[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 87 (Friday, May 3, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 19962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-11044]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-146]
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
Regarding Proposed Order Approving License Transfer and License
Amendment; Saxton Nuclear Experimental Corporation; Saxton Nuclear
Experimental Facility
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of an Order approving tranfer and license amendment to Amended
Facility License No. DPR-4 issued to the Saxton Nuclear Experimental
Corporation (SNEC) for possession of the Saxton Nuclear Experimental
Facility (SNEF) located in Saxton, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. The
SNEF is a small [28MW(t)] pressurized-water reactor that ceased
operation in May 1972. The reactor has been defueled, the fuel has been
removed from the site, and the reactor coolant system has been drained.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
The proposed action would revise the amended facility license and
technical specifications to add GPU Nuclear Corporation (GPU Nuclear)
as a licensee for the SNEF along with SNEC and transfer from SNEC to
GPU Nuclear all management-related responsibilities for the SNEF. The
proposed action is in accordance with SNEC's application, dated
November 21, 1995, as supplemented on March 13, 1996, with which GPU
Nuclear concurs. GPU Nuclear is currently performing or managing all
activities at the SNEF under contract to SNEC. Taking this action
allows GPU Nuclear to conduct activities at the SNEF without the
additional step of acting as a contractor.
Need for Proposed Action
The proposed action is needed to reflect the addition of GPU
Nuclear as a licensee and transfer the responsibilities discussed
above.
Environmental Impact of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would change the license to add GPU Nuclear as
a licensee and would transfer, from SNEC to GPU Nuclear, all
management-related responsibilities for the SNEF. The action is
administrative in that the activities required by the license are not
changed with the addition of GPU Nuclear as a licensee.
The Commission has evaluated the environmental impact of the
proposed action. The scope of work at the SNEF, the probability or
consequences of accidents, radiological releases from the facility, and
occupational exposure will not be changed by this action. Further, the
numbers and qualifications of personnel at the SNEF will not change as
a result of this action. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that
there are no significant radiological environmental impacts associated
with the proposed action.
With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the addition of
GPU Nuclear as a licensee for the SNEF and the transfer of management-
related responsibilities would not affect nonradiological effluents and
would have no other environmental impact.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
Since the Commission has concluded that the environmental effects
of the proposed action are not significant, any alternative with equal
or greater environmental impact need not be evaluated. As an
alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered denial of the
request for license transfer and amendment, which would force GPU
Nuclear to remain a contractor to SNEC. This would not change the
amount or scope of activities at the SNEF; therefore, denial of the
application would not change current environmental impacts.
Alternative Use of Resources
No alternatives appear that will have different or lesser effect on
the use of available resources.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
The NRC staff reviewed the licensee's request and consulted with
the Pennsylvania State official regarding the environmental impact of
the proposed action. The State official had no comments.
Finding of No Significant Impact
On the basis of the foregoing 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 detailed information with respect to this proposed action, see
the application for amendment and transfer of license dated November
21, 1995, as supplemented on March 13, 1996. These documents are
available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document
Room, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037 and at the local public
document room located at the Saxton Community Library, 911 Church
Street, Saxton, Pennsylvania 16678.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 25th day of April 1996.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Seymour H. Weiss,
Director, Non-Power Reactors and Decommissioning Project Directorate,
Division of Reactor Program Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation.
[FR Doc. 96-11044 Filed 5-2-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
