[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 47 (Thursday, March 9, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12592-12593]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-5744]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Florida Power Corporation, et al.

[Docket No. 50-302]


Crystal River Unit 3; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 70.51(d) for 
Facility Operating License No. DPR-72 issued to Florida Power 
Corporation, et. al. (FPC or the licensee), for operation of Crystal 
River Unit 3, located in Citrus County, Florida.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed action

    The proposed action would exempt the licensee from the requirement 
to perform a physical inventory of the fuel in the Crystal River Unit 3 
spent fuel pool (SFP) every 12 months. Instead of this requirement, the 
licensee will perform a physical inventory of the fuel in the SFP 
within 90 days of removing missile shields covering the SFP, if a 
physical inventory had not been performed within the previous 12 
months.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated July 14, 1999.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The underlying purpose of the annual physical inventory required by 
10 CFR 70.51(d) is to verify that the material control and accounting 
procedures are sufficient to enable the licensee to account for the 
special nuclear material in the licensee's possession. When missile 
shields are in place on the SFP, movement of fuel in the SFP is not 
possible. Therefore, removing the missile shields for the sole purpose 
of conducting an annual inventory is an unnecessary burden on the 
licensee.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and 
concludes that it is administrative only and will have no environmental 
impact.
    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 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.
    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 not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for Crystal 
River Unit 3.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on February 15, 2000, the 
staff consulted with William Passetti, Chief, Department of Health, 
Bureau of Radiation Control, for the state of Florida, 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

[[Page 12593]]

environmental impact statement for the proposed action.
    For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the 
licensee's letter dated July 14, 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 2nd day of March 2000.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
L.A. Wiens,
Senior Project Manager, Section 2, Project Directorate II, Division of 
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 00-5744 Filed 3-9-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P