Regents of the University of California, University of California-Davis McClellan Nuclear Research Center Training, Research, Isotopes, General Atomics Reactor, 63820-63826 [2022-22766]

Agencies

• NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 202 (Thursday, October 20, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63820-63826]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22766]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-607; NRC-2022-0114]


Regents of the University of California, University of 
California-Davis McClellan Nuclear Research Center Training, Research, 
Isotopes, General Atomics Reactor

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

[[Page 63821]]


ACTION: Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; 
issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
renewal of Operating Facility License No. R-130, held by the Regents of 
the University of California for the University of California Davis 
(UCD, the licensee), for the continued operation of the McClellan 
Nuclear Research Center (MNRC) Training, Research, Isotopes, General 
Atomics (TRIGA) reactor (the reactor, facility), located in the city of 
North Highlands, Sacramento County, California. In connection with the 
renewed license, the licensee also seeks to operate at a maximum 
licensed power level of 1.0 megawatt-thermal (MWt). The NRC is issuing 
an environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant impact 
(FONSI) associated with the proposed action.

DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on 
October 20, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2022-0114 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-2022-0114. Address 
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann; 
telephone: 301-415-0624; email: [email protected]. For technical 
questions, contact the individuals 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, 
the ADAMS accession numbers are provided in a table in the 
``Availability of Documents'' section of this notice.
     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. Eastern Time (ET), Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Folk, Office of Nuclear Material 
Safety and Safeguards, telephone: 301-415-6944; email: 
[email protected]; or Geoffrey Wertz, Office of Nuclear Reactor 
Regulation, telephone: 301-415-0893; email:
    [email protected]. Both are staff of the U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    The NRC is considering renewal of Facility Operating License No. R-
130, held by Regents of the University of California, which authorizes 
operation of the MNRC training and isotopes production TRIGA reactor, 
located in North Highlands, Sacramento County, California. The renewed 
license would authorize continued operation of the MNRC training and 
isotopes production TRIGA reactor for an additional 20 years from the 
date of issuance of the renewed license. By letter dated July 6, 2020, 
UCD revised its June 11, 2018, license renewal application and 
associated environmental report to reflect its decision to reduce the 
licensed thermal operating power level to a maximum of 1.0 MWt, to 
eliminate pulsing capability and to exclude irradiation of explosive 
materials in the reactor tank.
    As required by section 51.21 of title 10 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (10 CFR), ``Criteria for and identification of licensing 
and regulatory actions requiring environmental assessments,'' the NRC 
staff prepared this EA documenting its environmental review. Based on 
the results of the NRC staff's environmental review as documented in 
the EA that follows, the NRC has determined not to prepare an 
environmental impact statement for the proposed renewed license and is 
issuing a FONSI in accordance with 10 CFR 51.32, ``Finding of no 
significant impact.''

II. Environmental Assessment

Facility Site and Environs

    The UCD MNRC reactor is a natural-convection-cooled TRIGA-type 
reactor that began operation in January 1990, by the U.S. Air Force at 
the McClellan Air Force Base. The NRC issued Facility Operating License 
No. R-130 on August 13, 1998, and transferred the license to the 
Regents of the University of California by letter dated April 13, 1999. 
The reactor is housed in the three-story MNRC building within the 
McClellan Business Park, on land that was part of the former McClellan 
Air Force Base, and located approximately 8 miles (mi) (13 kilometers 
(km)) northeast of Sacramento, California. The UCD has operated the 
MNRC reactor to support educational purposes, research, outreach 
programs, and the United States' energetic device industry.
    The MNRC reactor is housed in a room constructed of reinforced 
concrete and corrugated steel. The MNRC reactor is positioned in a 
large, water-filled cylindrical tank, which provides both cooling and 
shielding. The MNRC reactor is fueled with standard TRIGA reactor fuel 
elements, which are composed of low-enriched uranium-zirconium-hydride 
fuel, and clad in stainless steel. Natural circulation of the primary 
coolant in the reactor tank transfers the heat from the reactor core to 
the primary cooling system, and through a water-to-water heat exchanger 
connected to the secondary cooling system. The secondary cooling system 
rejects the heat to the environment through the facility's mechanical 
draft cooling tower. Makeup water is supplied by the Sacramento 
Suburban Water District. The MNRC reactor is equipped with systems to 
monitor radiation. The ventilation system functions to ensure that 
there are no uncontrolled or unmonitored gaseous effluent releases to 
the atmosphere. Radioactive effluents released from the stack are 
continuously monitored for isotopic analysis and radioactive quantity. 
The radioactive doses to any member of the public are maintained at 
levels that are below the limits of 10 CFR part 20, ``Standards for 
Protection Against Radiation.''
    A detailed description of the MNRC reactor and its operations can 
be found in the revised safety analysis report (SAR), (included in the 
list of documents associated with the license renewal application and 
can be found in Section IV ``Availability of Documents'' at the end of 
this notice).

