[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 202 (Thursday, October 20, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63820-63826]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22766]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-607; NRC-2022-0114]
Regents of the University of California, University of
California-Davis McClellan Nuclear Research Center Training, Research,
Isotopes, General Atomics Reactor
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
[[Page 63821]]
ACTION: Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact;
issuance.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
renewal of Operating Facility License No. R-130, held by the Regents of
the University of California for the University of California Davis
(UCD, the licensee), for the continued operation of the McClellan
Nuclear Research Center (MNRC) Training, Research, Isotopes, General
Atomics (TRIGA) reactor (the reactor, facility), located in the city of
North Highlands, Sacramento County, California. In connection with the
renewed license, the licensee also seeks to operate at a maximum
licensed power level of 1.0 megawatt-thermal (MWt). The NRC is issuing
an environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant impact
(FONSI) associated with the proposed action.
DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on
October 20, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2022-0114 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-2022-0114. Address
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann;
telephone: 301-415-0624; email: [email protected]. For technical
questions, contact the individuals 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]. For the convenience of the reader,
the ADAMS accession numbers are provided in a table in the
``Availability of Documents'' section of this notice.
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. Eastern Time (ET), Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Folk, Office of Nuclear Material
Safety and Safeguards, telephone: 301-415-6944; email:
[email protected]; or Geoffrey Wertz, Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation, telephone: 301-415-0893; email:
[email protected]. Both are staff of the U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The NRC is considering renewal of Facility Operating License No. R-
130, held by Regents of the University of California, which authorizes
operation of the MNRC training and isotopes production TRIGA reactor,
located in North Highlands, Sacramento County, California. The renewed
license would authorize continued operation of the MNRC training and
isotopes production TRIGA reactor for an additional 20 years from the
date of issuance of the renewed license. By letter dated July 6, 2020,
UCD revised its June 11, 2018, license renewal application and
associated environmental report to reflect its decision to reduce the
licensed thermal operating power level to a maximum of 1.0 MWt, to
eliminate pulsing capability and to exclude irradiation of explosive
materials in the reactor tank.
As required by section 51.21 of title 10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (10 CFR), ``Criteria for and identification of licensing
and regulatory actions requiring environmental assessments,'' the NRC
staff prepared this EA documenting its environmental review. Based on
the results of the NRC staff's environmental review as documented in
the EA that follows, the NRC has determined not to prepare an
environmental impact statement for the proposed renewed license and is
issuing a FONSI in accordance with 10 CFR 51.32, ``Finding of no
significant impact.''
II. Environmental Assessment
Facility Site and Environs
The UCD MNRC reactor is a natural-convection-cooled TRIGA-type
reactor that began operation in January 1990, by the U.S. Air Force at
the McClellan Air Force Base. The NRC issued Facility Operating License
No. R-130 on August 13, 1998, and transferred the license to the
Regents of the University of California by letter dated April 13, 1999.
The reactor is housed in the three-story MNRC building within the
McClellan Business Park, on land that was part of the former McClellan
Air Force Base, and located approximately 8 miles (mi) (13 kilometers
(km)) northeast of Sacramento, California. The UCD has operated the
MNRC reactor to support educational purposes, research, outreach
programs, and the United States' energetic device industry.
The MNRC reactor is housed in a room constructed of reinforced
concrete and corrugated steel. The MNRC reactor is positioned in a
large, water-filled cylindrical tank, which provides both cooling and
shielding. The MNRC reactor is fueled with standard TRIGA reactor fuel
elements, which are composed of low-enriched uranium-zirconium-hydride
fuel, and clad in stainless steel. Natural circulation of the primary
coolant in the reactor tank transfers the heat from the reactor core to
the primary cooling system, and through a water-to-water heat exchanger
connected to the secondary cooling system. The secondary cooling system
rejects the heat to the environment through the facility's mechanical
draft cooling tower. Makeup water is supplied by the Sacramento
Suburban Water District. The MNRC reactor is equipped with systems to
monitor radiation. The ventilation system functions to ensure that
there are no uncontrolled or unmonitored gaseous effluent releases to
the atmosphere. Radioactive effluents released from the stack are
continuously monitored for isotopic analysis and radioactive quantity.
