[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 132 (Wednesday, July 10, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32965-32968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-14711]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 72-30, 50-309, and 72-1015; NRC-2019-0116]


Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company; Independent Spent Fuel Storage 
Installation

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Exemption; safety evaluation and environmental assessment with 
finding of no significant impact; issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing four 
exemptions requested by Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company (Maine 
Yankee). The requested exemptions are from NRC regulations that require 
compliance with the terms, conditions, and specifications of 
Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1015 for the NAC-UMS[supreg] spent 
fuel storage system at Maine Yankee's Independent Spent Fuel Storage 
Installation (ISFSI). Maine Yankee currently stores sixty NAC-
UMS[supreg] System canisters under Amendment No. 5 to CoC No. 1015. In 
order to adopt Amendment No. 6 to CoC No. 1015, Maine Yankee is 
requesting the reissuance of the four previously approved exemptions.

DATES: The environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant 
impact (FONSI) referenced in this document are available on July 10, 
2019. The exemption takes effect on July 10, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2019-0116 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 https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2019-0116. Address 
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 https://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]. For the convenience of the reader, 
instructions about obtaining materials referenced in this document are 
provided in the ``Availability of Documents'' section.
     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: Torre Taylor, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-7900; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Maine Yankee is a general licensee under part 72 of title 10 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Maine Yankee stores spent nuclear 
fuel in accordance with the requirements of CoC No. 1015 for the NAC-
UMS[supreg] System. Section 72.210, ``General license issued,'' 
establishes a general license to store spent nuclear fuel in an ISFSI 
at reactor sites licensed under 10 CFR part 50; Maine Yankee holds 
Facility Operating License No. DPR 36 under 10 CFR part 50. Section 
72.212, ``Conditions of general license issued under Sec.  72.210,'' 
provides the conditions for use of a general license. Section 
72.212(b)(3) limits the storage of spent fuel to the approved casks 
listed in Sec.  72.214. Casks are approved for storage under the 
conditions specified in the respective CoCs. The NRC approved the use 
of the NAC-UMS[supreg] System by issuing CoC No. 1015, effective 
November 20, 2000. NRC regulations require users to comply with the 
terms and conditions of the CoC including, but not limited to, the 
associated technical specifications. The requested exemptions would 
allow Maine Yankee to deviate from certain requirements of the NAC-
UMS[supreg] System CoC No. 1015, Amendment No. 6, as discussed in this 
document.

II. Request/Action

    Maine Yankee is requesting the reissuance of four exemptions from 
the terms and conditions of Amendment No. 6 to CoC No. 1015 that were 
previously approved for Amendment No. 5 to CoC No. 1015. Maine Yankee 
submitted its request by letter dated January 21, 2019, supplemented by 
letter dated April 11, 2019. Maine Yankee requested specific exemptions 
from the requirements in 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 72.212(b)(3), 
72.212(b)(5)(i), 72.212(b)(11), and 72.214, with regard to certain 
terms and conditions of Appendices A and B to the technical 
specifications of Amendment No. 6 to CoC No. 1015 detailed below.
    Maine Yankee stated that adoption of the exemptions would not 
result in any impact to the safe storage of the spent fuel at the ISFSI 
and will not increase the probability or consequences of an accident.
    The four exemptions are:
    1. Appendix A, Section A.3.1.4, Canister Maximum Time in Transfer 
Cask. This exemption is from the requirement to comply with the 25-day 
requirement in Limiting Condition of Operation 3.1.4 for canister, NAC-
UMS-TSC-790-016.
    2. Appendix A, Section A.5.1, Training Program. This exemption is 
from the requirement to develop a systematic approach to training that 
includes comprehensive instructions for the operation and maintenance 
of the ISFSI, except for the NAC-UMS[supreg] System.
    3. Appendix A, Section A.5.5, Radioactive Effluent Control Program. 
This exemption is from the requirement to submit an annual report 
pursuant to 10 CFR 72.44(d)(3) or 10 CFR 50.36(a).
    4. Appendix B, Section B.3.4.2.6. This exemption is from the 
requirement to maintain a coefficient of friction on the ISFSI pad 
surface of at least 0.5.
    The requests for an exemption from the requirements of Appendix A,