Description of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would renew Facility Operating License No. R-
130 for a period of 20 years from the date of issuance of the renewed 
license. The proposed action would authorize the MNRC reactor to 
operate at a nominal steady-state power of 1.0 MWt, without pulsing and 
square wave operation, and would exclude the irradiation of explosive 
materials in the reactor tank. The proposed action is in accordance 
with the licensee's application dated June 11, 2018, as supplemented on 
July 6, 2020, and September 22, 2021 (the

[[Page 63822]]

renewal application). The NRC issued the current operating license, as 
amended, on August 13, 1998. The current license was set to expire at 
midnight on August 13, 2018. In accordance with 10 CFR 2.109, ``Effect 
of timely renewal application,'' the existing license remains in effect 
until the NRC takes final action on the renewal application.

Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is needed to allow the continued operation of 
the MNRC reactor to provide irradiation services for various 
researchers at universities worldwide, U.S. national laboratories, and 
U.S. private industry. Irradiation services include seed mutagenesis 
studies, geochronology irradiations, and radiation hardness test for 
electronics. A significant use of the facility is the performance of 
neutron radiography on energetic devices used for U.S. Department of 
Defense applications and the space industry. Further, the MNRC reactor 
provides educational experiences for UCD's students and students at 
other regional universities. UCD also offers an outreach program at the 
MNRC to expose high school and middle school students to the nuclear 
sciences.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The environmental impacts of the proposed action are described in 
this notice. As discussed further, the proposed action will not have a 
significant environmental impact. The proposed action will not require 
any physical changes to the facility, and the impacts are similar to 
those occurring during past operations. Separate from this EA, the NRC 
staff is performing a safety evaluation report (SER), which will be 
available with the renewed license, if issued.
Radiological Impacts
Environmental Effects of Reactor Operations
    Gaseous radioactive effluents resulting from the routine operation 
of the MNRC are Ar-41 and N-16. These nuclides are released to the 
environment from the reactor building from an exhaust stack on the roof 
that combines the ventilation exhausts from both the reactor building 
interior and the radiography bays. The MNRC stack discharge length is 
60 ft (18.3 m) and has an airflow rate of 5,678 cubic feet (160.8 cubic 
meters) per minute. Because the half-life of N-16 is approximately 7 
seconds, the release from the reactor stack is insignificant because 
most of the N-16 produced in the reactor coolant would decay before 
reaching the stack. Ar-41 is by far the most significant radionuclide 
released as a gaseous effluent during normal reactor operations. The 
maximum release of Ar-41 would occur from continuous operation at full 
power. The licensee calculated the Ar-41 concentration to be 4.45 x 
10-7 [micro]Ci/ml exiting the exhaust stack under full power 
operations. The annual release of Ar-41 under these conditions would be 
35.9 curies per year (Ci/yr). From this information, the licensee 
calculated the maximum annual dose to a member of the public to be 1.5 
millirem (mrem). This meets the 100 mrem per year (mrem/yr) (1 
millisieverts per year (mSv/yr) dose equivalent to the maximally 
exposed individual in 10 CFR 20.1301, ``Dose limits for individual 
members of the public.'' The licensee's annual reports, as supplemented 
by UCD's response to the NRC staff's request for additional 
information, for the 5 years of operation from 2016 through 2020 show 
that the maximum actual recorded release of Ar-41 was 35.9 Ci in 2020. 
