[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 112 (Monday, June 11, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31260-31261]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-14602]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 72-14]


First Energy; 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 First Energy. The requested exemption 
would allow First Energy to implement the amended 10 CFR 72.48 
requirements on June 30, 2001, for the Independent Spent Fuel Storage 
Installation (ISFSI)

[[Page 31261]]

at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station in Ottawa County, Ohio.

Environmental Assessment (EA)

    Identification of Proposed Action: By letter dated April 9, 2001, 
First Energy requested a scheduler exemption from the implementation 
date of April 5, 2001, for the revised 10 CFR 72.48. First Energy plans 
to implement its revised 10 CFR 50.59 and 10 CFR 72.48 programs 
simultaneously. The planned date for implementing the revised 10 CFR 
50.59 requirements is June 30, 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 April 9, 2001, submittal that it is prudent to take a common 
approach in administering the implementation of 10 CFR 50.59 and 10 CFR 
72.48, since there are similarities between the two requirements. 
Simultaneous implementation of the amended requirements will provide 
for an orderly transition and alignment of the programs for the revised 
regulations.
    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 30, 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 30, 
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 First Energy to implement the 
revised 10 CFR 72.48 requirements on the desired date, June 30, 2001. 
However, the environmental impacts of the proposed action and the 
alternative would be the same.
    Agencies and Persons Consulted: On May 10, 2001, Ohio state 
official, Ms. Carol O'Claire, Radiological Branch Chief, Ohio Emergency 
Management Agency, 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 First Energy may 
implement the amended requirements on June 30, 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 
72-14. The NRC maintains an Agencywide Documents Access and Management 
System (ADAMS), which provides text and image files of NRC's public 
documents. These documents may be accessed through the NRC's Public 
Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/ADAMS/index.html. If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are 
problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC 
Public Document Room (PDR) Reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-
4737 or by e-mail to [email protected].

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 31st day of May 2001.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Charles L. Miller,
Deputy Director, Licensing and Inspection Directorate,Spent Fuel 
Project Office, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 01-14602 Filed 6-8-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-U