[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 114 (Tuesday, June 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38739-38745]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14078]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-274; NRC-2015-0284]
United States Department of the Interior, United States
Geological Survey TRIGA Research Reactor
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
renewal of Facility Operating License No. R-113, held by the United
States Geological Survey (USGS or the licensee), for the continued
operation of its USGS Training, Research, Isotope Production, General
Atomics (TRIGA) research reactor (GSTR or the reactor). The NRC is
issuing an environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant
impact (FONSI) associated with the renewal of the license.
DATES: The EA and FONSI are available as of June 14, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2015-0284 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-2015-0284. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Carol
[[Page 38740]]
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]. For
the convenience of the reader, the ADAMS accession numbers are provided
in a table in the ``Availability of Documents'' section of this
document.
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: Geoffrey A. Wertz, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-0893; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The NRC is considering renewal of Facility Operating License No. R-
113, held by the USGS, which would authorize continued operation of its
reactor, located in the Denver Federal Center, Lakewood, Colorado.
Therefore, as required by section 51.21 of title 10 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (10 CFR), ``Criteria for and identification of
licensing and regulatory actions requiring environmental assessments,''
the NRC performed an EA. Based on the results of the EA that follows,
the NRC has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement
for the renewed license, and is issuing a FONSI.
II. Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would renew Facility Operating License No. R-
113 for an additional 20 years from the date of issuance of the renewal
license. The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application dated January 5, 2009, as supplemented by letters dated
November 24, 2010; February 11, March 28, May 12, June 29, July 27,
August 30, September 26, October 31, and November 30, 2011; January 3,
January 27 (two letters), March 28, April 27, May 18, May 31, June 29,
July 31, August 30, and November 16, 2012; February 8, May 17, and
October 31, 2013; November 3, and November 24, 2014; September 8, 2015;
and January 22, and April 1, 2016, (the renewal application). In
accordance with 10 CFR 2.109, the existing license remains in effect
until the NRC takes final action on the renewal application.
Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is needed to allow the continued operation of
the GSTR to routinely provide teaching, research, and services to
numerous institutions for a period of 20 years.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC has completed its safety evaluation (SE) of the proposed
action to issue a renewed Facility Operating License No. R-113 to allow
continued operation of the GSTR for a period of 20 years and concludes
there is reasonable assurance that the GSTR will continue to operate
safely for the additional period of time. The details of the NRC
staff's SE will be provided with the renewed license that will be
issued as part of the letter to the licensee approving its license
renewal application. This document contains the EA of the proposed
action.
The GSTR is located within the Nuclear Science Building, Building
15, located on the Denver Federal Center, northwest of downtown
Lakewood, Colorado, approximately 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) south of
Interstate 70 and 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of downtown Denver,
Colorado. The initial construction of Building 15 was completed in 1966
and the initial operating license was issued in February 1969. There
are no permanent residences on the Denver Federal Center property, and
the nearest residence is 2,100 feet (640 meters) from the GSTR.
The GSTR is a pool-type, light-water cooled, graphite-reflected
research reactor licensed to operate at a maximum steady-state power
level of 1.0 megawatt thermal power (MW) and has the capability to
pulse to a peak power of approximately 1,600 MW. The fuel is located at
the bottom of the inner aluminum tank with a diameter of approximately
7.5 feet (2.3 meters) and a depth of 25 feet (7.6 meters). The reactor
is fueled with uranium-zirconium hydride TRIGA fuel elements with a
uranium-235 enrichment of less than 20 percent. A detailed description
of the reactor can be found in the GSTR Safety Analysis Report (SAR).
There have been no major modifications to the GSTR or the Facility
Operating License since issuing the operating license in February 1966.
