[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 77 (Friday, April 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17329-17330]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9668]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Commonwealth Edison Company; LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 
2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

[Docket Nos. 50-373 and 50-374]
    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption from certain requirements of its 
regulations to Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-11 and NPF-18, 
issued to Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd, the licensee), for 
operation of the LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2, located in 
LaSalle County, Illinois.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application dated February 20, 1996, for an exemption from certain 
requirements of 10 CFR 73.55, ``Requirements for Physical Protection of 
Licensed Activities in Nuclear Power Reactors Against Radiological 
Sabotage.'' The requested exemption would allow the implementation of a 
hand geometry biometric system of site access control in conjunction 
with photograph identification badges and would allow the badges to be 
taken off site.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    Pursuant to 10 CFR 73.55(a), the licensee is required to establish 
and maintain an onsite physical protection system and security 
organization.
    In 10 CFR 73.55(d), ``Access Requirements,'' it specifies in part 
that ``The licensee shall control all points of personnel and vehicle 
access into a protected area.'' In 10 CFR 73.55(d)(5), it specifies in 
part that ``A numbered picture badge identification system shall be 
used for all individuals who are authorized access to protected areas 
without escort.'' It further indicates that an individual not employed 
by the licensee (e.g., contractors) may be authorized access to 
protected areas without an escort provided the individual, ``receives a 
picture badge upon entrance into the protected area which must be 
returned upon exit from the protected area.''
    Currently, unescorted access for both employee and contractor 
personnel into the LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2, is controlled 
through the use of picture badges. Positive identification of personnel 
who are authorized and request access into the protected areas is 
established by security personnel making a visual comparison of the 
individual requesting access and that individual's picture badge. The 
picture badges are issued, stored, and retrieved at the entrance/exit 
location to the protected area. In accordance with 10 CFR 73.55(d)(5), 
contractor personnel are not allowed to take their picture badges off 
site. In addition, in accordance with the plant's physical security 
plan, the licensee's employees are also not allowed to take their 
picture badges off site. The licensee proposes to implement an 
alternative unescorted access control system which would eliminate the 
need to issue and retrieve picture badges at the entrance/exit location 
to the protected area. The proposal would also allow contractors who 
have unescorted access to keep their picture badges in their possession 
when departing the LaSalle site. In addition, the site security plans 
will be revised to allow implementation of the hand geometry system and 
to allow employees and contractors with unescorted access to keep their 
picture badges in their possession when leaving the LaSalle site.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the proposed exemption would not increase the 
probability or consequences of accidents previously analyzed and would 
not affect facility radiation levels or facility radiological 
effluents. Under the proposed system, all individuals with authorized 
unescorted access will have the physical characteristics of their hand 
(hand geometry) registered with their picture badge number in a 
computerized access control system in addition to their picture badges. 
Therefore, all authorized individuals must not only have their picture 
badges to gain access into the protected area, but must also have their 
hand geometry confirmed.
    All other access processes, including search function capability 
and access revocation, will remain the same. A security officer 
responsible for access control will continue to be positioned within a 
bullet-resistant structure. The proposed system is only for individuals 
with authorized unescorted access and will not be used for individuals 
requiring escorts.
    The underlying purpose for requiring that individuals not employed 
by the licensee must receive and return their picture badges at the 
entrance/exit is to provide reasonable assurance that the access badges 
could not be compromised or stolen with a resulting risk that an 
unauthorized individual could potentially enter the protected area. 
Although the proposed exemption will allow individuals to take their 
picture badges off site, the proposed measures require not only that 
the picture badge be provided for access to the protected area, but 
also that verification of the hand geometry registered with the badge 
be performed as discussed above. Thus, the proposed system provides an 
identity verification process that is equivalent to the existing 
process.
    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

[[Page 17330]]

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. The principal alternative to the proposed action would be to 
deny the requested action. Denial of the requested action would not 
significantly enhance the environment in that the proposed action will 
result in a process that is equivalent to the existing identification 
verification process.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of resources not previously 
considered in connection with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Final 
Environmental Statement dated November 1978, related to the operation 
of the LaSalle County Station, Units 1 and 2.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on March 22, 1996, the NRC 
staff consulted with the Illinois State official, Mr. Frank Niziolek, 
Head, Reactor Safety Section, Division of Engineering, Illinois 
Department of Nuclear Safety, regarding the environmental impact of the 
proposed action. The State official had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based upon 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 further details with respect to the proposed action, see the 
licensee's letter dated February 20, 1996, which is available for 
public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, 2120 L 
Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the local public document room 
located at the Jacobs Memorial Library, Illinois Valley Community 
College, Oglesby Illinois 61348.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 16th day of April, 1996.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Donna M. Skay,
Project Manager, Project Directorate III-2, Division of Reactor 
Projects--III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 96-9668 Filed 4-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P