[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10330-10331]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5200]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket 72-9]
Department of Energy Issuance of Environmental Assessment and
Finding of No Significant Impact Regarding the Proposed Exemption From
Requirements of 10 CFR Part 20
By letter dated December 10, 1997, as supplemented by letter dated
December 9, 1998, the Department of Energy (DOE or applicant) requested
an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 20.1501(c) related to
DOE's proposed operation of the Fort St. Vrain (FSV) Independent Spent
Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI). The facility is located in Weld
County, Colorado.
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Identification of Proposed Action
The applicant is seeking Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or
Commission) approval to take possession of NRC Materials License SNM-
2504 to operate the FSV ISFSI. The FSV ISFSI is an existing facility
constructed and licensed to store spent nuclear fuel from the formerly
licensed Fort St. Vrain High Temperature Gas Reactor. By letter dated
December 17, 1996, DOE submitted an application to transfer SNM-2504
from Public Service Company of Colorado (the current license holder) to
DOE. The NRC staff is currently performing a review of that
application. In a December 10, 1997, supplement to the application, DOE
requested an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 20.1501(c).
Section 20.1501(c) states, in part, that ``All personnel dosimeters * *
* that require processing * * * must be processed and evaluated by a
dosimetry processor * * * (1) Holding current personnel dosimetry
accreditation from the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation
Program (NVLAP) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
* * *'' Specifically, the applicant has requested authorization to use
the Department of Energy Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOELAP) as
an alternative dosimetry processing accreditation standard.
Need for the Proposed Action
The applicant is preparing to operate the FSV ISFSI as described in
its application and accompanying safety analysis report (SAR), subject
to transference of the existing NRC License SNM-2504 to DOE. The
applicant is implementing programs and procedures necessary to operate
the ISFSI and seeks to have those programs make efficient use of
resources. One of the programs developed by DOE is the capability to
monitor personnel occupational radioactive dose for routine and non-
routine activities at the FSV ISFSI. Personnel dosimetry requires
processing by a qualified processing facility. DOE prefers to use a
processing organization that currently processes dosimetry for its
Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). That
processor is accredited under the DOE Laboratory Accreditation Program,
rather than under the NVLAP program. To support the efficient use of
resources, DOE has requested to use a DOELAP accreditation process for
processing personnel dosimetry associated with FSV.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has examined both the NVLAP
and DOELAP accreditation processes and standards. Both the NVLAP and
DOELAP programs have similar requirements in that they incorporate
similar test categories (type of radiation and energy levels),
tolerance levels, bias, and performance criteria. The staff concluded
that the DOELAP process is
[[Page 10331]]
at least as stringent as the NVLAP process and further concludes that,
for the FSV ISFSI, the DOELAP process is an acceptable alternative to
the NVLAP process required by 10 CFR 20.1501(c).
The Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed transfer of SNM-
2504 (62 FR 15737, April 2, 1997) considered the potential
environmental impacts of transfer of the FSV ISFSI license from the
existing licensee, Public Service Company of Colorado, to DOE. The
proposed actions now under consideration would not change the potential
environmental effects assessed in the April 2, 1997, EA. Specifically,
there are no environmental impacts associated with the accreditation
program for personnel dosimetry processing, which is purely an
administrative function.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
Since there are no significant environmental impacts associated
with the proposed action, any alternatives with equal or greater
environmental impact are not evaluated. The alternative to the proposed
action would be to deny approval of the exemption and, therefore, not
allow use of the DOELAP accreditation program by DOE. These
alternatives would have no significant environmental impacts as well.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
Officials from the State of Colorado were contacted about the EA
for the proposed action and had no concerns.
Finding of No Significant Impact
The environmental impacts of the proposed action have been reviewed
in accordance with the requirements set forth in 10 CFR part 51. Based
upon the foregoing EA, the Commission finds that the proposed action of
granting an exemption from 10 CFR 20.1501(c) so that DOE may use a
DOELAP accreditation program, rather than an NVLAP program as required
by existing regulations, will not significantly impact the quality of
the human environment. Accordingly, the Commission has determined not
to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed
exemption.
This application was docketed under 10 CFR Part 72, Docket 72-9.
For further details with respect to this action, see the application
for an ISFSI license dated December 17, 1996, the request for exemption
dated December 10, 1997, and supplement dated December 9, 1998, which
are available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document
Room, 2120 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20555.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day of February, 1999.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
E. William Brach,
Director, Spent Fuel Project Office, Office of Nuclear Material Safety
and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 99-5200 Filed 3-2-99; 8:45 am]
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