[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 51 (Wednesday, March 18, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11612-11613]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-5811]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-271; NRC-2009-0121]


Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power 
Station; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of a revision of an existing exemption from Title 10 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) part 50, Appendix R, ``Fire 
Protection Program of Nuclear Power Facilities Operating Prior to 
January 1, 1979,'' for Automatic Fire Suppression, Separation, and 
Repairs, issued to Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (the licensee), for 
operation of Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (VY), located in 
Windham County, Vermont. 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 revise the exemption from the provisions 
of 10 CFR part 50, Appendix R, Section III.G.2 (III.G.2), dated 
December 1, 1986, which in part permitted a reduction in minimum 
separation distance between cable trays in the northwest corner of Fire 
Zone RB-3 of the reactor building to 18 feet. VY has requested a 
revision of the existing exemption to permit the actual minimum 
separation distance of 17 feet-7.5 inches.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application dated July 11, 2008, as supplemented by letter dated 
November 20, 2008.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed revision of an existing exemption from 10 CFR part 50, 
Appendix R, is needed to permit a reduction in minimum separation 
distance between cable trays from 18 feet to 17 feet-7.5 inches. VY has 
performed a Fire Protection evaluation, using NRC Generic Letter 86-10, 
``Implementation of Fire Protection Requirements,'' and concluded that

[[Page 11613]]

there is no impact on VY's safe shutdown capability by this reduction 
in separation.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its safety evaluation (SE) of the proposed 
action and concludes that the further reduction in minimum separation 
distance is sufficient to maintain an adequate level of safety to meet 
the requirements of 10 CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii) in that the application of 
the regulation is not necessary to achieve the underlying purpose of 
the rule. The details of the staff's SE will be provided in the 
exemption that will be issued as part of the letter to the licensee 
approving the exemption.
    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 off site. There is no significant 
increase in the amount of any effluent released off site. 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 
VY.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on January 15, 2009, the NRC 
staff consulted with the Vermont State official of the Vermont 
Department of Public Service 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 July 11, 2008, Agencywide Documents Access and 
Management System (ADAMS) accession number ML081000176, as supplemented 
by letter dated November 20, 2008, ADAMS accession number ML083370180. 
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 
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 11th day of March 2009.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
James Kim,
Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch I-1, Division of Operating 
Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
 [FR Doc. E9-5811 Filed 3-17-09; 8:45 am]
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