[[Page 32966]]

Section A.5.1., Training Program, and Appendix A., Section A.5.5., 
Radioactive Effluent Control Program, are categorically excluded from 
further environmental review in accordance with 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25)(i-
v) and (vi)(B) and (E). In accordance with the requirements in 10 CFR 
part 51, the NRC prepared an environmental assessment that addresses 
the remaining two exemptions.

III. Discussion

Safety Evaluation

    Pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7, ``Specific exemptions,'' the Commission 
may, upon application by any interested person or upon its own 
initiative, grant such exemptions from the requirements of the 
regulations of 10 CFR part 72 as it determines are authorized by law 
and will not endanger life or property or the common defense and 
security and are otherwise in the public interest.
Authorized by Law
    The requested exemptions would allow the licensee to depart from 
certain requirements of CoC No. 1015, Amendment No. 6. Section 72.7 
allows the NRC to grant exemptions from the requirements of 10 CFR part 
72. Issuance of these exemptions are consistent with the Atomic Energy 
Act of 1954, as amended, and is not inconsistent with NRC regulations 
or other applicable laws. Therefore, the NRC has concluded that the 
exemptions are authorized by law.
Will Not Endanger Life or Property or the Common Defense and Security
    The requested exemptions are the same exemptions as have been 
previously reviewed and approved by the NRC as discussed in this 
document. The NRC verified that there is no change in conditions under 
which the exemptions were previously approved. Therefore, the NRC has 
concluded that the exemptions will not endanger life or property, or 
the common defense and security.
Otherwise in the Public Interest
    The requested exemptions are the same exemptions as have been 
previously reviewed and approved by the NRC as discussed in this 
document. Continuing to apply the exemptions would provide for 
consistent and efficient regulation of the NAC-UMS[supreg] System casks 
at the Maine Yankee ISFSI. Further, the alternative of denying the 
exemption request would impose an administrative burden on Maine Yankee 
and the NRC that would not provide a significant safety benefit. 
Therefore, the NRC has concluded that the exemptions are in the public 
interest.
Review of the Requested Exemption
    The NRC reviewed the requested exemptions to verify that there were 
no differences from the previously approved exemptions. There are no 
changes in Amendment No. 6 to CoC No. 1015 that affect the terms and 
conditions from which Maine Yankee is requesting the exemptions. These 
terms and conditions are identical to the equivalent sections in 
Amendment No. 5. Each of the exemptions are discussed below.

    1. Appendix A, Section A.3.1.4, Canister Maximum Time in 
Transfer Cask. This exemption is from the requirement to comply with 
the 25-day requirement in Limiting Condition of Operation 3.1.4 for 
canister, NAC-UMS-TSC-790-016. The exemption was approved by letter 
dated July 14, 2010, with the environmental assessment noticed in 
the Federal Register on June 15, 2010. The NRC's environmental 
assessment of this exemption is discussed in the Environmental 
Assessment section later in this document.
    2. Appendix A, Section A.5.1, Training Program. This exemption 
is from the requirement to develop a systematic approach to training 
that includes comprehensive instructions for the operation and 
maintenance of the ISFSI, except for the NAC-UMS[supreg] System. 
This exemption was previously approved by letter dated January 4, 
2005, with the environmental assessment noticed in the Federal 
Register on January 4, 2005. The exemption was approved again by 
letter dated July 14, 2010, with the environmental assessment 
noticed in the Federal Register on June 15, 2010.

    This exemption would relieve Maine Yankee from the requirements to 
develop training modules under its systematic approach to training that 
include comprehensive instructions for the operation and maintenance of 
the ISFSI, except for the NAC-UMS[supreg] System. The NRC previously 
determined, as discussed in the Federal Register notice dated January 
4, 2005, that Section A.5.1, ``Training Program,'' would impose 
regulatory obligations with associated costs that do not provide a 
commensurate increase in safety. This exemption would allow Maine 
Yankee to have the training program limited to its storage system. This 
exemption is categorically excluded from further environmental review 
in accordance with 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25)(i-v) and (vi)(E).

