Abilene Christian University; Molten Salt Research Reactor; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact, 18678-18680 [2024-05399]

Download as PDF 18678 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 51 / Thursday, March 14, 2024 / Notices granted me by the Chair’s Delegation of Authority to Close Advisory Committee Meetings dated April 15, 2016. Dated: March 8, 2024. Jessica Graves, Paralegal Specialist, National Endowment for the Humanities. a. Network Watchlist Report PORTIONS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC: Everything except the Executive (Closed) Session. PORTIONS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC: Executive (Closed) Session. CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION: Jenna Sylvester, Paralegal, (202) 568– 2560; jsylvester@nw.org. [FR Doc. 2024–05361 Filed 3–13–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7536–01–P Jenna Sylvester, Paralegal. NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT CORPORATION [FR Doc. 2024–05548 Filed 3–12–24; 11:15 am] BILLING CODE 7570–01–P Sunshine Act Meetings 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 26, 2024. PLACE: 1255 Union Street NE, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20002. STATUS: Parts of this meeting will be open to the public. The rest of the meeting will be closed to the public. MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: Audit Committee Board of Directors meeting. The General Counsel of the Corporation has certified that in her opinion, one or more of the exemptions set forth in the Government in the Sunshine Act, 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(2) permit closure of the following portion(s) of this meeting: • Executive (Closed) Session TIME AND DATE: ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 Agenda I. Call to Order II. Discussion Item: FY2023 External Audit—BDO III. Sunshine Act Approval of Executive (Closed) Session IV. Executive Session: Executive Session with External Auditors— BDO V. Executive Session: Special Topic VI. Executive Session: GAO Workplan Update VII. Executive Session: Chief Audit Executive Report VIII. Action Item: Approval of FY2023 External Audit and Recommendation to the Board IX. Action Item: Resolution of Recognition of Service for Board Member Rodney Hood X. Action Item: Quality Assurance and Improvement Program (QAIP) Policy Document XI. Action Item: Proposed Retirement Plan Audit Services Firm XII. Discussion Item: Internal Audit Status Reports a. Bio of New Internal Audit VP Hire b. Internal Audit Performance Scorecard c. Implementation of Internal Audit Recommendations d. Officers Report XIII. Management Reports VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:57 Mar 13, 2024 Jkt 262001 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 50–610; NRC–2022–0167] Abilene Christian University; Molten Salt Research Reactor; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice; issuance. AGENCY: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering whether to issue a construction permit (CP) to Abilene Christian University (ACU) to authorize the construction of a proposed non-power molten salt research reactor (MSRR). The MSRR would be an up to 1 megawatt-thermal, graphite moderated, fluoride salt flowing fluid (fuel dissolved in the salt) research reactor that would be located in the existing Gayle and Max Dillard Science and Engineering Research Center (SERC) building on the ACU campus in Abilene, Texas. The NRC has prepared this environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) that considers the impacts associated with issuing the CP. DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on March 14, 2024. ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2022–0167 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–2022–0167. 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. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00089 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 • 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, at 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: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies of publicly available documents, is open by appointment. 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 a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time (ET), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Patricia Vokoun, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone: 301–415– 4067; email: Patricia.Vokoun@nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Introduction By application dated August 12, 2022, as supplemented by letters dated October 14, 2022, September 27, 2023, and November 14, 2023, ACU submitted, pursuant to section 104c of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and part 50 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), ‘‘Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities,’’ a CP application for the MSRR. A notice of receipt and availability of the CP application was published in the Federal Register (FR) on October 14, 2022 (87 FR 62463). A notice of the acceptability for docketing of the CP application was published in the FR on November 28, 2022 (87 FR 73051) as was a January 31, 2023, notice of opportunity to request a hearing and petition for leave to intervene (88 FR 6319). The NRC has prepared an EA as part of its review of the CP application in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR part 51, ‘‘Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions.’’ Based on the results of the EA, the NRC has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) and is issuing a FONSI. E:\FR\FM\14MRN1.SGM 14MRN1 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 51 / Thursday, March 14, 2024 / Notices II. Environmental Assessment The NRC issuance of a CP would constitute an authorization for ACU to proceed with the construction of the MSRR in the existing SERC building on the ACU campus in Abilene, Texas. The need for the MSRR is to conduct research on molten salt reactor technology. This would help to further the research of ACU’s Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing Laboratory whose mission is to seek solutions to the world’s need for energy, water, and medical isotopes by advancing the technology of molten salt reactors while educating future leaders in nuclear science and engineering. The MSRR would not produce electricity and would be the first university-based molten salt research reactor. In the EA, the NRC staff assessed the potential direct and indirect environmental impacts from the proposed action associated with the following relevant resource areas: land use and visual resources; air quality and noise; hydrogeology and water resources; ecological resources; historic and cultural resources; socioeconomics and environmental justice; human health; nonradiological waste management; uranium fuel cycle and radiological waste management; transportation of radioactive material; postulated accidents; and climate change. The NRC staff also considered the cumulative impacts from past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions when combined with the proposed action. The NRC staff identified alternatives to the proposed action and the environmental impacts of the alternatives as appropriate. The NRC staff determined that the environmental impacts of the proposed action would be SMALL for each potentially affected environmental resource, meaning that the environmental effects are not detectable or are so minor that they will neither destabilize nor noticeably alter any important attribute of the resource. The NRC staff also determined that there are no alternatives that meet the need for the proposed action and that are environmentally preferrable to the proposed action. The issuance of a CP is a separate licensing action from the issuance of an operating license (OL). If the NRC issues a CP for the MSRR and ACU were to seek NRC approval to operate the MSRR, then ACU would have to submit a separate application for an OL pursuant to the NRC’s regulations, and ACU would have to obtain NRC approval before it could operate the MSRR. The NRC staff would review any application for an OL for the MSRR for new and significant information related to the environmental impacts of operating and decommissioning the MSRR that might alter the staff’s conclusions made in the EA for the CP application. III. Finding of No Significant Impact As required by 10 CFR 51.21, ‘‘Criteria for and identification of licensing and regulatory actions requiring environmental assessments,’’ the NRC prepared the EA. On the basis of the EA, the NRC concluded that the proposed action will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the NRC has determined, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.31, ‘‘Determinations based on environmental assessment,’’ not to prepare an EIS for the proposed action. IV. Availability of Documents The following table identifies the EA and FONSI and related documents. The documents are available for public inspection online through ADAMS at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/ adams.html at the listed accession numbers. ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 Document description Adams accession No. Environmental Assessment for the Construction Permit Application for the Abilene Christian University Molten Salt Research Reactor, dated January 31, 2024. Letter to NRC from ACU, Construction Permit Application Preliminary Safety Analysis Report Revision 1, dated November 14, 2023. Email to NRC from ACU, Response Regarding Environmental Review Requests for Confirmatory Information—Closure Confirmation, dated September 27, 2023. Clarification on Project #19599, Abilene Christian University Molten Salt Research Reactor Construction Permit Application, dated September 7, 2023. Email Correspondence with Caitlin Brashear (Texas State Historic Preservation Officer) as of August 29, dated August 11, 2023. Meeting Notes for June 28, 2023 ACU Call with Texas Historical Commission, dated August 16, 2023 ....... Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana Consultation Response, dated August 14, 2023 .............................................. Texas Historical Commission Closure of Consultation, dated August 11, 2023 ............................................... Texas Historical Commission Consultation Response and Request for Information, dated June 12, 2023 .... ACHP Consultation Response, Request for Information, dated June 12, 2023 ............................................... Delaware Nation Consultation Response, dated June 12, 2023 ...................................................................... Kickapoo Tribe Consultation Response, dated May 23, 2023 .......................................................................... Caddo Nation of Oklahoma Consultation Response, dated May 16, 2023 ...................................................... Letter to Bobby Gonzalez, Chairman, Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, Re ACU Molten Salt Research Reactor Construction Permit Application, dated May 5, 2023. Letter to Brad Killscrow, Chief, Delaware Tribe of Indians, Re ACU Molten Salt Research Reactor Construction Permit Application, dated May 5, 2023. Letter to Debbie Dotson, President, Delaware Nation of Oklahoma, Re ACU Molten Salt Research Reactor Construction Permit Application, dated May 5, 2023. Letter to Durell Cooper, Chairman, Apache Tribe of Oklahoma, Re ACU Molten Salt Research Reactor Construction Permit Application, dated May 5, 2023. Letter to E. Michael Silvas, Governor, Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, Re ACU Molten Salt Research Reactor Construction Permit Application, dated May 5, 2023. Letter to Juan Garza, Chairman, Kickapoo Tribe of Texas, Re ACU Molten Salt Research Reactor Construction Permit Application, dated May 5, 2023. Letter to Reggie Wassana, Governor, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, Re ACU Molten Salt Research Reactor Construction Permit Application, dated May 5, 2023. Letter to Russell Martin, President, Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, Re ACU Molten Salt Research Reactor Construction Permit Application, dated May 5, 2023. Letter to Terri Parton, President, Wichita and Affiliated Tribes of Oklahoma, Re ACU Molten Salt Research Reactor Construction Permit Application, dated May 5, 2023. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:47 Mar 13, 2024 Jkt 262001 PO 00000 Frm 00090 18679 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\14MRN1.SGM ML23300A053. ML23319A094 (Package). ML23271A020. ML23256A287. ML23241A831. ML23241A784. ML23241A793. ML23241A819. ML23241A826. ML23241A849. ML23241A814 ML23241A817. ML23241A786. ML23122A281. ML23122A282. ML23122A283. ML23122A284. ML23122A285. ML23122A286. ML23122A287. ML23122A288. ML23122A289. 14MRN1 18680 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 51 / Thursday, March 14, 2024 / Notices Document description Adams accession No. Letter to Ricky Sylestine, Chairman, Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, Re ACU Molten Salt Research Reactor Construction Permit Application, dated May 5, 2023. Letter to NRC from ACU, Response to NRC Request for Supplemental Information, dated October 14 and October 20, 2022. Letter to NRC from ACU, Submittal of Construction Permit Application for the Molten Salt Research Reactor, dated August 12, 2022. Dated: March 11, 2024. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Daniel Barnhurst, Chief, Environmental Project Management Branch 3, Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support, Office of Nuclear Material Safety, and Safeguards. [FR Doc. 2024–05399 Filed 3–13–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 72–10; NRC–2023–0155] Northern States Power Company; Prairie Island Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation; License Amendment Application Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice; issuance. AGENCY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reviewed an application by Northern States Power Company (NSPM) for amendment of Special Nuclear Materials License No. SNM–2506 which authorizes NSPM to receive, possess, store, and transfer spent nuclear fuel and associated radioactive materials. The amendment request sought to revise the technical specifications (TS) for the Prairie Island Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (PI ISFSI) to allow use of a Code alternative as an option to the requirements of the 2004 Edition through 2006 Addenda of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel (B&PV) Code, Section III, Division 1, Subsection NB, Paragraph NB–5130, by revising the TS to add the Code alternative to TS section 4.4, table 4.4– 1, TN–40HT ASME Code Exceptions. DATES: The license amendment was issued March 5, 2024. ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2023–0155 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–2023–0155. Address ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:47 Mar 13, 2024 Jkt 262001 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, at 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: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies of publicly available documents, is open by appointment. 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 a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time (ET), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John-Chau Nguyen, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone: 301–415–0262; email: JohnChau.Nguyen@nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NRC received, by letter dated July 14, 2023 (ADAMS Accession No. ML23195A187), a license amendment application from NSPM, to amend Special Nuclear Materials License No. SNM–2506, which authorizes the storage of spent fuel at the PI ISFSI located in Welch, Minnesota. Specifically, the amendment sought to revise the TS to allow use of a Code alternative as an option to the requirements of the 2004 Edition through 2006 Addenda of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel (B&PV) Code, Section III, Division 1, Subsection NB, Paragraph NB–5130, by PO 00000 Frm 00091 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 ML23009B617. ML22293B816 (Package). ML22227A201 (Package). revising the TS to add the Code alternative to TS section 4.4, table 4.4– 1, TN–40HT ASME Code Exceptions. An NRC administrative completeness review, documented in a letter to NSPM dated August 24, 2023 (ADAMS Accession No. ML23234A135), found the application acceptable to begin a technical review. In accordance with section 72.16 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), a notice of docketing was published in the Federal Register on September 8, 2023 (88 FR 62108). The notice of docketing included an opportunity to request a hearing and to petition for leave to intervene. No requests for a hearing or petitions for leave to intervene were submitted. The NRC prepared a safety evaluation report (SER) (ADAMS Accession No. ML24008A131) to document its review and evaluation of the amendment request. In addition, the NRC evaluated an assertion by NSPM that the amendment request satisfied the categorical exclusion criteria specified in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(11). Under 10 CFR 51.22(c)(11), a categorical exclusion is allowed for amendments to materials licenses which are administrative, organizational, or procedural in nature, or which result in a change to process operations or equipment, provided that (i) there is no significant change in the types or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be released offsite, (ii) there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure, (iii) there is no significant construction impact, and (iv) there is no significant increase in the potential for or consequences from radiological accidents. As explained in the SER, the NRC determined that the license amendment satisfied the 10 CFR 51.22(c)(11) categorical exclusion criteria. Consequently, an environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact are not required. Upon completing its review, the NRC staff determined that the request complies with the standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), as well as the NRC’s rules and regulations. The Commission has made appropriate E:\FR\FM\14MRN1.SGM 14MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 51 (Thursday, March 14, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18678-18680]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05399]