As reflected in UCD's response, this exposure would result in a 
conservative estimated annual dose of 1.5 mrem/yr (0.015 mSv/yr) to a 
member of the public. This dose is well below the 100 mrem/yr (1 mSv/
yr) limit specified in 10 CFR 20.1301. Further, this annual radiation 
dose of 1.5 mrem/year does not exceed the as low as reasonably 
achievable (ALARA) air emissions dose constraint of 10 mrem (0.1 mSv) 
specified in 10 CFR 20.1101, ``Radiation protection programs,'' 
paragraph (d).
    Liquid radioactive wastes are produced as a result of normal 
operation of the MNRC reactor, and typically consist of miscellaneous 
neutron activation product impurities and fission products in the 
reactor coolant. Since most of these activation products can be removed 
from the reactor coolant by the filtration system and the demineralizer 
resins, these radioactive materials are typically disposed as solid 
radioactive waste. It is UCD/MNRC policy to minimize the release of 
radioactive liquid waste and, when possible, liquid radioactive wastes 
that are generated are normally converted into a solid waste for 
offsite disposal. Nevertheless, UCD/MNRC may release liquid radioactive 
effluent to the sanitary sewer in compliance with 10 CFR 20.2003 limits 
and sanitary sewer acceptance criteria. The MNRC annual reports for the 
5 years of operation from 2016 through 2020 show that the MNRC had no 
liquid radioactive waste releases into the sanitary sewer system.
    Low-level solid radioactive waste generated from reactor operations 
at the MNRC are primarily demineralizer resins, mechanical filters, 
used encapsulations from experiment irradiations, rags, paper towels, 
plastic bags, rubber gloves, and other miscellaneous contaminated 
items. These wastes are packaged in metal drums or boxes within the 
restricted area and temporarily stored in a weatherproof enclosure at 
the site boundary until shipment for disposal or transfer to a waste 
broker. UCD last shipped low-level radioactive waste from the MNRC in 
2014. The shipment consisted of one B-25 box containing 98 cubic ft 
(2.8 cubic m) of contaminated materials with an activity of 54 
microcuries. Once transferred, the low-level waste broker ships and 
disposes of the waste in accordance with all applicable regulations for 
radioactive materials.
    No spent (irradiated) fuel will be permanently stored at MNRC 
either in the reactor tank or in the fuel pits during the license 
renewal term. The U.S. Department of Energy provides fuel for use at 
the MNRC and retains title to the fuel. It is also obligated to take 
the fuel from the site for final disposition when it can no longer be 
used in the reactor. UCD does not anticipate any changes in spent fuel 
handling during the proposed license renewal term.
    As described in chapter 11 of the SAR, and verified through NRC 
staff review of the licensee's annual reports for the 5 years of 
operation from 2016 through 2020, personnel exposures are well within 
the limits set by 10 CFR 20.1201, ``Occupational dose limits for 
adults,'' and are ALARA in accordance with 10 CFR 20.1101(b). The 
licensee tracks exposures of personnel monitored with dosimeters, and 
the annual reports for the 5 years of operation from 2016 through 2020 
show that the personnel exposures (total effective dose equivalent) 
were usually less than one percent of the occupational limit of 5,000 
mrem (50 mSv) per year. The greatest individual exposure (annual) over 
the last 5 years was 149 mrem (1.49 mSv) in 2018. No changes in reactor 
operation that would lead to an increase in occupational dose are 
expected or proposed as a result of the proposed action.
    The radiation monitoring systems associated with reactor operations 
at the MNRC are provided and maintained as a means of ensuring 
compliance with radiation limits established under 10 CFR part 20. The 
MNRC monitoring systems consist of area monitors, continuous air 
monitors, portable radiation survey instruments, personnel