The radioactive doses to any member of the public are maintained at
levels that are below the limits of 10 CFR part 20, ``Standards for
Protection Against Radiation.''
A detailed description of the MNRC reactor and its operations can
be found in the revised safety analysis report (SAR), (included in the
list of documents associated with the license renewal application and
can be found in Section IV ``Availability of Documents'' at the end of
this notice).
Description of the Proposed Action
The proposed action would renew Facility Operating License No. R-
130 for a period of 20 years from the date of issuance of the renewed
license. The proposed action would authorize the MNRC reactor to
operate at a nominal steady-state power of 1.0 MWt, without pulsing and
square wave operation, and would exclude the irradiation of explosive
materials in the reactor tank. The proposed action is in accordance
with the licensee's application dated June 11, 2018, as supplemented on
July 6, 2020, and September 22, 2021 (the
[[Page 63822]]
renewal application). The NRC issued the current operating license, as
amended, on August 13, 1998. The current license was set to expire at
midnight on August 13, 2018. In accordance with 10 CFR 2.109, ``Effect
of timely renewal application,'' the existing license remains in effect
until the NRC takes final action on the renewal application.
Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed action is needed to allow the continued operation of
the MNRC reactor to provide irradiation services for various
researchers at universities worldwide, U.S. national laboratories, and
U.S. private industry. Irradiation services include seed mutagenesis
studies, geochronology irradiations, and radiation hardness test for
electronics. A significant use of the facility is the performance of
neutron radiography on energetic devices used for U.S. Department of
Defense applications and the space industry. Further, the MNRC reactor
provides educational experiences for UCD's students and students at
other regional universities. UCD also offers an outreach program at the
MNRC to expose high school and middle school students to the nuclear
sciences.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The environmental impacts of the proposed action are described in
this notice. As discussed further, the proposed action will not have a
significant environmental impact. The proposed action will not require
any physical changes to the facility, and the impacts are similar to
those occurring during past operations. Separate from this EA, the NRC
staff is performing a safety evaluation report (SER), which will be
available with the renewed license, if issued.
Radiological Impacts
Environmental Effects of Reactor Operations
Gaseous radioactive effluents resulting from the routine operation
of the MNRC are Ar-41 and N-16. These nuclides are released to the
environment from the reactor building from an exhaust stack on the roof
that combines the ventilation exhausts from both the reactor building
interior and the radiography bays. The MNRC stack discharge length is
60 ft (18.3 m) and has an airflow rate of 5,678 cubic feet (160.8 cubic
meters) per minute. Because the half-life of N-16 is approximately 7
seconds, the release from the reactor stack is insignificant because
most of the N-16 produced in the reactor coolant would decay before
reaching the stack. Ar-41 is by far the most significant radionuclide
released as a gaseous effluent during normal reactor operations. The
maximum release of Ar-41 would occur from continuous operation at full
power. The licensee calculated the Ar-41 concentration to be 4.45 x
10-7 [micro]Ci/ml exiting the exhaust stack under full power
operations. The annual release of Ar-41 under these conditions would be
35.9 curies per year (Ci/yr). From this information, the licensee
calculated the maximum annual dose to a member of the public to be 1.5
millirem (mrem). This meets the 100 mrem per year (mrem/yr) (1
millisieverts per year (mSv/yr) dose equivalent to the maximally
exposed individual in 10 CFR 20.1301, ``Dose limits for individual
members of the public.'' The licensee's annual reports, as supplemented
by UCD's response to the NRC staff's request for additional
information, for the 5 years of operation from 2016 through 2020 show
that the maximum actual recorded release of Ar-41 was 35.9 Ci in 2020.
