[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 28 (Thursday, February 10, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3060]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 10, 1994]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-267]

 

Public Service Company of Colorado, Fort St. Vrain Nuclear 
Generating Station; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering issuance of 
an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 140.11(a)(4) to 
Possession-Only License No. DPR-34, issued to the Public Service 
Company of Colorado (PSC or the licensee), for the Fort St. Vrain 
Nuclear Generating Station (FSV) located in Platteville, Colorado.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action would grant an exemption from the requirements 
from 10 CFR 140.11(a)(4) to the extent that primary financial 
protection in the amount of $100,000,000 shall be maintained, rather 
than the $200,000,000 required by 10 CFR 140.11(a)(4), and an exemption 
from participation in the industry retrospective rating plan (secondary 
level financial protection) for FSV. The licensee requested the 
exemption in a letter dated February 25, 1993.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    FSV was permanently shutdown on August 18, 1989, and all spent fuel 
has been transferred to a separately licensed independent spent fuel 
storage installation (ISFSI). On May 21, 1991, the NRC modified 
Facility Operating License No. DPR-34 to a Possession-Only License 
(POL). The FSV is being dismantled in accordance with the approved FSV 
Decommissioning Plan. The requested exemption addresses two areas for 
relief in financial protection requirements: (1) A reduction in the 
primary financial protection coverage requirements from $200,000,000 to 
$100,000,000 and (2) withdrawal from participation in the industry 
retrospective rating plan.
    Since FSV no longer contributes as great a risk to the 
retrospective rating plan participants as an operating plant, this 
reduction in risk should be reflected in the indemnification 
requirements to which the licensee is subject. approval of this request 
would allow a more equitable allocation of financial risk.

Environmental Impact of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action does not involve any significant environmental 
impacts. Since the proposed action does not involve a change in plant 
operation or configuration, there is reasonable assurance that the 
proposed action would not increase the probability or the consequences 
of an accident or reduce the margin of safety. No changes would be made 
in the types or quantities of effluents that may be released offsite. 
Further, there would be no significant increase in the allowable 
individual or cumulative radiation exposure. Accordingly, the NRC 
concludes that this proposed action would result in no significant 
radiological environmental impact.
    With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed 
action does not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no 
other environmental impact. Therefore, the NRC concludes that there are 
no significant non-radiological impacts associated with the proposed 
action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Since the NRC has concluded that there are no significant 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action, any 
alternative with equal or greater environmental impacts need not be 
evaluated.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of resources not previously 
considered in the Supplement to the Environmental Report for FSV.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    The licensee initiated this exemption request. The NRC staff has 
reviewed the request and has consulted with a representative of the 
State of Colorado regarding the environmental impact of the proposed 
action. The State representative did not provide comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based upon this environmental assessment, the staff concludes that 
the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality 
of the human environment. Therefore, the NRC has determined not to 
prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed exemption.
    For further details with respect to this action, see the licensee 
application for exemption dated February 25, 1993, which is available 
for public inspection at the NRC's Public Document Room, Gelman 
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555, and at the Greeley 
Public Library, City Complex Building, Greeley, Colorado.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 3rd day of February, 1994.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John H. Austin,
Chief, Decommissioning and Regulatory Issues Branch, Division of Low-
Level Waste Management and Decommissioning, Office of Nuclear Material 
Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 94-3060 Filed 2-9-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M