[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 29, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74109-74111]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-28278]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2021-0159]


Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact of 
Morris Operation 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 
submitted by GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC, for the Morris 
Operation Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation.

DATES: The final EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available 
on December 29, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2021-0159 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may obtain publicly available

[[Page 74110]]

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-2021-0159. 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 first 
time that it is mentioned in this document.
     NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public 
documents, by appointment, at the NRC's PDR, Room P1 B35, One White 
Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. To make 
an appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to 
[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:  Kristina L. Banovac, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-7116, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Introduction

    The NRC is considering the approval of the initial and updated 
decommissioning funding plans (DFPs) submitted by GE-Hitachi Nuclear 
Energy Americas, LLC, (GEH) for the Morris Operation Independent Spent 
Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI). The NRC staff has prepared a final 
Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact 
(FONSI) determination for the initial and updated 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 implements 
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 35512). 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 ADAMS accession numbers for 
the final EA and FONSI determination for the Morris Operation ISFSI. 
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 this action, 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-
0159. 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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             Facility                      Morris operation ISFSI
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Docket No.........................  72-01.
Licensee..........................  GEH.
Proposed Action...................  The NRC's review and approval of
                                     GEH'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 GEH'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 GEH'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. Therefore, the NRC
                                     staff determined that approval of
                                     the initial and updated DFPs for
                                     the Morris Operation 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.
                                     Environmental Assessment re: Final
                                     Rule: Decommissioning Planning (10
                                     CFR parts 20, 30, 40, 50, 70, and
                                     72; RIN 3150-AI55). February 2009.
                                     ADAMS Accession No. ML090500648.
                                    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.
                                     Review of the Draft Environmental
                                     Assessment and Finding of No
                                     Significant Impact for the GE
                                     Morris Independent Spent Fuel
                                     Storage Installation
                                     Decommissioning Funding Plan, dated
                                     August 17, 2017. ADAMS Accession
                                     No. ML17226A160.

[[Page 74111]]

 
                                    U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
                                     Request for Additional Information
                                     Regarding GE-Hitachi's
                                     Decommissioning Funding Plan Update
                                     for Morris Independent Spent Fuel
                                     Storage Installation, dated
                                     February 28, 2018. ADAMS Package
                                     Accession No. ML18060A330.
                                    U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
                                     Conversation Record of April 6,
                                     2021, call with GEH, dated April
                                     12, 2021. ADAMS Accession No.
                                     ML21103A429.
                                    U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
                                     Review of the Draft EA and FONSI
                                     for the Morris Operation DFPs,
                                     dated April 27, 2021. ADAMS
                                     Accession No. ML21110A164.
                                    U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
                                     Request for Additional Information
                                     on Morris Operation Decommissioning
                                     Funding Plans, dated June 15, 2021.
                                     ADAMS Accession No. ML21167A332.
                                    U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
                                     Response to Illinois Emergency
                                     Management Agency Comments on the
                                     Draft EA and FONSI for the Morris
                                     Operation DFPs, dated July 8, 2021.
                                     ADAMS Accession No. ML21182A107.
                                    U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
                                     Final EA and FONSI for the GE-
                                     Hitachi Nuclear Energy Initial and
                                     Updated DFPs Submitted in
                                     Accordance with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and
                                     (c) for the Morris Operation ISFSI,
                                     dated December 21, 2021. ADAMS
                                     Accession No. ML21216A274.
                                    GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. GNF-A
                                     Fuel Fabrication Facility & GEH
                                     Morris Operation DFPs, dated
                                     December 14, 2012. ADAMS Package
                                     Accession No. ML123520161.
                                    GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. Updated
                                     GEH Morris Operation DFP, dated
                                     December 11, 2015. ADAMS Package
                                     Accession No. ML15345A190.
                                    GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. GEH
                                     Response to NRC Request for
                                     Additional Information--Morris
                                     Operation DFP, dated March 26,
                                     2018. ADAMS Accession No.
                                     ML18085A656.
                                    GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. Updated
                                     GEH Morris Operation DFP, dated
                                     December 14, 2018. ADAMS Package
                                     Accession No. ML18348A613.
                                    GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. Updated
                                     GEH Morris Operation (MO) DFP,
                                     dated March 6, 2020. ADAMS
                                     Accession No. ML20066K270.
                                    GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. GEH
                                     Response to Request for Additional
                                     Information for Acceptance Review
                                     of the Morris Operation SNM-2500
                                     DFP, dated April 21, 2021. ADAMS
                                     Package Accession No. ML21111A333.
                                    GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. Updated
                                     GEH Morris Operation (MO) DFP,
                                     dated June 17, 2021. ADAMS Package
                                     Accession No. ML21168A257.
                                    Illinois Emergency Management
                                     Agency. Review of the Draft EA and
                                     FONSI for the Morris Operation
                                     DFPs, dated June 4, 2021. ADAMS
                                     Accession No. ML21166A206.
                                    Illinois Emergency Management
                                     Agency. Response to the U.S.
                                     Nuclear Regulatory Commission's
                                     Review of the Illinois Emergency
                                     Management Agency's Comments of the
                                     Draft EA and FONSI for the Morris
                                     Operation DFPs, dated July 25,
                                     2021. ADAMS Accession No.
                                     ML21214A073.
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    Dated: December 22, 2021.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Yoira Diaz-Sanabria,
Chief, Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch, Division of Fuel 
Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
 [FR Doc. 2021-28278 Filed 12-28-21; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7590-01-P