2021-07577. Environmental Assessments and Findings of No Significant Impact of Independent Spent Fuel Storage Facilities Decommissioning Funding Plans

AGENCY:

Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION:

Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; issuance.

SUMMARY:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is publishing this notice regarding the issuance of a final Environmental Assessment (EA) and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for its review and approval of the initial and updated decommissioning funding plans (DFPs) submitted by independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) licensees for the ISFSIs listed in the “Discussion” section of this document.

DATES:

The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on April 14, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2021-0064 when contacting the NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You may obtain publicly available information related to this document using any of the following methods:

• Federal Rulemaking website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2021-0064. Address questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann; telephone: [phone]; email: [e-mail]. For technical questions, contact the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document.
• NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): You may obtain publicly available documents online in the ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/​reading-rm/​adams.html. To begin the search, select “Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.” For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to [e-mail]. The ADAMS accession number for each document referenced (if it is available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that it is mentioned in this document.
• Attention: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies of public documents, is currently closed. You may submit your request to the PDR via email at [e-mail] or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (EST), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Christopher Markley, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: [phone], email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

The NRC is considering the approval of the initial and updated DFPs submitted by ISFSI licensees. The NRC staff has prepared a final EA and FONSI determination for each of the initial and updated ISFSI DFPs in accordance with the NRC regulations in Part 51 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), “Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions,” which implement the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

The NRC requires its licensees to plan for the eventual decommissioning of their licensed facilities prior to license termination. On June 17, 2011, the NRC published a final rule in the Federal Register amending its decommissioning planning regulations (76 FR 35512). The final rule amended the NRC regulation, 10 CFR 72.30, which concerns financial assurance and decommissioning for ISFSIs. This regulation requires each holder of, or applicant for, a license under 10 CFR part 72 to submit a DFP for the NRC's review and approval. The DFP is to demonstrate the licensee's financial assurance, i.e., that funds will be available to decommission the ISFSI. The NRC staff will later publish its financial analyses of the DFP submittals which will be available for public inspection in ADAMS.

II. Discussion

The following table includes the plant name, docket number, licensee, and ADAMS Accession Number for the final EA and FONSI determination for each of the individual ISFSIs. The table also includes the ADAMS Accession Numbers for other relevant documents, including the initial and updated DFP submittals. For further details with respect to these actions, see the NRC staff's final EA and FONSI determinations which are available for public inspection in ADAMS and at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket ID NRC-2021-0064. For additional direction on accessing information related to this document, see the “ADDRESSES” section of this document.

