[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 192 (Thursday, October 7, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55870-55873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21957]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[NRC-2021-0187]
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact of
Independent Spent Fuel Storage Facilities Decommissioning Funding Plans
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 publishing
this notice regarding the issuance of a final environmental assessment
(EA) and a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for its review and
approval of the initial and updated decommissioning funding plans
(DFPs) submitted by independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI)
licensees for the ISFSIs listed in the ``Discussion'' section of this
document.
DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on
October 7, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2021-0187 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-2021-0187. Address
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann;
telephone: 301-415-0624; 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]. The ADAMS accession number for each
document referenced (if it is available in ADAMS) is provided the
[[Page 55871]]
first time that it is mentioned in this document.
Attention: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies
of public documents, is currently closed. You may submit your request
to the PDR via email at [email protected] or call 1-800-397-4209 or
301-415-4737, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (ET), Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tilda Liu, Office of Nuclear Material
Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555-0001; telephone: 404-997-4730, email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The NRC is considering the approval of the initial and updated DFPs
submitted by ISFSI licensees. The NRC staff has prepared a Final EA and
FONSI determination for each of the initial and updated ISFSI DFPs in
accordance with the NRC regulations in part 51 of title 10 of the Code
of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), ``Environmental Protection Regulations
for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions,'' which
implement the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
The NRC requires its licensees to plan for the eventual
decommissioning of their licensed facilities prior to license
termination. On June 17, 2011, the NRC published a final rule in the
Federal Register amending its decommissioning planning regulations (76
FR 35511). The final rule amended the NRC regulation, 10 CFR 72.30,
which concerns financial assurance and decommissioning for ISFSIs. This
regulation requires each holder of, or applicant for, a license under
10 CFR part 72 to submit a DFP for the NRC's review and approval. The
DFP is to demonstrate the licensee's financial assurance, i.e., that
funds will be available to decommission the ISFSI. The NRC staff will
later publish its financial analyses of the DFP submittals which will
be available for public inspection in ADAMS.
II. Discussion
The table in this notice includes the plant name, docket number,
licensee, and ADAMS accession number for the Final EA and FONSI
determination for each of the individual ISFSIs. The table also
includes the ADAMS accession numbers for other relevant documents,
including the initial and updated DFP submittals. For further details
with respect to these actions, see the NRC staff's Final EA and FONSI
determinations which are available for public inspection in ADAMS and
at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket ID NRC-2021-0187. For
additional direction on accessing information related to this document,
see the ADDRESSES section of this document.
Finding of No Significant Impact
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Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant
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Docket No.............................. 72-52.
Licensee............................... Tennessee Valley Authority
(TVA).
Proposed Action........................ The NRC's review and approval
of TVA's initial and updated
DFPs submitted in accordance
with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c).
Environmental Impact of Proposed Action The NRC staff has determined
that the proposed action, the
review and approval of TVA's
initial and updated DFPs,
submitted in accordance with
10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c), will
not authorize changes to
licensed operations or
maintenance activities, or
result in changes in the
types, characteristics, or
quantities of radiological or
non-radiological effluents
released into the environment
from the ISFSI, or result in
the creation of solid waste.
Moreover, the approval of the
initial and updated DFPs will
not authorize any construction
activity, facility
modification, or other land-
disturbing activity. The NRC
staff has concluded that the
proposed action is a
procedural and administrative
action that will not have a
significant impact on the
environment.
Finding of No Significant Impact....... The proposed action does not
require changes to the ISFSI's
licensed routine operations,
maintenance activities, or
monitoring programs, nor does
it require new construction or
land-disturbing activities.
The scope of the proposed
action concerns only the NRC's
review and approval of TVA's
initial and updated DFPs. The
scope of the proposed action
does not include, and will not
result in, the review and
approval of decontamination or
decommissioning activities or
license termination for the
ISFSI or for other parts of
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant
(BFN). Therefore, the NRC
staff determined that approval
of the initial and updated
DFPs for the BFN ISFSI will
not significantly affect the
quality of the human
environment, and accordingly,
the staff has concluded that a
FONSI is appropriate. The NRC
staff further finds that
preparation of an
environmental impact statement
is not required.
Available Documents.................... U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission. Review of the
Draft EA and FONSI for the
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant
Units 1, 2 and 3 ISFSI DFP,
dated July 8, 2016. ADAMS
Package Accession No.
