[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 125 (Friday, June 27, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36577-36579]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-14594]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No 50-391]


Tennessee Valley Authority; Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 2; 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
extending the latest construction completion date specified in 
Construction Permit No. CPPR-92 issued to Tennessee Valley Authority 
(permittee, TVA) for the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN), Unit 2. The 
facility is located at the permittee's site on the west branch of the 
Tennessee River approximately 50 miles northeast of Chattanooga, 
Tennessee.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action would extend the latest construction completion 
date of Construction Permit No. CPPR-92 from December 31, 2010 to March 
31, 2013. The proposed action is in response to the permittee's request 
dated May 8, 2008. This request superseded an earlier letter dated 
March 6, 2008.
    The proposed extension will not allow any work to be performed that 
is not already allowed by the existing construction permit. The 
extension will merely grant the permittee more time to complete 
construction in accordance with the previously approved construction 
permit.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is needed to give the permittee adequate time 
to complete construction of WBN Unit 2. In a July 14, 2000 letter, TVA 
confirmed that

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WBN Unit 2 met the NRC's definition of a deferred plant, as described 
in Generic Letter 87-15, ``Policy Statement on Deferred Plants.'' 
Subsequently, on August 3, 2007, TVA informed the Commission of its 
intent to complete construction and licensing of WBN Unit 2 by April 1, 
2012; this letter was submitted in accordance with the Policy Statement 
on Deferred Plants. TVA provided information requested by the Policy 
Statement, and also informed the Commission that it would resume 
construction activities no sooner than December 3, 2007. These 
activities are within the scope of the existing construction permit, 
which expires December 31, 2010.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The environmental impacts associated with the construction of the 
facility have been previously discussed and evaluated in TVA's Final 
Environmental Statement for construction (FES-CP) of WBN, Units 1 and 
2, issued on November 9, 1972. NRC staff evaluated the environmental 
impacts of construction and operation of this plant, issuing comments 
on TVA's FES-CP as part of its review. In December 1978, NRC staff 
issued NUREG-0498, ``Final Environmental Statement Related to Operation 
of Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2,'' for the operating-license 
stage (FES-OL), addressing environmental impacts of construction 
activities not addressed previously in TVA's FES-CP. The activities 
included: (1) Construction of the transmission route for the Watts 
Bar--Volunteer 500 kV line, (2) construction of the settling pond for 
siltation control for construction runoff at a different location from 
that originally proposed in the FES-CP, and (3) the relocation of the 
blowdown diffuser from the originally proposed site indicated in the 
FES-CP. The staff addressed the terrestrial and aquatic environmental 
impacts in the FES-OL, as well as historic and archeological impacts, 
and concluded that the assessment presented in the FES-CP remains 
valid.
    NUREG-0498, Supplement 1 was issued in April 1995. Environmental 
issues evaluated included changes to regional demography, natural 
resource use, meteorology, ecology, impacts to humans and the 
environment, severe accident mitigation design alternatives, and 
socioeconomic impacts, including environmental justice issues. The 
staff concluded that there were no significant changes to the 
environmental impacts discussed in the 1978 FES-OL due to changes in 
plant design or operation, or changes in the environment. Furthermore, 
the staff concluded that no additional impacts not previously discussed 
in the NRC's 1978 FES-OL related to construction of Unit 2 were 
expected.
    On February 15, 2008, TVA submitted ``Watts Bar Nuclear Plant 
(WBN)--Unit 2--Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement 
[FSEIS] For the Completion and Operation of Unit 2,'' to the NRC. This 
FSEIS was completed in June 2007, and was submitted in support of TVA's 
operating license application for WBN Unit 2. It also includes TVA's 
evaluation of the environmental impacts of construction.
    The licensee has no plans to construct additional transmission 
lines or disturb any land not discussed in previous environmental 
reviews. Impacts on the Federal threatened and endangered species list 
issued by the Fish and Wildlife Service were evaluated in previous NRC 
environmental reviews. No additional impacts are expected.
    Completed construction of WBN Unit 2 includes major structures such 
as the containment, turbine building, control building, and equipment 
such as the reactor pressure vessel, reactor coolant system piping, and 
steam generators. Installation of equipment shared with WBN Unit 1, 
such as diesel generators, was completed prior to issuance of the Unit 
1 operating license in 1996. The majority of construction activities 
will take place within structures already completed. Therefore, most of 
the construction impacts discussed in the FES have already occurred. As 
discussed in TVA's FSEIS, additional onsite construction environmental 
impacts will be small, mitigated by use of good construction practices.
    Socioeconomic impacts are similar to those previously evaluated by 
the NRC. As construction proceeds, workers moving to the area will 
increase demand for services such as schools and recreational 
facilities. In its June 2007 FSEIS, in anticipation of a decision to 
resume construction, TVA stated that it ``...would designate certain 
counties as impacted by the construction process. This [designation] 
would make them eligible for a supplemental allocation from TVA's 
annual tax equivalent payment under Tennessee law. These funds could be 
used by counties to address impacts on county services.'' These 
payments mitigate the effects of new workers living in the area.
    The requested extension of the construction permit only extends the 
period of construction as described in the FES, and does not involve 
any different impacts as described and analyzed in the original and 
updated environmental impact statements. The cumulative impacts of the 
extended construction period are small, and mitigated, as discussed 
above.
    Based on the foregoing, the NRC staff has concluded that the 
proposed action would have no significant environmental impact. Since 
this action would only extend the period of construction activities 
described in the FES, it does not involve any different impacts or a 
significant change to those impacts described and analyzed in the 
original environmental impact statement. Consequently, an environmental 
impact statement addressing the proposed action is not required.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    A possible alternative to the proposed action would be to deny the 
request, or the no-action alternative. This alternative would result in 
expiration of the construction permit for Watts Bar, Unit 2. This 
option would require submittal of another application for construction 
in order to allow the permittee to complete construction of the 
facility with no significant environmental benefit. The environmental 
impacts of the proposed action and alternative action are similar.
    Denial of the request could also result in TVA seeking other 
sources of electrical power. Siting and constructing new power 
generating facilities would result in their own environmental impacts, 
and does not provide an obvious environmental benefit versus the 
proposed construction permit extension, especially given the large 
degree of construction already completed for WBN Unit 2.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of resources not previously 
considered in the FES for Watts Bar, Units 1 and 2.

Agencies and Persons Contacted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on May 28, 2008, the staff 
consulted with officials from the State of Tennessee, including Alan 
Leiserson, Legal Services Director of the Tennessee Department of 
Environment and Conservation, regarding the environmental impact of the 
proposed action. The State officials had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    On the basis of the environmental assessment, the NRC concludes 
that this action will not have a significant effect on the quality of 
the human environment. Accordingly, the NRC has determined not to 
prepare an

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environmental impact statement for this action.
    For further details with respect to this action, see the licensee's 
request for extension dated May 8, 2008. Documents may be examined, 
and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document Room, located at 
One White Flint North, 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 send an e-mail to [email protected].

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 20th day of June 2008.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
L. Raghavan,
Chief, Watts Bar Special Projects Branch, Division of Operating Reactor 
Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
 [FR Doc. E8-14594 Filed 6-26-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P