As reflected in UCD's response, this exposure would result in a
conservative estimated annual dose of 1.5 mrem/yr (0.015 mSv/yr) to a
member of the public. This dose is well below the 100 mrem/yr (1 mSv/
yr) limit specified in 10 CFR 20.1301. Further, this annual radiation
dose of 1.5 mrem/year does not exceed the as low as reasonably
achievable (ALARA) air emissions dose constraint of 10 mrem (0.1 mSv)
specified in 10 CFR 20.1101, ``Radiation protection programs,''
paragraph (d).
Liquid radioactive wastes are produced as a result of normal
operation of the MNRC reactor, and typically consist of miscellaneous
neutron activation product impurities and fission products in the
reactor coolant. Since most of these activation products can be removed
from the reactor coolant by the filtration system and the demineralizer
resins, these radioactive materials are typically disposed as solid
radioactive waste. It is UCD/MNRC policy to minimize the release of
radioactive liquid waste and, when possible, liquid radioactive wastes
that are generated are normally converted into a solid waste for
offsite disposal. Nevertheless, UCD/MNRC may release liquid radioactive
effluent to the sanitary sewer in compliance with 10 CFR 20.2003 limits
and sanitary sewer acceptance criteria. The MNRC annual reports for the
5 years of operation from 2016 through 2020 show that the MNRC had no
liquid radioactive waste releases into the sanitary sewer system.
Low-level solid radioactive waste generated from reactor operations
at the MNRC are primarily demineralizer resins, mechanical filters,
used encapsulations from experiment irradiations, rags, paper towels,
plastic bags, rubber gloves, and other miscellaneous contaminated
items. These wastes are packaged in metal drums or boxes within the
restricted area and temporarily stored in a weatherproof enclosure at
the site boundary until shipment for disposal or transfer to a waste
broker. UCD last shipped low-level radioactive waste from the MNRC in
2014. The shipment consisted of one B-25 box containing 98 cubic ft
(2.8 cubic m) of contaminated materials with an activity of 54
microcuries. Once transferred, the low-level waste broker ships and
disposes of the waste in accordance with all applicable regulations for
radioactive materials.
No spent (irradiated) fuel will be permanently stored at MNRC
either in the reactor tank or in the fuel pits during the license
renewal term. The U.S. Department of Energy provides fuel for use at
the MNRC and retains title to the fuel. It is also obligated to take
the fuel from the site for final disposition when it can no longer be
used in the reactor. UCD does not anticipate any changes in spent fuel
handling during the proposed license renewal term.
As described in chapter 11 of the SAR, and verified through NRC
staff review of the licensee's annual reports for the 5 years of
operation from 2016 through 2020, personnel exposures are well within
the limits set by 10 CFR 20.1201, ``Occupational dose limits for
adults,'' and are ALARA in accordance with 10 CFR 20.1101(b). The
licensee tracks exposures of personnel monitored with dosimeters, and
the annual reports for the 5 years of operation from 2016 through 2020
show that the personnel exposures (total effective dose equivalent)
were usually less than one percent of the occupational limit of 5,000
mrem (50 mSv) per year. The greatest individual exposure (annual) over
the last 5 years was 149 mrem (1.49 mSv) in 2018. No changes in reactor
operation that would lead to an increase in occupational dose are
expected or proposed as a result of the proposed action.
The radiation monitoring systems associated with reactor operations
at the MNRC are provided and maintained as a means of ensuring
compliance with radiation limits established under 10 CFR part 20. The
MNRC monitoring systems consist of area monitors, continuous air
monitors, portable radiation survey instruments, personnel
[[Page 63823]]
monitors, and stack gas and particulate monitors, as described in
section 11.1.5 of the SAR. The stack particulate and gas monitoring
systems measure the beta-gamma activity emitted by radioactive
particulates and the activity of gaseous radioactive nuclides,
respectively, that are exhausted through the MNRC exhaust stack.
