[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 205 (Thursday, October 23, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63442-63444]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25274]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 70-3098; NRC-2014-0235]


Shaw AREVA MOX Services; Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; 
issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
extending the expiration date for Construction Authorization (CA) 
CAMOX-001 issued to Shaw AREVA MOX Services for the Mixed Oxide Fuel 
Fabrication Facility on the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South 
Carolina.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2014-0235 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may obtain publicly-available information related to this action by the 
following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2014-0235. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-287-
3422; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact 
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this document.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may obtain 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 staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-
4737, or by email to [email protected]. The ADAMS accession number 
for each document referenced in this notice (if that document is 
available in ADAMS) is provided the first time that a document is 
referenced. The request to extend the construction authorization 
expiration date, dated May 16, 2014, is available in ADAMS under 
Accession No. ML14132A342.
     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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Tiktinsky, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; 
Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-287-9155; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    The NRC is considering extending the CA expiration date specified 
in CA CAMOX-001 issued to Shaw AREVA MOX Services (MOX Services) for 
the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility. The facility is located on 
the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site in Aiken, South 
Carolina. Therefore, as required by Sec.  51.21 of Title 10 of the Code 
of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), the NRC performed an environmental 
assessment. Based on the results of the environmental assessment that 
follows, the NRC has determined not to prepare an environmental impact 
statement for the action of extending the expiration date of the 
construction authorization, and is issuing a finding of no significant 
impact.

II. Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would extend the expiration date of CA CAMOX-
001 from March 30, 2015, to March 30, 2025. MOX Services submitted the 
CA extension request by letter dated May 12, 2014 (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML14132A342). MOX Services submitted the request to extend the CA at 
least 90 days before the expiration of the existing CA, therefore, in 
accordance with 10 CFR 2.109(a), the existing CA will remain in effect 
until the NRC staff has completed the review of the request.
    The proposed extension will not expand the scope of any work to be 
performed that is not already allowed by the existing construction 
authorization. The extension will grant the MOX Services additional 
time to complete construction in accordance with the previously 
approved CA.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is necessary to give the CA holder adequate 
time to complete construction of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication 
Facility. The CA for the MFFF was originally issued on March 30, 2005, 
with an expiration date of March 31, 2015. MOX Services has stated in 
their May 12, 2014, request that various factors have contributed to 
the need for an extension of the CA. The factors include: (a) The MFFF 
is a unique first of a kind facility of this type to be licensed in the 
United States under 10 CFR part 70; (b) annual funding/appropriations 
supporting construction activities have been less

[[Page 63443]]

