[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 169 (Wednesday, August 31, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54259-54260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-22282]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2011-0185]


Virginia Electric and Power Company, Docket Nos. 50-338 and 50-
339, North Anna Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2, Docket Nos. 50-280 
and 50-281, Surry Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2; Environmental 
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of an exemption from Title 10 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (10 CFR) part 26, ``Fitness for Duty Programs,'' for 
Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-4 and NPF-7, issued to Virginia 
Electric Power Company (the licensee), for operation of the North Anna 
Power Station (NAPS) Unit Nos. 1 and 2, located in Louisa County, 
Virginia; and Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-32 and DPR-37, issued 
to the licensee, for operation of the Surry Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 
and 2, located in Surry County, Virginia. Therefore, as required by 10 
CFR 51.21, the NRC performed an environmental assessment. Based on the 
results of the environmental assessment, the NRC is issuing a finding 
of no significant impact.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would provide exemption from the work hour 
control requirements of 10 CFR 26.205(c) and (d) during declarations of 
severe weather conditions involving tropical storm or hurricane force 
winds.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application dated February 10, 2011 (Agencywide Documents Access and 
Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML110450583), as supplemented 
by letters dated March 10, 2011 (ADAMS Accession No. ML110740442) and 
May 26, 2011 (ADAMS Accession No. ML111470265).

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action extends the exception provided by 10 CFR 
26.207(d) to include pre-defined entry and exit conditions related to 
hurricane events because the sequestering of plant personnel and 
related staff resource limitations may occur at times prior to and 
following the current entry and exit conditions (i.e., emergency 
declaration) specified in 10 CFR 26.207(d). Entry into a severe weather 
situation involving tropical storm or hurricane force winds can impose 
conditions similar to entry into the site emergency plan where the 
imposition of work hour controls on vital personnel could impede the 
ability to focus on plant safety and security, and may be detrimental 
to the health and safety of the public.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its environmental assessment of the proposed 
action and concludes that extending the exception provided by 10 CFR 
26.207(d) to include pre-defined entry and exit conditions related to 
hurricane events would not significantly affect plant safety, as it 
does not change the Technical Specification-required shift staffing. 
Additionally, the time from entry into the condition in which the work 
hour control exemption applies, to exiting the condition, is limited to 
severe weather situations involving tropical storm or hurricane force 
winds. The licensee states that the Hurricane Response Plan (Nuclear) 
and other plant-specific procedures ensure that adequate resources and 
guidance are in place to prepare for, respond to, and recover from 
severe weather conditions associated with tropical storm or hurricane 
force winds.
    The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability 
or consequences of accidents. The proposed action would not result in 
an increased radiological hazard beyond those previously analyzed in 
the Final Safety Analysis Report. 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. No changes will be made to plant buildings or site property. 
Therefore, there are no significant radiological environmental impacts 
associated with the proposed action.
    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 permits 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 fish habitat covered by the Magnusen-Stevens Act are 
expected. There are no impacts to the air or ambient air quality. There 
are no impacts to historical or cultural resources. There would be no 
noticeable effect on socioeconomic conditions in the region. Therefore, 
no changes or

[[Page 54260]]

different types of non-radiological environmental impacts are proposed 
as a result of 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 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. Other alternatives to the proposed action 
include entry and exit conditions, other than those proposed by the 
licensee, which would change the duration in which the exemption is 
effective. The staff concludes that these alternatives would not have a 
significant impact. The environmental impacts of the proposed action 
and the alternative actions 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 
Related to the Continuation of Construction and the Operation'' for 
NAPS dated April 1973, and Surry dated May 1972 and June 1972, 
respectively, as supplemented through NUREG-1437, ``Generic 
Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants,'' 
Supplements 6 and 7, dated November 2002.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on May 12, 2011, the staff 
consulted with the Virginia State official, Leslie Foldesi of the 
Department of Health, 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 10, 2011, as supplemented by letters 
dated March 10 and May 26, 2011. 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 documents 
created or received at the NRC in the Agencywide Documents Access and 
Management System (ADAMS) are available online in the NRC Library at 
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 25th day of August 2011.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert E. Martin,
Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch II-1, Division of 
Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2011-22282 Filed 8-30-11; 8:45 am]
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