is a standard process under the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) by which the impact
analyses of previous EAs can be cited by a subsequent EA, such as this
one, to include the impacts of the proposed action within the scope of
the previous EA.
On December 22, 1994 (59 FR 65898), the NRC amended 10 CFR part 72
to add the Standardized NUHOMS[supreg] Horizontal Modular System to the
list of approved spent fuel storage casks under a general license. The
EA for the December 22, 1994, final rule concluded that there would be
no significant environmental impact to adding the Standardized
NUHOMS[supreg] System, and therefore, the NRC issued a FONSI, which was
validated through issuance of Renewed Amendment No. 17 to the CoC on
June 7, 2021.
This exemption request involves neither the disturbance of land,
the construction of new facilities, nor modifications to current
operating practices. The EA for NUHOMS[supreg] 61BTH System, CoC No.
1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17, analyzed the effects of design-basis
accidents that could occur during storage. Design-basis accidents
account for human-induced events and the most severe natural phenomena
reported for the site and surrounding area and the resultant effects on
the storage cask. The NRC staff evaluated the exemption request and
concludes that the structural integrity and confinement of the
NUHOMS[supreg] 61BTH System are maintained within regulatory
requirements and the environmental impacts of the proposed action will
be insignificant. In addition, the NRC staff determined that the higher
weight limit for failed fuel, requested under this exemption, would not
adversely affect structural performance, and the Type 2 DSC structural
performance would not be affected by the exemption request. Therefore,
there would be no significant change in the types or amounts of any
effluent released, no significant increase in individual or cumulative
radiation exposures, and no significant increase in the potential for,
or consequences of, radiological accidents will occur. The NRC staff
also finds that occupational exposure and offsite dose rates from this
exemption request will remain within applicable 10 CFR part 20 limits.
Therefore, the proposed exemption request will not result in
radiological or non-radiological environmental impacts that
significantly differ from impacts evaluated in the EA supporting the
NUHOMS[supreg] 61BTH System, CoC No. 1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17,
Direct Final Rule. For these reasons, the NRC concludes there are no
significant environmental impacts associated with the exemption request
for the NUHOMS[supreg] 61BTH System Type 2 DSC.
Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action
In addition to the proposed action, the NRC staff also considered
the no-action alternative of denial of the proposed exemption request.
Denial of the exemption request would require NEDA to dismantle the
failed fuel assembly and place the resulting dismantled
[[Page 5850]]
component pieces into separate FFCs within a DSC to meet the total
weight requirement specified in CoC No. 1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17,
Appendix B, TS Table 1-1t. Dismantling the failed fuel assembly and
placing its dismantled components in multiple FFCs would result in
increased risk to plant personnel and the environment, including
additional occupational radiation dose and the generation of additional
radiological waste. Therefore, the alternative could result in equal or
greater environmental impacts.
Agencies Consulted
By email dated December 17, 2021, the NRC provided a copy of this
draft EA to the Bureau of Radiological Health, Iowa Department of
Public Health, for review. By email dated January 4, 2022, the Iowa
Department of Public Health indicated that it had no comments.
Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation
Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act requires Federal agencies
to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or National Marine
Fisheries Service regarding actions that may affect listed species or
designated critical habitats. The Endangered Species Act is intended to
prevent further decline of endangered and threatened species and
restore those species and their critical habitat.
The NRC staff determined that a consultation under Section 7 of the
Endangered Species Act is not required because the proposed action will
not affect listed species or critical habitat.
National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 Consultation
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)
requires Federal agencies to consider the effects of their undertakings
on historic properties. As stated in the NHPA, historic properties are
any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or
object included in, or eligible for inclusion in the National Register
of Historic Places.
The NRC determined that the scope of activities described in this
exemption request do not have the potential to cause effects on
historic properties because the NRC's approval of this exemption
request will not authorize new construction or land disturbance
activities. The NRC staff also determined that the proposed action is
not a type of activity that has the potential to impact historic
properties because the proposed action would occur within the
established DAEC site boundary. Therefore, in accordance with 36 CFR
800.3(a)(1), no consultation is required under Section 106 of NHPA.
