[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 194 (Thursday, October 7, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 54653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-26145]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-29]
Yankee Atomic Electric Company; Yankee Nuclear Power Station;
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of an amendment to Possession Only License No. DPR-3 issued to
the Yankee Atomic Electric Company (YAEC or licensee) for the Yankee
Nuclear Power Station (YNPS or plant), located in Rowe Township,
Franklin County, Massachusetts.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would revise Technical Specification (TS)
Section 6.0, Administrative Controls, by deleting TS Section 6.2.2.f,
which contains limits on the working hours of plant staff. The proposed
action would also authorize the incorporation of appropriate working
hour restrictions into licensee-controlled documents or programs.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for amendment dated March 17, 1999.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The licensee indicated in its March 17, 1999, letter that YAEC sees
no benefit in and has no intention of imposing excessive overtime on
its personnel. However, YAEC believes that it is much more efficient
and effective to address this issue in its Administrative Procedures
than to continue to be held to the potentially confusing restrictions
in the present TSs. There are no accidents or other events in the Final
Safety Analysis Report that would result in an immediate threat to the
public or the plant staff, or result in offsite doses in excess of the
Environmental Protection Agency Protective Action Guides.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action
and concludes that the proposed action will not have any impact on the
environment as the proposed changes are administrative in nature. The
licensee does not propose any disposal or relocation of fuel by this
action nor any other activities that have not already been approved by
the NRC.
The proposed action will not increase the probability or
consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of
any effluents that may be released off site, and there is no
significant increase in occupational or public radiation exposure.
Therefore, there are no significant radiological environmental impacts
associated with the proposed action.
With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed
action does not involve any historic sites. It does not affect
nonradiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact.
Therefore, there are no significant nonradiological environmental
impacts associated with the proposed action.
Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered
denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative).
Denial of the application would result in no change in current
environmental impacts. The environmental impacts of the proposed action
and the alternative action are identical.
Alternative Use of Resources
This action does not involve the use of any resources not
previously considered in environmental reviews for the YNPS.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on August 12, 1999, the staff
consulted with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State official, Jim
Muckerheide of the Massachusetts Civil Defense Agency, regarding the
environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had no
comments.
Finding of No Significant Impact
On the basis of the environmental assessment, the Commission
concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect
on the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the Commission
has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the
proposed action.
For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the
licensee's letter dated March 17, 1999, which is available for public
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman
Building, 2120 L Street, NW, Washington, DC, and at the local public
document room located in the library of the Greenfield Community
College, 1 College Drive, Greenfield, Massachusetts 01301.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 1st day of October 1999.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Louis L. Wheeler,
Acting Chief, Decommissioning Section, Project Directorate IV &
Decommissioning, Division of Licensing Project Management, Office of
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-26145 Filed 10-6-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