Perimeter monitoring at the MNRC consists of dosimeters that detect X-
ray and gamma radiation.
The licensee conducts an environmental monitoring program to record
and track the radiological impact of the MNRC operation on the
surrounding unrestricted area. The environment outside the reactor
building is monitored by passive optically stimulated luminescence
dosimeters, which are replaced quarterly, and sent to the vendor for
exposure analysis. The dosimeters are located at 37 sites within the
McClellan Industrial Park and 7 sites outside the industrial park. MNRC
Health Physics Branch staff analyze the results to ensure that the
reported doses are below 10 CFR part 20 limits, and to monitor for
trends that would indicate unusual or elevated exposures. The annual
reports for the 5 years of operation from 2016 through 2020 show that
the measured doses were below 30 mrem (0.3 mSv) (excluding natural
background exposure) and well below the specified limits to the public
as required by 10 CFR part 20. Year-to-year trends in exposures are
consistent between monitoring locations. Also, no apparent correlation
exists between total annual reactor operation and annual exposures
measured at the monitoring locations.
The licensee also monitors offsite groundwater. Samples are
collected at a public water supply well located approximately 2 mi (3.2
km) west of the MNRC in the city of Sacramento. Water samples are
collected by a UCD contractor on a quarterly basis and analyzed for
gross alpha, gross beta, and tritium, and also by gamma spectroscopy.
Review of the annual reports over the last 5 years of operation (2016
through 2020) shows no discernible effect of MNRC operations on
groundwater quality. Tritium results have been below the minimum
detectable activity range.
Based on the review of monitoring data for the period 2016 through
2020, the NRC staff concludes that operation of the MNRC does not have
any significant radiological impact on the surrounding environment. No
changes in reactor operation that would affect off-site radiation
levels are expected or proposed as a result of the proposed action.
Therefore, the proposed action would not have a significant
radiological impact.
Environmental Effects of Accidents
Accident scenarios are discussed in Chapter 13 of the SAR. The
accidents analyzed in chapter 13 range from anticipated events to a
postulated fission product release with radiological consequences that
exceed those of any accident considered to be credible. This limiting
accident is referred to as the maximum hypothetical accident (MHA). The
licensee considers a cladding rupture of one highly irradiated fuel
element with no decay followed by instantaneous release of fission
products into the air to be its MHA for the MNRC. This accident would
involve the release of halogens and noble gases to the reactor
confinement building and into the environment. The licensee uses this
scenario to calculate the maximum concentration of fission products
that might be present in the reactor room air following the MHA. The
licensee calculated doses to facility personnel during a 5 minute
evacuation duration, and also calculated the dose to a member of the
public outside the facility during the 2 hours it would take the entire
plume of released radioactive material to pass. The licensee estimated
an occupational dose of 300 mrem (3 mSv), and a dose of less than 1
mrem (0.01 mSv) to the maximally-exposed member of the public.
Separate from this EA, the NRC staff is reviewing UCD's MHA
analyses of the potential radiological consequences that may result
from the proposed license renewal. The results of the NRC staff's
safety review will be documented in a safety evaluation report that
will be made publicly available. If the NRC concludes that the
radiological consequences of the MHA are within 10 CFR part 20 dose
limits, then the MHA and the proposed action would not have a
significant impact with respect to the radiological consequences of the
MHA.
Conclusion--Radiological Impacts
In the application for license renewal, the licensee has not
proposed any physical changes to the reactor facility design, or
adverse changes to facility operating conditions, that would
significantly affect facility operation; therefore, there would be no
changes in the types or quantities of routine effluents that may be
released off site. The licensee has systems in place for controlling
the release of radiological effluents and implements a radiation
protection program to monitor personnel exposures and releases of
radioactive effluents. Accordingly, there would be no increase in
routine occupational or public radiation exposure as a result of the
proposed action. Based on the information previously discussed, the NRC
staff finds that the proposed action will not significantly increase
the probability and consequences of accidents.
