[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 249 (Friday, December 28, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76541-76542]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-31286]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-293; NRC-2012-0311]


Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.; Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact.

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ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2012-0311 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may access information related to this document, which the NRC 
possesses and is publicly available, using any of the following 
methods:
     Federal rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2012-0311. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-492-
3668; email: [email protected].
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS):
    You may access publicly available documents online in the NRC 
Library at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the 
search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and then select ``Begin Web-
based ADAMS Search.'' For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's 
Public Document Room (PDR) reference at 1-800-397-4209, or 301-415-
4737, or by email to [email protected]. The application for 
exemption dated November 29, 2012, contains select security-related 
information and, accordingly, those portions are being withheld from 
public disclosure. A redacted version of the application for exemption, 
dated November 29, 2012, is available electronically under ADAMS 
Accession No. ML12335A343.
     NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public 
documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Introduction

    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 50, Appendix E, Section IV.F.2.c, 
``Training,'' for Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-35, to 
delay the requirement to perform the offsite functions of the biennial 
Emergency Preparedness (EP) exercise from November 7, 2012 to March 
2013, as requested by Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (the licensee), 
for operation of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (Pilgrim), located 
in Plymouth, Massachusetts. As required by 10 CFR 51.21, ``Criteria for 
and identification of licensing and regulatory actions requiring 
environmental assessments,'' the NRC performed an environmental 
assessment (EA). Based on the results of the EA, the NRC is issuing a 
finding of no significant impact.

II. Environmental Assessment Summary

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would grant an exemption from 10 CFR Part 50, 
Appendix E, Section IV.F.2.c to delay the requirement to perform the 
offsite elements of the Pilgrim biennial EP exercise to March 2013. 
Currently, the licensee is required to complete the exercise by the end 
of calendar year 2012. The proposed action is in accordance with the 
licensee's application dated November 29, 2012 (Agencywide Documents 
Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML12335A343).

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed exemption from 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, was 
submitted due to the impact of Hurricane Sandy on the availability of 
Federal, State, and local government agencies and their capability to 
support the full-participation biennial exercise conducted on November 
7, 2012. Due to widespread damage and flooding throughout the area, 
immediate response efforts and long term resource commitments were 
needed from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the 
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), and local town 
officials in the Pilgrim Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ). As a result, 
the necessary participants from Federal, State, and local agencies did 
not participate in the previously planned and scheduled Pilgrim 
biennial exercise that was conducted on November 7, 2012. By electronic 
correspondence dated November 26, 2012,\1\ FEMA and the State of 
Massachusetts agreed to postpone its evaluation of the exercise until 
March 2013.
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    \1\ This letter was not submitted directly to the NRC, but is 
included as Attachment 3 to the licensee's exemption request.
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Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    If the requested exemption were to be approved by the NRC, the 
full-participation, FEMA-evaluated biennial emergency exercise would 
not be conducted until March 2013. Changing the date of the exercise 
does not alter the way the drill will be performed (e.g., use of roads 
or highways). Delaying performance of the exercise does not change any 
facility equipment or operations. Thus, the proposed action would not 
significantly increase the probability or consequences of an accident, 
create a new accident, change the types or quantities of radiological 
effluents that may be released offsite, or result in a significant 
increase in public or occupational radiation exposure.

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.

Alternative Use of Resources

    The action does not involve the use of any different resources than 
those previously considered in NUREG-1437, Supplement 29, Volume 2, 
``Generic Environmental Impact Statement for

[[Page 76542]]

License Renewal of Nuclear Plants Regarding Pilgrim Nuclear Power 
Station, Final Report- Appendices,'' published in July 2007 (ADAMS 
Accession No. ML071990027).

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on December 10, 2012, the NRC 
staff consulted with the State official from the Massachusetts 
Department of Public Health regarding the environmental impact of the 
proposed action. The State official had no comments.

III. 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.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day of December 2012.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Richard V. Guzman,
Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch I-1, Division of 
Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2012-31286 Filed 12-27-12; 8:45 am]
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