IV. Finding of No Significant Impact
The environmental impacts of the proposed action, an exemption
allowing NEDA to load and maintain a modified FFC for DAEC ISFSI in the
storage condition such that the FCC and its contents weigh up to 800
pounds instead of the current limit specified in CoC No. 1004, Renewed
Amendment No. No. 17, Appendix B, TS Table 1-1t, have been reviewed
under the requirements in 10 CFR part 51, which implement NEPA.
In this EA, the NRC determined that the environmental impacts of
granting this exemption will be no greater than those described in the
EA for the NUHOMS[supreg] 61BTH System, CoC No. 1004, Renewed Amendment
No. 17, Direct Final Rule, and that nothing about increasing the weight
of this FFC would cause any corresponding changes to the environmental
impacts discussed during the original amendment. No changes are being
made in the types or quantities of effluents that may be released
offsite, and there is no significant increase in occupational or public
radiation exposures. Accordingly, the NRC has determined that a FONSI
is appropriate, and an environmental impact statement is not warranted.
V. Availability of Documents
The documents identified in the following table are available to
interested persons through one or more of the following methods, as
indicated.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADAMS accession No./Federal
Document description Register citation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Final Rule: Storage of Spent Fuel in NRC- 55 FR 29181
Approved Storage Casks at Power Reactor
Sites, dated July 18, 1990.
Final Rule: List of Approved Spent Fuel 59 FR 65898
Storage Casks: Addition, dated December
22, 1994.
Direct Final Rule: List of Approved Spent 86 FR 26651
Fuel Storage Casks: TN Americas LLC
Standardized NUHOMS[supreg] Horizontal
Modular Storage System, Certificate of
Compliance No. 1004, Renewed Amendment
No. 17, dated May 17, 2021.
Letter from NextEra Energy to NRC, ML20240A067
``Certification of Permanent Cessation of
Power Operations'' dated August 27, 2020.
Letter from NextEra Energy to NRC, ML20286A317
``Certification of Permanent Removal of
Fuel from the Reactor Vessel for Duane
Arnold Energy Center,'' dated October 12,
2020.
Letter from NextEra Energy to NRC, ML21294A280
``Exemption Request for Failed Fuel Can
Weight in a Certificate of Compliance
1004 Renewed Amendment 17 61BTH Type 2
Dry Shielded Canister,'' dated October
21, 2021.
Letter from NextEra Energy to NRC, ML21344A186
``Supplement to Exemption Request for
Failed Fuel Can Weight in a Certificate
of Compliance 1004 Renewed Amendment 17
61BTH Type 2 Dry Shielded Canister,''
dated December 10, 2021.
Letter from NextEra Energy to NRC, ML22006A105
``Supplement to Exemption Request for
Failed Fuel Can Weight in a Certificate
of Compliance 1004 Renewed Amendment 17
61BTH Type 2 Dry Shielded Canister,''
dated January 6, 2022.
Renewal of Initial Certificate and ML17338A117 and ML17338A118,
Amendment Nos. 1 Through 11 and 13, respectively
Revision 1, and Amendment No. 14 of
Certificate of Compliance No. 1004 for
the Standardized NUHOMS[supreg]
Horizontal Modular Storage System.
Enclosure 25, Renewed Certificate of
Compliance No. 1004, Amendment 13,
Revision 1; Enclosure 26, Conditions for
Cask Use and Technical Specifications,
Renewed Amendment 13, Revision 1, dated
December 4, 2017.
Issuance of Certificate of Compliance No. ML21109A325 (Package)
1004, Renewed Amendment No. 17, for the
Standardized NUHOMS[supreg] Horizontal
Modular Storage System, dated May 5, 2021.
Email from NRC to Iowa Department of ML21354A672
Public Health Transmitting ``State
Consolation--Draft Environmental
Assessment Regarding the Exemption
Request for NextEra Energy Duane Arnold,
LLC, Duane Arnold Energy Center ISFSI in
Palo, Iowa,'' dated December 17, 2021.
Email from State of Iowa Department of ML22021B505
Public Health regarding ``State
Consultation--Draft Environmental
Assessment Regarding the Exemption
Request for NextEra Energy Duane Arnold,
LLC, Duane Arnold Energy Center ISFSI in
Palo, Iowa,'' dated January 4, 2022.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 5851]]
Dated: January 27, 2022.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Yoira K. Diaz-Sanabria,
Chief, Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch, Division of Fuel
Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2022-02122 Filed 2-1-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P