[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 229 (Wednesday, November 28, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61172-61174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-25930]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-317, 50-318, 72-8, 50-333, 72-12, 50-220, 50-410, 72-
1036; NRC-2018-0262]
Exelon Generation Company, LLC; Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power
Plant, Units 1 and 2; Calvert Cliffs Independent Spent Fuel Storage
Installation; James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant; Nine Mile Point
Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2
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 a
request to amend licenses held by Exelon Generation Company, LLC
(Exelon, the licensee) for the operation of Calvert Cliffs Nuclear
Power Plant (Calvert Cliffs), Units 1 and 2; James A. FitzPatrick
Nuclear Power Plant (FitzPatrick); and Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station
(Nine Mile Point), Units 1 and 2 (the facilities). Amending these
operating licenses would also affect the independent spent fuel storage
installations (ISFSIs) at each facility. The proposed license
amendments would revise the emergency response organization (ERO)
positions identified in the emergency plan for each facility. The NRC
is issuing an environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no
significant impact (FONSI) associated with the proposed license
amendments.
DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on
November 28, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2018-0262 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 Website: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2018-0262. Address any
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Jennifer Borges;
telephone: 301-287-9127; 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 ``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 is available in ADAMS) is provided the first
time that it is mentioned in this document. In addition, 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: Blake A. Purnell, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-1380; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The NRC is considering a request by Exelon to amend the following
operating licenses: (1) Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-53
and DPR-69 for Calvert Cliffs, Units 1 and 2, respectively, located in
Calvert County, Maryland; (2) Renewed Facility Operating License No.
DPR-59 for FitzPatrick located in Oswego County, New York; and (3)
Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-63 and NPF-69 for Nine Mile
Point, Units 1 and 2, respectively, located in Oswego County, New York.
Amending these operating licenses would also affect the Calvert Cliffs
ISFSI (Renewed License No. SNM-2505) and the generally licensed
FitzPatrick and Nine Mile Point ISFSIs, which are co-located with the
reactor facilities.
In accordance with section 51.21 of title 10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (10 CFR), the NRC prepared the following EA that analyzes
the environmental impacts of the proposed licensing action. Based on
the results of this EA, and in accordance with 10 CFR 51.31(a), the NRC
has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the
proposed licensing action, and is issuing a FONSI.
II. Environmental Assessment
Description of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would revise the ERO positions identified in
the emergency plan for each facility, including the on-shift, minimum,
and full-augmentation ERO staffing
[[Page 61173]]
requirements. The proposed revisions include eliminating ERO positions;
adding ERO positions; changing position descriptions, duties, and duty
locations; and relocating certain position descriptions to other parts
of the emergency plan or to implementing procedures.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application dated August 31, 2018 (ADAMS Package Accession No.
ML18249A096).
Need for the Proposed Action
Nuclear power plant owners, Federal agencies, and State and local
officials work together to create a system for emergency preparedness
and response that will serve the public in the unlikely event of an
emergency. An effective emergency preparedness program decreases the
likelihood of an initiating event at a nuclear power reactor proceeding
to a severe accident. Emergency preparedness cannot affect the
probability of the initiating event, but a high level of emergency
preparedness increases the probability of accident mitigation if the
initiating event proceeds beyond the need for initial operator actions.
Each licensee is required to establish an emergency plan to be
implemented in the event of an accident, in accordance with 10 CFR
50.47 and appendix E to 10 CFR part 50. The emergency plan covers
preparation for evacuation, sheltering, and other actions to protect
individuals near plants in the event of an accident.
The NRC, as well as other Federal and State regulatory agencies,
reviews emergency plans to ensure that they provide reasonable
assurance that adequate protective measures can and will be taken in
the event of a radiological emergency.
In addition to this EA, the NRC is conducting a safety assessment
of Exelon's proposed changes to the emergency plan for each facility.
This safety review will be documented in a separate safety evaluation.
The safety evaluation of the proposed changes to the emergency plans
will determine whether there continues to be reasonable assurance that
adequate protective measures can and will be taken in the event of a
radiological emergency at Calvert Cliffs, FitzPatrick, or Nine Mile
Point, in accordance with the standards of 10 CFR 50.47(b) and the
requirements in appendix E to 10 CFR part 50.
The proposed action would align the emergency plans for the
facilities with the NRC's alternative guidance for EROs provided in a
June 12, 2018, letter to the Nuclear Energy Institute (ADAMS Accession
No. ML18022A352). This alternative guidance is also included in draft
Revision 2 to NUREG-0654/FEMA-REP-1, ``Criteria for Preparation and
Evaluation of Radiological Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness in
Support of Nuclear Power Plants'' (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML14163A605 and
ML17083A815). This change would provide Exelon with greater flexibility
in staffing ERO positions. Additionally, this change reflects changes
in NRC regulations and guidance, as well as advances in technologies
and best practices, that have occurred since NUREG-0654/FEMA-REP-1,
Revision 1, was published in 1980. The application indicates that
Exelon provided the State of New York a draft of the license amendment
request for FitzPatrick and Nine Mile Point, and that the State of New
York had no concerns. The application also indicates that Exelon
provided the State of Maryland a draft of the license amendment request
for Calvert Cliffs, and that the State of Maryland found the proposed
changes acceptable.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The proposed action consists of changes related to staffing
positions, position descriptions, duties, and duty locations specified
in the emergency plans for Calvert Cliffs, FitzPatrick, and Nine Mile
Point. The on-shift, minimum, and full-augmentation ERO staffing
requirements listed in the emergency plan would be revised. The
revisions include eliminating ERO positions; adding ERO positions;
changing position descriptions, duties, and duty locations; and
relocating certain position descriptions to other parts of the
emergency plan or to implementing procedures.
