[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 28 (Thursday, February 10, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3060]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: February 10, 1994]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-267]
Public Service Company of Colorado, Fort St. Vrain Nuclear
Generating Station; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering issuance of
an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 140.11(a)(4) to
Possession-Only License No. DPR-34, issued to the Public Service
Company of Colorado (PSC or the licensee), for the Fort St. Vrain
Nuclear Generating Station (FSV) located in Platteville, Colorado.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
The proposed action would grant an exemption from the requirements
from 10 CFR 140.11(a)(4) to the extent that primary financial
protection in the amount of $100,000,000 shall be maintained, rather
than the $200,000,000 required by 10 CFR 140.11(a)(4), and an exemption
from participation in the industry retrospective rating plan (secondary
level financial protection) for FSV. The licensee requested the
exemption in a letter dated February 25, 1993.
The Need for the Proposed Action
FSV was permanently shutdown on August 18, 1989, and all spent fuel
has been transferred to a separately licensed independent spent fuel
storage installation (ISFSI). On May 21, 1991, the NRC modified
Facility Operating License No. DPR-34 to a Possession-Only License
(POL). The FSV is being dismantled in accordance with the approved FSV
Decommissioning Plan. The requested exemption addresses two areas for
relief in financial protection requirements: (1) A reduction in the
primary financial protection coverage requirements from $200,000,000 to
$100,000,000 and (2) withdrawal from participation in the industry
retrospective rating plan.
Since FSV no longer contributes as great a risk to the
retrospective rating plan participants as an operating plant, this
reduction in risk should be reflected in the indemnification
requirements to which the licensee is subject. approval of this request
would allow a more equitable allocation of financial risk.
Environmental Impact of the Proposed Action
The proposed action does not involve any significant environmental
impacts. Since the proposed action does not involve a change in plant
operation or configuration, there is reasonable assurance that the
proposed action would not increase the probability or the consequences
of an accident or reduce the margin of safety. No changes would be made
in the types or quantities of effluents that may be released offsite.
Further, there would be no significant increase in the allowable
individual or cumulative radiation exposure. Accordingly, the NRC
concludes that this proposed action would result in no significant
radiological environmental impact.
With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed
action does not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no
other environmental impact. Therefore, the NRC concludes that there are
no significant non-radiological impacts associated with the proposed
action.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
Since the NRC has concluded that there are no significant
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action, any
alternative with equal or greater environmental impacts need not be
evaluated.
Alternative Use of Resources
This action does not involve the use of resources not previously
considered in the Supplement to the Environmental Report for FSV.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
The licensee initiated this exemption request. The NRC staff has
reviewed the request and has consulted with a representative of the
State of Colorado regarding the environmental impact of the proposed
action. The State representative did not provide comments.
Finding of No Significant Impact
Based upon this environmental assessment, the staff concludes that
the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality
of the human environment. Therefore, the NRC has determined not to
prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed exemption.
For further details with respect to this action, see the licensee
application for exemption dated February 25, 1993, which is available
for public inspection at the NRC's Public Document Room, Gelman
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555, and at the Greeley
Public Library, City Complex Building, Greeley, Colorado.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 3rd day of February, 1994.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John H. Austin,
Chief, Decommissioning and Regulatory Issues Branch, Division of Low-
Level Waste Management and Decommissioning, Office of Nuclear Material
Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 94-3060 Filed 2-9-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M
