89056 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 12, 2024 / Notices 

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. 

Bo Pham, 

Director, Division of Operating Reactor 

Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor 

Regulation. 

[FR Doc. 2024–26075 Filed 11–8–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P 

NUCLEAR REGULATORY 

COMMISSION 

[Docket No. 72–26; NRC–2024–0185] 

Pacific Gas and Electric Company; 

Diablo Canyon Independent Spent Fuel 

Storage Installation; Environmental 

Assessment and Finding of No 

Significant Impact 

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory 

Commission. 

ACTION: Notice; issuance. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 

Commission (NRC) is considering the 

renewal of Special Nuclear Materials 

(SNM) License No. SNM–2511 for the 

Diablo Canyon (DC) Independent Spent 

Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) located 

in San Luis Obispo County, California. 

If approved, under the renewed license 

SNM–2511, Pacific Gas and Electric 

Company (PG&E) will be able to 

continue to operate the DC ISFSI for an 

additional 40 years. The NRC staff has 

prepared an environmental assessment 

(EA) for this proposed license renewal 

in accordance with its regulations. 

Based on the EA, the NRC has 

concluded that a finding of no 

significant impact (FONSI) is 

appropriate. Therefore, in accordance 

with NRC regulations, preparation of an 

environmental impact statement (EIS) is 

not warranted for the proposed action. 

The NRC staff also is conducting a 

safety evaluation of the proposed 

license renewal. 

DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in 

this document are available on 

November 12, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID 

NRC–2024–0185 when contacting the 

NRC about the availability of 

information regarding this document. 

You may obtain publicly available 

information related to this document 

using any of the following methods: 

• Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to 

https://www.regulations.gov and search 

for Docket ID NRC–2024–0185. Address 

questions about Docket IDs to Stacy 

Schumann; telephone: 301–415–0624; 

email: Stacy.Schumann@nrc.gov. For 

technical questions, contact the 

individual listed in the FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT section of this 

document. 

• NRC’s Agencywide Documents 

Access and Management System 

(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly 

available documents online in the 

ADAMS Public Documents collection at 

https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/ 

adams.html. To begin the search, select 

‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.’’ For 

problems with ADAMS, please contact 

the NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR) 

reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, at 

301–415–4737, or by email to 

PDR.Resource@nrc.gov. The ADAMS 

accession number for each document 

referenced in this document (if it is 

available in ADAMS) is provided in the 

‘‘Availability of Documents’’ section. 

• NRC’s PDR: The PDR, where you 

may examine and order copies of 

publicly available documents, is open 

by appointment. To make an 

appointment to visit the PDR, please 

send an email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov 

or call 1–800–397–4209 or 301–415– 

4737, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern 

time (ET), Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Isaac Johnston, Office of Nuclear 

Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 

Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone: 

301–415–5649, email: Isaac.Johnston@

nrc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Introduction 

The NRC is considering a request 

from PG&E to renew license SNM–2511 

for the DC specifically-licensed ISFSI 

located in San Luis Obispo County, 

California. PG&E is requesting to renew 

license SNM–2511 for the DC ISFSI for 

an additional 40-year period. The 

current license expiration date was 

March 22, 2024, and PG&E submitted 

the license renewal application in 

accordance with paragraphs 72.42(b) 

and (c) of title 10 of the Code of Federal 

Regulations (10 CFR). Accordingly, the 

license is in timely renewal. If 

approved, PG&E would be able to 

continue to possess and store spent 

nuclear fuel at the DC ISFSI in 

accordance with the requirements in 10 

CFR part 72, ‘‘Licensing Requirements 

for the Independent Storage of Spent 

Nuclear Fuel, High-Level Radioactive 

Waste, and Reactor-Related Greater than 

Class C Waste’’ for an additional 40 

years. 

The NRC staff has prepared an EA as 

part of its review of this license renewal 

request in accordance with the 

requirements of 10 CFR part 51, 

‘‘Environmental Protection Regulations 

for Domestic Licensing and Related 

Regulatory Functions.’’ Based on the 

EA, the NRC staff has determined that 

an EIS is not required for this proposed 

action and a FONSI is appropriate. The 

NRC staff is also conducting a safety 

evaluation of the proposed license 

renewal request pursuant to 10 CFR part 

72 and the results will be documented 

in a separate Safety Evaluation Report 

(SER). 

