[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 49 (Monday, March 15, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12311-12312]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5562]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-271; NRC-2010-0100]
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 an exemption, pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (10 CFR) section 73.5, ``Specific exemptions,'' from the
implementation date for certain new requirements of 10 CFR part 73,
``Physical protection of plants and materials,'' for Facility Operating
License No. DPR-28, issued to Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (Entergy
or the licensee), for operation of Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station
(Vermont Yankee), located in Windham County, Vermont. Therefore, as
required by 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC prepared an environmental assessment
documenting its finding. The NRC concluded that the proposed actions
will have no significant impact.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would exempt Vermont Yankee from the required
implementation date of March 31, 2010, for several new requirements of
10 CFR part 73. Specifically, Vermont Yankee would be granted an
exemption from being in full compliance with certain new requirements
contained in 10 CFR 73.55 by the March 31, 2010, deadline. Entergy has
proposed an alternate full compliance implementation date of September
20, 2010, approximately 5\1/2\ months beyond the date required by 10
CFR part 73. The proposed action, an extension of the schedule for
completion of certain actions required by the revised 10 CFR part 73,
does not involve any physical changes to the reactor, fuel, plant
structures, water, or land at the Vermont Yankee site.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application dated January 21, 2010, as supplemented by letter dated
February 17, 2010.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is needed to provide the licensee with
additional time to perform the required upgrades to the Vermont Yankee
security system due to resource and logistical impacts and other
factors.
The licensee has requested a scheduler exemption to the compliance
date identified in 10 CFR 73.55(a)(1) to implement the specific
requirements stated in 10 CFR 73.55(e)(7)(i)(B) and 10 CFR
73.55(i)(4)(i) for Vermont Yankee. The request for an exemption from
March 31, 2010, implementation date to September 20, 2010, is based on
completion of installation as well as testing and training of security
personnel on the new features. This exemption will provide Vermont
Yankee sufficient time for installation, testing, and training
activities to be completed, considering initial permit delays,
inclement winter weather construction delays and procurement delays.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC has completed its environmental assessment of the proposed
exemption. The staff has concluded that the proposed action to extend
the implementation deadline would not significantly affect plant safety
and would not have a significant adverse effect on the probability of
an accident occurring.
The proposed action would not result in an increased radiological
hazard beyond those previously analyzed in the environmental assessment
and finding of no significant impact made by the Commission in
promulgating its revisions to 10 CFR part 73 as discussed in a Federal
Register notice dated March 27, 2009 (74 FR 13967). There will be no
change to radioactive effluents that affect radiation exposures to
plant workers and members of the public. Therefore, no changes or
different types of radiological impacts are expected as a result of the
proposed exemption.
[[Page 12312]]
The proposed action does not result in changes to land use or water
use, or result in changes to the quality or quantity of non-
radiological effluents. No changes to the National Pollution Discharge
Elimination System permit are needed. No effects on the aquatic or
terrestrial habitat in the vicinity of the plant, or to threatened,
endangered, or protected species under the Endangered Species Act, or
impacts to essential fish habitat covered by the Magnuson-Steven's Act
are expected. There are no impacts to the air or ambient air quality.
There are no impacts to historical and cultural resources. There would
be no impact to socioeconomic resources. Therefore, no changes to or
different types of non-radiological environmental impacts are expected
as a result of the proposed exemption.
Accordingly, the NRC concludes that there are no significant
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action. In addition,
in promulgating its revisions to 10 CFR part 73, the Commission
prepared an environmental assessment and published a finding of no
significant impact [part 73, Power Reactor Security Requirements, 74 FR
13926, 13967 (March 27, 2009)].
With its request to extend the implementation deadline, the
licensee has proposed compensatory measures to be taken in lieu of full
compliance with the new requirements specified in 10 CFR part 73. The
licensee currently maintains a security system acceptable to the NRC
and the proposed compensatory measures will continue to provide
acceptable physical protection of the Vermont Yankee in lieu of the new
requirements in 10 CFR part 73. Therefore, the extension of the
implementation date of the new requirements of 10 CFR part 73 to
September 20, 2010, would not have any significant environmental
impacts.
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, if granted.
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. If the proposed action was denied, the licensee
would have to comply with the March 31, 2010, implementation deadline.
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
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, Docket No. 50-271, dated July
1972, as supplemented through the ``Generic Environmental Impact
Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants: Regarding Vermont
Yankee Nuclear Power Station,'' published in August 2007. Final Report
(NUREG--1437, Supplement 30).''
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on February 24, 2010, 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 January 21, 2010, as supplemented by letter
dated February 17, 2010. Portions of the submittal dated January 21,
2010, as supplemented by letter dated February 17, 2010, contain
security related sensitive information and, accordingly, are withheld
from public disclosure in accordance with 10 CFR 2.390. Publicly
available versions of this document are accessible electronically from
the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) with
Accession Nos. ML100270294 and ML100100541743, respectively.
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 8th the day of March 2010.
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. 2010-5562 Filed 3-12-10; 8:45 am]
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