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

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-610; NRC-2022-0167]


Abilene Christian University; Molten Salt Research Reactor; 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice; issuance.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
whether to issue a construction permit (CP) to Abilene Christian 
University (ACU) to authorize the construction of a proposed non-power 
molten salt research reactor (MSRR). The MSRR would be an up to 1 
megawatt-thermal, graphite moderated, fluoride salt flowing fluid (fuel 
dissolved in the salt) research reactor that would be located in the 
existing Gayle and Max Dillard Science and Engineering Research Center 
(SERC) building on the ACU campus in Abilene, Texas. The NRC has 
prepared this environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no 
significant impact (FONSI) that considers the impacts associated with 
issuing the CP.

DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on 
March 14, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2022-0167 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-2022-0167. 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, at 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: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies 
of publicly available documents, is open by appointment. 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 
a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time (ET), Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Vokoun, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-4067; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    By application dated August 12, 2022, as supplemented by letters 
dated October 14, 2022, September 27, 2023, and November 14, 2023, ACU 
submitted, pursuant to section 104c of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, 
as amended, and part 50 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(10 CFR), ``Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization 
Facilities,'' a CP application for the MSRR. A notice of receipt and 
availability of the CP application was published in the Federal 
Register (FR) on October 14, 2022 (87 FR 62463). A notice of the 
acceptability for docketing of the CP application was published in the 
FR on November 28, 2022 (87 FR 73051) as was a January 31, 2023, notice 
of opportunity to request a hearing and petition for leave to intervene 
(88 FR 6319). The NRC has prepared an EA as part of its review of the 
CP application in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR part 51, 
``Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and 
Related Regulatory Functions.'' Based on the results of the EA, the NRC 
has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) 
and is issuing a FONSI.

[[Page 18679]]

II. Environmental Assessment

    The NRC issuance of a CP would constitute an authorization for ACU 
to proceed with the construction of the MSRR in the existing SERC 
building on the ACU campus in Abilene, Texas. The need for the MSRR is 
to conduct research on molten salt reactor technology. This would help 
to further the research of ACU's Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing 
Laboratory whose mission is to seek solutions to the world's need for 
energy, water, and medical isotopes by advancing the technology of 
molten salt reactors while educating future leaders in nuclear science 
and engineering. The MSRR would not produce electricity and would be 
the first university-based molten salt research reactor.
    In the EA, the NRC staff assessed the potential direct and indirect 
environmental impacts from the proposed action associated with the 
following relevant resource areas: land use and visual resources; air 
quality and noise; hydrogeology and water resources; ecological 
resources; historic and cultural resources; socioeconomics and 
environmental justice; human health; nonradiological waste management; 
uranium fuel cycle and radiological waste management; transportation of 
radioactive material; postulated accidents; and climate change. The NRC 
staff also considered the cumulative impacts from past, present, and 
reasonably foreseeable future actions when combined with the proposed 
action. The NRC staff identified alternatives to the proposed action 
and the environmental impacts of the alternatives as appropriate. The 
NRC staff determined that the environmental impacts of the proposed 
action would be SMALL for each potentially affected environmental 
resource, meaning that the environmental effects are not detectable or 
are so minor that they will neither destabilize nor noticeably alter 
any important attribute of the resource. The NRC staff also determined 
that there are no alternatives that meet the need for the proposed 
action and that are environmentally preferrable to the proposed action.
    The issuance of a CP is a separate licensing action from the 
issuance of an operating license (OL). If the NRC issues a CP for the 
MSRR and ACU were to seek NRC approval to operate the MSRR, then ACU 
would have to submit a separate application for an OL pursuant to the 
NRC's regulations, and ACU would have to obtain NRC approval before it 
could operate the MSRR. The NRC staff would review any application for 
an OL for the MSRR for new and significant information related to the 
environmental impacts of operating and decommissioning the MSRR that 
might alter the staff's conclusions made in the EA for the CP 
application.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    As required by 10 CFR 51.21, ``Criteria for and identification of 
licensing and regulatory actions requiring environmental assessments,'' 
the NRC prepared the EA. On the basis of the EA, the NRC concluded that 
the proposed action will not have a significant impact on the quality 
of the human environment. Accordingly, the NRC has determined, pursuant 
to 10 CFR 51.31, ``Determinations based on environmental assessment,'' 
not to prepare an EIS for the proposed action.

