[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]
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