[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 18, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19997-19998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-9621]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 72-36]


Southern Nuclear Operating Company Issuance of Environmental 
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption, pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7, from the 
provisions of 10 CFR 72.48 to Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC). 
The requested exemption would allow SNC to implement the amended 10 CFR 
72.48 requirements on June 1, 2001, for the Independent Spent Fuel 
Storage Installation (ISFSI) at the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant (HNP) 
in Appling County, Georgia.

Environmental Assessment (EA)

    Identification of Proposed Action: By letter dated February 9, 
2001, SNC requested a scheduler exemption from the implementation date 
of April 5, 2001, for the revised 10 CFR 72.48. SNC plans to implement 
its revised 10 CFR 50.59 and 10 CFR 72.48 programs simultaneously. The 
planned date for

[[Page 19998]]

implementing the revised 10 CFR 50.59 requirements is June 1, 2001.
    Need for Proposed Action: The applicant wants the implementation 
date of 10 CFR 50.59 and 10 CFR 72.48 to coincide. The applicant stated 
in the February 9, 2001, submittal that administering separate programs 
for less than a two month period to satisfy the current 10 CFR 72.48 
schedule could become burdensome and create confusion.
    Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action: There are no 
significant environmental impacts associated with the proposed action. 
The new revision of 10 CFR 72.48 is considered less restrictive than 
the current requirements, with the exception of the additional 
reporting requirements. Continued implementation of the existing 10 CFR 
72.48 until June 1, 2001, is acceptable to the NRC as stated in 
Regulatory Issues Summary 2001-03 which states that it is the NRC's 
view that both the old rule and the new rule provide an acceptable 
level of safety. Extending the current requirements until June 1, 2001, 
has no significant impact on the environment.
    Alternative to the Proposed Action: Since there are no 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action, alternatives 
are not evaluated other than the no action alternative. The alternative 
to the proposed action would be to deny approval of the scheduler 
exemption and, therefore, not allow SNC to implement the revised 10 CFR 
72.48 requirements on the desired date, June 1, 2001. However, the 
environmental impacts of the proposed action and the alternative would 
be the same.
    Agencies and Persons Consulted: On March 9, 2001, Georgia state 
official, Mr. James Hardeman, Environmental Radiation Program Manager, 
Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection 
Division, was contacted regarding the environmental assessment for the 
proposed action and had no comment.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    The environmental impacts of the proposed action have been reviewed 
in accordance with the requirements set forth in 10 CFR part 51. Based 
upon the foregoing EA, the Commission finds that the proposed action of 
granting an exemption from 10 CFR 72.48, so that SNC may implement the 
amended requirements on June 1, 2001, will not significantly impact the 
quality of human environment. Accordingly, the Commission has 
determined that an environmental impact statement for the proposed 
action is not necessary.
    The request for exemption was docketed under 10 CFR part 72, Docket 
72-36. For further details with respect to this action, see the 
exemption request dated February 9, 2001, which is available for public 
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, One White Flint 
North Building, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852, or 
from the publicly available records component of NRC's agencywide 
documents access and management system (ADAMS).
    ADAMS is accessible from the NRC web site at http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/ADAMS/index.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day of April 2001.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
E. William Brach,
Director, Spent Fuel Project Office, Office of Nuclear Material Safety 
and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 01-9621 Filed 4-17-01; 8:45 am]
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