[[Page 63823]]

monitors, and stack gas and particulate monitors, as described in 
section 11.1.5 of the SAR. The stack particulate and gas monitoring 
systems measure the beta-gamma activity emitted by radioactive 
particulates and the activity of gaseous radioactive nuclides, 
respectively, that are exhausted through the MNRC exhaust stack. 
Perimeter monitoring at the MNRC consists of dosimeters that detect X-
ray and gamma radiation.
    The licensee conducts an environmental monitoring program to record 
and track the radiological impact of the MNRC operation on the 
surrounding unrestricted area. The environment outside the reactor 
building is monitored by passive optically stimulated luminescence 
dosimeters, which are replaced quarterly, and sent to the vendor for 
exposure analysis. The dosimeters are located at 37 sites within the 
McClellan Industrial Park and 7 sites outside the industrial park. MNRC 
Health Physics Branch staff analyze the results to ensure that the 
reported doses are below 10 CFR part 20 limits, and to monitor for 
trends that would indicate unusual or elevated exposures. The annual 
reports for the 5 years of operation from 2016 through 2020 show that 
the measured doses were below 30 mrem (0.3 mSv) (excluding natural 
background exposure) and well below the specified limits to the public 
as required by 10 CFR part 20. Year-to-year trends in exposures are 
consistent between monitoring locations. Also, no apparent correlation 
exists between total annual reactor operation and annual exposures 
measured at the monitoring locations.
    The licensee also monitors offsite groundwater. Samples are 
collected at a public water supply well located approximately 2 mi (3.2 
km) west of the MNRC in the city of Sacramento. Water samples are 
collected by a UCD contractor on a quarterly basis and analyzed for 
gross alpha, gross beta, and tritium, and also by gamma spectroscopy. 
Review of the annual reports over the last 5 years of operation (2016 
through 2020) shows no discernible effect of MNRC operations on 
groundwater quality. Tritium results have been below the minimum 
detectable activity range.
    Based on the review of monitoring data for the period 2016 through 
2020, the NRC staff concludes that operation of the MNRC does not have 
any significant radiological impact on the surrounding environment. No 
changes in reactor operation that would affect off-site radiation 
levels are expected or proposed as a result of the proposed action. 
Therefore, the proposed action would not have a significant 
radiological impact.
Environmental Effects of Accidents
    Accident scenarios are discussed in Chapter 13 of the SAR. The 
accidents analyzed in chapter 13 range from anticipated events to a 
postulated fission product release with radiological consequences that 
exceed those of any accident considered to be credible. This limiting 
accident is referred to as the maximum hypothetical accident (MHA). The 
licensee considers a cladding rupture of one highly irradiated fuel 
element with no decay followed by instantaneous release of fission 
products into the air to be its MHA for the MNRC. This accident would 
involve the release of halogens and noble gases to the reactor 
confinement building and into the environment. The licensee uses this 
scenario to calculate the maximum concentration of fission products 
that might be present in the reactor room air following the MHA. The 
licensee calculated doses to facility personnel during a 5 minute 
evacuation duration, and also calculated the dose to a member of the 
public outside the facility during the 2 hours it would take the entire 
plume of released radioactive material to pass. The licensee estimated 
an occupational dose of 300 mrem (3 mSv), and a dose of less than 1 
