[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 123 (Monday, June 26, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39443-39444]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-16084]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-245]


Northeast Nuclear Energy Company; Millstone Nuclear Power 
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 certain requirements of 10 CFR Part 73 
for Facility Operating License No. DPR-21, issued to Northeast Nuclear 
Energy Company (the licensee) for the Millstone Nuclear Power Station, 
Unit 1, a permanently shutdown nuclear reactor facility located in 
Waterford, Connecticut.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action would modify security requirements to eliminate 
certain equipment, to relocate certain equipment, to modify certain 
procedures, and reduce the number of armed responders, due to the 
permanently shutdown and defueled status of the Millstone Nuclear Power 
Station, Unit 1.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated March 13, 2000, as supplemented by 
letter dated May 1, 2000. The requested action would grant an exemption 
from certain requirements of 10 CFR 73.55, ``Requirements for physical 
protection of licensed activities in nuclear power reactors against 
radiological sabotage.''

[[Page 39444]]

The Need for the Proposed Action

    On July 21, 1998, the licensee informed the NRC that it had decided 
to permanently cease operation of Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit 
1, and that all fuel had been permanently removed from the reactor. In 
accordance with 10 CFR 50.82(a)(2), the certifications in the letter 
modified the facility operating license to permanently withdraw the 
licensee's authority to operate the reactor and 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, certain requirements of 10 CFR 73.55 are no longer 
appropriate. An exemption is required from portions of 10 CFR 73.55 to 
allow the licensee to implement a revised security plan that is 
appropriate for the permanently shutdown and defueled Millstone Nuclear 
Power Station, Unit 1.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and 
concludes that granting an exemption to those portions of 10 CFR 73.55, 
identified above, would not have a significant impact on the 
environment, given the reduced consequences of an act of sabotage 
resulting in the release of radioactive material contained in the spent 
fuel at a defueled reactor site.
    The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability 
or consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of 
any 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.
    Accordingly, the NRC 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 any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the 
Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1.

Agencies and Persons Contacted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on June 2, 2000, the staff 
consulted with the State of Connecticut official, Mr. Michael Firsick 
of the Department of Environmental Protection, 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 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 letter dated March 13, 2000, as supplemented by letter dated 
May 1, 2000, 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 20th day of June 2000.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
David J. Wrona,
Project Manager, Decommissioning Section, Project Directorate IV & 
Decommissioning, Division of Licensing Project Management, Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 00-16084 Filed 6-23-00; 8:45 am]
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