A. Radiological Impacts
Environmental Effects of Reactor Operations
Gaseous radioactive effluents are discharged by the ventilation
exhaust located on the roof of the building, at a volumetric flow rate
of approximately 1000 cubic feet per minute (cfm) (28.3 cubic meters
per minute). The reactor bay is maintained at a negative pressure
relative to the outside environment, which helps ensure that any
release pathways are through the ventilation exhaust that provides an
elevated release point for dispersion of the effluent. This release
pathway is monitored by GSTR staff. The only significant nuclide found
in the gaseous effluent stream is Argon-41. The licensee has a current
technical specification (TS) which limits the release of Argon-41 to an
average annual concentration of 4.8E-6 microcuries/milliliter
([micro]Ci/ml). Argon-41 is released from the GSTR through a roof stack
at an elevation of 21 feet (6.4 meters) above grade as specified in the
GSTR TSs. The concentration of Argon-41 will be reduced by dispersion
and dilution before it reaches the unrestricted area. The purpose of
the TS is to help ensure that doses from Argon-41 released from the
facility are within NRC regulatory requirements. Assuming continuous
operation of the GSTR in order to continuously produce and release
Argon-41 at the TS limit of 4.8E-6 [micro]Ci/ml, and a volumetric flow
rate of 1,000 cfm from the exhaust stack, the total release of Argon-41
to the environment would be approximately 71.44 curies in a year.
The licensee performed calculations, assuming a continuous release
of Argon-41 at the TS limit (4.8E-6 [micro]Ci/ml), and determined that
the potential radiation dose to a member of the public, who could be
continuously exposed for an entire year at the nearest publicly-
available location, 1,558 feet (475 meters) from the GSTR, was
approximately 0.3 millirem (mrem) (0.003 milliSieverts (mSv)) per year.
The licensee also performed calculations for various locations within
the Denver Federal Center, using occupancy factors to account for the
duration that persons could be exposed. The maximum exposure was at the
Building 15 south door. Using a conservative occupancy factor of 5
percent (1.75 hours per work day or 437 hours per year) to account for
the time that an individual may be at
[[Page 38741]]
the door, the maximum radiation exposure was 6.75 mrem (0.0675 mSv).
Using an occupancy factor of 22.8 percent (40 hours per week for 50
weeks per year), the licensee calculated that the annual dose to a
person at the entrance to the nearest building (Building 21--161 feet
(49 meters) away) was 2.37 mrem (0.024mSv).
A review of the licensee's annual reports for the previous 5 years
of operation shows that the maximum annual release of Argon-41 for the
five year time period was approximately 13 curies in 2013. Using
reactor operation as provided in the 2013 annual report, which was
1,118 hours, the approximate average concentration released from the
roof stack during reactor operation was calculated to be 6.8E-12 curies
per milliliter (Ci/ml), which is well below the limit of 1.0E-8 Ci/ml
as specified in 10 CFR part 20, appendix B for air effluent releases.
The licensee also considered the radiological effect of Nitrogen-
16, which is produced from neutron activation of Oxygen-16 in the
reactor pool coolant water. Nitrogen-16 decays with a very short half-
life of 7 seconds, and given that the GSTR has a nitrogen diffuser,
which provides a delay in the time it takes for the Nitrogen-16 to
transit from the reactor core to the pool surface, most of the
Nitrogen-16 has been removed through decay prior to reaching the pool
surface. Other radioactive gaseous effluents released were reported to
the NRC in the licensees' annual reports and were approximately 5
percent or less of the air effluent concentration limits set by 10 CFR
part 20, appendix B. The NRC staff reviewed the radiological dose
calculations provided by the licensee, the assumptions used, and the
results of several years effluent releases from the licensee's annual
reports, as well as toured the facility, and finds that the results of
the licensee's dose estimates to be reasonable.
Since the potential radiation dose resulting from the effluent
release from the normal operation of the GSTR to a person in the
unrestricted area outside the Denver Federal Center, is less than 1
mrem (0.01 mSv), and to the maximum exposed person on the Denver
Federal Center is less than 7 mrem (0.07 mSv), the licensee
demonstrates compliance with the dose limit of 100 mrem (1 mSv) set by
10 CFR 20.1301. Additionally, this potential radiation dose also
demonstrates compliance with the air emissions dose constraint of 10
mrem (0.1 mSv) specified in 10 CFR 20.1101(d).
The licensee does not routinely dispose of liquid radioactive
wastes. Normal operations of the GSTR do not generate liquid
radioactive waste, and the licensee's policy is not to dispose of any
liquid radioactive waste directly to the environment or to the sanitary
sewer. The occasional liquid radioactive waste generated at the GSTR
includes irradiated samples, liquid standards, decontamination waste
water, and reactor tank pool water. Primary coolant water is purified
by a mixed-bed demineralizer which maintains the conductivity levels
low in order to minimize the corrosion potential of the reactor
components. Radioactive liquid generated during the resin exchange
process or minor amounts collected in the reactor tank or from other
uses are evaporated and disposed of as solid radioactive waste. A
review of the GSTR annual reports submitted to the NRC for the past 5
years, through 2014, indicated that the licensee reported no routine
releases of liquid radioactive waste.
