[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 240 (Thursday, December 13, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64480-64481]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-30833]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-416]
Entergy Operations, Inc.; Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of an exemption from Title 10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (10 CFR) part 50, appendix E IV.F.2.b and c for Facility
Operating License No. NPF-29, issued to Entergy Operations, Inc., the
licensee, for operation of the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station (GGNS), Unit
1, located in Claiborne County, Mississippi. Therefore, as required by
10 CFR 51.21, the NRC is issuing this environmental assessment and
finding of no significant impact.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action is a one time exemption from the requirements
of 10 CFR part 50, appendix E, sections IV.F.2.b and c regarding
conduct of a full participation exercise of the onsite and offsite
emergency plans every 2 years. Under the proposed exemption, the
licensee would reschedule the exercise originally scheduled for
September 19, 2001, and complete the exercise requirements during the
week of March 4, 2002.
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application for an exemption dated September 18, 2001, supplemented by
letter dated December 3, 2001.
The Need for the Proposed Action
10 CFR part 50, Appendix E, Items IV.F.2.b and c requires each
licensee at each site to conduct an exercise of its onsite and offsite
emergency plan every 2 years. Federal agencies (the NRC for the onsite
exercise portion and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for
the offsite exercise portion) observe these exercises and evaluate the
performance of the licensee, State and local authorities having a role
under the emergency plan.
The licensee had initially planned to conduct an exercise of its
onsite and offsite emergency plan on September 19, 2001, within the
required 2-year interval. However, due to circumstances resulting from
the national tragedy of September 11, 2001, the licensee was concerned
that the performance of an Emergency Plan Exercise, including full
participation of offsite authorities, would result in undue stress and
risk to the general public and to plant personnel. Based on the
concerns created by this extraordinary event, the licensee has decided
to postpone the exercise.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and
concludes that the proposed action involves an administrative activity
(a scheduler change in conducting an exercise) unrelated to plant
operations.
The proposed action will not increase the probability or
consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of
any effluents that may be released offsite, 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.
Accordingly, the NRC concludes that there are no significant
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Environmental Impacts of the 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 any resources not
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the
GGNS.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
On October 5, 2001, the staff consulted with the Mississippi State
official, Robert W. Goff of the Mississippi Department of Health,
regarding the environmental impact of the proposed action. The State
official had no comments. In addition, by telephone conference on
September 20, 2001, the FEMA indicated support for a one-time
rescheduling of the Emergency Plan exercise from September 19, 2001, to
a date during calendar year 2002.
Finding of No Significant Impact
On the basis of the environmental assessment, 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
not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed
action.
For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the
licensee's letters dated September 18, and December 3, 2001. Documents
may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document
Room (PDR), located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike
(first floor), Rockville,
[[Page 64481]]
Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible electronically
from the ADAMS Public Library component on the NRC Web site,
http://www.nrc.gov (the Public Electronic Reading Room). Persons who do
not have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in accessing the
documents located in ADAMS should contact the NRC PDR Reference staff
by telephone at 1-800-397-4209, or 301-415-4737, or by e-mail at
[email protected].
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 7th day of December, 2001.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert A. Gramm,
Chief, Section 1, Project Directorate IV, Division of Licensing Project
Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 01-30833 Filed 12-12-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P