mrem (0.01 mSv) to the maximally-exposed member of the public.
    Separate from this EA, the NRC staff is reviewing UCD's MHA 
analyses of the potential radiological consequences that may result 
from the proposed license renewal. The results of the NRC staff's 
safety review will be documented in a safety evaluation report that 
will be made publicly available. If the NRC concludes that the 
radiological consequences of the MHA are within 10 CFR part 20 dose 
limits, then the MHA and the proposed action would not have a 
significant impact with respect to the radiological consequences of the 
MHA.
Conclusion--Radiological Impacts
    In the application for license renewal, the licensee has not 
proposed any physical changes to the reactor facility design, or 
adverse changes to facility operating conditions, that would 
significantly affect facility operation; therefore, there would be no 
changes in the types or quantities of routine effluents that may be 
released off site. The licensee has systems in place for controlling 
the release of radiological effluents and implements a radiation 
protection program to monitor personnel exposures and releases of 
radioactive effluents. Accordingly, there would be no increase in 
routine occupational or public radiation exposure as a result of the 
proposed action. Based on the information previously discussed, the NRC 
staff finds that the proposed action will not significantly increase 
the probability and consequences of accidents.
    The license renewal would not significantly change reactor 
operations. As previously discussed, information in the application and 
data reported to the NRC by the licensee for the last 5 years of 
reactor operation were evaluated to determine the radiological impact. 
The NRC staff found that releases of radioactive material and personnel 
exposures were all well within applicable regulatory limits. Based on 
this evaluation, the continued operation of the reactor would have no 
significant radiological impacts.
Non-Radiological Impacts
    The proposed action does not involve any change in the operation of 
the reactor, any change in the emissions, or any change in the heat 
load dissipated to the environment. No new construction or other land 
disturbing activities are proposed. The proposed action would not 
result in any land use changes or increase in noise or air emissions, 
and would not have a significant impact on air quality, noise, visual 
resources, ecological resources. The proposed license renewal would 
have no direct impacts on surface water or groundwater resources 
because water would continue to be supplied from the Sacramento 
Suburban Water District's public water supply system and the licensee 
proposes no increase in water use or effluent discharge. Heat produced 
by MNRC reactor operations is ultimately released to the environment 
through the secondary cooling system and the cooling tower. No 
increased thermal effects on the environment would result from the 
proposed action.
    UCD would continue to use small quantities of commercially 
available water treatment chemicals in the reactor secondary cooling 
system and in cooling tower to ensure proper operation of the system. 
The secondary coolant system is essentially a recirculation loop, so 
much of the water and the chemical compounds are retained in the 
system. Some chemical residuals may enter the environment through 
evaporation in the cooling tower and through an overflow line that is 
routed to the sanitary sewer in accordance with sewer acceptance 
criteria. These chemical compounds are approved for use by the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency or other applicable State regulatory 
agencies and their use does not

