[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 236 (Wednesday, December 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 67944]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-32625]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-220]


Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation; Nine Mile Point Nuclear 
Station, Unit No. 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 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-63, issued to Niagara 
Mohawk Power Corporation (the licensee), for operation of the Nine Mile 
Point Nuclear Station, Unit No. 1, located in the town of Scriba, 
Oswego County, New York.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action:

    The proposed action would exempt the licensee from the requirement 
of 10 CFR 70.24, that requires that the licensee maintain, in each area 
in which special nuclear material is handled, used, or stored, a 
monitoring system that will energize clearly by 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 special nuclear material is handled, used, or 
stored to ensure that all personnel withdraw to an area of safety upon 
sounding of the alarm, to familiarize personnel with the evacuation 
plan, to designate responsible individuals for safety upon sounding 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 an exemption dated 
November 6, 1998.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The purpose of 10 CFR 70.24 is to ensure, if a criticality were to 
occur during the handling of special nuclear material, personnel would 
be alert to the 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 in 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 
onsite at a 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 features that are designed to prevent inadvertent 
criticality, the staff has determined that an inadvertent criticality 
would not likely occur due to the handling of special nuclear material 
at a commercial power reactor. Therefore, the requirements of 10 CFR 
70.24 are not necessary to ensure the safety of personnel during the 
handling of special nuclear materials at commercial power reactors.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that inadvertent or accidental criticality will be 
precluded through compliance with Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 
No. 1 Technical Specifications, the design of the fuel storage racks 
providing geometric spacing of the fuel assemblies in their storage 
locations, and administrative controls imposed on fuel handling 
procedures. The proposed action will not increase the probability or 
consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of 
any effluents that may be released offsite, and there is no significant 
increase in occupational or public radiation exposure. Therefore, there 
are no significant radiological environmental impacts associated with 
the proposed action.
    With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed 
action does not involve any historic sites. It does not affect 
nonradiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. 
Therefore, there are no significant non-radiological environmental 
impacts associated with the proposed action. Accordingly, the 
Commission concludes that there are no significant environmental 
impacts associated with the proposed action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered 
denial of the proposed action, (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative). 
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 Statements related to 
the operation of Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit No. 1, dated 
January 1974 (39 Federal Register 3309, dated January 25, 1974).

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on November 19, 1998, the 
staff consulted with the New York State official, Jack Spath of the New 
York State Research and Development Authority, regarding the 
environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had no 
comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    On the basis of 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 6, 1998, which are available for 
public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman 
Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, D.C., and at the local public 
document room located at the Reference and Documents Department, 
Penfield Library, State University of New York, Oswego, New York 13126.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 3rd day of December 1998.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
S. Singh Bajwa,
Director, Project Directorate I-1, Division of Reactor Projects--I/II, 
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-32625 Filed 12-8-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P