II. Summary of Environmental 

Assessment 

Description of the Proposed Action 

The proposed action is the review and 

approval, if appropriate, of PG&E’s 

request to renew the SNM–2511 license 

for the DC specifically-licensed ISFSI 

for a 40-year period. The ISFSI consists 

of storage pads, a cask transfer facility, 

an onsite cask transporter, and the 

Holtec International HI–STORMTM 100 

dry cask storage system. License SNM– 

2511 allows PG&E to use four different 

multipurpose canisters (MPC), which 

are part of HI–STORMTM 100 System, to 

store the spent nuclear fuel from the 

Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP). 

Currently, only the MPC–32 is in use at 

the DC ISFSI. 

Purpose and Need for the Proposed 

Action 

The purpose and need for the 

proposed action is to provide an option 

for continued temporary dry storage of 

spent nuclear fuel generated by 

operations of two nuclear power 

generating units (Units 1 and 2) at the 

DCPP. This dry storage option would be 

needed until an interim or a permanent 

facility (or facilities) is available for 

offsite disposition of the spent nuclear 

fuel. 

The DC ISFSI was constructed to store 

spent nuclear fuel associated with DCPP 

Units 1 and 2 through the current 

operating licenses, which expire in 

November 2024 and August 2025, 

respectively. License SNM–2511 

currently allows PG&E to store up to 

4,400 spent nuclear fuel assemblies in 

up to 140 HI–STORMTM 100SA 

overpacks at the DC ISFSI. This is 

sufficient space for all spent nuclear 

fuel that would be generated by Units 1 

and 2 through their current license 

terms. However, this approved amount 

of storage does not include any fuel that 

would be generated by Units 1 and 2 

beyond their current license terms. The 

DCPP is currently in timely renewal and 

would operate past the current license 

term dates while the NRC considers 

PG&E’s DCPP license renewal request. 

Regardless of the NRC’s ultimate 

decision on the DCPP license renewal 

request, the storage capacity of the DC 

ISFSI would not change unless PG&E 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 12, 2024 / Notices 89057 

applied for a license amendment to 

increase the capacity of the DC ISFSI, 

and the NRC approved the request. 

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed 

Action and Agencies and Persons 

Consulted 

The NRC staff has assessed the 

potential environmental impacts of the 

proposed action. The results of the 

NRC’s environmental review can be 

found in the EA. The NRC staff 

performed its environmental review in 

accordance with the requirements in 10 

CFR part 51. In conducting the 

environmental review, the NRC 

considered information in the license 

renewal application; communications 

and consultation with the California 

State Historic Preservation Office (CA 

SHPO); the Santa Ynez Chumash 

Indians; Tule River Tribe; Yak Tityu 

Tityu Yak Ti5hini Northern Chumash 

Indians; the Northern Chumash Tribal 

Council; the Coastal Band of Chumash 

Indians; the San Luis Obispo County 

Chumash Indians; the Salian Tribe of 

Montgomery, San Luis Obispo; and the 

Sacramento Field Office of the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service (FWS). 

Approval of PG&E’s proposed license 

renewal request would allow PG&E to 

continue to utilize the HI–STORMTM

100SA overpack to store spent fuel from 

the PG&E DCPP in the DC ISFSI for an 

additional 40 years. 

In its license renewal request, PG&E is 

proposing no changes in how it handles 

or stores spent fuel at the DC ISFSI. 

Approval of the proposed action would 

not result in any new construction or 

expansion of the existing DC ISFSI 

footprint beyond that previously 

approved. The DC ISFSI is a largely 

passive facility that produces no liquid 

or gaseous effluents. No significant 

radiological or non-radiological impacts 

are expected from continued normal 

operations. Occupational dose estimates 

associated with the proposed action and 

continued operation and maintenance of 

the DC ISFSI are expected to be at as 

low as is reasonably achievable 

(ALARA) levels and within the limits of 

10 CFR 20.1201 and 10 CFR 72.104(a). 

Specifically, PG&E’s estimated annual 

dose to the nearest potential member of 

the public from DC ISFSI activities is 

179 micro-Sieverts per year (mSv/yr) 

(17.9 millirems per year [mrem/yr]), 

which is below the 0.25 mSv/yr (25 

mrem/yr) limit specified in 10 CFR 

72.104(a) and the 1 mSv/yr (100 mrem/ 

yr) limit in 10 CFR 20.1301(a)(1). 

