[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 12, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19107-19108]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-1679]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-348 and 50-364]


Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Joseph M. Farley Nuclear 
Power Plant, Units 1 and 2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of an exemption from Title 10 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50, Appendix E, Section IV.F.2.b and c for 
Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-2 and NPF-8, issued to Southern 
Nuclear Operating Company (SNC or the licensee), for operation of the 
Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Power Plant (FNP), Units 1 and 2, located in 
Houston County, Alabama. Therefore, as required by 10 CFR 51.21, the 
NRC is issuing this environmental assessment and finding of no 
significant impact.

[[Page 19108]]

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action, as described in the licensee's application for 
a one-time exemption to the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, 
dated December 13, 2004, would allow the licensee to postpone the 
offsite full-participation emergency exercise from 2004 to 2005. The 
licensee's letter dated December 13, 2004, requested an exemption from 
Section IV.F.2.e of Appendix E to 10 CFR Part 50 regarding the full 
participation by each offsite authority having a role under the plan. 
The NRC staff determined that the requirements of Section IV.F.2.e are 
not applicable to the circumstances of the licensee's request and, 
accordingly, no exemption from those requirements is being granted. 
However, the NRC staff has determined that the requirements of Appendix 
E to 10 CFR Part 50, Sections IV.F.2.b and 2.c are applicable to the 
circumstances of the licensee's request and that an exemption from 
those requirements is appropriate. The licensee also stated in it's 
December 13, 2004, letter that FNP will resume it's normal biennial 
exercise cycle in 2006.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed exemption from 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, Section 
IV.F.2.b and c is needed because the planned full-participation 
exercise originally scheduled for August 18, 2004, was not performed. 
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which normally 
participates in the evaluated full-participation exercise, and Alabama 
Emergency Management Agency were unable to provide the necessary 
resources for the exercise due to the impact of Hurricane Charley.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its safety evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the proposed exemption will not present an undue 
risk to the public health and safety. The details of the NRC staff's 
Safety Evaluation will be provided in the exemption that will be issued 
as part of the letter to the licensee approving the exemption to the 
regulation. The action relates to the exercising of the emergency 
response plan, which has no effect on the operation of the facility.
    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 offsite, 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 resources than 
those previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement 
related to the operation of the Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant, Units 1 
and 2, dated December 1974.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on January 6, 2005, the staff 
consulted with the Alabama State official, Kirk Whatley of the Office 
of Radiation Control, Alabama Department of Public Health, 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 letter dated December 13, 2004. 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 O1 F21, 11555 
Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available 
records will be 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 5th day of April 2005.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Sean Peters,
Project Manager, Section 1, Project Directorate II, Division of 
Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. E5-1679 Filed 4-11-05; 8:45 am]
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