[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 124 (Friday, June 27, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38400-38401]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-16295]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-219]
AmerGen Energy Company, LLC; Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating
Station; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is
considering issuance of an exemption from Title 10 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (10 CFR) part 55, Section 55.59 for Facility
Operating License No. DPR-16, issued to AmerGen Energy Company, LLC
(AmerGen or the licensee), for operation of the Oyster Creek Nuclear
Generating Station (OCNGS), located in Ocean County, New Jersey. 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 action would constitute a one-time exemption to allow
the current licensed operator requalification program to exceed 24
months. Specifically, it would extend the current licensed operator
requalification program, including both the comprehensive
requalification written examinations and the operating tests, for a
period up to 90 days following resolution of the current strike but not
to exceed six (6) months from the end of the current requalification
program, i.e., to December 31, 2003. The next requalification program
period would begin upon conclusion of the current program and continue
to June 30, 2005, with successive periods running for 24 months. The
requested exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55.59, Item
(c)(1), applies to both Reactor Operator and Senior Reactor Operator
licensed personnel.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for exemption dated May 30, 2003.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action would extend the current OCNGS requalification
program from June 30, 2003, to 90 days following resolution of the
strike, but no later than December 31, 2003. The proposed action is
needed to allow for minimal interruption of the licensed personnel
based on scheduling difficulties associated with the current labor
strike, which commenced on May 22, 2003. The strike involves bargaining
unit employees at OCNGS, including Reactor Operator licensed personnel.
[[Page 38401]]
Since the beginning of the strike, OCNGS has been operated by Senior
Reactor Operator licensed personnel. As a result, both types of
licensed personnel are unavailable for the requalification written
examinations and operating tests until the strike is over.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC completed its evaluation of the proposed action and
concludes that there are no significant environmental impacts
associated with the extension of the completion date for the operator
requalification program from June 30, 2003, to 90 days following
resolution of the strike, but no later than December 31, 2003.
The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability
or consequences of accidents, it will make no changes to 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 nonradiological impacts, the proposed
action does not have a potential to affect any historic sites. It does
not affect nonradiological plant effluents and has no other
environmental impact. Therefore, there are no significant
nonradiological 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 NRC 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. Thus, 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 resources than
those previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for
OCNGS, dated December 1974.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
On June 9, 2003, the NRC staff consulted with the State official,
Mr. Rich Pinney of the New Jersey Department of Environment and Natural
Resources, 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 Commission
concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect
on the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the Commission
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 May 30, 2003. Documents may be examined, and/or
copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), located at
One White Flint North, Public File Area at O-1 F21, 11555 Rockville
Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records are
accessible electronically from the Agencywide Documents Access and
Management System (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading Room on the
Internet at the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.
Persons who do not have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in
accessing the documents located in ADAMS, should contact the NRC PDR
Reference staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, or by
e-mail to [email protected].
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 24th day of June, 2003.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Peter S. Tam,
Senior Project Manager, Section 1, Project Directorate 1, Division of
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 03-16295 Filed 6-26-03; 8:45 am]
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