The licensee's health physics staff oversees the handling of solid
low-level radioactive waste generated at the GSTR. The bulk of the
waste consists of ion exchange resin, irradiated samples, lab-ware, and
anti-contamination clothing. The resins used in the demineralizer are
replaced every 2 to 3 years, and any radioactive material captured in
the resins are disposed with the resins as solid radioactive waste. The
resin is aggregated for disposal as solid radioactive waste, until a
quantity sufficient for disposal can be collected, which allows
significant radioactive decay to further reduce the amount of solid
radioactive waste.
The licensee disposes of the waste by transferring it to a low-
level waste broker in accordance with all applicable regulations for
transportation of radioactive materials.
To comply with the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, the USGS has
entered into a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that
provides that DOE retains title to the fuel utilized at the GSTR and
that DOE is obligated to take the fuel from the site for final
disposition.
As described in Chapter 11 of the GSTR SAR, personnel exposures are
well within the limits set by 10 CFR 20.1201, ``Occupational dose
limits for adults,'' and are as low as is reasonably achievable. The
licensee health physics staff monitors personnel exposures, which are
documented in the licensee's annual reports, and which are consistently
less than 10 percent of the occupational limit of 5,000 mrem (50 mSv)
per year. The TSs require a continuous air monitor and an area
radiation monitor to be operable during reactor operation, in order to
provide an indication of any change in the radiation levels. The NRC
staff reviewed the operating experience from the GSTR, which is
documented in both the licensee's annual reports and the NRC staff's
inspection reports, and found that radiation exposures to personnel
working in the GSTR from both direct and airborne radiation during
normal operation, were within the limits of 10 CFR 20.1201. No changes
in reactor operation that would lead to an increase in occupational
dose are expected as a result of the proposed action.
The licensee conducts an environmental monitoring program to record
and track the radiological impact of GSTR operation on the surrounding
unrestricted area. The program consists of quarterly exposure
measurements at six locations. Biennially, soil and water samples are
taken around the facility and analyzed for contamination. The licensee
health physics staff administers the program and maintains the
appropriate records. The NRC staff review of the environmental survey
program indicated that radiation exposures at the monitoring locations
did not significantly change, and no correlation appeared to exist
between total annual reactor operations and annual exposures measured
at the monitoring locations. Based on the NRC staff's review of the
past 5 years of data, the NRC staff concludes that operation of the
GSTR does not have any significant radiological impact on the
surrounding environment. No changes in reactor operation that would
affect radiation levels in the environment are expected as a result of
the proposed action. Therefore, the NRC staff concludes that the
proposed action would not have a significant radiological impact.
Environmental Effects of Accidents
Accident scenarios are provided in the guidance in NUREG-1537,
``Guidance for Preparing and Reviewing Applications for the Licensing
of Non-Power Reactors,'' issued February 1996, and the results of the
licensee's analysis was provided in Chapter 13 of the GSTR SAR.
Typically, the most significant radiological fission product release
accident considered at a research reactor is the maximum hypothetical
accident (MHA) which for this reactor design is the rupture of one
highly irradiated fuel element and the instantaneous release of the
contained noble gases and halogen fission products into the air. The
dose calculations conservatively assume no radioactive decay of the
fission products prior to release. The licensee conservatively
calculated doses to facility personnel and the maximum
[[Page 38742]]
potential doses to members of the public at various locations around
the GSTR. The NRC staff performed independent calculations to verify
that the licensee's calculated doses represented conservative estimates
for the MHA. The details of these calculations are provided in the NRC
staff's SE report that will be issued with the renewed license. The
occupational radiation doses resulting from this postulated accident
would be well below the 10 CFR 20.1201 limit of 5,000 mrem (50 mSv).
The maximum calculated radiation doses for members of the public
resulting from this postulated accident would be well below the 10 CFR
20.1301 limit of 100 mrem (1 mSv).
