[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 241 (Wednesday, December 16, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 69331]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33255]



[[Page 69331]]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-259, 50-260 and 50-296]


Tennessee Valley Authority; Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 
2 and 3; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

Introduction

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, or the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License Nos. 
DPR-33, DPR-52 and DPR-68 issued to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA 
or the licensee) for operation of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) 
Units 1, 2 and 3, located in Limestone County, Alabama.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is in response to the licensee's application 
dated February 20, 1998, for exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 
50.71(e)(4) regarding submission of revisions to the Updated Final 
Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR) and design-change reports for facility 
changes made under 10 CFR 50.59 for the BFN units. Under the proposed 
exemption, the licensee would schedule updates to the single, unified 
FSAR for the three BFN units within 6 months following Unit 2 refueling 
outages.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    10 CFR 50.71(e)(4) requires licensees to submit updates to their 
UFSAR within 6 months after each refueling outage provided that the 
interval between successive updates does not exceed 24 months. Since 
the BFN Units 1, 2, and 3 share a common UFSAR, the licensee must 
update the same document within 6 months after a refueling outage for 
each of the three units. Allowing the exemption would maintain the 
UFSAR current within 24 months of the last revision.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    No changes are being made in the types or amounts of any 
radiological effluent that may be released off site. There is no 
significant increase in the allowable individual or cumulative 
occupational radiation exposure. The Commission concludes that granting 
the proposed exemption would result in no significant radiological 
environmental impact.
    With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed 
exemption does not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no 
other environmental impact. The Commission concludes that there are no 
significant non-radiological impacts associated with the proposed 
exemption.

Alternative to the Proposed Action

    As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered 
denial of the proposed action (no alternative action). Denial of the 
exemption would result in no change in current environmental impacts. 
The environmental impacts of the proposed exemption and this 
alternative are similar.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement dated 
September 1, 1972 for BFN Units 1, 2 and 3.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on November 20, 1998, the NRC 
staff consulted with the Alabama State official, Mr. Kirk Whatley of 
the State Office of Radiation Control, 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 this action, see the 
application for exemption dated February 20, 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 Athens Public Library, 405 E. South 
Street, Athens, Alabama.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 10th day of December 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Frederick J. Hebdon,
Director, Project Directorate II-3, Division of Reactor Projects--I/II, 
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-33255 Filed 12-15-98; 8:45 am]
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