[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 166 (Monday, August 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50948-50949]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-14202]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-438 and 50-439]


Tennessee Valley Authority; Bellefonte Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 
2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of a letter terminating Construction Permit No. CPPR-122 for 
Bellefonte Nuclear Plant (BLN), Unit 1, and CPPR-123 for BLN, Unit 2, 
issued to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA, permittee). The facility 
is located about 6 miles East-Northeast of Scottsboro, Alabama, on the 
west shore of the Guntersville Reservoir at Tennessee River Mile 392, 
in Jackson County, Alabama. This action is in accordance with the 
permittee's request in a letter dated April 6, 2006, as supplemented by 
letter dated June 29, 2006.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is issuance of a letter that would terminate 
Construction Permit No. CPPR-122 for BLN Unit 1 and CPPR-123 for BLN 
Unit 2. Canceling construction of the existing facility and withdrawal 
of the construction permits is necessary in order to close out the 
existing BLN project. These actions also facilitate the consideration 
of other possible uses of the BLN site.
    Because there are other ongoing activities on the BLN site (i.e., 
training centers for the Transmission Service Organization and the 
Tennessee Valley Public Power Association), and because the switchyard 
at BLN is utilized as a substation for system operations in the region, 
TVA would not withdraw existing environmental permits or remove 
equipment associated with these other activities.
    TVA would keep and maintain BLN in regulatory compliance. 
Compliance activities would include National Pollutant Discharge 
Elimination System permits, division monitoring reports, demolition 
permits, and air permits that are applicable to the entire site. These 
measures would continue as long as TVA has ownership of the BLN site. 
Maintaining and complying with these existing permits and regulations 
would ensure the stability of the site, until such time that TVA may 
decide, if or how the site would be alternatively utilized.
    Because so much of the site will be maintained, the general 
activities associated with the redress of the site are relatively minor 
in nature. Most of the minor environmental impacts resulting from 
redress would be associated with removal of equipment or structures not 
identified as necessary for other site activities. Materials and 
structures removed would be above grade or in areas that have 
experienced substantial previous ground disturbance for the original 
construction of the plant. TVA currently plans to maintain such major 
components as the intake and discharge facilities, cooling towers, 
wastewater system, and transmission switch yards. The existing 
containment, turbine, and auxiliary buildings would not be demolished. 
The other structures not identified as necessary would be sold, taken 
apart, and removed from the site, abandoned in place, or demolished. 
Most of these structures are metal and wood warehouses located along 
the western portion of the site. Any unwanted construction material or 
waste associated with disposition of equipment and structures would be 
properly disposed of in appropriately permitted solid waste or other 
disposal facilities in accordance with pertinent Federal, state, and 
local laws, regulations and ordinances, as well as TVA processes and 
procedures.
    Equipment identified as unnecessary would have the power 
disconnected and would either be reused by other TVA facilities, sold 
for reuse, or abandoned in place. Such items may include, but are not 
limited to: valves, strainers, battery boards and chargers, transfer 
switches, vent fans, motors, cabinet panels, breakers, power systems, 
shop equipment such as lathes, air compressors, and dryers; as well as 
other miscellaneous equipment. Additional materials may include, but 
are not limited to items such as: piping, tubing, conduit, cable, 
instrumentation, and general construction materials. TVA would continue 
to conduct periodic site inspections to ensure that none of the 
equipment or materials are causing environmental, health, or safety 
problems.
    Redress would involve the removal of diesel generator fuel and 
lube, or control fluids from the main turbine lube oil tanks, feedwater 
pump lube oil tanks, reactor coolant pump motors, control fluid tanks, 
and diesel generator lube oil

[[Page 50949]]

sumps. Fuel and lubricant would be removed, and storage containers 
would be closed in accordance with all applicable Federal, state, or 
local laws and regulations.
    By letter dated June 29, 2006, the permitee stated that neither of 
the units can be considered a utilization facility as defined in 10 CFR 
50.2. At the time that construction of the units was deferred, TVA 
considered Unit 1 to be 88 percent complete and Unit 2 to be 58 percent 
complete. At this time, neither reactor has the necessary structures, 
systems, or components in place to sustain a controlled nuclear 
reaction. Over the past several years, key components such as the 
control rod drive mechanisms for both Unit 1 and 2 have been removed 
from the site, which precludes the ability of the units to operate as 
nuclear reactors. The current condition of the plants does not allow 
operation; therefore, neither plant can be considered a utilization 
facility.
    All special nuclear material was removed from the site, as verified 
in NRC Inspection Reports 50-438/92-05 and 50-439/92-05 dated August 
21, 1992. The only radioactive material to be disposed of is from the 
removal of smoke detectors and exit signs from various buildings to be 
sold, demolished, or abandoned in place. Upon removal, these materials 
shall be sent to an NRC-approved recycler. Safeguards information has 
been shredded or removed. Fenced areas are currently under industrial-
type security. The withdrawal of the construction permits will not 
release air pollutants, generate water pollutants, generate wastewater 
streams, or cause soil erosion. The BNL site is in an environmentally 
stable condition that poses no significant hazard to persons on site.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    TVA has terminated construction of both BLN Units 1 and 2. This 
action by the NRC would terminate the construction permits.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    This administrative action would terminate the construction permits 
to reflect the fact that there are no longer utilization facilities 
under construction at the BLN site, and that the site has been 
adequately stabilized. 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 for 
the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, dated May 24, 1974.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on July 7, 2006, the staff 
consulted with the Alabama State official, Mr. 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 
permitee's letter dated April 6, 2006, as supplemented by letter dated 
June 29, 2006, and TVA's Final Environmental Assessment dated January 
30, 2006. 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 send an e-mail to 
[email protected].

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 22nd day of August, 2006.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Douglas V. Pickett,
Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch II-2, Division of 
Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. E6-14202 Filed 8-25-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P