With regard to potential nonradiological environmental impacts, the
proposed changes would have no impacts on land use or water resources,
including terrestrial and aquatic biota, as they involve no new
construction, ground disturbing activities, or modification of plant
operational systems. There would be no changes to the quality or
quantity of nonradiological effluents and no changes to the plants'
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits. The overall
staffing levels are not expected to increase; therefore, worker vehicle
air emissions are not expected to increase and established threshold
emissions set forth in 40 CFR 93.153(b) for designated nonattainment or
maintenance areas would not be exceeded. Since the proposed changes
will not increase staffing levels and will not involve ground
disturbing activities, modification of plant operation systems, or new
construction, there would be no noticeable effect on socioeconomic
conditions in the region, no environment justice impacts, and no
impacts to historic and cultural resources from the proposed changes.
Therefore, there would be no significant nonradiological environmental
impacts associated with the proposed action.
With regard to potential radiological environmental impacts, if the
NRC staff's safety review of the proposed changes to the licensee's
emergency plans determines that the emergency plans would continue to
meet the standards of 10 CFR 50.47(b) and the requirements in appendix
E to 10 CFR part 50, then the proposed action would not increase the
probability or consequences of radiological accidents. Additionally,
the NRC staff has concluded that the proposed changes would have no
radiological environmental impacts. There would be no change to the
types or amounts of radioactive effluents that may be released and,
therefore, no change in occupational or public radiation exposure from
the proposed changes. Moreover, no changes would be made to plant
buildings or the site property from the proposed changes. Therefore,
there would be no significant radiological environmental impacts
associated with the proposed action.
Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to the proposed action, the NRC staff considered
denial of the license amendment request (i.e., the ``no-action''
alternative). Denial of the license amendment request would result in
no change in current environmental impacts. Accordingly, the
environmental impacts of the proposed action and the no-action
alternative would be similar.
Alternative Use of Resources
There are no unresolved conflicts concerning alternative uses of
available resources under the proposed action.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
No additional agencies or persons were consulted regarding the
environmental impact of the proposed action. However, in accordance
with 10 CFR 50.91, the licensee provided copies of its application to
the States of New York and Maryland, and the NRC staff will consult
with these states prior to issuance of the amendments.
[[Page 61174]]
III. Finding of No Significant Impact
The licensee has requested license amendments pursuant to 10 CFR
50.54(q) to revise the ERO positions identified in the emergency plans
for Calvert Cliffs, FitzPatrick, and Nine Mile Point by eliminating ERO
positions; adding ERO positions; changing position descriptions,
duties, and duty locations; and relocating certain position
descriptions to other parts of the emergency plan or to implementing
procedures. The NRC is considering issuing the requested amendments.
The proposed action would not significantly affect plant safety, would
not have a significant adverse effect on the probability of an accident
occurring, and would not have any significant radiological or
nonradiological impacts. The reason the environment would not be
significantly affected is because the proposed changes are not expected
to increase the overall staffing levels and do not involve any
construction or modification of the specified facilities. This FONSI
incorporates by reference the EA in Section II of this notice.
Therefore, the NRC concludes that the proposed action would not have a
significant effect on the quality of the human environment.
Accordingly, the NRC has determined there is no need to prepare an
environmental impact statement for the proposed action.
Previous considerations regarding the environmental impacts of
operating Calvert Cliffs, Units 1 and 2; Calvert Cliffs ISFSI;
FitzPatrick; and Nine Mile Point, Units 1 and 2, in accordance with
their renewed operating licenses, are described in the documents listed
in the table in Section IV.
This FONSI and other related environmental documents may be
examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's PDR, located at One
White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
Publicly-available records are also accessible online in the ADAMS
Public Documents collection at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. Persons who do not have access to ADAMS or who encounter
problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS should contact the
NRC's PDR reference staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-
4737, or by email to [email protected].
IV. Availability of Documents
The documents identified in the following table are available to
interested persons through one or more of the following methods, as
indicated.
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Document ADAMS Accession No.
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Exelon, License Amendment Request for ML18249A096
Approval of Changes to Emergency Plan
Staffing Requirements, dated August 31,
2018.
NRC letter to the Nuclear Energy ML18022A352
Institute, Alternative Guidance for
Licensee Emergency Response
Organizations, dated June 12, 2018.
NUREG[dash]0654/FEMA[dash]REP[dash]1, ML14163A605 and ML17083A815
draft Revision 2, ``Criteria for
Preparation and Evaluation of
Radiological Emergency Response Plans
and Preparedness in Support of Nuclear
Power Plants''.
NUREG[dash]1437, Supplement 1, ``Generic ML063400277
Environmental Impact Statement for
License Renewal of Nuclear Plants:
Regarding the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear
Power Plant,'' Final Report, dated
October 1999.
NRC, ``Environmental Assessment for the ML14282A278
Proposed Renewal of U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission License No. SNM-
2505 for Exelon Generation Corporation
[sic], LLC's Calvert Cliffs Independent
Spent Fuel Storage Installation,''
dated October 2014.
NUREG[dash]1437, Supplement 31, ML080170183
``Generic Environmental Impact
Statement for License Renewal of
Nuclear Plants: Regarding James A.
FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant,''
Final Report, dated January 2008.
NUREG[dash]1437, Supplement 24, ML061290310
``Generic Environmental Impact
Statement for License Renewal of
Nuclear Plants: Regarding James A.
FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant,''
Final Report, dated May 2006.
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Dated at Rockville, Maryland, on November 23, 2018.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Blake A. Purnell,
Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch III, Division of Operating
Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2018-25930 Filed 11-27-18; 8:45 am]
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