The licensee has not requested changes to the facility design or
operating conditions as part of the license renewal. No changes are
being made in the types or quantities of effluents that may be released
offsite. The licensee has systems in place for controlling the release
of radiological effluents and implements a radiation protection program
to monitor personnel exposures and calculates releases of radioactive
effluents. As discussed in the NRC staff's SE., the systems and
radiation protection program are appropriate for the types and
quantities of effluents expected to be generated by continued operation
of the reactor. Accordingly, license renewal should not result in an
increase in routine occupational or public radiation exposure. As
discussed in detail in the NRC staff's SE., the proposed action will
not significantly increase the probability or consequences of
accidents. Therefore, license renewal would not change the
environmental impact of facility operations. The NRC staff evaluated
information contained in the licensee's application, as supplemented,
and data reported to the NRC by the licensee for the last 5e years of
operation to determine the projected radiological impact of the
facility on the environment during the period of the renewed license.
The NRC staff found that releases of radioactive material and personnel
exposures were all well within applicable regulatory limits. Based on
this evaluation, the NRC staff concluded that continued operation of
the reactor for an additional 20 years should not have a significant
environmental impact.
B. Non-Radiological Impacts
The GSTR core is cooled by natural convection of demineralized
light-water in the primary cooling system consisting of the reactor
tank and heat removal system. Cooling of the reactor core occurs by
natural convection of coolant through the core, with the heated coolant
rising out of the core and into the bulk pool water. The heat removal
system transfers heat to the secondary system by pumping primary
coolant through the tube-side of a 1000 kilowatt rated shell and tube
heat exchanger. The secondary system circulates water through the
shell-side of the heat exchanger and a forced-air cooling tower. Forced
air is directed perpendicular to the water flow in the cooling tower to
cool the water. During operation, the secondary system is maintained at
a higher pressure than the primary system to minimize the likelihood of
primary system contamination entering the secondary system, and
ultimately the environment in the unlikely event of a heat exchanger
failure. Secondary coolant make-up water to the cooling tower is
provided by city water and is automatically added as needed by a float-
type control valve. The addition of secondary coolant make-up water is
based on the evaporative loss through the cooling tower, and, thus, is
minimal with respect to the total capacity of city water. Release of
thermal effluents from the GSTR cooling tower will not have a
significant effect on the environment. No chemicals are used in the
treatment of the primary or secondary coolant. No highly hazardous
chemicals, toxins or reactives are present at the facility. No strong
acids or bases are used or stored by the licensee. The facility does
use small amounts (typically less than 50 milliliter) of chemicals for
experiments, but these chemicals are of low toxicity, reactivity and
corrosivity characteristics, and are transferred as licensed byproduct
material as part of the experiment to the user. As such, the licensee
generally maintains less than 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of any chemical at
the facility.
Given that the proposed action does not involve any changes in the
design or operation of the reactor, and the heat load is dissipated to
the environment by evaporative loss through a forced-air cooling tower,
the NRC staff concludes that the proposed action will not have a
significant impact on the local water supply.
National Environmental Policy Act Considerations
The NRC has responsibilities that are derived from the National
Environmental Policy Act and from other environmental laws, which
include the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Coastal Zone Management Act
(CZMA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act (FWCA), and Executive Order 12898--Environmental
Justice. The following presents a brief discussion of impacts
associated with these laws and other requirements.
1. Endangered Species Act
The NRC staff conducted a search of Federally-listed species and
critical habitats that have the potential to occur in the vicinity of
the GSTR facility using the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
Environmental Conservation Online System Information for Planning and
Conservation (IPaC) system. The IPaC system report identified 10
Federally endangered or threatened species that may occur or could
potentially be affected by the proposed action (ADAMS Accession No.
ML16120A471). However, none of these species are likely to occur near
the GSTR facility because the facility is located within the Denver
Federal Center, a U.S. General Services Administration-operated
property that houses office buildings, warehouses, laboratories, and
special use space. The area was developed for Federal government
operations in the 1940s and has remained in use since that time.
Because the area enclosed by the Denver Federal Center was developed
for government buildings, it does not provide suitable habitat for any
Federally-listed species. Further, the IPaC report determined that no
critical habitat is within the vicinity of the GSTR facility.
Accordingly, the NRC concludes that the proposed license renewal of the
GSTR facility would have no effect on Federally-listed species or
critical habitats. Federal agencies are not required to consult with
the FWS if they determine that an action will not have an effect on
listed species or critical habitat (ADAMS Accession No. ML16120A505).