Finding of No Significant Impact

Facility: Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant
Docket No.	72-72.
Licensee	Indiana Michigan Power Company (IMP).
Proposed Action	The NRC's review and approval of IMP's initial and updated DFPs submitted in accordance with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c).
Environmental Impact of Proposed Action	The NRC staff has determined that the proposed action, the review and approval of IMP's initial and updated DFPs, submitted in accordance with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c), will not authorize changes to licensed operations or maintenance activities, or result in changes in the types, characteristics, or quantities of radiological or non-radiological effluents released into the environment from the ISFSI, or result in the creation of solid waste. Moreover, the approval of the initial and updated DFPs will not authorize any construction activity, facility modification, or other land-disturbing activity. The NRC staff has concluded that the proposed action is a procedural and administrative action that will not have a significant impact on the environment.
Finding of No Significant Impact	The proposed action does not require changes to the ISFSI's licensed routine operations, maintenance activities, or monitoring programs, nor does it require new construction or land-disturbing activities. The scope of the proposed action concerns only the NRC's review and approval of IMP's initial and updated DFPs. The scope of the proposed action does not include, and will not result in, the review and approval of decontamination or decommissioning activities or license termination for the ISFSI or for other parts of the Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant. Therefore, the NRC staff determined that approval of the initial and updated DFPs for the Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant ISFSI will not significantly affect the quality of the human environment, and accordingly, the staff has concluded that a FONSI is appropriate. The NRC staff further finds that preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) is not required.
Available Documents	Indiana Michigan Power Company, 2012. ISFSI DFPs (10 CFR 72.30), dated December 17, 2012. ADAMS Package Accession No. ML123630254.
	Indiana Michigan Power Company, Inc., 2015. ISFSI DFPs (10 CFR 72.30), dated December 14, 2015. ADAMS Accession No. ML15351A007.
	Indiana Michigan Power Company, 2018. Response to Request for Additional Information Regarding ISFSI DFPs (10 CFR 72.30), dated April 11, 2018. ADAMS Accession No. ML18103A035.
	U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ESA Section 7 No Effect Determination for ISFSI DFP Reviews (Note to File), dated May 15, 2017. ADAMS Accession No. ML17135A062.
	U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Request for Additional Information Regarding ISFSI DFPs (10 CFR 72.30), dated February 28, 2018. ADAMS Accession No. ML18060A022.
	U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Final EA and FONSI for the Indiana Michigan Power Company's (IMP) Initial and Updated DFPs Submitted in Accordance with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c) for the Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2 ISFSI, dated April 7, 2021. ADAMS Accession No. ML21062A254.
Facility: San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station
Docket No.	72-41.
Licensee.	Southern California Edison Company (SCE).
Proposed Action	The NRC's review and approval of SCE's initial and updated DFPs submitted in accordance with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c).
Environmental Impact of Proposed Action	The NRC staff has determined that the proposed action, the review and approval of SCE's initial and updated DFPs, submitted in accordance with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c), will not authorize or changes to licensed operations or maintenance activities, or result in changes in the types, characteristics, or quantities of radiological or non-radiological effluents released into the environment from the ISFSI, or result in the creation of solid waste. Moreover, the approval of the initial and updated DFPs will not authorize any construction activity, facility modification, or other land-disturbing activity. The NRC staff has concluded that the proposed action is a procedural and administrative action that will not have a significant impact on the environment.
Finding of No Significant Impact	The proposed action does not require changes to the ISFSI's licensed routine operations, maintenance activities, or monitoring programs, nor does it require new construction or land-disturbing activities. The scope of the proposed action concerns only the NRC's review and approval of SCE's DFPs. The scope of the proposed action does not include, and will not result in, the review and approval of decontamination or decommissioning activities or license termination for the ISFSI or for other parts of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. Therefore, the NRC staff determined that approval of the initial and updated DFPs for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station ISFSI will not significantly affect the quality of the human environment, and accordingly, the staff has concluded that a FONSI is appropriate. The NRC staff further finds that preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) is not required.
Available Documents	Southern California Edison Company, 2012. ISFSI DFPs (10 CFR 72.30), dated December 14, 2012. ADAMS Accession No. ML130420384.
	Southern California Edison Company, 2015. ISFSI DFPs (10 CFR 72.30), dated December 14, 2015. ADAMS Accession No. ML15349A942.
	Southern California Edison Company, 2018. Response to Request for Additional Information Regarding ISFSI DFPs (10 CFR 72.30), dated April 11, 2018. ADAMS Accession No. ML18106A042.
	U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ESA Section 7 No Effect Determination for ISFSI DFP Reviews (Note to File), dated May 15, 2017. ADAMS Accession No. ML17135A062.
	U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Letter to T. J. Palmisano re: Request for Additional Information Regarding Southern California Edison's DFP for San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station ISFSI, dated February 2018. ADAMS Accession No. ML18060A149.
	U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Enclosure: Request for Additional Information [Request for Additional Information Regarding Southern California Edison's Decommissioning Funding Plan for San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station ISFSI]. February 2018. ADAMS Accession No. ML18060A148.
	U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Final EA and FONSI for the Southern California Edison Company's Initial and Updated DFPs Submitted in Accordance with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c) for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3 ISFSI, dated April 7, 2021. ADAMS Accession No. ML21090A115.
Facility: Yankee Nuclear Power Station
Docket No.	72-31.
Licensee.	Yankee Atomic Electric Company (YEAC).
Proposed Action	The NRC's review and approval of YEAC 's initial and updated DFPs submitted in accordance with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c).
Environmental Impact of Proposed Action	The NRC staff has determined that the proposed action, the review and approval of YEAC 's initial and updated DFPs, submitted in accordance with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c), will not authorize or changes to licensed operations or maintenance activities, or result in changes in the types, characteristics, or quantities of radiological or non-radiological effluents released into the environment from the ISFSI, or result in the creation of solid waste. Moreover, the approval of the initial and updated DFPs will not authorize any construction activity, facility modification, or other land-disturbing activity. The NRC staff has concluded that the proposed action is a procedural and administrative action that will not have a significant impact on the environment.
Finding of No Significant Impact	The proposed action does not require changes to the ISFSI's licensed routine operations, maintenance activities, or monitoring programs, nor does it require new construction or land-disturbing activities. The scope of the proposed action concerns only the NRC's review and approval of YEAC's DFPs. The scope of the proposed action does not include, and will not result in, the review and approval of decontamination or decommissioning activities or license termination for the ISFSI or for other parts of the former Yankee Nuclear Power Station. Therefore, the NRC staff determined that approval of the initial and updated DFPs for the Yankee Rowe ISFSI will not significantly affect the quality of the human environment, and accordingly, the staff has concluded that a FONSI is appropriate. The NRC staff further finds that preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) is not required.
Available Documents	Yankee Atomic Electric Company, 2012. ISFSI DFPs (10 CFR 72.30), dated December 17, 2012. ADAMS Accession No. ML12363A106.
	Yankee Atomic Electric Company, 2015. ISFSI DFPs (10 CFR 72.30), dated December 14, 2015. ADAMS Accession No. ML16020A016.
	U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ESA Section 7 No Effect Determination for ISFSI DFP Reviews (Note to File), dated May 15, 2017. ADAMS Accession No. ML17135A062.
	U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Final EA and FONSI for the Yankee Atomic Electric Company's Initial and Updated DFPs Submitted in Accordance with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c) for the Yankee Rowe ISFSI, dated April 7, 2021. ADAMS Accession No. ML21062A247.

Dated: April 8, 2021.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

John B. McKirgan,

Chief, Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch, Division of Fuel Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.