[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