    3. Appendix A, Section A.5.5, Radioactive Effluent Control 
Program. This exemption is from the requirement to submit an annual 
report pursuant to 10 CFR 72.44(d)(3) or 10 CFR 50.36(a). This 
exemption was previously approved by letter dated January 4, 2005, 
with the environmental assessment noticed in the Federal Register on 
January 4, 2005. The exemption was approved again by letter dated 
July 14, 2010, with the environmental assessment noticed in the 
Federal Register on June 15, 2010.

    Licensees are required to submit an annual report to the Commission 
regarding effluents released into the environment pursuant to the 
requirements of 10 CFR 72.44(d)(3). The NRC previously determined, as 
discussed in the Federal Register notice dated January 4, 2005, that 
this annual report does not impact public safety because the NAC-
UMS[supreg] System is a sealed and leak-tight spent fuel storage 
system. Therefore, there should not be any releases to the environment 
of either liquid or gaseous effluents from normal operation of the 
storage system. This exemption is categorically excluded from further 
environmental review in accordance with 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25)(i-v) and 
(vi)(B).

    4. Appendix B, Section B.3.4.2.6. This exemption is from the 
requirement to maintain a coefficient of friction on the ISFSI pad 
surface of at least 0.5. This exemption was previously approved by 
letter dated February 1, 2004, with the environmental assessment 
noticed in the Federal Register on January 30, 2004. The exemption 
was approved again by letter dated July 14, 2010, with the 
environmental assessment noticed in the Federal Register on June 15, 
2010.

    Maine Yankee originally requested the exemption following the 
discovery of a winter icing condition at its ISFSI that created an 
indeterminate coefficient of friction between the vertical concrete 
casks and the ISFSI pad surface. The NRC determined that a specific 
coefficient of friction was not necessary. The NRC's environmental 
assessment of this exemption is discussed in the Environmental 
Assessment section later in this document.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
    The State of Maine reviewed Maine Yankee's request and, by letter 
dated January 29, 2019, stated that it has no objections to the 
request. The State of Maine explained that it sees Maine Yankee's 
request as an administrative change to maintain consistency with the 
canister manufacturer's Certificate of Compliance. A copy of this 
document will be provided to the State of Maine prior to publication in 
the Federal Register.

Environmental Assessment

    Identification of Proposed Action: The proposed action is the 
granting of four previously approved exemptions from the requirements 
of 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 72.212(b)(3), 72.212(b)(5)(i), 72.212(b)(11), 
and 72.214. These sections of the NRC regulations require

[[Page 32967]]

compliance with the terms, conditions, and specifications of the NAC-
UMS[supreg] System CoC No. 1015 for spent fuel storage at Maine 
Yankee's ISFSI. This action will allow Maine Yankee to apply the 
changes authorized by Amendment No. 6 to CoC No. 1015 to the casks at 
Maine Yankee's ISFSI. Two of the four exemptions requested by Maine 
Yankee are categorically excluded from the requirement to conduct an 
environmental assessment, as discussed earlier in this document, and 
are not further discussed in this section. This environmental 
assessment discussion focuses on the two remaining exemptions:

    1. Appendix A, Section A.3.1.4, Canister Maximum Time in 
Transfer Cask. This exemption is from the requirement to comply with 
the 25-day requirement in Limiting Condition of Operation 3.1.4 for 
canister, NAC-UMS-TSC-790-016. This exemption was previously 
approved by the NRC by letter dated July 14, 2010, with the 
environmental assessment noticed in the Federal Register on June 15, 
2010.
    2. Appendix B, Section B.3.4.2.6. This exemption is from the 
requirement to maintain a coefficient of friction on the ISFSI pad 
surface of at least 0.5. This exemption was previously approved by 
the NRC by letter dated February 1, 2004, with the environmental 
assessment noticed in the Federal Register on January 30, 2004. The 
exemption was approved again by letter dated July 14, 2010, with the 
environmental assessment noticed in the Federal Register on June 15, 
2010.