Thus, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) does not require consultation
for the proposed GSTR facility license renewal, and the NRC considers
its obligations under ESA Section 7 to be fulfilled for the proposed
action.
2. Coastal Zone Management Act
The GSTR is not located within any managed coastal zones, nor would
GSTR effluents and emissions impact any managed costal zones.
Therefore, the NRC does not have obligations under CZMA for this
proposed action.
3. National Historic Preservation Act
The NHPA requires Federal agencies to consider the effects of their
undertakings on historic properties. As stated in the Act, historic
properties are any prehistoric or historic district, site, building,
structure, or object included
[[Page 38743]]
in, or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic
Places (NRHP). The NRHP lists eleven historical sites in the Lakewood,
Colorado area. None of the sites are closer than 0.5 miles (0.8
kilometers) to the GSTR. Given the distance between the GSTR facility
and these historical properties, continued operation of GSTR within the
Nuclear Science Building would not impact any historical sites. The
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) was contacted and the SHPO
determined that license renewal would have no adverse effect on
historic properties in the vicinity of the GSTR. Based on this
information, the NRC finds that the potential impacts of license
renewal would have no adverse effect on historic properties located in
the vicinity of Building 15 of the Denver Federal Center and the GSTR.
4. Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act
With regard to the GSTR, the licensee is not planning any water
resource development projects, including any of the modifications
relating to impounding a body of water, damming, diverting a stream or
river, deepening a channel, irrigation, or altering a body of water for
navigation or drainage. Therefore, this action has no significant
impact related to the FWCA.
5. Executive Order 12898--Environmental Justice
The environmental justice impact analysis evaluates the potential
for disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental
effects on minority and low-income populations that could result from
the relicensing and the continued operation of the GSTR. Such effects
may include human health, biological, cultural, economic, or social
impacts.
Minority Populations in the Vicinity of the GSTR--According to the
2010 Census, about 34 percent of the total population (approximately
930,000 individuals) residing within a 10-mile radius of the GSTR
identified themselves as a minority. The largest minority population
were people of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin of any race
(approximately 241,000 persons or 26 percent), followed by Black or
African American (approximately 271,000 or 3 percent). According to the
U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 census data, about 20 percent of the
Jefferson County population identified themselves as minorities, with
persons of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin of any race comprising
the largest minority (14.3 percent), followed by Asian (2.6 percent).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2014 American Community Survey 1-
Year Estimates, the minority population of Jefferson County, as a
percent of the total population, had increased to about 21.3 percent.
Low-income Populations in the Vicinity of the GSTR--According to
the U.S. Census Bureau's 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-Year
Estimates, approximately 140,000 individuals (15.1 percent) residing
within a 10-mile radius of the GSTR, were identified as living below
the Federal poverty threshold. The 2013 Federal poverty threshold was
$28,834 for a family of four.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2014 American Community
Survey 1-Year Estimates, median household income for Colorado was
$61,303, while 8.0 percent of families and 12.0 percent of the state
population were found to be living below the Federal poverty threshold.
Jefferson County had a higher median household income average ($70,714)
and lower percentages of families (4.5 percent) and individuals (8.1
percent) living below the poverty level, respectively.
Impact Analysis--Potential impacts to minority and low-income
populations would mostly consist of radiological effects, however
radiation doses from continued operations associated with the license
renewal are expected to continue at current levels, and would be well
below regulatory limits.
Based on this information and the analysis of human health and
environmental impacts presented in this environmental assessment, the
proposed relicensing would not have disproportionately high and adverse
human health and environmental effects on minority and low-income
populations residing in the vicinity of the GSTR.
Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to license renewal, the NRC considered denying
the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative). If the NRC
denied the request for license renewal, reactor operations would cease
and decommissioning would be required. The NRC notes that, even with a
renewed license, the GSTR will eventually be decommissioned, at which
time the environmental effects of decommissioning would occur.