The license renewal would not significantly change reactor
operations. As previously discussed, information in the application and
data reported to the NRC by the licensee for the last 5 years of
reactor operation were evaluated to determine the radiological impact.
The NRC staff found that releases of radioactive material and personnel
exposures were all well within applicable regulatory limits. Based on
this evaluation, the continued operation of the reactor would have no
significant radiological impacts.
Non-Radiological Impacts
The proposed action does not involve any change in the operation of
the reactor, any change in the emissions, or any change in the heat
load dissipated to the environment. No new construction or other land
disturbing activities are proposed. The proposed action would not
result in any land use changes or increase in noise or air emissions,
and would not have a significant impact on air quality, noise, visual
resources, ecological resources. The proposed license renewal would
have no direct impacts on surface water or groundwater resources
because water would continue to be supplied from the Sacramento
Suburban Water District's public water supply system and the licensee
proposes no increase in water use or effluent discharge. Heat produced
by MNRC reactor operations is ultimately released to the environment
through the secondary cooling system and the cooling tower. No
increased thermal effects on the environment would result from the
proposed action.
UCD would continue to use small quantities of commercially
available water treatment chemicals in the reactor secondary cooling
system and in cooling tower to ensure proper operation of the system.
The secondary coolant system is essentially a recirculation loop, so
much of the water and the chemical compounds are retained in the
system. Some chemical residuals may enter the environment through
evaporation in the cooling tower and through an overflow line that is
routed to the sanitary sewer in accordance with sewer acceptance
criteria. These chemical compounds are approved for use by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency or other applicable State regulatory
agencies and their use does not
[[Page 63824]]
represent a significant environmental impact.
Hazardous chemicals may be used in experiments at the MNRC reactor,
but no releases of potentially hazardous chemicals to the environment
occur during normal facility operation. Therefore, the NRC staff
concludes that the proposed action would have no significant non-
radiological impacts.
Other Applicable Environmental Laws
In addition to the National Environmental Policy Act, which
requires Federal agencies to consider the environmental impacts of
proposed actions, the NRC has responsibilities that are derived from
other environmental laws, which include the Endangered Species Act,
Coastal Zone Management Act, Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act,
National Historic Preservation Act, and Executive Order 12898,
``Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority
Populations and Low-Income Populations.'' The following presents a
brief discussion of impacts associated with resources protected by
these laws and related requirements.
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted to prevent further
decline of endangered and threatened species and to restore those
species and their critical habitat. Section 7 of the ESA requires
Federal agencies to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(FWS) or National Marine Fisheries Service regarding actions that may
affect listed species or designated critical habitats. The NRC staff
conducted a search of Federally listed species and critical habitats
that have the potential to occur in the vicinity of the MNRC reactor
using the FWS's Environmental Conservation Online System Information
for Planning and Conservation system. Seven Federally listed species
have the potential to occur within the vicinity of the MNRC reactor:
giant garter snake (Thamnophis gigas), California red-legged frog (Rana
draytonii), California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense),
delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus), valley elderberry longhorn
beetle (Desmocerus californicus dimorphus), vernal pool fairy shrimp
(Branchinecta lynchi), and vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus
packardi). However, none of these species are likely to occur near the
MNRC reactor due to a lack of suitable habitat. The McClellan Business
Park, in which the MNRC reactor is situated, has been developed and is
in use for research and educational purposes for many decades.
Additionally, operation of the MNRC reactor has no direct nexus to the
natural environment that could otherwise affect Federally listed
species. No critical habitats occur in the area. Accordingly, the NRC
staff concludes that the proposed license renewal of the MNRC reactor
would have no effect on Federally listed species or critical habitats.
