[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 62 (Thursday, March 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16972-16973]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7829]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-293]


Entergy Nuclear Generation Company; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of an exemption for Facility Operating License No. DPR-35, 
issued to Entergy Nuclear Generation Company (Entergy/the licensee), 
for operation of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, (Pilgrim), located in 
Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would exempt the licensee from the requirements 
of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, Item IV.F.2.c regarding conduct of a 
full-participation exercise of the offsite emergency plan biennially. 
Under the proposed exemption, the licensee would reschedule the 
Federally-observed full-participation emergency exercise from December 
2001 to May 2002 and all future Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)--
and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)--evaluated exercises 
would occur biennially from the year 2002.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated July 30, 1999, as supplemented on 
September 23, 1999.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulation, (10 CFR) Part 50, 
Appendix E, Item IV.F.2.c requires each licensee at each site to 
conduct an exercise of its offsite emergency plan biennially. The NRC 
and FEMA observe these exercises and evaluate the performance of the 
licensee, State, and local authorities having a role under the 
emergency plan.
    The licensee would be required to conduct an exercise of its onsite 
and offsite emergency plans in December 2001, which is at the end of 
the required interval. To support the efficient and effective use of 
Federal resources, as discussed during the annual NRC Region I and FEMA 
(Regions I, II, and

[[Page 16973]]

III) exercise scheduling meeting held in White Plains, New York, in 
December 1998, the planned December 2001 exercise for Pilgrim was 
shifted to May 2002, which is beyond the required interval.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the proposed action involves an administrative 
activity (a schedular change in conducting an exercise) unrelated to 
plant operations.
    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 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 Related to 
the Operation of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, Boston Edison 
Company,'' dated May 1972 .

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on August 5, 1999, the staff 
consulted with the Massachusetts State official, Mr. James Muckerhide 
of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, regarding the 
environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had no 
comments. In addition, staff members of NRC Region I and FEMA were 
contacted by phone and provided favorable recommendations to approve 
the requested exemption.

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 July 30, 1999, as supplemented on September 23, 
1999, which is available for public inspection at the Commission's 
Public Document Room, The Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., 
Washington, DC. Publically 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 24 day of March 2000.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Alan B. Wang,
Project Manager, Section 2, Project Directorate I, Division of 
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 00-7829 Filed 3-29-00; 8:45 am]
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