[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 68 (Wednesday, April 9, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17221-17223]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9059]


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 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-269, 50-270, 50-287, 50-369, 50-370, 50-413 and 50-414]


Environmental Assessment and Finding of no Significant Impact; 
Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, and 3; Catawba Nuclear Station, 
Units 1 and 2; McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption from certain requirements of its 
regulations in Facility Operating Licenses issued to Duke Power 
Company, et al. (the licensee). License Nos. DPR-38, DPR-47, and DPR-55 
are for operation of the Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, 
located in Oconee County, South Carolina. License Nos. NPF-35 and NPF-
52 are for operation of the Catawba Nuclear Station located in York 
County, South Carolina. License Nos. NPF-9 and NPF-17 are for operation 
of the McGuire Nuclear Station located in Mecklenburg County, North 
Carolina.

[[Page 17222]]

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application dated August 23, 1996, for exemption from certain 
requirements of 10 CFR 73.55, ``Requirements for Physical Protection of 
Licensed Activities in Nuclear Power Reactors Against Radiological 
Sabotage.'' The exemption would allow implementation of a hand geometry 
biometrics system to control site access at the Oconee, Catawba, and 
McGuire nuclear stations so that photo identification badges may be 
kept and taken offsite by individuals not employed by the licensee who 
have been granted unescorted access into protected and vital areas.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    Pursuant to 10 CFR 73.55, paragraph (a), Duke Power Company shall 
establish and maintain an onsite physical protection system and 
security organization. Regulation 10 CFR 73.55(d), ``Access 
Requirements,'' paragraph (1), specifies that the ``licensee shall 
control all points of personnel and vehicle access into a protected 
area.'' Regulation 10 CFR 73.55(d)(5) specifies that, ``A numbered 
picture badge identification system shall be used for all individuals 
who are authorized access to protected areas without escort.''
    Regulation 10 CFR 73.55(d)(5) also states that an individual not 
employed by the licensee (i.e., contractors) may be authorized access 
to protected areas without escort provided the individual ``receives a 
picture badge upon entrance into the protected area which must be 
returned upon exit from the protected area. * * * '' Currently, 
unescorted access into protected areas at the Oconee, Catawba, and 
McGuire nuclear stations is controlled through the use of a photograph 
on a badge/keycard (hereafter referred to as a ``badge''), which is 
stored at the access point when not in use. The security officers at 
each entrance station use the photograph on the badge to visually 
identify the individual requesting access. The badges for licensee 
employees and contractor personnel who have been granted unescorted 
access are given to the individuals at the entrance location upon entry 
and are returned upon exit.
    In accordance with 10 CFR 73.55(d)(5), contractor badges are not 
allowed to be taken offsite.
    The licensee proposes to implement an alternate unescorted access 
control system that would eliminate the need to issue and retrieve 
badges at the entry point and would allow all individuals with 
unescorted access to keep their badges when departing the site.
    An exemption from 10 CFR 73.55(d)(5) is required to permit 
contractors to take their badges offsite instead of returning them when 
exiting the site.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the licensee's 
application. Under the proposed system, each individual who is 
authorized unescorted access would have the physical characteristics of 
his/her hand (i.e., hand geometry) registered with his/her badge number 
in the access control system. When an individual enters the badge into 
the card reader and places his/her hand on the measuring surface, the 
system would record the individual's hand image. The unique 
characteristics of the hand image would be compared with the previously 
stored template to verify authorization for entry. Individuals, 
including licensee employees and contractors, would be allowed to keep 
their badges when departing the site.
    A Sandia report, ``A Performance Evaluation of Biometric 
Identification Devices,'' SAND91-0276-UC-906, Unlimited Release, June 
1991, concluded that hand geometry equipment possesses strong 
performance and high detection characteristics. Also, based on its own 
experience with the current photo-identification system, the licensee 
determined that the proposed hand geometry system would provide the 
same level of assurance as the current system that access is only 
granted to authorized individuals. Since both the badge and hand 
geometry would be necessary for access into the protected areas, the 
proposed system would provide a positive verification process. 
Potential loss of a badge by an individual, as a result of taking the 
badge offsite, would not enable unauthorized entry into protected 
areas. The licensee has determined that the proposed hand geometry 
access control process for identifying personnel will provide the same 
high assurance objective regarding onsite physical protection as 
provided by the photo-identification process now in use. The access 
process will continue to be under the observation of security 
personnel. A numbered picture badge identification system will continue 
to be used for all individuals who are authorized access to protected 
areas without escorts. Badges will continue to be displayed by all 
individuals while inside the protected areas.
    The licensee has stated it will implement a process for 
periodically testing the proposed system to ensure continued overall 
level of performance equivalent to that specified in the regulation. 
The Physical Security Plan will be revised to include implementation 
and testing of the hand geometry access control system and to allow 
licensee employees and contractors to take their badges offsite.
    Accordingly, the Commission concludes that this proposed action 
would result in no significant radiological environmental impacts. With 
regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed action does 
not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no other 
environmental impact. Therefore, the Commission concludes that there 
are no significant nonradiological environmental impacts associated 
with the proposed action.

Alternative to the Proposed Action

    As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered 
denial of the proposed action. 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 did not involve the use of any resources not previously 
considered in the Final Environmental Statements related to operation 
of the Oconee, Catawba, and McGuire nuclear stations.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on April 1 and April 4, 1997, 
the staff consulted with the South Carolina and North Carolina State 
officials, respectively, regarding the environmental impact of the 
proposed action. The State officials had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    The Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental 
impact statement for the proposed exemption. Based upon the foregoing 
environmental assessment, the Commission has concluded that the 
proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of 
the human environment.
    For further details with respect to this action, see the request 
for exemption dated August 23, 1996, which is available for public 
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman 
Building, 2120 L Street, NW, Washington, DC and at the local public 
document rooms located at the Oconee County Library, 501 West South

[[Page 17223]]

Broad Street, Walhalla, South Carolina for the Oconee Nuclear Station; 
the York County Library, 138 East Black Street, Rock Hill, South 
Carolina 29730 for the Catawba Nuclear Station; and the J. Murrey 
Atkins Library, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 
University City Boulevard, North Carolina 28223 for the McGuire Nuclear 
Station.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 3rd day of April 1997.

    For The Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Herbert N. Berkow,
Director, Project Directorate II-2, Division of Reactor Projects--I/II, 
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 97-9059 Filed 4-8-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P