[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 26, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49218-49219]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24046]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-254 and 50-265]


Exelon Generation Company, LLC, Quad Cities Nuclear Power 
Station, Units 1 and 2, Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of revocation of exemptions from 10 CFR part 50, Appendix R, 
for Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-29 and DPR-30, issued to Exelon 
Generation Company, LLC (ECG, or the licensee), for operation of the 
Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2, located in Rock 
Island County, IL. Therefore, as required by 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC is 
issuing this environmental assessment and finding of no significant 
impact.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed exemption revocations would remove (1) an exemption 
which allows fuse pulling to preclude operation of the reactor relief 
valves; (2) an exemption which allows for a lack of emergency lighting 
for suppression pool level instrumentation; (3) an exemption which 
allows a lack of suppression in the vicinity of electrical equipment; 
(4) an exemption which allows a lack of 3-hour fire barriers in fire 
zones 1.1.1.1 (Unit 1) and 1.1.2.1 (Unit 2); (5) an exemption which 
allows a lack of 3-hour fire barriers between redundant residual heat 
removal trains in the reactor building and turbine building (Units 1 
and 2); (6) an exemption which allows for a lack of 3-hour fire 
barriers between equivalent fire area 23-1 (8.2.8.D) and the northern 
and central zone groups; (7) an exemption which allows for a lack of 3-
hour fire barriers for certain 4-kV bus duct penetrations; (8) an 
exemption which allows a lack of 3-hour-rated dampers in certain 
standby gas treatment and reactor building ventilation ducts; and (9) 
an exemption which allows a lack of complete detection and suppression 
throughout the reactor building (Units 1 and 2).
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
applications dated June 2 and August 3, 2000, as supplemented by letter 
dated September 18, 2001. Additional information was provided by letter 
dated May 23, 2001. The original applications were submitted by the 
Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd), which merged to form EGC. By 
letter dated February 7, 2001, EGC assumed responsibility for all 
pending NRC actions that were requested by ComEd.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action will eliminate unnecessary exemptions to 
Appendix R of 10 CFR part 50.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and 
concludes that the proposed revocation of exemptions is appropriate. 
The revocation of the exemptions reflects analyses performed by the 
licensee to bring plant configuration into compliance with Appendix R, 
thereby eliminating the need for the subject exemptions.
    With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed 
action does involve features located entirely within the restricted 
area as defined in 10 CFR part 20.
    The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability 
or consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of 
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 have a potential to affect 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.

Environmental Impacts of the 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

    The action does not involve the use of any different resource than 
those previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for 
the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2, dated September 
1972.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    On September 17, 2001, the staff consulted with the Illinois State 
official, Frank Niziolek of the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety, 
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 environmental impact statement for the proposed 
action.
    For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the 
licensee's letters dated June 2, 2000, August 3, 2000, May 23, 2001 and 
September 18, 2001. Documents may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, 
at the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), located at One White Flint 
North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland. 
Publicly available records will be accessible electronically from

[[Page 49219]]

the ADAMS Public Library component on the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov (the Public Electronic Reading Room). If you do not have 
access to ADAMS or if there are problems in accessing the documents 
located in ADAMS, contact the NRC PDR Reference staff at 1-800-397-
4209, or 301-415-4737, or by e-mail at [email protected].

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 20th day of September 2001.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Anthony J. Mendiola,
Chief, Section 2, Project Directorate III, Division of Licensing 
Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 01-24046 Filed 9-25-01; 8:45 am]
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