[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 190 (Wednesday, October 1, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 51493]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26008]



[[Page 51493]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-22]


Westinghouse Electric Corporation; Waltz Mill Test Reactor, 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering the issuance of an order approving, under 10 CFR 50.80, the 
transfer of Facility License No. TR-2, now held by the Westinghouse 
Electric Corporation. The license authorizes possession only of the 
Waltz Mill Test Reactor (WTR), located in Westmoreland County, 
Pennsylvania. The Commission is also considering issuance of a 
conforming amendment under 10 CFR 50.90 which would reflect the 
transfer.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would approve the transfer of the WTR license 
from Westinghouse Electric Corporation to a newly formed corporation 
which will utilize the same name. The new corporation will consist of 
most of the industrial businesses of the present Westinghouse Electric 
Corporation including the WTR facility. The media businesses of the 
existing Westinghouse Electric Corporation will remain with the 
existing corporation, which will change its name to CBS Corporation. 
The proposed action would also amend the license to reflect the 
transfer to the new corporation.
    The proposed action does not modify the WTR facility configuration 
or licensed activities. The Westinghouse employees responsible for the 
licensed WTR facility will become employees of the new corporation, and 
will continue to be responsible after the transfer, for all licensed 
activities. The new corporation will be qualified to carry out licensed 
activities. The WTR facility will not change as a result of the action, 
including Technical Specifications or procedures, and licensed 
activities will continue in their present form without interruption of 
any kind. The new corporation will be financially qualified to hold the 
WTR facility possession only license, and will provide the financial 
assurance needed to decommission the facility.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application dated August 18, 1997, for approval of transfer of the 
license and conforming amendment.

Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is needed to permit the consummation of the 
proposed transfer of the WTR facility license from the Westinghouse 
Electric Corporation to a newly formed corporation as described above.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that there will be no physical or technical changes to 
WTR. The technical qualifications of the proposed transferee will be 
identical to those of the current Westinghouse Electric Corporation. 
The present facility organization, the oversight organizations, and the 
engineering and support organizations will be transferred to the new 
corporation essentially intact.
    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 and that radiological releases 
would not be greater than previously determined. Further, the 
Commission has determined that the proposed action would not affect 
routine radiological facility 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 proposed 
action would not affect nonradiological facility effluents and would 
have no 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

    No alternatives appear that will have different or lesser effect on 
the use of available resources.

Agencies and Persons Contacted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on September 9, 1997, the 
staff consulted with the Pennsylvania State Official, James G. Yusko, 
of the Bureau of Radiation Protection, Pennsylvania Department of 
Environmental Protection, 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 August 18, 1997, and related letter dated 
August 15, 1997. which are available for public inspection at the 
Commission's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day of September 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Seymour H. Weiss,
Director, Non-Power Reactors and Decommissioning Project Directorate, 
Division of Reactor Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor 
Regulation .
[FR Doc. 97-26008 Filed 9-30-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P