Federal agencies are not required to consult with the FWS if they
determine that an action will not affect listed species or critical
habitats. Thus, the ESA does not require consultation for the proposed
MNRC reactor license renewal, and the NRC staff considers its
obligations under ESA section 7 to be fulfilled for the proposed
action.
Coastal Zone Management Act
The Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), in part, encourages States
to preserve, protect, develop, and, where possible, restore coastal
resources. Individual states are responsible for developing a Federally
approved Coastal Management Plan and implementing a coastal management
program in accordance with such a plan. Section 307(c)(3)(A) of the
CZMA requires that applicants for Federal permits whose proposed
activities could reasonably affect coastal zones certify to the
licensing agency that the proposed activity would be consistent with
the state's coastal management program. Sacramento County is not within
California's approved coastal zone. Therefore, a consistency
determination is not required for the proposed action.
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act
The Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act requires Federal agencies
that license water resource development projects to consult with the
FWS (or National Marine Fisheries Service, when applicable) and the
State wildlife resource agencies regarding the potential impacts of the
project on fish and wildlife resources.
The proposed action does not involve any water resource development
projects, including any of the modifications relating to impounding a
body of water, damming, diverting a stream or river, deepening a
channel, irrigation, or altering a body of water for navigation or
drainage. Therefore, no coordination with other agencies pursuant to
the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act is required for the proposed
action.
National Historic Preservation Act
The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) requires Federal
agencies to consider the effects of their undertakings on historic
properties. As stated in the NHPA, historic properties are any
prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or object
included in, or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of
Historic Places.
The nearest National Register of Historic Places listed historic
property is the Sacramento Air Depot Historic District located
approximately 150 ft (47 m) south-southeast of the MNRC facility. The
historic air depot headquarters building and residential area are
located approximately 0.5 mi (1 km) east of the MNRC facility. The
Sacramento Air Depot Historic District, located on McClellan Air Force
Base, consisting of original buildings and structures, was the first of
six bases authorized by the Wilcox Act of 1935 and was the only depot
located west of the Rocky Mountains. The historic district consists of
43 buildings, 7 structures, and 1 object (McClellan Mall and flagpole).
The buildings and structures in the historic district appear almost
exactly as they did in photographs taken between 1937 to 1939.
Operation of the MNRC reactor has not likely had any impact on this
historic property. A request for a section 106 project review was
submitted to the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) regarding
this undertaking and determination. By letter dated July 8, 2020, the
California SHPO concurred that this action would not affect any
historic properties. Based on this information, the proposed license
renewal and the continued operation of the MNRC reactor would have no
adverse effect on historic properties located near the MNRC reactor.
Executive Order 12898--Environmental Justice
Executive Order 12898, ``Federal Actions to Address Environmental
Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations'' (59 FR
7629; February 16, 1994), directs Federal agencies to identify and
address the disproportionately high and adverse human health or
environmental effects of their actions on minority and low-income
populations, to the greatest extent practicable and permitted by law.
The environmental justice impact analysis evaluates the potential
for disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental
effects on minority and low-income populations that could result from
the relicensing and the continued operation of the reactor. Such
effects may include human health, biological, cultural, economic, or
social impacts. Minority and low-income populations are subsets of the
general public residing around the reactor, and all are exposed to the
[[Page 63825]]
same health and environmental effects generated from activities at the
reactor.
Minority Populations in the Vicinity of the MNRC Reactor--According
to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 Census, approximately 42 percent of
the total population (approximately 951,000 individuals) residing
within a 10-mi (16-km) radius of the MNRC reactor identified themselves
as minorities. The largest minority populations were Hispanic, Latino,
or Spanish origin of any race (approximately 194,000 or 20 percent)
followed by Asian (approximately 82,000 or 9 percent). According to the
2010 Census, 52 percent of the Sacramento County population identified
themselves as minorities, with persons of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish
origin of any race, Asians, and Black or African Americans comprising
the largest minority populations (22 percent, 14 percent, and 10
percent, respectively). According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019
American Community Survey 1-year Estimates, the minority population of
Sacramento County, as a percent of the total population, had increased
to about 56 percent.
