[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 197 (Tuesday, October 13, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61502-61503]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-25858]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2012-0271]


Expanded River Reconnaissance Paleoliquefaction Study Area

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) has prepared an 
Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate the potential environmental 
impacts that may arise as a result of additional geologic field work 
for a paleoliquefaction research project. The NRC has determined that 
there will be no adverse effects to any historic or cultural resources 
that may be located in the paleoliquefaction study's area of potential 
effects. The NRC has also concluded that a Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FONSI) is appropriate.

DATES: October 13, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2012-0271 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may obtain publicly-available information related to this document 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2012-0271. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; 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 
ADAMS Public Documents collection 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 (if it available in 
ADAMS) is provided the first time that a document is referenced. The EA 
and the associated FONSI is publicly available in ADAMS under Accession 
No. ML15275A424.
     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: Thomas Weaver, Office of Nuclear 
Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-2383; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    On November 2, 2012, the NRC issued a FONSI for field work to 
support paleoliquifaction studies along certain river segments located 
in Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Virginia. 
The NRC provided notice of the FONSI and the supporting EA upon which 
the FONSI was based, in a Federal Register notice dated November 7, 
2012 (77 FR 66874). The NRC has identified additional river segments in 
Missouri, Arkansas, and Mississippi where the NRC will conduct 
additional field work of the same nature described in its 2012 EA. This 
field work will study geologic features such as sand blows and sand 
dikes that formed during historic and pre-historic earthquakes as a 
result of soil liquefaction, which is the process of water pressure 
increasing in the soil due to cyclic shaking with an associated 
significant decrease in soil strength. The results from this research 
will be used to update models implemented in probabilistic seismic 
hazard analyses, which are used in evaluating sites for new nuclear 
power reactors to characterize ground motions in accordance with 
section 100.23(d)(1) of Title 10 of the Code of Federal

[[Page 61503]]

Regulations (10 CFR). These results may also be used for future seismic 
hazard evaluations for existing nuclear power reactors.
    The NRC has prepared an EA to evaluate the potential environmental 
impacts that may arise as a result of this research project in 
accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR part 51, the NRC's 
regulations that implement Section 102(2) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, as amended. Based on the EA, and in accordance with 
10 CFR 51.31(a), the NRC has concluded that a FONSI is appropriate. 
Field work for this project will commence following publication of this 
Notice.

II. EA Summary

    The NRC has prepared the EA to evaluate the potential environmental 
impacts of the field work to be performed along select river segments 
for this project. In accordance with Section 7 of the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the NRC staff 
requested informal consultation with the United States Fish and 
Wildlife Service. No concerns were identified for Federally listed 
species or designated critical habitat. This project is temporary, 
minimally invasive, and will occur outside the critical nesting times 
for migratory birds. Further, researchers will avoid mussel beds and 
active nests, and will minimize disturbance to vegetation.
    Similarly, the NRC determined that there will be no adverse effects 
to any historic or cultural resources that may be located in the 
paleoliquefaction study's area of potential effects within the states 
of Arkansas, Missouri and Mississippi. The Arkansas, Mississippi, and 
Missouri State Historic Preservation Officers have concurred with this 
finding.
    Finally, the NRC has determined that there will be no significant 
impacts to any other resource areas (e.g., surface water, groundwater, 
air quality) as a result of the proposed field work.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    On the basis of the EA and as further described in the FONSI, the 
NRC has concluded that there are no significant environmental impacts 
from the proposed field work and has determined not to prepare an 
environmental impact statement.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day of October 2015.
    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John P. Burke,
Chief, Structural, Geotechnical, and Seismic Engineering Branch, 
Division of Engineering, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.
[FR Doc. 2015-25858 Filed 10-9-15; 8:45 am]
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