that the projected funding profile for several years; (c) requirements 
of nuclear procurements coupled with a shortage of qualified vendors 
have resulted in delayed delivery of components; (d) a shortage of 
qualified construction workers have resulted in longer durations for 
key construction activities, and (e) a 2-year delay between issuance of 
the CA and the start of nuclear construction.
    In May 2014, MOX Services determined that in order to bound the 
potential completion date of the facility, with respect to the 
dependence of annual congressional funding, that the CA should be 
extended to March 31, 2025.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The environmental impacts associated with the construction of the 
facility have been previously discussed and evaluated in MOX Services 
Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility Environmental Report, Revision 5, 
dated June 10, 2004.
    The NRC staff previously evaluated the environmental impacts of 
construction and operation of this facility. In January 2005, the NRC 
staff issued NUREG-1767, ``Final Environmental Impact Statement on the 
Construction and Operation of a Proposed Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication 
Facility at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina (Vol. 1: 
ML050240233; Vol. 2: ML050240250) (FEIS). The FEIS stated that after 
weighing the costs and benefits of the proposed action and comparing 
alternatives, the staff concluded that (a) the applicable environmental 
requirements set forth in FEIS Chapter 6, and (b) the proposed 
mitigation measures discussed in FEIS Chapter 5 would eliminate or 
substantially lessen any potential environmental impacts associated 
with the proposed action. The staff also concluded that the overall 
benefits of the proposed MOX facility outweigh its disadvantages and 
costs.
    As part of the application for extension of the CA, MOX Services 
has concluded that activities conducted to date are still bounded by 
the MOX Services Environmental Report. MOX Services has also concluded 
that the extension of the CA expiration would not authorize or result 
in any new activities or result in changes of significance as defined 
10 CFR Part 51.60(b)(2).
    Under the authorization within CAMOX-001 Rev 3, MOX Services has 
made substantial progress in the construction of the MFFF with overall 
construction status in excess of 60 percent complete. Significant 
progress has been made in construction of Principal Structures, 
Systems, and Components (PSSCs) and other non-PSSCs. For example, the 
MOX Fuel Fabrication Building (PSSC-036) is substantially complete, 
including the roof and the exterior structure, with only temporary 
construction openings remaining. More than 200,000 pounds of 
ventilation system ductwork (PSSC-004, -005, -006, -041, -050) has been 
installed. Seventy of 73 tanks have been installed (PSSC-003, -009, -
010, -023, -041, 043, -045). Approximately 20 gloveboxes (PSSC-024) 
have been installed. Installation of approximately 1000 fire dampers 
(PSSC-021) has commenced. These PSSC activities have been completed in 
accordance with MOX Services' NRC-approved Quality Assurance Plan. 
Construction activities that are not related to PSSCs include 
completion of the Administration Building, Technical Support Building, 
Craft Support Building, and Secured Warehouse as well as the 
installation of more than 70,000 linear feet of non-PSSC electrical 
cable. In addition, MOX Services has completed in-advance testing of 27 
process units.
    While significant progress has been made on construction of the 
MFFF, additional time is required for completion of construction. Key 
structures remaining to be constructed include the Emergency Generator 
Building (PSSC-016) and the Reagents Processing Building (non-PSSC). 
Other key PSSC related construction activities remaining include 
completing installation of ventilation systems (PSSC-004, -005, -006, -
041, -050), including fire dampers (PSSC-021), fire detection and 
suppression system (PSSC-022), diesel generator and support systems 
(PSSC-012, -017, -018), process units (various PSSCs), and gloveboxes 
(PSSC-024). These activities are authorized under CAMOX-001 Rev. 3 and 
will be constructed in accordance with the MOX Project Quality 
Assurance Plan.
    MOX Services has made substantial progress in the construction of 
the MOX Fuel Fabrication building and other support buildings. Most of 
the remaining construction activities will take place within the 
existing buildings. Therefore, most of the environmental impacts 
discussed in MOX Services' Environmental Report have occurred and the 
impacts are consistent with the staff's FEIS. The requested extension 
of the CA is for the time needed to complete construction and does not 
impact the scope of activities. Accordingly, the extension does not 
involve any additional impacts or represent a significant change to 
those impacts described and analyzed in the previous environmental 
report. Based on the foregoing, the NRC staff has concluded that the 
proposed action would have no significant environmental impact.

Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    A possible alternative to the proposed action would be to deny the 
request, or the no-action alternative. If the NRC denies the extension 
request, then MOX Services will need to cease construction activities 
in 2015 when the CA expires. Because most of the construction 
activities have already taken place, the impacts of this alternative 
would not be significantly different that if NRC approved the extension 
request.

Alternative Use of Resources

    Since the CA holder has no plans to perform any new activities that 
were not considered in previous environmental reviews, the spreading 
out of time for the construction of the remainder of the facility does 
not involve the use of resources not previously considered in the 
environmental documents for the MFFF.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on July 29, 2014, the NRC 
staff consulted with officials from the South Carolina Department of 
Health and Environmental Control regarding the environmental impact of 
the proposed action. The State officials had no comments.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based on the details provided in this environmental assessment, the 
NRC staff concludes that the proposed action of extending the 
expiration date of CA from March 30, 2015, to March 30, 2025, does not 
involve any different impacts or a significant change to those impacts 
described and analyzed in the original environmental impact statement. 
Therefore, the NRC staff has determined that extending the CA 
completion date will not have a significant effect on the quality of 
the human environment because it does not involve any additional 
impacts or represent a significant change to those impacts described 
and analyzed in the previous environmental report and FEIS. 
Accordingly, the NRC has determined not to prepare an environmental 
impact statement for the proposed action.
    This finding and documents related to this action such as the CA 
holder's request for extension dated May 12, 2014 (ADAMS Accession No.

[[Page 63444]]

ML14132A342) and related environmental documents (FEIS: Vol. 1: 
ML050240233; Vol. 2: ML050240250) are available electronically at 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.''

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 16th day of October 2014.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert Johnson,
 Chief, Fuel Manufacturing Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and 
Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2014-25274 Filed 10-22-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P