IV. Availability of Documents

    The following table identifies the EA and FONSI and related 
documents. The documents are available for public inspection online 
through ADAMS at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html at the 
listed accession numbers.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Document description                 Adams accession No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Environmental Assessment for the             ML23300A053.
 Construction Permit Application for the
 Abilene Christian University Molten Salt
 Research Reactor, dated January 31, 2024.
Letter to NRC from ACU, Construction Permit  ML23319A094 (Package).
 Application Preliminary Safety Analysis
 Report Revision 1, dated November 14, 2023.
Email to NRC from ACU, Response Regarding    ML23271A020.
 Environmental Review Requests for
 Confirmatory Information--Closure
 Confirmation, dated September 27, 2023.
Clarification on Project #19599, Abilene     ML23256A287.
 Christian University Molten Salt Research
 Reactor Construction Permit Application,
 dated September 7, 2023.
Email Correspondence with Caitlin Brashear   ML23241A831.
 (Texas State Historic Preservation
 Officer) as of August 29, dated August 11,
 2023.
Meeting Notes for June 28, 2023 ACU Call     ML23241A784.
 with Texas Historical Commission, dated
 August 16, 2023.
Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana Consultation   ML23241A793.
 Response, dated August 14, 2023.
Texas Historical Commission Closure of       ML23241A819.
 Consultation, dated August 11, 2023.
Texas Historical Commission Consultation     ML23241A826.
 Response and Request for Information,
 dated June 12, 2023.
ACHP Consultation Response, Request for      ML23241A849.
 Information, dated June 12, 2023.
Delaware Nation Consultation Response,       ML23241A814
 dated June 12, 2023.
Kickapoo Tribe Consultation Response, dated  ML23241A817.
 May 23, 2023.
Caddo Nation of Oklahoma Consultation        ML23241A786.
 Response, dated May 16, 2023.
Letter to Bobby Gonzalez, Chairman, Caddo    ML23122A281.
 Nation of Oklahoma, Re ACU Molten Salt
 Research Reactor Construction Permit
 Application, dated May 5, 2023.
Letter to Brad Killscrow, Chief, Delaware    ML23122A282.
 Tribe of Indians, Re ACU Molten Salt
 Research Reactor Construction Permit
 Application, dated May 5, 2023.
Letter to Debbie Dotson, President,          ML23122A283.
 Delaware Nation of Oklahoma, Re ACU Molten
 Salt Research Reactor Construction Permit
 Application, dated May 5, 2023.
Letter to Durell Cooper, Chairman, Apache    ML23122A284.
 Tribe of Oklahoma, Re ACU Molten Salt
 Research Reactor Construction Permit
 Application, dated May 5, 2023.
Letter to E. Michael Silvas, Governor,       ML23122A285.
 Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, Re ACU Molten Salt
 Research Reactor Construction Permit
 Application, dated May 5, 2023.
Letter to Juan Garza, Chairman, Kickapoo     ML23122A286.
 Tribe of Texas, Re ACU Molten Salt
 Research Reactor Construction Permit
 Application, dated May 5, 2023.
Letter to Reggie Wassana, Governor,          ML23122A287.
 Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma,
 Re ACU Molten Salt Research Reactor
 Construction Permit Application, dated May
 5, 2023.
Letter to Russell Martin, President,         ML23122A288.
 Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, Re
 ACU Molten Salt Research Reactor
 Construction Permit Application, dated May
 5, 2023.
Letter to Terri Parton, President, Wichita   ML23122A289.
 and Affiliated Tribes of Oklahoma, Re ACU
 Molten Salt Research Reactor Construction
 Permit Application, dated May 5, 2023.

[[Page 18680]]

 
Letter to Ricky Sylestine, Chairman,         ML23009B617.
 Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, Re ACU
 Molten Salt Research Reactor Construction
 Permit Application, dated May 5, 2023.
Letter to NRC from ACU, Response to NRC      ML22293B816 (Package).
 Request for Supplemental Information,
 dated October 14 and October 20, 2022.
Letter to NRC from ACU, Submittal of         ML22227A201 (Package).
 Construction Permit Application for the
 Molten Salt Research Reactor, dated August
 12, 2022.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: March 11, 2024.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Daniel Barnhurst,
Chief, Environmental Project Management Branch 3, Division of 
Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety, and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2024-05399 Filed 3-13-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
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