[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 14, 1999)] [Notices] [Page 69806] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-32309] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Commonwealth Edison Co.; Zion Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact [Docket Nos. 50-295 and 50-304] The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuance of an exemption from certain requirements of its regulations for Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-39 and DPR-48, issued to Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd or the licensee) for the Zion Nuclear Power Station (ZNPS) Units 1 and 2, located in Lake County, Illinois. Environmental Assessment Identification of the Proposed Action The proposed exemption would exempt ZNPS, because of its permanently shutdown and defueled status, from certain requirements of 10 CFR 50.54(w) regarding the amount of onsite property insurance required and from the requirements of 10 CFR 140.11 regarding the amount of offsite liability insurance required. Specifically, the exemption would allow the licensee to reduce onsite insurance coverage to $50 million, offsite coverage to $100 million, and withdraw from participation in the secondary insurance pool based on the permanently defueled status of ZNPS. The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's application for exemption dated October 22, 1999. The Need for the Proposed Action ZNPS was shut down permanently in February 1997. ComEd certified the permanent shutdown on February 13, 1998, and, on March 9, 1998, certified that all fuel had been removed from the reactor vessels. In accordance with 10 CFR 50.82(a)(2), upon docketing of the certifications, the facility operating license no longer authorizes ComEd to operate the reactor or to load fuel into the reactor vessel. In this permanently shutdown condition, the facility poses a reduced risk to public health and safety. Because of this reduced risk, full compliance with all the requirements in 10 CFR 50.54(w) and 10 CFR 140.11 is no longer necessary. The requested exemptions from portions of 10 CFR 50.54(w) and 10 CFR 140.11 are needed to allow a reduction in the insurance coverage to a level that is appropriate for ZNPS in its permanently shutdown and defueled condition. Environmental Impact of the Proposed Action The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and concludes that since the exemption only involves changes to indemnity insurance, the proposed action will not increase the probability or consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of effluents that may be released off site, and there is no significant increase in occupational or public radiation exposure. Therefore, there are no significant radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action. With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed action does not involve any historic sites. It does not affect non- radiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Therefore, there are no significant non-radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action. The only potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed action would be economic in nature in the event of an accident, if insurance coverage is not sufficient. The NRC staff determined in SECY-96-256, ``Changes to the Financial Protection Requirements for Permanently Shutdown Nuclear Power Reactors, 10 CFR 50.54(w) and 10 CFR 140.11,'' that $50 million in on-site coverage and $100 million in offsite coverage is sufficient for the most limiting accident associated with a permanently shutdown defueled plant. Therefore, given that the proposed action conforms to the dollar amounts of SECY-96-256, the staff has concluded that there would be no significant economic impact on the surrounding community in the event of an accident. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant environmental impacts associated with the proposed action. Alternatives to the Proposed Action As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative). Denial of the application would result in no change in current environmental impacts. The environmental impacts of the proposed action and the alternative action are similar. Alternative Use of Resources This action does not involve the use of resources not previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the Zion Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2, dated December 1972. Agencies and Persons Consulted In accordance with its stated policy, on November 23, 1999, the staff consulted with the Illinois State officials, Mr. Gary Wright and Mr. Neill Howey, of the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety (IDNS) regarding the environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments. Finding of No Significant Impact On the basis of the environmental assessment, the Commission concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed action. For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the licensee's letter dated July 30, 1999, which is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW, Washington, DC. Publicly available records will be accessible electronically from the ADAMS Public Library component on the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov (the Electronic Reading Room). Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 8th day of December 1999. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Dino C. Scaletti, Project Manager, Decommissioning Section, Project Directorate IV & Decommissioning Division of Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. [FR Doc. 99-32309 Filed 12-13-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P