[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 139 (Wednesday, July 21, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39178-39179]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18632]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-272 and 50-311]


Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit Nos. 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. 
DPR-70 and DPR-75, issued to the Public Service Electric and Gas 
Company (the licensee), for operation of the Salem Nuclear Generating 
Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2, located in Salem County, New Jersey.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action is in response to the licensee's application 
dated February 2, 1999, as supplemented on April 26, 1999, for proposed 
amendments to the Technical Specifications (TS) to change the maximum 
unirradiated fuel assembly enrichment value for new fuel storage from 
4.5 to 5.0 weight percent Uranium-

[[Page 39179]]

235 and to allow the use of equivalent criticality control to that 
provided by the current TS requirement of 2.35 milligrams of Boron-10 
per linear inch loading in the Integral Fuel Burnable Absorber pins.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The licensee intends, in the future, to use the more highly 
enriched fuel to achieve higher energy core reloads which can 
contribute substantially to improved capacity factors for the spent 
fuel pool by decreasing the cumulative amount of fuel stored during the 
lifetime of the plant. Currently, TS 5.6, ``Fuel Storage, 
Criticality,'' limits the storage of fuel to an enrichment of 4.3 
weight percent U-235. Thus, the proposed change to the TS was 
requested.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the storage and use of fuel enriched with U-235 up 
to 5.0 weight percent at Salem Units 1 and 2 is acceptable. The safety 
considerations associated with higher enrichments have been evaluated 
by the staff, and the staff has concluded that such changes would not 
adversely affect plant safety. The proposed changes have no adverse 
effect on the probability of any accident. There will be no change to 
the authorized power level. There is no change to the allowable fuel 
burnup (60,000 MWD/MTU) already approved for Salem Units 1 and 2. As a 
result, there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative 
radiation exposure.
    The environmental impacts of transportation resulting from the use 
of higher enrichment fuel and extended irradiation are discussed in the 
staff assessment entitled, ``NRC Assessment of the Environmental 
Effects of Transportation Resulting from Extended Fuel Enrichment and 
Irradiation.'' This assessment was published in the Federal Register on 
August 11, 1988 (53 FR 30355), as corrected on August 24, 1988 (53 FR 
32322), in connection with the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 
1, Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact. As 
indicated therein, the environmental cost contribution of an increase 
in fuel enrichment of up to 5.0 weight percent U-235 and irradiation 
limits up to 60,000 MWD/MTU are either unchanged, or may in fact be 
reduced from those summarized in Table S-4 as set forth in 10 CFR 
51.52(c). These findings are applicable to the proposed amendments for 
Salem Units 1 and 2. Therefore, the Commission concludes that this 
proposed action would result in no significant radiological 
environmental impact.
    With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed 
changes involve systems located within the restricted area as defined 
in 10 CFR Part 20. The proposed action does not involve any historic 
sites. It does not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no 
other environmental impact. Therefore, the Commission concludes that 
there are no significant non-radiological environmental impacts 
associated with the proposed amendments.
    Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant 
environmental impacts associated with this 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 similar.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement related to 
the Salem Nuclear Generating Station dated April 1973.

Agencies and Persons Contacted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on June 22, 1999, the staff 
consulted with the New Jersey State official, Mr. Dennis Zannoni, 
Chief, Bureau of Nuclear Engineering, regarding the environmental 
impact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based upon the foregoing 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 amendments.
    For further details with respect to this action, see the licensee's 
request for the amendments dated February 2, 1999, as supplemented on 
April 26, 1999, which are available for public inspection at the 
Commission's Public Document Room, Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., 
Washington DC, and at the local public document room located at the 
Salem Free Public Library, 112 West Broadway, Salem, NJ 08079.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 14th day of July, 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Singh S. Bajwa,
Chief, Section 1, Project Directorate I, Division of Licensing Project 
Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-18632 Filed 7-20-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P