[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 194 (Thursday, October 7, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 54653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-26145]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-29]


Yankee Atomic Electric Company; Yankee Nuclear Power Station; 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of an amendment to Possession Only License No. DPR-3 issued to 
the Yankee Atomic Electric Company (YAEC or licensee) for the Yankee 
Nuclear Power Station (YNPS or plant), located in Rowe Township, 
Franklin County, Massachusetts.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would revise Technical Specification (TS) 
Section 6.0, Administrative Controls, by deleting TS Section 6.2.2.f, 
which contains limits on the working hours of plant staff. The proposed 
action would also authorize the incorporation of appropriate working 
hour restrictions into licensee-controlled documents or programs.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for amendment dated March 17, 1999.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The licensee indicated in its March 17, 1999, letter that YAEC sees 
no benefit in and has no intention of imposing excessive overtime on 
its personnel. However, YAEC believes that it is much more efficient 
and effective to address this issue in its Administrative Procedures 
than to continue to be held to the potentially confusing restrictions 
in the present TSs. There are no accidents or other events in the Final 
Safety Analysis Report that would result in an immediate threat to the 
public or the plant staff, or result in offsite doses in excess of the 
Environmental Protection Agency Protective Action Guides.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the proposed action will not have any impact on the 
environment as the proposed changes are administrative in nature. The 
licensee does not propose any disposal or relocation of fuel by this 
action nor any other activities that have not already been approved by 
the NRC.
    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 historic 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 identical.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in environmental reviews for the YNPS.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on August 12, 1999, the staff 
consulted with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State official, Jim 
Muckerheide of the Massachusetts Civil Defense Agency, 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 March 17, 1999, 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 in the library of the Greenfield Community 
College, 1 College Drive, Greenfield, Massachusetts 01301.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 1st day of October 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Louis L. Wheeler,
Acting Chief, Decommissioning Section, Project Directorate IV & 
Decommissioning, Division of Licensing Project Management, Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-26145 Filed 10-6-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P