[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 251 (Wednesday, December 31, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80441-80442]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-31162]



[[Page 80441]]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-285]


Omaha Public Power District; Fort Calhoun Station, Unit No. 1; 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of an exemption from the requirements of Section III.G.1.b of 
Appendix R to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 
50, for Facility Operating License No. DPR-40, issued to Omaha Public 
Power District (OPPD, the licensee), for operation of the Fort Calhoun 
Station, Unit No. 1, located in Washington County, Nebraska. Therefore, 
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 provide an exemption from the provisions 
of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix R, Section III.G.1.b, for the 72-hour 
requirement to provide repair procedures and materials for cold 
shutdown capability for redundant cold shutdown components.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application dated February 4, 2008 (Agencywide Documents Access and 
Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML080360106), as supplemented 
by letter dated October 13, 2008 (ADAMS No. ML082980018).

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is needed to provide notification and 
clarification of the exemption granted by the NRC by letter dated July 
3, 1985 (ADAMS Legacy Library Accession No. 850724390), in which the 
NRC granted an exemption from the technical requirements of Section 
III.G.2 of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50, for Fire Area 31 (intake 
structure building) and for the pull box area of the auxiliary 
building. The NRC safety evaluation report (SER) dated July 3, 1985, 
incorrectly referenced Section III.G.2 and subsequently provided 
exemption from 10 CFR Part 50, Section III.G. Specifically, the 
original SER and exemption should have referenced 10 CFR 50, Appendix 
R, Section III.G.1.b. In addition, cables in the duct bank and manhole 
vaults numbers 5 and 31 that are routed between the pull boxes and 
intake structure were not discussed in the OPPD exemption request dated 
August 30, 1983 (ADAMS Legacy Library Accession No. 830909011). 
Therefore, OPPD needs exemption from 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix R, 
III.G.1.b, for the cables in the duct bank and manhole vaults numbers 5 
and 31 that are routed between the pull boxes and the intake structure 
building.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its safety evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the consequences of postulated accidents are not 
increased, because there is no credible fire hazard in the area of the 
cable duct bank or manhole, which would disable all the raw water pumps 
and prevent the cold shutdown capability. Furthermore, if all raw water 
pumps are lost, due to any condition, the abnormal operating procedure 
directs the operator to trip the reactor and enter emergency procedures 
based on observed plant conditions. Therefore, there is no undue risk, 
since neither the probability nor the consequences have been increased, 
to public health and safety.
    On the basis of its review and evaluation of the information 
provided in the licensee's exemption request and response to NRC staff 
request for additional information questions, the NRC staff concludes 
that OPPD's request for exemption from the technical requirements of 
Section III.G.1.b of Appendix R to 10 CFR Part 50 has provided a 
thorough description of the proposed change and adequate safety 
assessment which address the issue.
    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 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. There is no significant 
increase in the amount of any effluent released offsite. 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 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. 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 Fort Calhoun Station dated August 1972.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on November 26, 2008, the NRC 
staff consulted with the Nebraska State official, Julia Schmitt, of the 
Department of Health and Human Services Regulation and Licensure, 
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 February 4, 2008, as supplemented by letter 
dated October 13, 2008. 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 23rd day of December 2008.


[[Page 80442]]


    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Carl F. Lyon,
Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch IV, Division of Operating 
Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
 [FR Doc. E8-31162 Filed 12-30-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P