[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 236 (Thursday, December 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 69046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-31918]
[[Page 69046]]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-289]
GPU Nuclear, Inc., et al., Three Mile Island Nuclear Station,
Unit 1; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License No. DPR-50,
issued to GPU Nuclear, Inc. (the licensee), for operation of the Three
Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 (TMI-1), located in Dauphin County,
PA.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would clarify the authority under the TMI-1
license to possess radioactive materials and components at both Unit 1
and Unit 2. Following the expected transfer of the TMI-1 operating
license to AmerGen, certain radioactive materials and components would
still be able to be moved between the TMI-1 and TMI-2 units as is
currently authorized. The TMI-2 license would remain with GPU. This
amendment does not authorize the receipt or possession of radioactive
waste from other sites.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for amendment dated June 29, 1999, as supplemented by
letters dated August 27, October 29, and November 3, 1999.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is needed because TMI Units 1 and 2 have
adjoining fuel handling buildings and both units share the same
loading/unloading bay. Since the two units are currently operated or
maintained by the same licensee, GPU Nuclear, Inc., each unit has
similar license conditions (2b(3) and 2b(4) for Unit 1 and 2B(4) and
2B(5) for Unit 2) which effectively permit the possession and movement
of radioactive materials between the units and common facilities,
including the staging of contaminated apparatus used at either unit and
temporary staging of radioactive material generated by the units. In
anticipation of the forthcoming license transfer of the TMI-1 operating
license to Amergen, the licensee has requested that TMI-1 License
Conditions 2b(3) and 2b(4) be amended to clarify the authority to
possess certain radioactive materials and components at both units so
that it is clear that the new licensee for Unit 1 may continue to
possess and move these materials and components between both units
under its license. The licensee has also proposed to modify the Unit 2
license in a separate parallel license amendment request which would
take into account the Unit 1 amendment request.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed
The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and
concluded that the proposed action places appropriate limits on the
types, amounts and duration of storage of radioactive materials, waste
and components that may be possessed by the TMI-1 licensee at either
unit and further has determined that the source term from any accident
involving radioactive material, waste or components would be within
that assumed in the Updated Final Safety Analysis Report for Unit 1 and
the Post Defueling Monitored Storage Safety Analysis Report for Unit 2.
The proposed action will not significantly 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 NRC 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 could require the building of separate
handling facilities for each unit and/or different methods for
conducting outage activities including staging of contaminated
scaffolding. This alternative would involve building new handling
capacity for the processing of contaminated protective clothing,
processing of liquid radwaste, and temporary staging areas. This
alternative would be disruptive to plant operations and may give cause
for increased radiation safety concerns. Therefore, this alternative is
not considered to be an option.
Alternative Use of Resources
This action does not involve the use of any resources not
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the
Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on November 29, 1999, the
staff consulted with the Pennsylvania State official, Stan Maingi of
the Pennsylvania Bureau of Radiation Protection, 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 NRC concludes
that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the
quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the NRC 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 June 29, 1999, as supplemented by letters dated
August 27, October 29, and November 3, 1999, which are available for
public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC. Publicly available
records will be accessible electronically from the ADAMS Public Library
component on the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov (the Electronic
Reading Room).
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 6th day of December 1999.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Timothy G. Colburn, Sr.,
Project Manager, Section 1 Project Directorate I, Division of Licensing
Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-31918 Filed 12-8-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