ML16190A282.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission. ESA Section 7 No
Effect Determination for ISFSI
DFP Reviews (Note to File),
dated May 15, 2017. ADAMS
Accession No. ML17135A062.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission. Request for
Additional Information
Regarding TVA's DFP Update for
Browns Ferry and Sequoyah
ISFSIs, dated May 17, 2018.
ADAMS Package Accession No.
ML18138A109.
[[Page 55872]]
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission. Final EA and FONSI
for TVA's Initial and Updated
DFPs Submitted in Accordance
with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c)
for Browns Ferry Nuclear
Plant, dated September 29,
2021. ADAMS Accession No.
ML21246A293.
Tennessee Valley Authority.
DFPs for ISFSIs, dated
December 17, 2012. ADAMS
Accession No. ML12356A039.
Tennessee Valley Authority.
Triennial DFPs for ISFSIs,
dated December 17, 2015. ADAMS
Accession No. ML15352A046.
Tennessee Valley Authority.
Response to Request for
Additional Information
Regarding DFP Update for
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant and
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant ISFSIs,
Docket Nos. 72-052 and 72-034,
dated July 23, 2018. ADAMS
Accession No. ML18205A476.
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Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
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Docket No.............................. 72-34.
Licensee............................... Tennessee Valley Authority
(TVA).
Proposed Action........................ The NRC's review and approval
of TVA's initial and updated
DFPs submitted in accordance
with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c).
Environmental Impact of Proposed Action The NRC staff has determined
that the proposed action, the
review and approval of TVA's
initial and updated DFPs,
submitted in accordance with
10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c), will
not authorize or changes to
licensed operations or
maintenance activities, or
result in changes in the
types, characteristics, or
quantities of radiological or
non-radiological effluents
released into the environment
from the ISFSI, or result in
the creation of solid waste.
Moreover, the approval of the
initial and updated DFPs will
not authorize any construction
activity, facility
modification, or other land-
disturbing activity. The NRC
staff has concluded that the
proposed action is a
procedural and administrative
action that will not have a
significant impact on the
environment.
Finding of No Significant Impact....... The proposed action does not
require changes to the ISFSI's
licensed routine operations,
maintenance activities, or
monitoring programs, nor does
it require new construction or
land-disturbing activities.
The scope of the proposed
action concerns only the NRC's
review and approval of TVA's
DFPs. The scope of the
proposed action does not
include, and will not result
in, the review and approval of
decontamination or
decommissioning activities or
license termination for the
ISFSI or for other parts of
the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
(SQN). Therefore, the NRC
staff determined that approval
of the initial and updated
DFPs for the SQN ISFSI will
not significantly affect the
quality of the human
environment, and accordingly,
the staff has concluded that a
FONSI is appropriate. The NRC
staff further finds that
preparation of an
environmental impact statement
is not required.
Available Documents.................... U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission. Review of the
Draft EA and FONSI for the
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant Units 1
and 2 ISFSI DFP, dated August
17, 2017. ADAMS Accession No.
ML17226A201.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission. ESA Section 7 No
Effect Determination for ISFSI
DFP Reviews (Note to File),
dated May 15, 2017. ADAMS
Accession No. ML17135A062.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission. Request for
Additional Information
Regarding TVA's DFP Update for
Browns Ferry and Sequoyah
ISFSIs, dated May 17, 2018.
ADAMS Package Accession No.
ML18138A109.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission. Final EA and FONSI
for TVA's Initial and Updated
DFPs Submitted in Accordance
with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c)
for Browns Ferry Nuclear
Plant, dated September 29,
2021. ADAMS Accession No.
ML21246A279.
Tennessee Valley Authority.
DFPs for ISFSIs, dated
December 17, 2012. ADAMS
Accession No. ML12356A039.
Tennessee Valley Authority.
Triennial DFPs for ISFSIs,
dated December 17, 2015. ADAMS
Accession No. ML15352A046.
Tennessee Valley Authority.
Response to Request for
Additional Information
Regarding DFP Update for
Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant and
Sequoyah Nuclear Plant ISFSIs,
Docket Nos. 72-052 and 72-034,
dated July 23, 2018. ADAMS
Accession No. ML18205A476.
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[[Page 55873]]
Dated: October 4, 2021.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John B. McKirgan,
Chief, Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch, Division of Fuel
Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2021-21957 Filed 10-6-21; 8:45 am]
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