[[Page 63824]]

represent a significant environmental impact.
    Hazardous chemicals may be used in experiments at the MNRC reactor, 
but no releases of potentially hazardous chemicals to the environment 
occur during normal facility operation. Therefore, the NRC staff 
concludes that the proposed action would have no significant non-
radiological impacts.
Other Applicable Environmental Laws
    In addition to the National Environmental Policy Act, which 
requires Federal agencies to consider the environmental impacts of 
proposed actions, the NRC has responsibilities that are derived from 
other environmental laws, which include the Endangered Species Act, 
Coastal Zone Management Act, Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, 
National Historic Preservation Act, and Executive Order 12898, 
``Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority 
Populations and Low-Income Populations.'' The following presents a 
brief discussion of impacts associated with resources protected by 
these laws and related requirements.
Endangered Species Act
    The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted to prevent further 
decline of endangered and threatened species and to restore those 
species and their critical habitat. Section 7 of the ESA requires 
Federal agencies to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(FWS) or National Marine Fisheries Service regarding actions that may 
affect listed species or designated critical habitats. The NRC staff 
conducted a search of Federally listed species and critical habitats 
that have the potential to occur in the vicinity of the MNRC reactor 
using the FWS's Environmental Conservation Online System Information 
for Planning and Conservation system. Seven Federally listed species 
have the potential to occur within the vicinity of the MNRC reactor: 
giant garter snake (Thamnophis gigas), California red-legged frog (Rana 
draytonii), California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense), 
delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus), valley elderberry longhorn 
beetle (Desmocerus californicus dimorphus), vernal pool fairy shrimp 
(Branchinecta lynchi), and vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus 
packardi). However, none of these species are likely to occur near the 
MNRC reactor due to a lack of suitable habitat. The McClellan Business 
Park, in which the MNRC reactor is situated, has been developed and is 
in use for research and educational purposes for many decades. 
Additionally, operation of the MNRC reactor has no direct nexus to the 
natural environment that could otherwise affect Federally listed 
species. No critical habitats occur in the area. Accordingly, the NRC 
staff concludes that the proposed license renewal of the MNRC reactor 
would have no effect on Federally listed species or critical habitats. 
Federal agencies are not required to consult with the FWS if they 
determine that an action will not affect listed species or critical 
habitats. Thus, the ESA does not require consultation for the proposed 
MNRC reactor license renewal, and the NRC staff considers its 
obligations under ESA section 7 to be fulfilled for the proposed 
action.
Coastal Zone Management Act
    The Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), in part, encourages States 
to preserve, protect, develop, and, where possible, restore coastal 
resources. Individual states are responsible for developing a Federally 
approved Coastal Management Plan and implementing a coastal management 
program in accordance with such a plan. Section 307(c)(3)(A) of the 
CZMA requires that applicants for Federal permits whose proposed 
activities could reasonably affect coastal zones certify to the 
licensing agency that the proposed activity would be consistent with 
the state's coastal management program. Sacramento County is not within 
California's approved coastal zone. Therefore, a consistency 
determination is not required for the proposed action.
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act
    The Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act requires Federal agencies 
that license water resource development projects to consult with the 
FWS (or National Marine Fisheries Service, when applicable) and the 
State wildlife resource agencies regarding the potential impacts of the 
project on fish and wildlife resources.
    The proposed action does not involve any water resource development 
projects, including any of the modifications relating to impounding a 
body of water, damming, diverting a stream or river, deepening a 
channel, irrigation, or altering a body of water for navigation or 
drainage. Therefore, no coordination with other agencies pursuant to 
the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act is required for the proposed 
action.
National Historic Preservation Act
    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 nearest National Register of Historic Places listed historic 
property is the Sacramento Air Depot Historic District located 
approximately 150 ft (47 m) south-southeast of the MNRC facility. The 
historic air depot headquarters building and residential area are 
located approximately 0.5 mi (1 km) east of the MNRC facility. The 
Sacramento Air Depot Historic District, located on McClellan Air Force 
Base, consisting of original buildings and structures, was the first of 
six bases authorized by the Wilcox Act of 1935 and was the only depot 
located west of the Rocky Mountains. The historic district consists of 
43 buildings, 7 structures, and 1 object (McClellan Mall and flagpole). 
The buildings and structures in the historic district appear almost 
exactly as they did in photographs taken between 1937 to 1939.
    Operation of the MNRC reactor has not likely had any impact on this 
historic property. A request for a section 106 project review was 
submitted to the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) regarding 
this undertaking and determination. By letter dated July 8, 2020, the 
California SHPO concurred that this action would not affect any 
historic properties. Based on this information, the proposed license 
renewal and the continued operation of the MNRC reactor would have no 
adverse effect on historic properties located near the MNRC reactor.
Executive Order 12898--Environmental Justice
    Executive Order 12898, ``Federal Actions to Address Environmental 
Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations'' (59 FR 
7629; February 16, 1994), directs Federal agencies to identify and 
address the disproportionately high and adverse human health or 
environmental effects of their actions on minority and low-income 
populations, to the greatest extent practicable and permitted by law.
    The environmental justice impact analysis evaluates the potential 
for disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental 
effects on minority and low-income populations that could result from 
the relicensing and the continued operation of the reactor. Such 
effects may include human health, biological, cultural, economic, or 
social impacts. Minority and low-income populations are subsets of the 
general public residing around the reactor, and all are exposed to the

[[Page 63825]]

