[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30923-30924]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15399]



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[[Page 30924]]

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-133, 50-275, AND 50-323]


Diablo Canyon Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 and Humboldt Bay Power 
Plant Unit 3 Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Environmental Assessment 
and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering approval under 10 CFR 50.80(a) of the transfer of control 
of the licenses that would be effected by the corporate restructuring 
of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (the licensee), holder of Facility 
Operating Licenses Nos. DPR-80, DPR-82, and DPR-7, issued for operation 
of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant (DCPP), Units 1 and 2, located 
in San Luis Obispo County, California, and the Humboldt Bay Power Plant 
(HBPP), Unit 3, located in Humboldt County, California.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would consent to the transfer of control of the 
licenses that would result from the restructuring of Pacific Gas and 
Electric (PG&E) by establishment of a holding company under the 
temporary name ``PG&E Parent Co., Inc.'' PG&E would become a wholly 
owned subsidiary and would continue to be the licensee of Diablo Canyon 
Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2, and Humboldt Bay Power Plant Unit 
3. The proposed action is in accordance with PG&E's application dated 
November 1, 1995.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is required to enable PG&E to restructure as 
described above. PG&E has submitted that restructuring will enable it 
to better prepare to implement changes resulting from electric industry 
restructuring, and will enhance the insulation of PG&E's California 
utility business, including the DCPP and HBPP units, from any business 
risks associated with non-utility enterprises.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed 
corporate restructuring and concludes that there will be no physical or 
operational changes to Diablo Canyon and Humboldt Bay. The corporate 
restructuring will not affect the qualifications or organizational 
affiliation of the personnel who operate the facilities, as PG&E will 
continue to be responsible for the operation of the Diablo Canyon 
Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2 and Humboldt Bay Power Plant Unit 3.
    The Commission has evaluated the environmental impact of the 
proposed action and has determined that the probability or consequences 
of accidents would not be increased by the restructuring, and that 
post-accident radiological releases would not be greater than 
previously determined. Further, the Commission has determined that the 
corporate restructuring would not affect routine radiological plant 
effluents and would not increase occupational radiological 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 restructuring 
would not affect nonradiological plant effluents and would have no 
other environmental impact. Therefore, the Commission concludes that 
there are no significant nonradiological environmental impacts 
associated with the proposed action.

Alternative to the Proposed Action

    Since the Commission concluded that there are no significant 
environmental effects that would result from the proposed action, any 
alternative with equal or greater environmental impacts need not be 
evaluated.
    The principal alternative would be to deny the requested 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 identical.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statements for the 
Diablo Canyon Power Plant, dated May 1973, and the Humboldt Bay Power 
Plant, dated April 1987.

Agencies and Persons Contacted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on May 17, 1996, the staff 
consulted with the California State official, Mr. Steve Hsu of the 
Radiologic Health Branch of the State Department of Health Services, 
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 November 1, 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 rooms located at the Humboldt County Library, 1313 3rd Street, 
Eureka, California 95501, and at the California Polytechnic State 
University, Robert E. Kennedy Library, Government Documents and Maps 
Department, San Luis Obispo, California 93407.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 11th day of June 1996.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Steven D. Bloom,
Project Manager, Project Directorate IV-2, Division of Reactor Projects 
III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 96-15399 Filed 6-17-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P