Decommissioning would be conducted in accordance with an NRC-approved
decommissioning plan which would require a separate environmental
review under 10 CFR 51.21. Cessation of facility operations would
reduce or eliminate radioactive effluents and emissions. However, as
previously discussed in this environmental assessment, radioactive
effluents and emissions from reactor operations constitute a small
fraction of the applicable regulatory limits. Therefore, the
environmental impacts of license renewal and the denial of the request
for license renewal would be similar. In addition, denying the request
for license renewal would eliminate the benefits of teaching, research,
and services provided by the GSTR.
Alternative Use of Resources
The proposed action does not involve the use of any different
resources or significant quantities of resources beyond those
previously considered in the issuance of Amendment No. 10 to Facility
Operating License No. R-113 for the GSTR, dated June 16, 2005, which
extended the license expiration date from October 10, 2007, to February
24, 2009, by removing the construction time, from the issuance date of
Construction Permit No. CPRR-102 on October 10, 1967, to the issuance
of Operating License No. R-113 on February 24, 1969.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with the agency's stated policy, on May 25, 2016, the
staff consulted with the Colorado State Liaison Officer regarding the
environmental impact of the proposed action. The consultation involved
a telephone voice message with an explanation of the environmental
review, and an electronic mail message with a copy of the details of
this environmental assessment, and the NRC staff's findings. On May 27,
2016, the State Liaison Officer responded, via electronic mail, that
they understood the NRC staff review, and had no comments regarding the
proposed action (ADAMS Accession No. ML16153A207).
The NRC staff provided information about the proposed activity to
the Colorado State Historic Preservation Officer for review in a letter
dated January 26, 2011 (ADAMS Accession No. ML110310614). The staff
requested a review concerning the historical assessment of the proposed
action. On February 16, 2011, the Colorado Historic Preservation Office
responded by letter (ADAMS Accession No. ML110600304) and concurred
with the conclusions that no historical properties were affected by the
proposed action.
The NRC staff provided information about the proposed activity to
the City of Lakewood, Department of Planning and Public Works for
review in a letter dated September 9, 2011 (ADAMS
[[Page 38744]]
Accession No. ML112560231). The staff requested a review concerning the
historical assessment of the proposed action. On November 16, 2011, the
Manager, Planning Development Assistance responded by electronic mail
(ADAMS Accession No. ML113210158) and concurred with the conclusions
that no historical properties were affected by the proposed action.
III. Finding of No Significant Impact
The NRC staff has prepared this EA as part of its review of the
proposed action. On the basis of the EA included in Section II above
and incorporated by reference in this finding, the NRC finds that there
are no significant environmental impacts from the proposed action, and
the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality
of the human environment. The NRC staff has determined that a FONSI is
appropriate, and decided not to prepare an environmental impact
statement for the proposed action.
IV. Availability of Documents
The following table identifies the environmental and other
documents cited in this document and related to the NRC's FONSI. These
documents are available for public inspection online through ADAMS at
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html or in person at the NRC's PDR
as described previously.
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Document ADAMS Accession No.
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United States Geological Survey--Safety ML092120136
Analysis Report, Technical
Specifications, and Environmental Report
to Support License Renewal (redacted
version), January 5, 2009.
U.S. Geological Survey TRIGA Reactor ML103340090
Response to the RAI Concerning R 113
License Renewal, November 24, 2010.
Letter dated 01/26/11; Subject: Request ML110310614
for a Section 106 Review Under the
National Historic Preservation Act for
the U.S. Geological Survey TRIGA Reactor
in Lakewood, Colorado, January 26, 2011.
Colorado Historical Society, Letter dated ML110600304
2/16/11, RE: Request for a Section 106
Review under NHPA for USGS TRIGA
Reactor, Lakewood, CO, February 16, 2011.
Letter dated 09/09/11; Subject: Request ML112560231
for a Section 106 Review Under the
National Historic Preservation Act for
the U.S. Geological Survey TRIGA Reactor
in Lakewood, Colorado; from T. Jackson,
NRC, to W. Clayton, City of Lakewood,
CO, September 9, 2011.
City of Lakewood E-mail dated 11/16/11, ML113210158
Subject: Section 106 Review of USGS
TRIGA Reactor in Lakewood, November 16,
2011.
Response to Letter of February 1, 2011 ML110480046
Concerning R-113 License Renewal,
February 11, 2011.
Response to Questions 23.1, 23.2, and ML110950059
23.3 of the Referenced RAI, March 28,
2011.
