Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 216 / Tuesday, November 7, 2000 / Notices 66779

the Order on the ground that the Order,

including the need for immediate

effectiveness, is not based on adequate

evidence but on mere suspicion,

unfounded allegations, or error.

In the absence of any request for

hearing, or written approval of an

extension of time in which to request a

hearing, the provisions specified in

Section IV above shall be final 20 days

from the date of this Order without

further order or proceedings. If an

extension of time for requesting a

hearing has been approved, the

provisions specified in Section IV shall

be final when the extension expires if a

hearing request has not been received.

An answer or a request for hearing shall

not stay the immediate effectiveness of

this order.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Dated: Dated this 27th day of October 2000.

R.W. Borchardt,

Director, Office of Enforcement.

[FR Doc. 00–28496 Filed 11–06–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P

NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50–255]

Consumers Energy Co.; Palisades

Plant; Environmental Assessment and

Finding of No Significant Impact

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (NRC) is considering

issuance of an amendment to Facility

Operating License No. DPR–20, issued

to Consumers Energy Company (the

licensee), for operation of the Palisades

Plant, located in Van Buren County,

Michigan.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

The proposed action would change

the expiration date of the Operating

License from ‘‘midnight on March 14,

2007’’ to ‘‘midnight on March 24, 2011.’’

Palisades is currently licensed to

operate 40 years commencing with the

issuance of the construction permit on

March 14, 1967. At present, the Facility

Operating License expires at midnight

on March 14, 2007. The licensee seeks

an extension of the license term to allow

Palisades to operate until 40 years from

the issuance of its Provisional Operating

License. The Provisional Operating

License for Palisades was issued on

March 24, 1971. This action would

extend the period of operation to the

full 40 years provided by the Atomic

Energy Act and the Code of Federal

Regulations.

The proposed action is in accordance

with the licensee’s application for

license amendment dated April 27,

2000.

The Need for the Proposed Action

The proposed action is needed to

allow the licensee to continue to operate

Palisades for 40 years from the date of

issuance of the Provisional Operating

License. This extension of 4 years and

10 days would permit Palisades to

operate for the full 40-year design-basis

lifetime, consistent with the

Commission’s policy stated in a

memorandum dated August 16, 1982,

from William Dircks, Executive Director

for Operations, to the Commissioners,

and as evidenced by the issuance of

more than 50 such extensions to other

licensees.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed

Action

The NRC has completed its evaluation

of the proposed action and concludes

that extending Facility Operating

License No. DPR–20 for 4 years and 10

days would not create any new or

unreviewed environmental impacts.

This change does not involve any

physical modifications to Palisades and

there are no new or unreviewed

environmental impacts that were not

considered as part of the Final

Environmental Statement (FES) related

to operation of Palisades, dated June

1972, as supplemented by a final

addendum (NUREG–0343), dated

February 1978, related to an increase in

core power level, and as supplemented

by an environmental assessment (EA)

dated October 22, 1990, related to

conversion of the Provisional Operating

License to a 40-year full-term Facility

Operating License, which concluded

that an FES supplement was not

necessary. Evaluations for the FES, as

supplemented by the final addendum

and by the EA, considered a 40-year

operating life. The considerations

involved in the NRC staff’s

determination are discussed below.

Radiological Impacts of the

Hypothetical Design-Basis Accidents

The offsite exposure from releases

during postulated accidents was

evaluated and found acceptable during

the operating license stage and

subsequent license amendments. This

type of evaluation involves four issues:

(1) Type and probability of postulated

accidents, (2) the radioactive material

releases calculated for each accident, (3)

