[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24190-24191]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-11244]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-344]


Portland General Electric Co.; Trojan Nuclear Plant Environmental 
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering the issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License 
No. NPF-1 issued to the Portland General Electric Company (PGE or 
licensee) for the Trojan Nuclear Plant (TNP or the plant). The plant is 
located in Columbia County, Oregon.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed amendment would revise the Permanently Defueled 
Technical Specifications by (1) revising Subsection 4.1.1, ``Site and 
Exclusion Area Boundaries,'' and (2) replacing existing Figure 4.1-1 
with a new Figure 4.1-1 and adding a new page to Figure 4.1-1 to 
reflect the access controlled (ISFSI) area.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for amendment (LCA 242) dated February 12, 1997.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The issuance of an amendment will allow the licensee to delete the 
ISFSI area from the Permanently Defueled Technical Specifications. This 
will cause the ISFSI to be regulated under 10 CFR Part 72, which is 
more appropriate to its use as a dry fuel storage area.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the issuance of the amendment will not have any 
significant effect on accident risk and the possibility of 
environmental impact. The Commission has previously issued an 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for the 
Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation at Trojan Nuclear Plant (61 
FR 64378). On March 31, 1999, the Commission issued a 10 CFR Part 72 
license to PGE to permit spent fuel from the plant to be placed in dry 
storage at an ISFSI at the facility.
    The licensee does not propose any disposal of fuel by this action 
nor any other activities that have not already been approved by the 
NRC. Therefore, the proposed action does not increase the probability 
or consequences of any

[[Page 24191]]

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 non-radiological impacts, the proposed 
action does not involve any historic sites. It does not affect non-
radiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. 
Therefore, there are no significant non-radiological environmental 
impacts associated with the proposed action.

Alternative 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 identical.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the 
Trojan Nuclear Plant.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on April 20, 1999, the staff 
consulted with the Oregon State Official, Mr. Adam Bless, of the Oregon 
Department of Energy, 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 February 12, 1997, 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 Branford Price Millar Library, Portland 
State University, 934 S.W. Harrison Street, P.O. Box 1151, Portland, 
Oregon 97207.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 29th day of April 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Michael T. Masnik,
Chief, Decommissioning Section, Project Directorate IV & 
Decommissioning, Division of Licensing Project Management, Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-11244 Filed 5-4-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P