    Need for Proposed Action: Maine Yankee has requested continuation 
of these exemptions so that it can register its casks to Amendment No. 
6 to CoC No. 1015 for the NAC-UMS[supreg] System. The regulations in 10 
CFR 72.212(b)(4) require the general licensee to register each cask 
with the NRC no later than 30 days after applying the changes 
authorized by an amended CoC.
    Environmental Impacts of the Action: Amendment No. 6 to CoC No. 
1015 has been previously evaluated by the NRC and its adoption by Maine 
Yankee presents no additional radiological environmental impacts. The 
two exemptions are related to sections in the technical specifications 
that were not revised as part of Amendment No. 6 to the CoC No. 1015 of 
the NAC-UMS[supreg] System. An environmental assessment for these two 
exemptions was conducted for the previous approvals, as noted above, 
and is summarized below.
    The requested exemption from Appendix A, Section A.3.1.4, 
``Canister Maximum Time in Transfer Cask'' is an exemption from the 
requirement to comply with the 25-day requirement in Limiting Condition 
of Operation 3.1.4 for one canister, NAC-UMS-TSC-790-016. The affected 
storage canister had a heat load of 9.59kW, and was placed in a 
transfer cask for a total of 43 days between December 28, 2002, and 
February 18, 2003. At that time the Maine Yankee ISFSI operated under 
the provisions of CoC No. 1015, Amendment No. 2, and the Limiting 
Condition of Operation 3.1.4 time limit for a canister having a content 
decay heat load of less than or equal to 14kW was unlimited. During 
this period, the storage canister was in full compliance with CoC No. 
1015, Amendment No. 2, and its stored spent fuel was maintained in a 
safe condition during the time the canister was in the transfer cask. 
The transfer of the loaded canister was completed in a safe manner to 
ensure the transfer cask was not used as a long-term storage device.
    The requested exemption from Appendix B, Section B.3.4.2.6 is an 
exemption from the requirement to maintain a coefficient of friction on 
the ISFSI pad surface of at least 0.5. As discussed in the Federal 
Register notice published on January 30, 2004, Maine Yankee requested 
the exemption to address winter icing conditions that could result in a 
reduced coefficient of friction between the vertical concrete cask and 
the ISFSI pad surface, and limited vertical concrete cask sliding 
during a design-basis earthquake. The NRC previously reviewed the 
evaluations provided by Maine Yankee and found reasonable assurance 
that the design-basis earthquake will not result in significant sliding 
of the NAC-UMS[supreg] System vertical concrete casks. The NRC 
evaluated the magnitude of the impact load between two colliding 
vertical concrete casks and determined that the impact load would be 
far less severe than that encountered in a tip-over accident for which 
the NAC-UMS[supreg] System has been demonstrated to be structurally 
adequate. The NRC determined that not maintaining a coefficient of 
friction between the vertical concrete cask and the ISFSI pad surface 
of at least 0.5 is consistent with the safety analyses previously 
evaluated for the NAC-UMS[supreg] System, would have no impact on the 
design basis, and would have no impact on off-site doses. Therefore, 
the NRC concluded that the requested changes would not pose an 
increased risk to public health and safety.
    The NRC evaluated the impact to public safety that would result 
from the proposed action and determined that approval of the exemptions 
would not increase the probability or consequences of accidents, no 
changes would be made to the types of effluents released offsite, and 
there would be no increase in occupational or public radiation 
exposure. Therefore, there are no significant radiological 
environmental impacts associated with the action. Additionally, the 
proposed action would not involve any construction or other ground 
disturbing activities, would not change the footprint of the existing 
ISFSI, and would have no other significant non-radiological impacts. 
The ISFSI is located on previously disturbed land so it is unlikely to 
create any significant impact on aquatic or terrestrial habitat in the 
vicinity of the plant or to threatened, endangered, or protected 
species under the Endangered Species Act, or to essential fish habitat 
covered by the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Approval of the exemptions is not 
the type of activity that has the potential to cause effects on 
historic or cultural properties, assuming such properties are present 
at the site.
    Alternative to the Proposed Action: The alternative to the proposed 
action would be to deny approval of the exemptions. This alternative 
would also have no significant environmental impact. Since there is no 
significant environmental impact associated with the proposed action, 
any alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact were not 
evaluated.
    Given that there are no significant differences in environmental 
impact between the proposed action and the alternative considered, and 
that there are no changes in the conditions under which the exemptions 
were previously approved, the NRC concludes that the preferred 
alternative is to grant the exemptions.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    The environmental impacts of the exemptions were previously 
reviewed and determined to have no significant environmental impact. 
There have been no changes to the conditions under which the previous 
review was approved. Based upon the foregoing discussion and the 
previous approvals, the NRC finds that the exemptions will not 
significantly impact the quality of the human environment.