the assumed meteorological conditions,

and (4) population size and distribution

in the vicinity of Palisades. The NRC

staff has concluded that neither the type

and probability of postulated accidents

nor the radioactive material releases

calculated for each accident would

change through the proposed extended

operation. As discussed in Sections

2.5.5 and 2.5.6 of Palisades’ Updated

Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR),

more recent meteorological data

collected onsite (1983 to 1997 for shortterm and 1988 to 1993 for long-term

atmospheric dispersion potentials) since

issuance of the Operating License have

resulted in generally more favorable

atmospheric dispersion estimates such

that the earlier analyses of the offsite

consequences of postulated radiological

releases to the atmosphere remain

bounding. A comparison of the 1980

population in the UFSAR with the

actual 1990 census data shows a 3.5-

percent decline in the permanent

resident population within 10 miles of

Palisades. Using 1990 census data and

recent surveys to establish the possible

transient population, the licensee found

that the maximum probable population

within the 10-mile Emergency Planning

Zone has declined from that shown in

the UFSAR for 1980. The 1998

estimated population for the 13 cities

and townships within 10 miles of

Palisades declined by 1 percent from the

1990 census. These declining trends are

expected to continue such that the

population for the period 2007 through

2011 should be well within the previous

FES and UFSAR projections. There are

no changes to the current exclusion

area, low population zone, and nearest

population center distance, and the

licensee will continue to meet the

requirements of 10 CFR 100.11(a) for the

proposed license term extension. Also,

there is no expected change in land

usage during the license terms that

would affect offsite dose calculations.

Therefore, cumulative exposure to the

general public due to a design-basis

accident would be within the bounds of

the original projections because of the

lower than projected population and

improved meteorological conditions for

the site and surrounding area.

Accordingly, the NRC staff concludes

that the proposed action will not

significantly change previous

conclusions regarding the potential

environmental effects of offsite releases

from postulated accident conditions.

Radiological Impacts of Annual

Releases and Occupational Exposures

On an annual basis, the licensee

submits an Occupational Radiation

Exposure Report to the NRC. The data

in these reports show that the collective

occupational exposure at Palisades is in

a declining trend. The 3-year annual

average collective occupational

66780 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 216 / Tuesday, November 7, 2000 / Notices

exposure at Palisades has dropped from

about 270 person-rem/year in 1996 to

about 161 person-rem/year in 1999.

Through continued implementation of

As Low As Is Reasonably Achievable

(ALARA) and other programs, and by

continuing to apply new techniques as

they are developed by the industry, the

licensee expects to minimize

occupational exposure for Palisades

during the period of the license

extension. The licensee projects that the

collective occupational exposure at

Palisades for the period of 2007 to 2011

will average 125 person-rem/year. Based

on its review of historical radiation

exposure data at Palisades, the

licensee’s continued implementation of

ALARA, and the licensee’s continued

compliance with the requirements of 10

CFR Part 20, the NRC staff concludes

that the occupational exposures will

continue to decline, and therefore,

exposures during the proposed

extended period will remain below the

exposures experienced during Palisades’

previous years of operation.

In accordance with Palisades’

Technical Specifications (TSs), the

licensee has established several

radiation monitoring programs,

including a program that follows 10 CFR

Part 50, Appendix I, guidelines to

maintain radiation doses ALARA to

members of the public. The Appendix I

guidelines establish radioactive design/

dose objectives for liquid and gaseous

offsite releases, including iodine

particulate radionuclides. In addition,

routine releases to the environment are

governed by 10 CFR Part 20, which

states that such releases should be

ALARA. Each year, the licensee submits

an Annual Radioactive Effluent Release

and Waste Disposal Report that provides

an annual assessment of the radiation

dose as a result of radioactive liquid and

gaseous effluents released from

Palisades. These reports show that

release of radioactive liquids and gases

have historically been only a small

percentage of the Appendix I guidelines.

As a result of the continued

implementation of the ALARA program,

offsite exposures can be expected to

remain lower than the Appendix I

guidelines and FES estimates. These

reports also discuss the types and

quantity of solid radioactive waste

(radwaste) processed during the year

and shipped to a licensed offsite lowlevel waste disposal facility in another

state. Solid radwaste typically includes

dry active waste, evaporator bottom

contents, spent resins and filters, and

irradiated hardware. The volume of

solid radwaste shipped from Palisades

has historically been consistent with

that projected in the FES (2100 to

10,000 cubic feet per year). The volume

of radwaste generated at Palisades due

to the processing of radioactive liquids

(filters and resins), and due to routine

maintenance on equipment, has

decreased significantly since the late

1980’s due, in part, to the processing of

dry active waste by incineration. The

licensee continues to pursue waste

volume reduction technology to

minimize impacts associated with

radwaste management. Therefore, the

NRC staff concludes that the additional

solid radwaste generated and processed

during the extended period of operation

will continue to be consistent with the

types and quantities previously

projected in the FES.

