[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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