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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 221 (Friday, November 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90319-90320]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26540]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 99902056; NRC-2024-0146]

Tennessee Valley Authority; Clinch River Nuclear Site; 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice; issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an 
environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant impact 
(FONSI) for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) exemption request for 
the Clinch River Nuclear (CRN) Site. Specifically, TVA is requesting an 
exemption, pursuant to NRC regulations, to allow the conduct of certain 
excavation support activities at the CRN Site prior to the issuance of 
a construction permit, which are otherwise not permitted by NRC 
regulations.

DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on 
November 15, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2024-0146 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-2024-0146. Address 
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann; 
telephone: 301-415-0624; email: [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. The ADAMS accession number for 
each document referenced (if it is available in ADAMS) is provided the 
first time that it is mentioned in this document.
     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 
[email protected] 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: Joseph Giacinto, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-0714; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    By application dated November 30, 2023, (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML23335A100), TVA submitted a request for an exemption from section 
50.10 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) ``License 
required; limited work authorization.'' By letter dated January 31, 
2024 (ADAMS Accession No. ML24009A168), the NRC staff informed TVA of 
its determination that the TVA exemption request was acceptable for 
docketing under Docket No. 99902056.
    The NRC has prepared an EA (ADAMS Accession No. ML24312A321) as 
part of its review of the exemption request in accordance with the 
requirements of 10 CFR 51.21, ``Criteria for and identification of 
licensing and regulatory actions requiring environmental assessments.'' 
Based on the results of the EA, the NRC has determined not to prepare 
an environmental impact statement (EIS) and is issuing a FONSI pursuant 
to 10 CFR 51.31.
    In accordance with 36 CFR 800.8(c), the NRC used the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) process to comply 
with section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as 
amended (NHPA), in lieu of the procedures set forth in 36 CFR 800.3 
through 800.6.

[[Page 90320]]

II. Discussion

    The proposed action is for the NRC to issue an exemption 
authorizing the early excavation activities prior to the submittal of 
the construction permit (CP) application. The NRC issuance of the 
exemption would allow TVA to install and leave in place components of 
the initial ground support system for the reactor building (RB) 
excavation, such as rock bolts to secure unstable rock blocks, wire 
mesh and non-structural sprayed concrete linings to stabilize exposed 
rock walls, horizontal gravity drains to manage groundwater, and 
pressurized grout to seal water entry. The initial ground support 
system could also include steel soldier beams with timber lagging, rock 
bolts to secure soldier beams, and reinforced concrete compression 
rings to support the soldier beams. The exemption is needed due to the 
timing of initial ground support system installation, which serves no 
function with respect to structural RB support or radiological health 
or safety but is needed for construction worker safety during RB 
excavation. If excavation for the RB is delayed until after the 
issuance of the CP, the construction schedule and commercial operation 
could undergo a delay of 12-24 months. TVA anticipates that the cost of 
any delay of the commercial operation of Clinch River Nuclear Unit 1 
would be substantial.
    In the EA, the NRC staff assessed the potential direct and indirect 
environmental impacts from the proposed action associated with the 
following relevant resource areas: land use and visual resources, air 
quality and noise, hydrogeology and water resources, ecological 
resources, historic and cultural resources, socioeconomics and 
environmental justice, human health, and nonradiological waste 
management. The NRC staff determined that the environmental impacts of 
the proposed action would be SMALL for each potentially affected 
environmental resource, meaning that the environmental effects are not 
detectable or are so minor that they will neither destabilize nor 
noticeably alter any important attribute of the resource.
    The NRC staff identified alternatives to the proposed action and 
the environmental impacts of the alternatives, as appropriate. The NRC 
staff determined that there are no alternatives that meet the need for 
the proposed action and that are environmentally preferrable to the 
proposed action.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    The proposed action before the NRC is whether to issue the 
exemption request authorizing early excavation at the CRN Site. As 
required by 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC prepared the EA. This FONSI 
incorporates by reference the EA summarized in Section II of this 
notice. Based on the NRC staff's determination in the EA that the 
environmental impacts would be SMALL for each potentially affected 
resource area, the NRC staff has determined that the proposed action 
will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human 
environment. Accordingly, the NRC staff has made a determination that 
the preparation of an EIS is not required for the proposed action and 
that a FONSI is warranted.

    Dated: November 8, 2024.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Daniel Barnhurst,
Chief, Environmental Project Management, Branch 3, Division of 
Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety, and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2024-26540 Filed 11-14-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
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