[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 19 (Thursday, January 29, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4497-4498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2179]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-352]


Philadelphia Electric Company; Limerick Generating Station, Unit 
1 Environmental Assessment and Finding of no Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption from certain requirements of its 
regulations for Facility Operating License No. NPF-39 issued to 
Philadelphia Electric Company (the licensee), for operation of the 
Limerick Generating Station (LGS), Unit 1, located in Montgomery and 
Chester Counties, Pennsylvania.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would exempt Philadelphia Electric Company from 
the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24(a), which requires in each area in 
which special nuclear material is handled, used, or stored, a 
monitoring system that will energize clear audible alarms if accidental 
criticality occurs. The proposed action would also exempt the licensee 
from the requirements to maintain emergency procedures for each area in 
which this licensed special nuclear material is handled, used, or 
stored to ensure that all personnel withdraw to an area of safety upon 
the sounding of the alarm, to familiarize personnel with the evacuation 
plan, and to designate responsible individuals for determining the 
cause of the alarm, and to place radiation survey instruments in 
accessible locations for use in such an emergency.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated December 23, 1997.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The purpose of 10 CFR 70.24 is to ensure that if a criticality were 
to occur during the handling of special nuclear material, personnel 
would be alerted to that fact and would take appropriate action. At a 
commercial nuclear power plant the inadvertent criticality with which 
10 CFR 70.24 is concerned could occur during fuel handling operations. 
The special nuclear material that could be assembled into a critical 
mass at a commercial nuclear power plant is in the form of nuclear 
fuel; the quantity of other forms of special nuclear material that is 
stored on site in any given location is small enough to preclude 
achieving a critical mass. Because the fuel is not enriched beyond 5.0 
weight percent Uranium-235 and because commercial nuclear plant 
licensees have procedures and design features that prevent inadvertent 
criticality, the staff has determined that it is unlikely that an 
inadvertent criticality could occur due to the handling of special 
nuclear material at a commercial power reactor. The requirements of 10 
CFR 70.24(a), therefore, are not necessary to ensure the safety of 
personnel during the handling of special nuclear materials at 
commercial power reactors. However, an exemption to 10 CFR 70.24(a) is 
needed to permit deviation from these requirements.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the proposed action involves features located 
entirely within the protected area as defined in 10 CFR part 20.
    The proposed action will not result in an increase in the 
probability or consequences of accidents or result in a change in 
occupational or offsite dose. Therefore, there are no radiological 
impacts associated with the proposed action.
    The proposed action will not result in a change in nonradiological 
plant effluents and will have no other nonradiological environmental 
impact.
    Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no 
environmental impacts associated with this 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

[[Page 4498]]

greater environmental impact need not be evaluated. As an alternative 
to the proposed exemption, the staff considered denial of the requested 
exemption. Denial of the request 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 Limerick Generating Station, Units 1 and 2,'' dated 
November 1973.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on January 23, 1998, the 
staff consulted with the Pennsylvania State official, Mr. David Ney of 
the Bureau of Radiation Protection, 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 December 23, 1997, 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 Pottstown Public Library, 500 High Street, 
Pottstown, PA 19464.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day of January 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Bartholomew C. Buckley,
Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate I-2, Division of Reactor 
Projects--I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-2179 Filed 1-28-98; 8:45 am]
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