[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 5, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70551-70552]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-20568]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 72-35]


 Energy Northwest, Columbia Generating Station Independent Spent 
Fuel Storage Installation Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact Regarding a Proposed Exemption

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher M. Regan, Senior Project 
Manager, Division of Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555. Telephone: (301) 415-1179; fax 
number: (301) 415-1179; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC 
or Commission) is considering a request dated September 14, 2006, from 
Energy Northwest (applicant or Energy Northwest) for an exemption from 
certain requirements of Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), 
Part 72 (10 CFR part 72), specifically, 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 
72.212(b)(2)(i)(A), 72.212(b)(7), and 72.214, pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7, 
for the Columbia Generating Station (CGS) Independent Spent Fuel 
Storage Installation (ISFSI), located on the CGS site in Benton County, 
Washington. The CGS ISFSI is an existing facility constructed for 
interim dry storage of spent nuclear fuel.
    At the CGS ISFSI, Energy Northwest has stored spent nuclear fuel in 
fifteen Holtec International HI-STORM 100 storage casks. As set forth 
in 10 CFR 72.214, the NRC has approved use of the HI-STORM 100 Cask 
System in Certificate of Compliance (CoC) 1014. The NRC has issued 
Amendments 1 (effective date July 15, 2002) and 2 (effective date June 
7, 2005) to CoC 1014. Energy Northwest loaded the spent nuclear fuel 
into the HI-STORM 100 storage casks at the CGS ISFSI under Amendment 1. 
If approved by the NRC, the exemption would apply to all HI-STORM 100 
storage casks fabricated and used in accordance with Amendment 1 of CoC 
1014 at the CGS ISFSI.
    The exemption would authorize the applicant to perform analyses 
consistent with that granted by the NRC in Amendment 2 to CoC 1014 in 
lieu of certain analyses required by Amendment 1 to CoC 1014, 
specifically, Appendix B, Section 3.4.3.a., Site Specific Parameters 
and Analyses (concerning the determination of Holtec HI-STORM 100/ISFSI 
pad interface coefficient of friction under environmental conditions 
that may degrade the pad/cask interface, such as those caused by 
icing).
    The NRC has prepared an environmental assessment for this proposed 
action in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR part 51. Based on 
the environmental assessment, the NRC has concluded that a Finding of 
No Significant Impact (FONSI) is appropriate with respect to the 
proposed action.

Environmental Assessment (EA)

I. Identification of Proposed Action

    By letter dated September 14, 2006, Energy Northwest requested an 
exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 72.212(a), 72.212(b)(2)(i), 
72.212(b)(7) and 72.214, specifically, exemption from complying with 
Appendix B, Section 3.4.3.a., Site Specific Parameters and Analyses of 
Amendment 1 to CoC 1014, which requires a determination of the HI-STORM 
100/ISFSI pad interface coefficient of friction under environmental 
conditions that may degrade the pad/cask interface, such as those 
caused by icing. Approval of the exemption request would allow the 
applicant to perform an analysis consistent with that granted by the 
NRC in Amendment 2 to CoC 1014 when evaluating icing conditions between 
the bottom of the HI-STORM 100 storage casks and the ISFSI pad in lieu 
of determining the HI-STORM 100/ISFSI interface coefficient of 
friction. The presence of ice formation at the interface between the 
bottom of the HI-STORM 100 storage casks and the ISFSI pad can result 
in the storage system being in an unanalyzed condition. Energy 
Northwest determined that the HI-STORM 100 storage casks used at the 
CGS ISFSI were susceptible to the icing phenomena and developed 
compensatory measures during cold weather conditions to maintain the 
friction coefficient in accordance with Amendment 1 to CoC 1014.
    For the NRC to permit Energy Northwest to demonstrate the safe 
condition of the HI-STORM 100 storage casks at the CGS ISFSI during 
cold weather conditions by performing analyses consistent with methods 
approved in Amendment 2 to CoC 1014, the NRC must grant Energy 
Northwest an exemption from certain general license conditions defined 
in 10 CFR 72.212 and the list of approved casks in 10 CFR 72.214. The 
NRC regulation, 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), states that the general license 
for the storage of spent nuclear fuel at power reactor sites is limited 
to storage in casks approved under the provisions in 10 CFR part 72. By 
exempting Energy Northwest from 10 CFR 72.214, 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2) and 
certain other regulations in 10 CFR part 72.212 that concern compliance 
with the applicable CoC, namely, 72.212(b)(2)(i)(A) and 72.212(b)(7), 
Energy Northwest will be authorized to deviate from CoC 1014 (Amendment 
1) Appendix B, Section 3.4.3.a, which requires determination of the HI-
STORM 100/ISFSI pad interface coefficient of friction.

II. Need for the Proposed Action

    Fifteen HI-STORM 100 storage casks have been loaded under Amendment 
1 of CoC 1014 and are stored at the CGS ISFSI. Energy Northwest is 
currently performing compensatory measures during cold weather 
conditions, including monitoring operator walkdowns, de-icing, and 
clearing of a pathway on the ISFSI for draining, to maintain the 
friction coefficient in accordance with Amendment 1 to CoC 1014. 
Elimination of the need to continue implementation of these 
compensatory measures would reduce worker radiation dose and free 
operators to be more responsive to other duties.

III. Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The potential environmental impact of using the HI-STORM 100 Cask

[[Page 70552]]

System was initially analyzed in the environmental assessment for the 
final rule to add the HI-STORM 100 Cask System to the list of approved 
spent fuel storage casks in 10 CFR 72.214 (65 FR 25241; May 1, 2000). 
In addition, the potential environmental impact of Amendment 2 changes 
to CoC 1014 was analyzed in the environmental assessment for the final 
rule that amended 10 CFR 72.214 to add Amendment 2 to CoC 1014 (70 FR 
32977; June 7, 2005). Both environmental assessments concluded that 
there would be no significant environmental impacts as a result of the 
respective actions, and as such, the NRC made a finding of no 
significant impact. The NRC staff finds that the conclusions set forth 
in these environmental assessments continue to be valid.
    The HI-STORM 100 Cask System is designed to mitigate the effects of 
design basis accidents that could occur during storage. Design basis 
accidents account for human-induced events and the most severe natural 
phenomena reported for the site and surrounding area. Postulated 
accidents analyzed for an ISFSI include tornado winds and tornado 
generated missiles, design basis earthquake, design basis flood, 
accidental cask drop, lightning effects, fire, explosions, and other 
incidents. Considering the specific design requirements for each 
accident condition, the design of the HI-STORM 100 Cask System, would 
prevent loss of containment, shielding, and criticality control.
    Amendment 1 to CoC 1014, Appendix B, Section 3.4.3.a, requires that 
the Coulomb friction coefficient for the HI-STORM 100/ISFSI pad 
interface be at least 0.53 under all conditions. Amendment 2 to CoC 
1014, Appendix B, Section 3.4.3.a. includes a provision, that for free 
standing casks, the response of the casks under the site's Design Basis 
Earthquake (DBE) could be established using the best estimate of the 
friction coefficient in an appropriate analysis model. The analysis 
would demonstrate that the DBE would not result in cask tip-over or 
cause a cask to fall off the pad, or cause an impact between casks, or 
if an accident were to occur, would demonstrate that the maximum g-load 
experienced by the stored spent nuclear fuel would be limited to 45 
g's. The use of methods described in Section 3.4.3.a of Appendix B, 
approved by the NRC in Amendment 2 to CoC 1014, in demonstrating the 
safe storage of spent nuclear fuel during environmental conditions that 
might degrade the pad/cask interface friction, such as those caused by 
icing, will not result in any degradation of specific design 
requirements, namely, containment, shielding or criticality control. 
Without the loss of either containment, shielding, or criticality 
control, the risk to public health and safety is not compromised.
    By permitting the use of methods described in Section 3.4.3.a of 
Appendix B, approved by the NRC in Amendment 2 to CoC 1014, there will 
be a reduction in occupational exposure due to the relief from the 
performance of compensatory measures. Therefore, the NRC staff has 
determined that acceptable safety margins are maintained and that there 
are no significant environmental impacts as a result of using the 
methods described in Section 3.4.3.a of Appendix B, approved by the NRC 
in Amendment 2 to CoC 1014, to demonstrate safe storage of spent 
nuclear fuel at the CGS ISFSI.

IV. Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    The staff evaluated the no action alternative, which would be a 
denial of the exemption request. Denial of the exemption request would 
result in continued performance of compensatory measures by Energy 
Northwest, thereby continuing to subject workers to an increased 
radiation dose than would be the case if the compensatory measures were 
not conducted.

V. Agencies and Persons Consulted

    On October 27, 2006, Mr. Michael Mills of the State of Washington 
Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council was contacted about the EA for 
the proposed action and had no concerns.

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. The 
proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of 
the human environment because the use of the Amendment 2 methodology 
will reduce worker radiation dose, and further, will not result in any 
degradation to specific cask design requirements, namely, containment, 
shielding, or criticality control. As described in the foregoing EA, 
the Commission finds that the proposed action of granting an exemption 
from 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 72.212(b)(2)(i)(A), 72.212(b)(7), and 72.214, 
pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7, which will permit Energy Northwest to perform 
analyses consistent with that granted by the NRC in Amendment 2 to CoC 
1014, Appendix B, Section 3.4.3.a at the CGS ISFSI, is not a major 
Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human 
environment and, therefore, an environmental impact statement is not 
required.

Further Information

    In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of NRC's ``Rules of Practice,'' 
final NRC records and documents regarding this proposed action, 
including the exemption request dated September 14, 2006, are 
publically available in the records component of NRC's Agencywide 
Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS). These documents may be 
inspected at NRC's Public Electronic Reading Room at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. These documents may also be viewed 
electronically on the public computers located at the NRC's Public 
Document Room (PDR), O1F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville 
Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. The PDR reproduction contractor will copy 
documents for a fee. 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 20th day of November 2006.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Christopher M. Regan,
Senior Project Manager, Division of Spent Fuel Storage and 
Transportation, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. E6-20568 Filed 12-4-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P