Low-income Populations in the Vicinity of the MNRC Reactor--
According to U.S. Census Bureau's 2015-2019 American Community Survey
5-Year Estimates, approximately 155,000 persons and 27,000 families
(approximately 15 and 11 percent, respectively) residing within a 10-mi
(16-km) radius of the MNRC reactor were identified as living below the
Federal poverty threshold. The 2019 Federal poverty threshold was
$26,172 for a family of four. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's
2019 American Community Survey Census 1-Year Estimates, the median
household income for the State of California was $80,440 while
approximately 8 percent of families and 12 percent of the state
population were found to be living below the Federal poverty threshold.
Sacramento County had a lower median household income average ($72,017)
and a similar percentage of families (8 percent) and a slightly higher
percentage of persons (13 percent) living below the poverty level.
Impact Analysis--Potential impacts to minority and low-income
populations would mostly consist of radiological effects; however,
radiation doses from continued operations associated with the proposed
license renewal are expected to continue at current levels and would be
below regulatory limits. Based on this information and the analysis of
human health and environmental impacts presented in this EA, the
proposed license renewal would not have disproportionately high and
adverse human health and environmental effects on minority and low-
income populations residing in the vicinity of the MNRC reactor.
Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to license renewal, the NRC considered denying
the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative). If the NRC
denied the request for license renewal, reactor operations would cease
and decommissioning would be required sooner than if a renewed license
were issued. Therefore, the environmental effects of decommissioning
would occur sooner under the no-action alternative than if a renewed
license were issued. Decommissioning would be conducted in accordance
with an NRC-approved decommissioning plan, which would require a
separate environmental review under 10 CFR 51.21. Cessation of reactor
operations would reduce or eliminate radioactive effluents. However, as
previously discussed in this EA, radioactive effluents from reactor
operations constitute a small fraction of the applicable regulatory
limits. Therefore, the environmental impacts of license renewal and the
denial of the request for license renewal would be similar. In
addition, denying the request for license renewal would eliminate the
benefits of teaching, research, and services provided by the MNRC
reactor.
Alternative Use of Resources
The proposed license renewal does not involve the use of any
different resources or significant quantities of resources beyond those
associated with current facility operations and previously considered
in the issuance of Facility License No. R-130 for the reactor on August
13, 1998.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In satisfaction of its obligations under the NHPA, the NRC
consulted with the California SHPO, as previously described. In
addition, on June 1, 2022, the NRC notified the California State
official (State Liaison Officer), Mr. David Hochschild, Chair,
California Energy Commission, of the proposed action. The NRC received
no reply. On June 23, 2022, the NRC notified Mr. Justin Cochran, Senior
Nuclear Policy Advisor & Emergency Coordinator, California Energy
Commission, and Mr. Gonzalo Perez, Chief, Radiological Health Branch
(RHB), California Department of Public Health. By email dated June 24,
2022, Mr. Perez replied on behalf of the RHB and expressed appreciation
for the NRC's partnership and transparency. In Mr. Perez's reply, he
noted that the RHB acknowledges the radiological aspects of the EA and
had reviewed the EA for possible effects on the public and environment,
with no additional comments.
III. Finding of No Significant Impact
The NRC is considering renewal of Facility License No. R-130, held
by the Regents of the University of California for the UCD, which would
authorize the continued operation of the MNRC reactor for an additional
20 years from the date of issuance of the renewed license.
