03-23254. STP Nuclear Operating Company, et al., South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering issuance of amendments to delete the anti-trust conditions contained in Appendix C to Facility Operating Licenses (FOLs) Nos. NPF-76 and NPF-80, issued to STP Nuclear Operating Company (the licensee), for operation of South Texas Project (STP), Units 1 and 2, respectively. STP, Units 1 and 2, are located in Matagorda County, Texas. Therefore, as required by Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 51.21, the NRC is issuing this environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

The proposed action would delete the antitrust conditions contained in Appendix C to the FOLs for STP, Units 1 and 2.

The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's application dated August 20, 2002.

The Need for the Proposed Action

The proposed action is needed, according to the licensee's application, in order to, among other things, remove certain requirements that are no longer necessary following Texas's adoption of a comprehensive restructuring system.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and concludes that the proposed license amendments represent administrative actions which have no effect on plant equipment or operation.

The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability or consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of effluents that may be released off site, and there is no significant increase in occupational or public radiation exposure. Therefore, there are no significant radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed action does not have a potential to affect any historic sites. It does not affect nonradiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Therefore, there are no significant nonradiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

Accordingly, the NRC concludes that there are no significant environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action

As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered denial of the proposed action (i.e., the “no-action” alternative). 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 the same.

Alternative Use of Resources

The action does not involve the use of any different resource than those previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for STP, Units 1 and 2, dated August 1986.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

On August 27, 2003, the staff consulted with the Texas State official, Mr. Arthur Tate of the Texas Department of Health, Bureau of Radiation Control, regarding the environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

On the basis of the environmental assessment, the NRC concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the NRC 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 20, 2002. Documents may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), located at One White Flint North, Public File Area Room O1-F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible electronically from the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov/​reading-rm/​adams.html. Persons who do not have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, should contact the NRC PDR Reference staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209 or [phone], or by e-mail to [e-mail].

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day of September, 2003.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Robert A. Gramm,

Chief, Section 1, Project Directorate IV, Division of Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.