[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 137 (Wednesday, July 19, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33159-33160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-15144]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 40-9091; NRC-2011-0148]


Strata Energy, Inc.; Ross Uranium In Situ Recovery Facility; 
Source and Byproduct Materials License

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

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

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering an 
amendment of Source and Byproduct Materials License SUA-1601 to modify 
a License Condition for the Strata Energy, Inc. (Strata) Ross In Situ 
Recovery (ISR) Project. Specifically, Strata is requesting that NRC 
approve modifications to License Condition 11.3 (A) and (B) which 
pertain to requirements for the minimum density of baseline wells for a 
wellfield and distance to and spacing of the perimeter wells for a 
wellfield. The NRC has prepared a final environmental assessment (EA) 
and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for this licensing action.

DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on 
July 12, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2011-0148 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-2011-0148. 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 via email to [email protected]. The 
ADAMS accession number for each document referenced (if it is available 
in ADAMS) is provided the first time that it is mentioned in 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: Jessie Muir Quintero, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-7476; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    The NRC is considering amending License Condition 11.3 (A) and (B) 
of License SUA-1601 issued to Strata. As required by part 51 of title 
10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), the NRC prepared a 
final EA (ADAMS Accession No. ML17191A371). Based on the results of the 
final EA, described as follows, the NRC has determined not to prepare 
an environmental impact

[[Page 33160]]

statement (EIS) for the amendment, and is issuing a FONSI.

II. Environmental Assessment

Description of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would amend License Condition 11.3 (A) and (B) 
of Strata's Ross license. Strata's amendment request consists of 
modifying the minimum density requirement in a wellfield baseline 
monitoring program and the distance to and spacing of wells on the 
perimeter monitoring well ring (ADAMS Accession No. ML16004A032).

Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would allow Strata flexibility in the placement 
of wells to avoid certain natural features and infrastructure.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC assessed the environmental impacts to ground water as a 
result of amending License Condition 11.3 (A) and (B) and determined 
that there would be no significant impact to ground-water quality. The 
NRC determined the proposed changes to the License Condition--changes 
to well density requirements and distance to and spacing of wells in 
perimeter monitoring well ring--would still maintain Strata's ability 
to develop appropriate baseline and restoration data and continue the 
timely and accurate identification of ground-water excursions.

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). 
The No-Action Alternative would mean that the NRC would not approve the 
requested change to License Condition 11.3 (A) and (B). The No-Action 
alternative would result in Strata operating the Ross project as 
currently licensed, thus the impacts would be the same as those already 
considered in the Ross Supplemental EIS (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML14056A096).

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    On June 14, 2017, the NRC staff sent a copy of the draft EA to the 
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for their review and 
comment. The state official responded on July 6, 2017, that DEQ had 
reviewed the EA and did not have any comments (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML17191A327).

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based on its review of the proposed action, and in accordance with 
the requirements in 10 CFR part 51, the NRC staff has determined that 
amending License Condition 11.3(A) and (B) for the Ross ISR project 
would not significantly affect ground-water quality. The NRC staff has 
determined that pursuant to 10 CFR 51.31, preparation of an EIS is not 
required for the proposed action and, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, a FONSI 
is appropriate.
    On the basis of the final EA, 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 EIS 
for the proposed action.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 12th day of July 2017.

    For the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Craig G. Erlanger,
Director, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety, Safeguards, and Environmental 
Review, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2017-15144 Filed 7-18-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7590-01-P