In accordance with Palisades’ TSs, the

licensee has an established Radiological

Environmental Monitoring Program by

which it monitors the effect of operation

of its facility upon the environment.

This is accomplished by continuously

measuring radiation levels and airborne

radioactive material levels and

periodically measuring amounts of

radioactive materials in samples at

various locations surrounding Palisades.

Continued environmental monitoring

and surveillance under the program

ensure early detection of any increase in

exposures over the proposed extended

operation.

Accordingly, the NRC staff concludes

that the radiological impact upon the

public due to the proposed extended

operation would not increase over that

previously evaluated in the FES and the

occupational exposures will be

consistent with the industry average and

in accordance with 10 CFR Part 20.

The NRC staff has reviewed the

environmental impacts attributable to

the transportation of spent fuel and

waste from the Palisades site. With

respect to the normal conditions of

transport and possible accidents in

transport, the NRC staff finds that the

environmental impacts are bounded by

those identified in Table S–4,

‘‘Environmental Impact of

Transportation of Fuel and Waste to and

from One Light Water-Cooled Nuclear

Power Reactor,’’ of 10 CFR Part 51.52 for

burnup levels up to 60,000 megawattdays per metric ton of uranium (MWd/

MTU) and 5 weight percent U-235

enrichment (53 FR 6040 and 53 FR

30355). The NRC staff concludes that

the environmental impact related to the

transportation of fuel and waste remains

low and is not significantly increased by

the change in the expiration date of the

Operating License.

Based upon the conservative

population estimate in the FES dated

November 1973 and EAs dated February

26 and June 7, 1990, low radiological

exposure from plant releases during

normal operation and postulated

accidents, and the environmental

monitoring program, the NRC staff

concludes that the radiological impact

on the public due to the proposed action

would not be significant and the

conclusions of the FES would remain

valid.

Environmental Impact of the Uranium

Fuel Cycle

Palisades is currently operating in its

15th fuel cycle. Fuel enrichments (batch

average) have ranged from a minimum

of 1.65 weight percent U-235 up to 4.02

weight percent U-235. Palisades is

presently licensed to store fuel with

enrichments up to 4.4 weight percent U235. To date, the maximum burn-up of

any single fuel assembly has been

51,500 MWd/MTU. In its generic EA

dated February 29, 1988 (53 FR 6040),

the NRC staff concluded that the

environmental impact of extended fuel

irradiation up to 60,000 MWd/MTU and

increased enrichment up to 5 weight

percent are bounded by the impacts

reported in Table S–4 of 10 CFR 51.52.

Thus, this generic assessment is

bounding for the Palisades Plant.

The total projected number of fuel

cycles remaining before the current

Facility Operating License expiration

date (March 14, 2007) is five. The

proposed extended operation will

increase the number of complete fuel

cycles by about 3 to a total of 22 based

on projected cycle lengths. The total

number of discharged fuel assemblies,

including a full core discharge at the

end of the current Operating License

expiration date, is projected to be 1453.

The licensee projects that the total

number of spent fuel assemblies,

including a full core discharge at the

end of the 40-year operating life, would

be between 1577 and 1625. Thus, the

proposed extended operation involves

the generation, interim storage, and

ultimate disposal of up to an additional

172 spent fuel assemblies.

To provide for the storage of

additional spent fuel assemblies beyond

the licensed capacity of the Palisades

spent fuel pool, the licensee began using

dry storage in 1993 under a general

license in accordance with 10 CFR part

72 (Docket No. 72–7). The licensee

projects that the proposed extended

operation will result in an additional

126 fuel assemblies in dry fuel storage.

Licensed dry fuel storage has provided,

and will continue to provide, sufficient

extra spent fuel storage capacity to

accommodate the spent fuel storage

needed for 40 years of operation.

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 216 / Tuesday, November 7, 2000 / Notices 66781

Based on the above, the NRC staff

concludes that there are no significant

changes in the environmental impact

related to the uranium fuel cycle due to

the proposed extended operation of

Palisades.