On the basis of the EA included in Section II of this notice and
incorporated by reference in this finding, the NRC staff finds that the
proposed action will not have a significant impact on the quality of
the human environment, and will not significantly affect the
environment surrounding the MNRC. This is because the proposed action
will result in no significant radiological impacts from continued
operations as the types or quantities of effluents that may be released
off site would not change. No changes in land use would occur or
increases in noise or air emissions. Continued operations under the
proposed action would have no significant impacts on air quality,
noise, visual resources, surface water or groundwater resources,
terrestrial or aquatic resources, or on any other environmental
resource conditions. Additionally, the proposed action would have no
effect on Federally listed species or designated critical habitats,
would not affect historic properties, and would not result in
environmental justice impacts. 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 that there
is no need to prepare an environmental impact statement for the
proposed action.
The NRC considered information provided in the licensee's
application, as supplemented, and the review of related environmental
documents. Section IV in this notice lists the environmental documents
related to the proposed action and includes information on the
availability of these documents.
IV. Availability of Documents
The documents in the following table are available to interested
persons through one or more of the following methods, as indicated.
[[Page 63826]]
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Document description ADAMS accession No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION
------------------------------------------------------------------------
University of California, Davis--Renewal of ML18179A501
Facility Operating License No. R-130,
Regents of the University of California,
Docket No. 50-607, dated June 11, 2018.
University of California, Davis. McClellan ML18271A212
Nuclear Research Center TRIGA Research
Reactor--Environmental Report, dated June
11, 2018.
University of California, Davis. McClellan ML18271A211
Nuclear Research Center. TRIGA Research
Reactor--License Renewal Application.
Updated Safety Analysis Report. Rev. 6. 04/
30/18, dated June 11, 2018.
University of California, Davis. McClellan ML20188A368
Nuclear Research Center--MNRC License (R-
130) Renewal Application Package Docket
Number 50-607, dated July 6, 2020.
University of California, Davis. McClellan ML20238B993
Nuclear Research Center--Environmental
Report, License Renewal Application, dated
July 6, 2020.
University of California, Davis. McClellan ML20238B984
Nuclear Research Center--Safety Analysis
Report, License Renewal Application, Rev.
6. 06/10/20, dated July 6, 2020.
University of California, Davis. McClellan ML21265A541
Nuclear Research Center--UC Davis MNRC
Cover Letter for Response to Request for
Supplemental Information, dated September
22, 2021.
University of California, Davis. McClellan ML21265A548
Nuclear Research Center--Reactor
Environmental Report, dated September 22,
2021.
University of California, Davis. McClellan ML22089A158
Nuclear Research Center--UC Davis MNRC
Response to NRC Staff Request for
Additional Information Regarding Licensing
Renewal Application Letter Issued February
8, 2022, dated March 30, 2022.
OTHER REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
University of California, Davis. McClellan ML15191A047
Nuclear Research Center. 2014 Annual
Report, dated June 29, 2015.
University of California, Davis. McClellan ML17181A173
Nuclear Research Center. 2016 Annual
Report, dated December 31, 2016.
University of California, Davis. McClellan ML18178A602
Nuclear Research Center. 2017 Annual
Report, dated December 31, 2017.
University of California, Davis. McClellan ML20062C059
Nuclear Research Center. 2018 Annual
Report, dated March 2, 2020.
University of California, Davis. McClellan ML20188A338
Nuclear Research Center. 2019 Annual
Report, dated July 6, 2020.
University of California, Davis. McClellan ML21175A333 (package)
Nuclear Research Center. 2020 Annual
Report, dated June 22, 2021.
State of California Department of Parks and ML20192A365
Recreation, Office of Historic
Preservation--Section 106 consultation for
the proposed Renewal of Facility Operating
License No. R-130 for the McClellan
Nuclear Research Center, dated July 8,
2020.
UCD License Renewal Application, State of ML22182A389
California Draft EA Review Comment email,
dated June 30, 2022.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: October 17, 2022.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Joshua M. Borromeo,
Chief, Non-Power Production and Utilization Facility Licensing Branch,
Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization
Facilities, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2022-22766 Filed 10-19-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P