[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 214 (Wednesday, November 5, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59908-59909]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-29243]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-346]


Toledo Edison Company; Centerior Service Company and The 
Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company; Davis-Besse Nuclear Power 
Station, Unit 1; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant 
Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption from certain requirements of its 
regulations to Facility Operating License No. NPF-3, issued to Toledo 
Edison Company, Centerior Service Company, and The Cleveland Electric 
Illuminating Company (the licensees), for operation of the Davis-Besse 
Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1, located in Ottawa County, Ohio.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would exempt the licensees from the 
requirements of 10 CFR 70.24, which requires in each area in which 
special nuclear material is handled, used, or stored a monitoring 
system that will energize clear audible alarms if accidental 
criticality occurs. The proposed action would also exempt the licensees 
from the requirements to maintain emergency procedures for each area in 
which this licensed special nuclear material is handled, used, or 
stored to ensure that all personnel withdraw to an area of safety upon 
the sounding of the alarm, to familiarize personnel with the evacuation 
plan, to designate responsible individuals for determining the cause of 
the alarm, and to place radiation survey instruments in accessible 
locations for use in such an emergency.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensees' 
application for exemption dated January 30, 1997, as supplemented May 
28 and October 3, 1997.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The purpose of 10 CFR 70.24 is to ensure that if a criticality were 
to occur during the handling of special nuclear material, personnel 
would be alerted to that fact and would take appropriate

[[Page 59909]]

action. At a commercial nuclear power plant, the inadvertent 
criticality with which 10 CFR 70.24 is concerned could occur during 
fuel handling operations. The special nuclear material that could be 
assembled into a critical mass at a commercial nuclear power plant is 
in the form of nuclear fuel; the quantity of other forms of special 
nuclear material that is stored onsite in any given location is small 
enough to preclude achieving a critical mass. Because the fuel is not 
enriched beyond 5.0 weight percent uranium-235, and because commercial 
nuclear plant licensees have procedures and design features that 
prevent inadvertent criticality, the staff has determined that it is 
unlikely that an inadvertent criticality could occur due to the 
handling of special nuclear material at a commercial power reactor. 
Therefore, the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24 are not necessary to ensure 
the safety of personnel during the handling of special nuclear 
materials at commercial power reactors.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that inadvertent or accidental criticality will be 
precluded through compliance with the Davis-Besse Technical 
Specifications, the design of the fuel storage racks providing 
geometric spacing of fuel assemblies in their storage locations, and 
administrative controls imposed on fuel handling procedures.
    The proposed exemption would not result in an increase in the 
probability or consequences of accidents, affect radiological plant 
effluents, or cause any significant occupational exposures. Therefore, 
there are no radiological impacts associated with the proposed 
exemption.
    The proposed exemption does not result in a change in 
nonradiological effluents and will have no other nonradiological 
environmental impact.
    Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Since the Commission has concluded that there is no measurable 
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any 
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be 
evaluated. As an alternative to the proposed exemption, the staff 
considered denial of the requested exemption. Denial of the request 
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 related to 
the operation of Davis-Besse dated October 1975.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on July 30, 1997, the staff 
consulted with the Ohio State official, Carol O'Claire, of the Ohio 
Emergency Management Agency, regarding the environmental impact of the 
proposed action. The State official had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based upon 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 
licensees' letters dated January 30, May 28, and October 3, 1997, which 
are available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document 
Room located at the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, 
DC, and at the local public document room located at the University of 
Toledo, William Carlson Library, Government Documents Collection, 2801 
West Bancroft Avenue, Toledo, OH 43606.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 30th day of October 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Gail H. Marcus,
Director, Project Directorate III-3, Division of Reactor Projects III/
IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 97-29243 Filed 11-4-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P