[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 1, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11100-11101]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-4885]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-315 and 50-316]


Indiana Michigan Power Company and Donald C. Cook, Units 1 and 2; 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of amendments to Facility Operating License No. DPR-58 and No. 
DPR-74, issued to the Indiana Michigan Power Company (the licensee), 
for operation of the Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant (D. C. Cook), Units 1 
and 2, located in Berrien County, Michigan.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would delete Technical Specification (TS) 
5.4.2, ``Reactor Coolant System Volume,'' regarding the reactor coolant 
system (RCS) volume information. This information is not required to be 
in the TS for compliance with 10 CFR 50.36(c)(4). Information 
concerning the RCS volume is included in the D. C. Cook Updated Final 
Safety Analysis Report and any changes to the information are 
controlled in accordance with 10 CFR 50.59. In addition, format changes 
are proposed to TS page 5-5 for both Unit 1 and Unit 2.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for amendment dated December 22, 1999.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is necessary to correct the plant Technical 
Specifications. This information is not required to be in the TS for 
compliance with 10 CFR 50.36(c)(4) and is redundant to information 
contained in the D. C. Cook Updated Final Safety Analysis Report.

[[Page 11101]]

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and 
concludes that the removal of the RCS volume from the TSs and the 
associated format changes to the TS pages do not impact any other 
requirements.
    The proposed action will not significantly 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 NRC 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 not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the D. 
C. Cook Nuclear Plant.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on February 18, 2000, the 
staff consulted with the Michigan State official, Mr. David Minnaar of 
the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, 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 NRC concludes 
that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the 
quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the NRC 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 December 22, 1999, which is available for 
public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The 
Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW, Washington, DC. Publicly 
available records will be accessible electronically from the ADAMS 
Public Library component on the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov 
(the Electronic Reading Room).


    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23d day of February 2000.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John F. Stang,
Senior Project Manager, Section 1, Project Directorate III, Division of 
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 00-4885 Filed 2-29-00; 8:45 am]
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