same health and environmental effects generated from activities at the 
reactor.
    Minority Populations in the Vicinity of the MNRC Reactor--According 
to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 Census, approximately 42 percent of 
the total population (approximately 951,000 individuals) residing 
within a 10-mi (16-km) radius of the MNRC reactor identified themselves 
as minorities. The largest minority populations were Hispanic, Latino, 
or Spanish origin of any race (approximately 194,000 or 20 percent) 
followed by Asian (approximately 82,000 or 9 percent). According to the 
2010 Census, 52 percent of the Sacramento County population identified 
themselves as minorities, with persons of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish 
origin of any race, Asians, and Black or African Americans comprising 
the largest minority populations (22 percent, 14 percent, and 10 
percent, respectively). According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 
American Community Survey 1-year Estimates, the minority population of 
Sacramento County, as a percent of the total population, had increased 
to about 56 percent.
    Low-income Populations in the Vicinity of the MNRC Reactor--
According to U.S. Census Bureau's 2015-2019 American Community Survey 
5-Year Estimates, approximately 155,000 persons and 27,000 families 
(approximately 15 and 11 percent, respectively) residing within a 10-mi 
(16-km) radius of the MNRC reactor were identified as living below the 
Federal poverty threshold. The 2019 Federal poverty threshold was 
$26,172 for a family of four. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 
2019 American Community Survey Census 1-Year Estimates, the median 
household income for the State of California was $80,440 while 
approximately 8 percent of families and 12 percent of the state 
population were found to be living below the Federal poverty threshold. 
Sacramento County had a lower median household income average ($72,017) 
and a similar percentage of families (8 percent) and a slightly higher 
percentage of persons (13 percent) living below the poverty level.
    Impact Analysis--Potential impacts to minority and low-income 
populations would mostly consist of radiological effects; however, 
radiation doses from continued operations associated with the proposed 
license renewal are expected to continue at current levels and would be 
below regulatory limits. Based on this information and the analysis of 
human health and environmental impacts presented in this EA, the 
proposed license renewal would not have disproportionately high and 
adverse human health and environmental effects on minority and low-
income populations residing in the vicinity of the MNRC reactor.

Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    As an alternative to license renewal, the NRC considered denying 
the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative). If the NRC 
denied the request for license renewal, reactor operations would cease 
and decommissioning would be required sooner than if a renewed license 
were issued. Therefore, the environmental effects of decommissioning 
would occur sooner under the no-action alternative than if a renewed 
license were issued. Decommissioning would be conducted in accordance 
with an NRC-approved decommissioning plan, which would require a 
separate environmental review under 10 CFR 51.21. Cessation of reactor 
operations would reduce or eliminate radioactive effluents. However, as 
previously discussed in this EA, radioactive effluents from reactor 
operations constitute a small fraction of the applicable regulatory 
limits. Therefore, the environmental impacts of license renewal and the 
denial of the request for license renewal would be similar. In 
addition, denying the request for license renewal would eliminate the 
benefits of teaching, research, and services provided by the MNRC 
reactor.

Alternative Use of Resources

    The proposed license renewal does not involve the use of any 
different resources or significant quantities of resources beyond those 
associated with current facility operations and previously considered 
in the issuance of Facility License No. R-130 for the reactor on August 
13, 1998.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In satisfaction of its obligations under the NHPA, the NRC 
consulted with the California SHPO, as previously described. In 
addition, on June 1, 2022, the NRC notified the California State 
official (State Liaison Officer), Mr. David Hochschild, Chair, 
California Energy Commission, of the proposed action. The NRC received 
no reply. On June 23, 2022, the NRC notified Mr. Justin Cochran, Senior 
Nuclear Policy Advisor & Emergency Coordinator, California Energy 
Commission, and Mr. Gonzalo Perez, Chief, Radiological Health Branch 
(RHB), California Department of Public Health. By email dated June 24, 
2022, Mr. Perez replied on behalf of the RHB and expressed appreciation 
for the NRC's partnership and transparency. In Mr. Perez's reply, he 
noted that the RHB acknowledges the radiological aspects of the EA and 
had reviewed the EA for possible effects on the public and environment, 
with no additional comments.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    The NRC is considering renewal of Facility License No. R-130, held 
by the Regents of the University of California for the UCD, which would 
authorize the continued operation of the MNRC reactor for an additional 
20 years from the date of issuance of the renewed license.
    On the basis of the EA included in Section II of this notice and 
incorporated by reference in this finding, the NRC staff finds that the 
proposed action will not have a significant impact on the quality of 
the human environment, and will not significantly affect the 
environment surrounding the MNRC. This is because the proposed action 
will result in no significant radiological impacts from continued 
operations as the types or quantities of effluents that may be released 
off site would not change. No changes in land use would occur or 
increases in noise or air emissions. Continued operations under the 
proposed action would have no significant impacts on air quality, 
noise, visual resources, surface water or groundwater resources, 
terrestrial or aquatic resources, or on any other environmental 
resource conditions. Additionally, the proposed action would have no 
effect on Federally listed species or designated critical habitats, 
would not affect historic properties, and would not result in 
environmental justice impacts. Therefore, the NRC concludes that the 
proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of 
the human environment. Accordingly, the NRC has determined that there 
is no need to prepare an environmental impact statement for the 
proposed action.
    The NRC considered information provided in the licensee's 
application, as supplemented, and the review of related environmental 
documents. Section IV in this notice lists the environmental documents 
related to the proposed action and includes information on the 
availability of these documents.

