[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 10 (Thursday, January 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2425-2426]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1045]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-271]


Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation; Vermont Yankee Nuclear 
Power Station; 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 for Facility Operating License No. DPR-28, issued to 
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corporation (the licensee), for operation 
of Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station located in Windham County, 
Vermont.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would exempt the licensee 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 licensee 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, and 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 licensee's 
application for exemption dated December 16, 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 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 on site 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. The requirements of 10 
CFR 70.24, therefore, are not necessary to ensure the safety of 
personnel during the handling of special nuclear material at commercial 
power reactors.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that there is no significant environmental impact if the 
exemption is granted. Inadvertent or accidental criticality will be 
precluded through compliance with the Vermont Yankee 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. Technical 
Specifications requirements specify reactivity limits for the fuel 
storage racks and minimum spacing between the fuel assemblies in the 
storage racks.
    Appendix A of 10 CFR part 50, ``General Design Criteria for Nuclear 
Power Plants,'' Criterion 62, requires the criticality in the fuel 
storage and handling system shall be prevented by physical systems or 
processes, preferably by use of geometrically-safe configurations. This 
is met at the Vermont Yankee Station, as identified in the Technical 
Specifications and the Updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR).
    The change will not increase the probability or consequences of 
accidents, no changes are being made in the types of any effluents that 
may be released offsite, and there is no significant increase in the 
allowable individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. 
Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant 
radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
    With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed 
action does involve features located entirely within the restricted 
area as defined in 10 CFR part 20. It does not affect nonradiological 
plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Accordingly, the 
Commission concludes that there are no significant nonradiological 
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 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 does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the 
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on January 9, 1998, the staff 
consulted with the Vermont State official, Mr. William K. Sherman, of 
the Department of Public Service, 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.

[[Page 2426]]

    For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the 
licensee's letter dated December 16, 1997, which is available for 
public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, which is 
located at The Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and 
at the local public document room located at the Brooks Memorial 
Library, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day of January 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Ronald B. Eaton,
Acting Director, Project Directorate I-3, Division of Reactor 
Projects--I/II, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-1045 Filed 1-14-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P