Furthermore, PG&E maintains a 

radiation protection program for the DC 

ISFSI in accordance with 10 CFR part 

20, ‘‘Standards for Protection against 

Radiation,’’ to ensure that radiation 

doses are ALARA. Accordingly, no 

significant radiological or nonradiological impacts are expected to 

result from approval of the license 

renewal request, and the proposed 

action would not significantly 

contribute to cumulative impacts at the 

DC site. Additionally, there would be no 

disproportionately high and adverse 

impacts on minority and low-income 

populations. 

Furthermore, the NRC staff 

determined that this license renewal 

request would have no effect on historic 

properties present consistent with 36 

CFR 800.4(d)(1). As discussed in 

Section 3.8.1 of the EA, there are no 

known historic or cultural properties 

within the DC ISFSI direct area of 

potential effects (APE). There are several 

historic properties within the indirect 

APE. PG&E has no plans for 

construction activities within the DC 

ISFSI that would result in land 

disturbances that have not been 

evaluated. The DC ISFSI does not 

generate any liquid or gaseous effluents 

and the cask is a passive system 

designed to limit exposure to radiation. 

Transportation of the casks from the 

DCPP to the DC ISFSI would not affect 

any historic and cultural resources. 

The NRC staff reached out to and 

informed the CA SHPO via letter dated 

November 15, 2023, the Santa Ynez 

Chumash Indians, Tule River Tribe, Yak 

Tityu Tityu Yak Ti5hini Northern 

Chumash Indians, the Northern 

Chumash Tribal Council, the Coastal 

Band of Chumash Indians, the San Luis 

Obispo County Chumash Indians, and 

the Salian Tribe of Montgomery, San 

Luis Obispo Native American Tribes via 

letters dated November 27 and 28, 2023, 

of the license renewal request (the 

undertaking) and sought input from 

them. Subsequently, on June 14, 2024, 

the NRC staff informed the CA SHPO of 

the results of identification and 

evaluation for consultation pursuant to 

section 106 of the National Historic 

Preservation Act (NHPA), consistent 

with 36 CFR 800.4(d)(1)(i). 

Additionally, the NRC staff provided 

copies of this determination letter to all 

consulting parties. To date, the NRC has 

received no response from the CA SHPO 

or any consulting parties. Further, on 

September 13, 2024, the NRC staff 

published the evaluation and results of 

effects to historic properties in the NRC 

website for public review and comment. 

The public comment period closed on 

October 15, 2024. The NRC staff 

received no comments from the public. 

The NRC staff determined the 

proposed action ‘‘may affect but is not 

likely to adversely affect’’ the California 

red-legged frog and California condor. 

The NRC staff evaluated the potential 

for the license renewal to result in the 

injury or mortality of California redlegged frogs from vehicle collision and 

determined that PG&E’s adherence to 

conservation measures, including 

limiting vehicle speeds and stopping 

work when a frog is observed, would 

reduce the likelihood of injury or 

mortality of California red-legged frogs 

during the proposed license renewal 

term such that, based on the NRC staff’s 

best judgement, injury or mortality is 

extremely unlikely to occur. 

Accordingly, this represents a 

discountable effect. The NRC staff 

evaluated the potential for the California 

condor to be affected by consuming 

unfit material left out during DC ISFSI 

operations, vehicle collisions, and 

noise. The NRC staff determined these 

impacts to also be extremely unlikely to 

occur and discountable. The proposed 

action would have ‘‘no effect’’ on all 

other Federally listed species. No 

critical habitat occurs in the action area. 

The NRC staff is consulting with the 

FWS in accordance with Section 7 of 

the Endangered Species Act to address 

the DC ISFSI and DCPP license renewal 

applications concurrently. That 

consultation is ongoing and may result 

in additional requirements to ensure the 

protection of the California red legged 

frog, California condor, or other species 

the FWS determines may be affected by 

the continued operation of the DC ISFSI. 

