[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 167 (Monday, August 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52139-52140]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21884]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Louisiana License LA-7396-L01]


Gulf Coast International Inspection, Inc.-- Houma, LA; 
Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact, and Notice 
of Opportunity for a Hearing

    The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering authorizing Gulf 
Coast International Inspection, Inc. (Gulf Coast) an exemption to use 
pipeliners on lay barges in the Gulf of Mexico.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    Gulf Coast International Inspection Incorporated (Gulf Coast) is 
licensed by the State of Louisiana to conduct industrial radiography 
operations. They have requested, in their letter dated November 16, 
1999, that the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) grant 
them reciprocity and an exemption from 10 CFR 34.20 (a)(1) to use their 
pipeliner type radiography cameras (pipeliners) for pipeline 
radiography on lay barges in areas under exclusive federal jurisdiction 
in the Gulf of Mexico. Pipeliners are older model radiography cameras 
that do not meet the requirements of 10 CFR 34.20(a)(1) which requires 
equipment used in industrial radiographic operations to meet the 
requirements in ANSI N432-1980, ``Radiological Safety for the Design 
and Construction of Apparatus for Gamma Radiography (ANSI N432-1980),'' 
(published as NBS Handbook 136, issued January 1981). Gulf Coast is 
allowed to conduct similar operations in the State of Louisiana under 
an exemption granted in license number LA-7396-L01.

Need for the Proposed Action

    The exemption is needed so that Gulf Coast can carry out its 
business of pipeline radiography on lay barges for the continuation of 
pipeline operations in the oil and gas industry. Gulf Coast contends 
that due to the design of the lay barges and the limited space that is 
available, the pipeliner is the only device that will keep up with 
production on a lay barge and provide a safe working environment for 
their radiographers and surrounding barge personnel.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    There will be no significant environmental impact from the proposed 
action due to the fact that no material is being released into the 
environment and all of the material is wholly contained within the 
radiography camera which is only used in a fully enclosed radiography 
stall on a lay barge. During normal operation the radiation dose will 
not be significantly greater than an approved radiography camera's 
normal operating external radiation dose levels.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    As required by Section 102(2)(E) of NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4322(2)(E)), 
possible alternatives to the final action have been considered. The 
only alternative is to deny the exemption. This option was not 
considered practical because there would be no gain in protecting the 
human environment. Denying the exemption request would force Gulf Coast 
to revert to radiography cameras that are designed to meet ANSI N432-
1980, but these cameras are not practical for radiography operations on 
a lay barge. These newer cameras would be similar to the pipeliners in 
that their radioactive material is housed as a sealed source and there 
would be no release of material to the environment. However, these 
newer cameras have associated equipment, such as a drive cable and 
guide tube, that would require additional space to perform radiography 
on pipelines. This equipment becomes cumbersome and may get in the way 
as the pipe is moved through the lay barge. In the newer devices, the 
sealed source would have to be cranked out of the shielded position in 
the camera housing through a guide tube to the exposure head location 
where the radiograph takes place. This ``crank out'' action causes the 
source to be unshielded while the source is cranked out to the exposure 
head. This results in an increase in the ``restricted area'' boundary 
causing a greater potential for non-radiography personnel on the lay 
barge to become exposed to radiation.

Alternative Use of Resources

    No alternative use of resources was considered due to the reasons 
stated above.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    The State of Louisiana was contacted by telephone on August 7, 2000 
regarding this proposed action. The State of Louisiana is in agreement 
with the proposed action and had no additional comments.

Identification of Sources Used

    Letter from Gulf Coast International Inspection, Inc. to U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region IV, Re: Louisiana License No. LA-
7396-L01, dated November 16, 1999.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based on the above environmental assessment, the Commission has 
concluded that environmental impacts that would be created by the 
proposed action would not have a significant effect on the quality of 
the human environment and does not warrant the preparation of an 
Environmental Impact Statement. Accordingly, it has been determined 
that a Finding of No Significant Impact is appropriate.
    Gulf Coast's application is available for inspection and copying 
for a fee in the Region IV Public Document Room, 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, 
Suite 400, Arlington, TX 76011-8064. The documents may also be viewed 
in the Agency-wide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) 
located on the NRC website at www.nrc.gov.

[[Page 52140]]

Opportunity for a Hearing

    Any person whose interest may be affected by the issuance of this 
action may file a request for a hearing. Any request for hearing must 
be filed with the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555, within 30 days of the publication of 
this notice in the Federal Register; be served on the NRC staff 
(Executive Director for Operations, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852), and on the licensee (Gulf 
Coast International Inspection, Inc., 227 Clendenning Road, Houma, LA 
70363); and must comply with the requirements for requesting a hearing 
set forth in the Commission's regulations, 10 CFR Part 2, Subpart L, 
``Information Hearing Procedures for Adjudications in Materials 
Licensing Proceedings.''
    These requirements, which the request must address in detail, are:
    1. The interest of the requestor in the proceeding;
    2. How that interest may be affected by the results of the 
proceeding (including the reasons why the requestor should be permitted 
a hearing);
    3. The requestor's areas of concern about the licensing activity 
that is the subject matter of the proceeding; and
    4. The circumstances establishing that the request for hearing is 
timely--that is, filed within 30 days of the date of this notice.
    In addressing how the requestor's interest may be affected by the 
proceeding, the request should describe the nature of the requestor's 
right under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, to be made a 
party to the proceeding; the nature and extent of the requestor's 
property, financial, or other (i.e., health, safety) interest in the 
proceeding; and the possible effect of any order that may be entered in 
the proceeding upon the requestor's interest.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 15th day of August, 2000.

    For the Nuclear Regualtory Commission.
John W.N. Hickey,
Chief, Material Safety and Inspection Branch, Division of Industrial 
and Medical Nuclear Safety, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 00-21884 Filed 8-25-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P