[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 118 (Friday, June 19, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33735-33736]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16378]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-277 and 50-278]


PECO Energy Co. (Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 
3); Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 
70.24 for Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-44 and DPR-56, issued to 
PECO Energy Company ( the licensee), for

[[Page 33736]]

operation of the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3, 
located in York County, Pennsylvania.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action would exempt the licensee from the requirements 
of 10 CFR 70.24(a), which require 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 March 18,1998.

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 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 a 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 restricted 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 public 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 that there is no measurable 
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any 
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be 
evaluated. As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff 
considered denial of the proposed 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 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 Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3,'' 
April 1973.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on May 6, 1998, the staff 
consulted with the Pennsylvania State official, Mr. David Ney, of the 
State of Pennsylvania, Bureau of Radiation 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 March 18, 1998, 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 Government Publications Section, State 
Library of Pennsylvania (Regional Depository) Education Building, 
Walnut Street and Commonwealth Avenue, Box 1601, Harrisburg, PA.

    Dated at Rockville, MD, this 15th day of June 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Mohan C. Thadani,
Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate I-2, Division of Reactor 
Projects--I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-16378 Filed 6-18-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P