U.S. Geological Survey--Response to ML11138A027
Questions 22.1, 22,2, 25.1, 25.2, 25.3,
25.4, and 25.6 of the Referenced RAI,
May 12, 2011.
U.S. Geological Survey, Response to ML11181A305
Request for Additional Information for
Questions 17.1 and 17.2, June 29, 2011.
Response to Question 2 of the Referenced ML11214A091
RAI, July 27, 2011.
Response to Question 1 of the Referenced ML112500522
RAI, August 30, 2011.
Response to Request for Additional ML11277A013
Information to Question 20, September
26, 2011.
U.S. Geological Survey TRIGA Reactor ML11314A106
(GSTR) Response to Question 6 of the
Referenced RAI, October 31, 2011.
U.S. Geological Survey--Redacted-- ML113460014
Licensee Response to NRC Request for
Additional Information Questions 7 and
8, License Renewal, November 30, 2011.
U.S. Geological Survey--Redacted-- ML120240003
Licensee Response to NRC Request for
Additional Information Question 15.3,
January 3, 2012.
U.S. Geological Survey TRIGA Reactor-- ML12068A138
Response to Question 15.2 of the Request
for Additional Information dated
September 29, 1010, January 27, 2012.
U.S. Geological Survey TRIGA Reactor ML12039A173
(GSTR)--Response to Question 18 of a
Request for Additional Information dated
September 29, 2010, January 27, 2012.
U.S. Geological Survey TRIGA Reactor, ML12100A097
Response to Request for Additional
Information to Question 14, March 28,
2012.
U.S. Geological Survey TRIGA Reactor ML12128A429
(GSTR)--Response to Question 16 of the
Referenced RAI, April 27, 2012.
U.S. Geological Survey, Responses to ML12151A407
Questions 26 and 27 of the Referenced
RAI, May 18, 2012.
U.S. Geological Survey--Response to ML12160A064
Request for Additional Information (RAI)
Question 14, May 31, 2012.
U.S. Geological Survey TRIGA Reactor ML12200A055
(GSTR)--Response to Question 3 of the
Referenced RAI, June 29, 2012.
U.S. Geological Survey TRIGA Reactor ML12220A525
Response to Question 21 of the
Referenced RAI dated September 29, 2010,
July 31, 2012.
Responses to Questions 9, 10, 11, 12, ML12251A231
15.1, 23.4, 24, and 25.5; Along with a
Corrected Copy of the Proposed Technical
Specifications (Chapter 14) of the SAR,
August 30, 2012.
U.S. Geological Survey--Redacted-- ML12334A001
Response to NRC Request for Additional
Information dated October 2, 2012,
November 16, 2012.
U.S. Geological Survey--Redacted-- ML13052A179
Responses to NRC Request for Additional
Information dated October 2, 2012 and
Telephone Conference dated December 20,
2012, February 8, 2013.
Redacted USGS RAI Clarification ML13162A662
Information Needed to Support the USGS
License Renewal SAR (ME1593), May 17,
2013.
Follow-up Safety Analysis Responses from ML13311A047
letter dated July 15, 2013, October 31,
2013.
Submission of Revised Technical ML14325A646
Specifications, Chapter 14, November 3,
2014.
Redacted Version--U.S. Geological Survey ML14338A196
TRIGA Reactor Request for Additional
Information Responses to RAI Questions
15.3 and 28, November 24, 2014.
Revision of Proposed Technical ML15261A042
Specifications, September 8, 2015.
U.S. Geological Survey, Responses to RAI ML16042A575
Questions 1a, 1b, and 1c, January 22,
2016.
U.S. Geological Survey RAI letter ML16110A008
Redacted, April 1, 2016.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, UGSG ML16120A471
Training, Research, Isotope Production,
General Atomics Research Reactor License
Renewal, IPaC Trust Resources Report,
April 29, 2016.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, ML16120A505
Endangered Species Consultations
Frequently Asked Questions, July 15,
2013.
Colorado State Liaison Officer E-mail, ML16153A207
RE: Review of the draft Environmental
Assessment Supporting License Renewal of
the USGS Research Reactor, May 27, 2016.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 38745]]
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 6th day of June 2016.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Alexander Adams, Jr.,
Chief, Research and Test Reactors Licensing Branch, Division of Policy
and Rulemaking, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2016-14078 Filed 6-13-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P