[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 30, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45170-45171]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-21495]



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[[Page 45171]]


NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-498 and 50-499]


Houston Lighting & Power Company, City Public Service Board of 
San Antonio, Central Power and Light Company, City of Austin, Texas; 
South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2; Environmental Assessment and 
Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption from the Commission's regulations 
at 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J to Houston Lighting & Power Company 
(HL&P) acting on behalf of itself and for the City Public Service Board 
of San Antonio (CPS), Central Power and Light Company (CPL), and City 
of Austin, Texas (COA) (the licensees), for operation of the South 
Texas Project, Units 1 and 2, located in Matagorda County, Texas.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would grant an exemption from a requirement of 
Section III.D.3 of Appendix J to 10 CFR Part 50, which requires that 
Type C tests shall be performed during each reactor shutdown for 
refueling but in no case at intervals greater than 2 years. This 
exemption would allow the licensee to perform the required Type C tests 
while the plant is at power.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated May 25, 1995.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    Section III.D.3 of Appendix J to 10 CFR Part 50 states that Type C 
tests shall be performed during each reactor shutdown for refueling but 
in no case at intervals greater than 2 years. However, the licensee 
states that during shutdown, resources are at a premium. The licensee, 
therefore, desires the option to perform Type C testing at times other 
than during shutdown. The proposed exemption would allow the option to 
perform Type C testing at power. Minimal safety benefit would be 
realized by only performing the Type C tests during each reactor 
shutdown for refueling because the conditions of the testing are the 
same regardless of when it is performed. Without this exemption, the 
licensee would not be allowed to reduce an unintentional regulatory 
burden that has minimal impact on safety.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the exemption would not significantly increase the 
probability or amount of expected containment leakage, and that 
containment integrity would thus be maintained.
    The change will not increase the probability or consequences of 
accidents, no changes are being made in the types of any effluents that 
may be released offsite, and there is no significant increase in the 
allowable individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. 
Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant 
radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
    With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed 
action does involve features located entirely within the restricted 
area as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. It does not affect nonradiological 
plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Accordingly, the 
Commission concludes that there are no significant nonradiological 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Since the Commission has concluded there is no measurable 
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any 
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be 
evaluated. As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff 
considered denial of the proposed action. 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 similar.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the ``Final Environmental Statement related to 
the operation of South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2,'' dated August 
1986.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on July 5, 1995, the staff 
consulted with the Texas State official, Arthur C. Tate of the Bureau 
of Radiation Control, Texas Department of Health, regarding the 
environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had no 
comments.

Finding of no Significant Impact

    Based upon the 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 further details with respect to the proposed action, see the 
licensee's letter dated May 25, 1995, which is available for public 
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman 
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public 
document room located at the Wharton County Junior College, J.M. Hodges 
Learning Center, 911 Boling Highway, Wharton, TX 77488.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day of August 1995.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Thomas W. Alexion,
Project Manager, Project Directorate IV-1, Division of Reactor 
Projects, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-21495 Filed 8-29-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P