[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 21, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 6662]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-3819]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-271]
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation and Vermont Yankee
Nuclear Power Station; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is
considering approval of a procedure for on site disposal of silt
containing low levels of radioactivity at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear
Power Station (VYNPS), pursuant to 10 CFR 20.2002, as requested by the
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation, (the licensee). VYNPS is
located in Windham County, Vermont.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would authorize the on site relocation of silt
containing low levels of radioactivity which was or will be removed
from the cooling tower basins at VYNPS.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application dated August 30, 1995.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action will eliminate the need to hold the material
for future disposal in a 10 CFR Part 61 licensed facility and will save
space at licensed facilities for waste materials containing higher
levels of activity. It will also save substantial cost.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action
and concludes that the proposed action will minimize the risk of
unexpected exposure. The licensee's proposal was evaluated against the
staff's guidelines for on site disposal and found to be acceptable. The
potential exposure to members of the general public from the
radionuclides in the silt was determined to be less than 1 mrem/year.
The potential exposure to an inadvertent intruder following licensee
release of the disposal site was determined to be less than 5 mrem/
year. 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 offsite, and there is no significant
increase in the allowable individual or cumulative occupational
radiation exposure. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there
are no significant radiological environmental impacts associated with
the proposed action.
With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed
action does involve features located entirely within the restricted
area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. It does not affect nonradiological
plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Accordingly, the
Commission concludes that there are no significant nonradiological
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
Since the Commission has concluded there is no significant
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be
evaluated. As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff
considered denial of the proposed action. 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 similar.
Alternative Use of Resources
This action does not involve the use of any resources not
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, dated July 1972.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on December 21, 1995, the
staff consulted with the Vermont State official, Mr. William Sherman of
the Vermont Department of Public Service, regarding the environmental
impact of the proposed action. The State official questioned the impact
of the proposed action on decommissioning of VYNPS. At the time of
decommissioning, the licensee will be required to demonstrate that the
activity levels on the site are sufficiently low to permit releasing
the site for general use.
Finding of No Significant Impact
Based upon 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 August 30, 1995, 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 at the Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main Street,
Brattleboro, VT.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 13th day of February 1996.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Ledyard B. Marsh,
Director Project Directorate I-1, Division of Reactor Projects--I/II,
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 96-3819 Filed 2-20-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
