[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]
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