[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 136 (Tuesday, July 16, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33993-33995]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15096]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-440; NRC-2018-0287]
FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company; Perry Nuclear Power Plant,
Unit No. 1
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
issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License NPF-58 held by
FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC, the licensee) for the
operation of Perry Nuclear Power Plant (PNPP), Unit No. 1. The proposed
license amendment would revise the emergency response organization
(ERO) positions identified in the emergency plan for PNPP. The NRC is
issuing an environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant
impact (FONSI) associated with the proposed license amendment.
DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on
July 16, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2018-0287 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-2018-0287. 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 ``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]. The
Perry Nuclear Power Plant Emergency Plan Amendment Request is available
in ADAMS under Accession No. ML18332A500.
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: Kimberly Green, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington DC
20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-1627, email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The NRC is considering issuance of an amendment to Facility
Operating License No. NPF-58 held by FENOC for operation of the PNPP,
located in Lake County, Ohio. 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 PNPP Emergency Plan to: Transfer rescue and first aid duties from
two on-shift security force members to on-shift fire brigade personnel
and eliminate two on-shift minimum staff positions that are performed
24 hours a day; reduce the number of radiation monitoring teams (RMTs)
from three to two and transfer augmentation staff responsibility for
onsite (out-of-plant) surveys from RMTs to radiation protection
technicians; add definitions for offsite surveys and onsite (out-of-
plant) surveys; and make other administrative changes needed to
implement the noted changes above.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application dated November 28, 2018 (ADAMS Accession No. ML18332A500).
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,
[[Page 33994]]
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.
Separate from this EA, the NRC staff is performing a safety
assessment of FENOC's proposed changes to the emergency plan for PNPP.
This safety review will be documented in a safety evaluation. The
safety evaluation will determine whether, with the proposed changes to
the emergency plan for PNPP, there continues to be reasonable assurance
that adequate protective measures can and will be taken in the event of
a radiological emergency at PNPP, 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 reflects changes in NRC 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 (ADAMS
Accession Nos. ML14163A605 and ML17083A815). The application indicates
that FENOC provided the State of Ohio with a copy of the license
amendment request, and that the State of Ohio had no concerns.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The proposed action consists mainly of changes related to the
staffing levels and positions specified in the emergency plan for PNPP.
The revisions include transfer of responsibilities, elimination of
minimum staff positions, reduction in the number of RMTs and transfer
of augmentation staff responsibility, addition of definitions for
offsite surveys and onsite (out-of-plant) surveys, and other conforming
administrative changes.
Regarding potential nonradiological environmental impacts, the
proposed action would have no direct impacts on land use or water
resources, including terrestrial and aquatic biota, as it involves no
new construction or modification of plant operational systems. There
would be no changes to the quality or quantity of nonradiological
effluents and no changes to the plant's National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System permit would be needed. Changes in staffing levels
could result in minor changes in vehicular traffic and associated air
pollutant emissions, but no significant changes in ambient air quality
would be expected from the proposed changes. In addition, there would
be no noticeable effect on socioeconomic and environmental justice
conditions in the region, and no potential to affect historic
properties. Therefore, there would be no significant nonradiological
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Regarding potential radiological environmental impacts, the NRC
staff finds that the proposed action would not increase the probability
or consequences of any radiological accidents. Additionally, the
proposed changes would have no direct 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. Moreover, no changes would
be made to plant buildings or the site property. 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 considered the
denial of the proposed action (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 State of Ohio, and the NRC staff will consult with the State prior
to issuance of the amendment.
III. Finding of No Significant Impact
The licensee has requested a license amendment pursuant to 10 CFR
50.54(q) to revise the PNPP Emergency Plan by transferring staff
duties, eliminating staff positions, reducing and transferring staff
responsibilities, adding definitions, and making other conforming
administrative changes. The license amendment would allow FENOC to
revise the PNPP Emergency Plan consisting mainly of changes related to
staffing levels and positions specified in the emergency plan for PNPP.
The revisions include transfer of responsibilities, elimination of
minimum staff positions, reduction in the number of RMTs and transfer
of augmentation staff responsibility, addition of definitions for
offsite surveys and onsite (out-of-plant) surveys, and other conforming
administrative changes.
The NRC is considering issuing the requested amendment. 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. It also would not result in any changes to
radioactive effluents or emissions to nuclear plant workers and members
of the public or any changes to radiological and nonradiological
impacts to the environment. The reason the environment would not be
significantly affected is because the proposed changes would only
result in minor changes in staffing levels and a very small change in
air pollutant emissions associated with vehicular traffic.
Consistent with 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC prepared an EA for the
proposed action, and this FONSI incorporates by reference the EA in
Section II of this document. Therefore, 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 there is no
need to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed
action.
As required by 10 CFR 51.32(a)(5), previous considerations
regarding the environmental impacts of operating PNPP, Unit No. 1, in
accordance with its operating license, are described in NUREG-0884,
``Final Environmental Statement Related to the Operation of Perry
Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1 and 2,'' dated August 1982 (ADAMS
Accession No. ML15134A060).
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 11th day of July 2019.
[[Page 33995]]
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Kimberly J. Green,
Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch III, Division of
Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2019-15096 Filed 7-15-19; 8:45 am]
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