Nuclear Regulatory Commission March 11, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

As required by Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 51, the NRC has prepared a final Environmental Assessment (EA) as its evaluation of a request by the PSEG Nuclear, LLC (PSEG) for a license amendment to increase the maximum thermal power at Hope Creek Generating Station (HCGS) from 3,339 megawatts-thermal (MWt) to 3,840 MWt. The EA assesses environmental impacts up to a maximum thermal power level of 3,952 MWt, as the applicant's environmental report was based on that power level. The NRC staff did not identify any significant impact from the information provided in the licensee's EPU application for HCGS or from the NRC staff's independent review. The final EA and Finding of No Significant Impact are being published in the Federal Register. The NRC published a draft EA and finding of no significant impact on the proposed action for public comment in the Federal Register on October 22, 2007 (72 FR 59563). Two sets of comments were received on the draft EA: (1) From PSEG Nuclear, LLC by letter dated November 21, 2007 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML073600851); and (2) from the State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) by letter dated November 21, 2007 (ADAMS Accession No. ML073600859). These comments are addressed below.