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.

[[Page 32968]]



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                                                        ADAMS accession
                       Document                          No. or Federal
                                                       Register citation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAC-UMS[supreg] System Certificate of Compliance No.         ML090120408
 1015, effective November 20, 2000...................
Letter from J. Stanley Brown, P.E., Maine Yankee,            ML19031B341
 dated January 21, 2019..............................
Letter from J. Stanley Brown, P.E., Maine Yankee,            ML19112A024
 dated April 11, 2019................................
Letter from J. Goshen, P.E., NRC, to J. Connell,             ML101960072
 Maine Yankee, dated July 14, 2010...................
Federal Register notice, ``Issuance of Environmental         75 FR 33853
 Assessment and finding of No Significant Impact,''
 dated June 15, 2010.................................
Letter from L. Camper, NRC, to T. Williamson, Maine          ML050050209
 Yankee, dated January 4, 2005.......................
Federal Register notice, ``Maine Yankee Atomic Power           70 FR 396
 Company, Maine Yankee Independent Spent Fuel Storage
 Installation, Issuance of Environmental Assessment
 and Finding of No Significant Impact,'' dated
 January 4, 2005.....................................
Letter from L. Camper, NRC, to T. Williamson, Maine          ML040350797
 Yankee, dated February 1, 2004......................
Federal Register notice, ``Maine Yankee Atomic Power          69 FR 4543
 Company, Maine Yankee Independent Spent Fuel Storage
 Installation, Issuance of Environmental Assessment
 and Finding of No Significant Impact for a Proposed
 Exemption,'' dated January 30, 2004.................
Letter from P.J. Dostie, Maine Department of Health          ML19038A057
 and Human Services, to the NRC, dated January 29,
 2019................................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The NRC may post materials related to this document, including 
public comments, on the Federal rulemaking website at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket ID NRC-2019-0116. The Federal 
rulemaking website allows you to receive alerts when changes or 
additions occur in a docket folder. To subscribe: (1) Navigate to the 
docket folder (NRC-2019-0116); (2) click the ``Sign up for Email 
Alerts'' link; and (3) enter your email address and select how 
frequently you would like to receive emails (daily, weekly, or 
monthly).

V. Conclusion

    Based on the above considerations, the NRC has determined that, 
pursuant to 10 CFR 72.7, the exemptions are authorized by law, will not 
endanger life or property or the common defense and security, and are 
otherwise in the public interest. Therefore, the NRC grants the 
exemptions from the requirements of 10 CFR 72.212(a)(2), 72.212(b)(3), 
72.212(b)(5)(i), 72.212(b)(11), and 72.214.
    These exemptions are effective upon publication.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day of July 2019.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John B. McKirgan,
Chief, Spent Fuel Licensing Branch, Division of Spent Fuel Management, 
Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2019-14711 Filed 7-9-19; 8:45 am]
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