IV. Availability of Documents

    The documents in the following table are available to interested 
persons through one or more of the following methods, as indicated.

[[Page 63826]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Document description                 ADAMS accession No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION
------------------------------------------------------------------------
University of California, Davis--Renewal of  ML18179A501
 Facility Operating License No. R-130,
 Regents of the University of California,
 Docket No. 50-607, dated June 11, 2018.
University of California, Davis. McClellan   ML18271A212
 Nuclear Research Center TRIGA Research
 Reactor--Environmental Report, dated June
 11, 2018.
University of California, Davis. McClellan   ML18271A211
 Nuclear Research Center. TRIGA Research
 Reactor--License Renewal Application.
 Updated Safety Analysis Report. Rev. 6. 04/
 30/18, dated June 11, 2018.
University of California, Davis. McClellan   ML20188A368
 Nuclear Research Center--MNRC License (R-
 130) Renewal Application Package Docket
 Number 50-607, dated July 6, 2020.
University of California, Davis. McClellan   ML20238B993
 Nuclear Research Center--Environmental
 Report, License Renewal Application, dated
 July 6, 2020.
University of California, Davis. McClellan   ML20238B984
 Nuclear Research Center--Safety Analysis
 Report, License Renewal Application, Rev.
 6. 06/10/20, dated July 6, 2020.
University of California, Davis. McClellan   ML21265A541
 Nuclear Research Center--UC Davis MNRC
 Cover Letter for Response to Request for
 Supplemental Information, dated September
 22, 2021.
University of California, Davis. McClellan   ML21265A548
 Nuclear Research Center--Reactor
 Environmental Report, dated September 22,
 2021.
University of California, Davis. McClellan   ML22089A158
 Nuclear Research Center--UC Davis MNRC
 Response to NRC Staff Request for
 Additional Information Regarding Licensing
 Renewal Application Letter Issued February
 8, 2022, dated March 30, 2022.
                       OTHER REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
University of California, Davis. McClellan   ML15191A047
 Nuclear Research Center. 2014 Annual
 Report, dated June 29, 2015.
University of California, Davis. McClellan   ML17181A173
 Nuclear Research Center. 2016 Annual
 Report, dated December 31, 2016.
University of California, Davis. McClellan   ML18178A602
 Nuclear Research Center. 2017 Annual
 Report, dated December 31, 2017.
University of California, Davis. McClellan   ML20062C059
 Nuclear Research Center. 2018 Annual
 Report, dated March 2, 2020.
University of California, Davis. McClellan   ML20188A338
 Nuclear Research Center. 2019 Annual
 Report, dated July 6, 2020.
University of California, Davis. McClellan   ML21175A333 (package)
 Nuclear Research Center. 2020 Annual
 Report, dated June 22, 2021.
State of California Department of Parks and  ML20192A365
 Recreation, Office of Historic
 Preservation--Section 106 consultation for
 the proposed Renewal of Facility Operating
 License No. R-130 for the McClellan
 Nuclear Research Center, dated July 8,
 2020.
UCD License Renewal Application, State of    ML22182A389
 California Draft EA Review Comment email,
 dated June 30, 2022.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: October 17, 2022.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Joshua M. Borromeo,
Chief, Non-Power Production and Utilization Facility Licensing Branch, 
Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization 
Facilities, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2022-22766 Filed 10-19-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P