[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 55 (Tuesday, March 23, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14017-14018]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-7028]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-424 and 50-425]


Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc., et al.; (Vogtle 
Electric Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2); Environmental Assessment and 
Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of amendments to Facility Operating License Nos. 
NPF-68 and NPF-81, issued to Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc., 
et al. (the licensee), for operation of the Vogtle Electric Generating 
Plant, Units 1 and 2, located in Burke County, Georgia.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action would amend the Facility Operating Licenses 
(FOLs) for the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (Vogtle), Units 1 and 
2, to delete or modify certain license conditions, which have become 
obsolete or inappropriate. In addition, the Technical Specifications 
would be reconstituted to reflect revised word processing software. No 
change in technical requirements would be involved; however, the font 
would be changed to Arial 11 point; page numbers would be revised to a 
limiting condition for operation specific numbering scheme; and 
intentional blank pages would be deleted.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for amendments dated October 15, 1998, as supplemented by 
letter dated November 11, 1998.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    When the FOLs, NPF-68 and NPF-81, were issued to the licensee, the 
NRC staff deemed certain issues essential to safety and/or essential to 
meeting certain regulatory interests. Other issues were associated with 
adoption of the Improved Standard Technical Specifications in License 
Amendment Nos. 96 and 74, for Vogtle Units 1 and 2, on September 25, 
1996. These issues were imposed as license conditions in the FOLs, with 
deadlines for their implementation. Since the units were licensed to 
operate in the 1980s, most of these license conditions have been 
fulfilled. For the license conditions that have been fulfilled, the 
licensee proposed to have them deleted from the FOLs. The licensee is 
also proposing a minor change to a license reporting requirement.
    The FOLs also included exemptions from Commission regulations. The 
licensee stated that some exemptions have either expired, or are no 
longer needed since the units are in full compliance with the 
respective regulations. The licensee proposed to delete these 
exemptions from the FOLs.
    The licensee also proposed to reissue the Technical Specifications 
without changes, to implement a change to its word processing computer 
software.
    The proposed amendments involve reformatting and removal of 
conditions

[[Page 14018]]

that have been satisfied or that are obsolete. No actual plant 
equipment, regulatory requirements, operating practices, or analyses 
are affected by these proposed amendments.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that there is no significant environmental impact if the 
amendments are approved. No changes will be made to the design and 
licensing bases, and applicable procedures at Vogtle Units 1 and 2 will 
remain the same. Other than the recordkeeping, reporting, or 
administrative procedures or requirements, no other changes will be 
made to the FOLs, including the Technical Specifications.
    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 off site, 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 historical sites. It does not affect 
nonradiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. 
Therefore, there are no significant nonradiological 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 did not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the 
Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2.

Agencies and Persons Contacted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on March 17, 1999, the staff 
consulted with the Georgia State official, Mr. J. Setzer of the 
Department of Natural Resources, 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 October 15, 1998, as supplemented by letter 
dated November 11, 1998, which are 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 Burke County Library, 412 Fourth Street, Waynesboro, 
Georgia.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 17th day of March 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Herbert N. Berkow,
Director, Project Directorate II-2, Division of Licensing Project 
Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-7028 Filed 3-22-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P