[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 92 (Wednesday, May 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26654-26655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-12674]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket 72-1027]
Transnuclear, Inc.; Issuance of Environmental Assessment and
Finding of No Significant Impact
By letter dated January 23, 1998, Transnuclear, Inc. (TN or
applicant) requested an exemption, pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7, from the
requirements of 10 CFR 72.234(c). TN, located in Hawthorne, New York,
is seeking Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission)
approval to fabricate nine TN-68 dry spent fuel storage casks prior to
receipt of a Certificate of Compliance (COC). The TN-68 cask is similar
in design to the TN-32 and TN-40 dry spent fuel storage casks which
have been approved for use at Independent Spent Fuel Storage
Installations with site-specific licenses. The TN-68 casks are intended
to be used by PECO Energy Company (PECO) at the Peach Bottom Atomic
Power Station (PBAPS) located in Delta, Pennsylvania, under the general
license provisions of subpart K of 10 CFR Part 72.
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Identification of Proposed Action: The applicant is seeking
Commission approval to fabricate nine TN-68 casks prior to the
Commission's issuance of a COC. The applicant requests an exemption
from the requirements of 10 CFR 72.234(c), which states that
``fabrication of casks under the Certificate of Compliance must not
start prior to receipt of the Certificate of Compliance for the cask
model.'' The proposed action before the Commission is whether to grant
this exemption under 10 CFR 72.7.
Need for the Proposed Action: TN requests the exemption to ensure
the availability of storage casks by July 2000, so that PECO can
maintain full core off-load capability at PBAPS. TN states that to meet
this schedule, purchase of cask components must
[[Page 26655]]
begin promptly and fabrication must begin in the summer of 1998. The
TN-68 COC application, dated January 23, 1998, is under consideration
by the Commission. It is anticipated, if approved, the TN-68 COC may be
issued in 2000.
The proposed fabrication exemption will not authorize use of the
casks to store spent fuel. That will occur only when, and if, a COC is
issued. NRC approval of the fabrication exemption request may not be
construed as an NRC commitment to favorably consider TN's application
for a COC. TN will bear the risk of all activities conducted under the
exemption, including the risk that the nine casks TN plans to construct
may not be usable because they may not meet specifications or
conditions placed in a COC that NRC may ultimately approve.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action: The Environmental
Assessment for the final rule, ``Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel in NRC-
Approved Storage Casks at Nuclear Power Reactor Sites' (55 FR 29181
(1990) ), considered the potential environmental impacts of casks which
are used to store spent fuel under a COC and concluded that there would
be no significant environmental impacts. The proposed action now under
consideration would not permit use of the casks, but only fabrication.
There are no radiological environmental impacts from fabrication since
cask fabrication does not involve radiological or radioactive
materials. The major non-radiological environmental impacts involve use
of natural resources due to cask fabrication. Each TN-68 storage cask
weighs approximately 100 tons and is fabricated mainly from steel and
plastic. The estimated 900 tons of steel required for nine casks is
expected to have very little impact on the steel industry.
Additionally, the estimated 9 tons of plastic required for nine casks
is insignificant compared to the millions of tons of plastic produced
annually. Cask fabrication would be at a metal fabrication facility,
not at the reactor site. Fabrication of nine casks is insignificant
compared to the amount of metal fabrication performed annually in the
United States. If the casks are not usable, the casks could be disposed
of or recycled. The amount of material disposed of is insignificant
compared to the amount of steel and plastic that is disposed of
annually in the United States. Based upon this information, the
fabrication of nine casks will have no significant impact on the
environment since no radioactive materials are involved, and the amount
of natural resources used is minimal.
Alternative to the Proposed Action: Since there is no significant
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact are not
evaluated. The alternative to the proposed action would be to deny
approval of the exemption and, therefore, not allow cask fabrication
until a COC is issued. However, if a COC is issued and fabrication of
the casks occurs, the environmental impacts of the proposed action and
the alternative action would be the same.
Given that there are no significant differences in environmental
impacts between the proposed action and the alternative considered and
that the applicant has a legitimate need to fabricate the casks prior
to certification and is willing to assume the risk that the fabricated
casks may not be certified or may require modification, the Commission
concludes that the preferred alternative is to grant the exemption.
Agencies and Persons Consulted: The Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection was consulted about the EA for the proposed
action and had no comments.
References used in preparation of the EA:
1. NRC, Environmental Assessment Regarding Final Rule, ``Storage of
Spent Fuel in NRC-Approved Storage Casks at Power Reactor Sites,'' 55
FR 29181.
2. NRC, 10 CFR part 51, Environmental Protection Regulations for
Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions.
Finding of No Significant Impact
The environmental impacts of the proposed action have been reviewed
in accordance with the requirements set forth in 10 CFR part 51. Based
upon the foregoing EA, the Commission finds that the proposed action of
granting an exemption from 10 CFR 72.234(c) so that TN may fabricate
nine TN-68 casks prior to issuance of a COC will not significantly
impact the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the
Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact
statement for the proposed exemption.
This application was docketed under 10 CFR part 72, Docket 72-1027.
For further details with respect to this action, see the application
dated January 23, 1998, which is available for public inspection at the
Commission's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW, Washington, DC
20555, and the Local Public Document Room at the State Library of
Pennsylvania, Walnut Street and Commonwealth Avenue, Harrisburg, PA
17105.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day of May 1998.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Susan F. Shankman,
Acting Deputy Director, Spent Fuel Project Office, Office of Nuclear
Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 98-12674 Filed 5-12-98; 8:45 am]
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