Additionally, on September 5, 2024, 

the NRC staff provided a copy of the 

draft EA to the California Department of 

Public Health for its review and 

comment. In a letter dated October 8, 

2024, the State responded that they had 

no comments on the draft EA. 

Environmental Impacts of the 

Alternatives to the Proposed Action 

The NRC staff also assessed the 

potential environmental impacts of 

alternatives to the proposed action, 

including renewal of the license for a 

20-year term, shipment of spent fuel to 

an offsite facility, and the no-action 

alternative. 

The environmental impacts of a 20- 

year license renewal term would not be 

significantly different than 

environmental impacts for the proposed 

action because site operations and 

maintenance activities would be the 

same. 

Shipment of the spent nuclear fuel to 

a commercial reprocessing facility, 

Federal repository, or interim storage 

facility is not a reasonable alternative, 

because these facilities currently do not 

exist in the United States. 

The no-action alternative would 

consist of the NRC’s denial of PG&E’s 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
89058 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 12, 2024 / Notices 

request to renew DC ISFSI license 

SNM–2511. The license, however, 

would continue to be in effect with 

respect to possession of licensed 

material per 10 CFR 72.54(c) until the 

NRC notifies the licensee in writing that 

the license is terminated. PG&E would 

continue to maintain the stored spent 

nuclear fuel at the ISFSI in a safe and 

secure condition. Although the license 

would continue in effect, PG&E would 

not be able to place additional casks on 

the ISFSI storage pad. If PG&E does not 

pursue other alternatives, reactor 

operations could cease once the spent 

nuclear fuel pool reaches its licensed 

capacity. 

III. Finding of No Significant Impact 

In accordance with the requirements 

in 10 CFR part 51, the NRC staff has 

concluded that the proposed action will 

not significantly affect the quality of the 

human environment. Therefore, the 

NRC staff has determined, pursuant to 

10 CFR 51.31, that preparation of an EIS 

is not required for the proposed action 

and, and pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, a 

FONSI is appropriate. Consistent with 

10 CFR 51.32(a)(4), this FONSI 

incorporates the EA set forth in this 

notice by reference. 

IV. Availability of Documents 

The documents identified in the 

following table are available to 

interested persons through ADAMS, as 

indicated. 

Document description ADAMS accession No. 

PG&E’s License Renewal Application (LRA) for the Diablo Canyon (DC) Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI), 

dated March 9, 2022.

ML22068A189. 

NRC’s Request for Additional Information (RAI), Round 1, dated July 31, 2023 .............................................................................. ML23159A236 

(Package). 

PG&E’s Response to NRC’s RAI, Round 1, dated September 21, 2023 .......................................................................................... ML23264A859. 

NRC Letter to CA SHPO Notification and Request for Section 106 Consultation, dated November 15, 2023 ................................ ML23296A098. 

NRC Tribal Letters for DC ISFSI LRA ................................................................................................................................................ ML24163A296 

(Package). 

NRC’s RAI, Round 2, dated March 20, 2024 ..................................................................................................................................... ML24065A123 

(Package). 

PG&E’s Response to RAI, Round 2, dated April 30, 2024 ................................................................................................................ ML24121A179. 

NRC Letter to CA SHPO with results of identification and evaluation for NHPA Section 106, dated June 14, 2024 ...................... ML24129A176. 

NRC email to California Department of Public Health (CDPH) ‘‘Diablo Canyon Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation License Renewal Environmental Assessment,’’ dated September 5, 2024.ML24291A132. 

California CDPH Response Email, ‘‘Email—Diablo Canyon Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation License Renewal Environmental Assessment,’’ dated October 8, 2024.ML24285A190. 

Diablo Canyon ISFSI License Renewal Environmental Assessment ................................................................................................ ML24296A038. 

Dated: November 5, 2024. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. 

Robert Sun, 

Chief, Environmental Project Management 

Branch 2, Division of Rulemaking, 

Environment, and Financial Support, Office 

of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. 

[FR Doc. 2024–26107 Filed 11–8–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P 

POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION 

Notice Initiating Docket(s) for Recent 

Postal Service Competitive Negotiated 

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DATES: (Issued November 6, 2024) 

Docket No. 

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Competitive Product Prices: K2025–279 

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