Nonradiological Impacts

The NRC relies upon the State of

Michigan, Department of Environmental

Quality (MDEQ), for regulation of

nonradiological matters involving water

quality and aquatic biota. The State of

Michigan has reviewed and considered

the environmental impacts of Palisades’

water discharge in its issuance of the

National Pollutant Discharge

Elimination System (NPDES) permit and

renewals. The NPDES permit contains

requirements necessary to comply with

State and Federal water pollution

control laws, and is audited by MDEQ

and the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency. On October 1, 1999, MDEQ

renewed the NPDES permit for

Palisades (NPDES Permit No.

MI0001457) with an effective date of

November 1, 1999, and an expiration

date of October 1, 2003. The licensee

expects the MDEQ to renew and issue

NPDES permits about every 4 years

until expiration of the Operating

License. Because the licensee will

continue to abide by the NPDES

permits, there will be no significant

nonradiological impact on the

environment with regard to liquid

discharges from Palisades as a result of

extending the expiration date of the

Operating License. Also, the proposed

action does not involve any historic

sites. Therefore, the NRC concludes that

there are no significant nonradiological

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 NRC staff considered denial

of the proposed action (i.e., the ‘‘no

action’’ alternative). Denial of the

application would result in no

significant improvement in

environmental impacts, but could result

in nonradiological environmental effects

due to airborne effluents from

nonnuclear plants that would be

required to operate in order to replace

the power supplied by Palisades. The

environmental impacts of the proposed

action and the alternative action are

otherwise similar.

Alternative Use of Resources

This action does not involve the use

of any resources not previously

considered in the FES, as

supplemented, for Palisades.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

In accordance with its stated policy,

the NRC staff consulted with the

Michigan State official 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 April 27, 2000. Documents may

be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at

the NRC’s Public Document Room,

located at One White Flint North, 11555

Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville,

Maryland. 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 31st day

of October 2000.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Darl S. Hood,

Senior Project Manager, Section 1, Project

Directorate III, Division of Licensing Project

Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor

Regulation.

[FR Doc. 00–28494 Filed 11–6–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P

NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

Sunshine Act Meeting

AGENCY HOLDING THE MEETING: Nuclear

Regulatory Commission.

DATE: Weeks of November 6, 13, 20, 27,

December 4, and 11, 2000.

PLACE: Commissioners’ Conference

Room, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville,

Maryland.

STATUS: Public and Closed.

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: 

Week of November 6

There are no meetings scheduled for

the Week of November 6.

Week of November 13—Tentative

Wednesday, November 15, 2000

10:00 a.m. Briefing by the Executive

Branch (Closed-Ex. 1)

Friday, November 17

9:25 a.m. Affirmation Session (Public

Meeting) (If needed)

9:30 a.m. Briefing on Risk-Informed

Regulation Implementation Plan

(Public Meeting) (Contact: Tom King,

301–415–5790)

This meeting will be webcast live at

the Web address–www.nrc.gov/live.html

Week of November 20—Tentative

There are no meetings scheduled for

the Week of November 20.

Week of November 27—Tentative

Monday, November 27, 2000

9:00 a.m. (Briefing by DOE on

Plutonium Disposition Program and

MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility

Licensing (Public Meeting) (Contact:

Drew Persinko, 301–415–6522)

This meeting will be webcast live at

the Web address—www.nrc.gov/

live.html

Week of December 4—Tentative

Monday, December 4

1:55 p.m. Affirmation Session (Public

Meeting) (If needed)

2:00 p.m. Briefing on License Renewal

Generic Aging Lessons Learned

(GALL) Report, Standard Review Plan

(SRP), and Regulatory Guide (Public

Meeting) (contact: Chris Grimes, 301–

415–1183)

This meeting will be webcast live at

the Web address—www.nrc.gov/

live.html

Week of December 11—Tentative

There are no meetings scheduled for

the Week of December 11.

The Schedule for Commission

Meetings is subject to change on short

notice. To verify the status of meetings

call (recording)—(301) 415–1292.

Contact person for more information:

Bill Hill (301) 415–1661.

The NRC Commission Meeting

Schedule can be found on the Internet

at: http://www.nrc.gov/SECY/smj/

schedule.htm

This notice is distributed by mail to

several hundred subscribers; if you no

longer wish to receive it, or would like

to be added to it, please contact the

Office of the Secretary, Attn: Operations

Branch, Washington, D.C. 20555 (301–

415–1661). In addition, distribution of

this meeting notice over the Internet

system is available. If you are interested

in receiving this Commission meeting