[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
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------



[[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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