[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 124 (Monday, June 29, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35295-35296]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-17218]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-309]


Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company, Maine Yankee Atomic 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 to Facility Operating License No. DPR-36, a license held by 
the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company (MYAPC or the licensee). The 
exemption would apply to the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station, a 
permanently shutdown plant located at the MYAPC site in Lincoln County, 
Maine.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed exemption would modify security requirements to 
eliminate certain equipment, to relocate certain equipment, to modify 
certain procedures, and reduce the number of armed responders, due to 
the permanently shutdown and defueled status of the Maine Yankee 
facility.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application dated November 25, 1997. The requested action would grant 
an exemption from certain requirements of 10 CFR 73.55, ``Requirements 
for Physical Protection of Licensed Activities in Nuclear Power Plant 
Reactors against Radiological Sabotage.''

The Need for the Proposed Action

    Maine Yankee was shut down in December 1996. On August 7, 1997, the 
licensee informed the Commission that it had decided to permanently 
cease

[[Page 35296]]

operations at Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station and that all fuel had 
been permanently removed from the reactor. In accordance with 10 CFR 
50.82(a)(2), the certifications in the letter modified the facility 
operating license to permanently withdraw MYAPC's authority to operate 
the reactor and to load fuel in the reactor vessel. In this permanently 
shutdown condition, the facility poses a reduced risk to public health 
and safety. Due to this reduced risk, certain requirements of 10 CFR 
73.55 are no longer appropriate. An exemption is required from portions 
of 10 CFR 73.55 to allow the licensee to implement a revised Defueled 
Security Plan that is appropriate for the permanently shutdown and 
defueled reactor facility.

Environmental Impact of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action. 
The Commission concludes that exemption from certain portions of 10 CFR 
73.55 are acceptable given the reduced consequences of the threat to a 
defueled reactor site with respect to public health and safety from an 
act of sabotage resulting in the release of radioactive material 
contained in the spent fuel.
    The proposed change will not increase the probability or 
consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of 
effluents that may be released offsite, and there is no significant 
increase in the allowable individual or cumulative occupational 
exposure. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no 
significant radiological environmental impacts associated with the 
proposed action.
    With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed 
action does involve features located entirely with the restricted area 
as defined in 10 CFR Part 20. It does not affect non-radiological plant 
effluents and has no other environmental impact. Therefore, the 
Commission concludes that there are no significant non-radiological 
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 
alternative with equal or greater environmental impact need not be 
evaluated. The principal alternative to the action would be to deny the 
request. Denial of the exemption request 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 resources not previously 
considered in the Final Environmental Statement related to Operation of 
Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station, (July 1972).

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on May 14, 1998, the NRC 
staff consulted with Mr. Patrick Dostie of the State of Maine, 
Department of Human Services, 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.
    For further details with respect to this action, see the licensee's 
letter, dated November 25, 1997, which is available for public 
inspection at the Commission Public Document Room, Gelman Building, 
2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the Local Public Document 
Room at the Wiscasset Public Library, High Street, Post Office Box 367, 
Wiscasset, Maine 04578.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day of June 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Seymour H. Weiss,
Director, Non-Power Reactors and Decommissioning Project Directorate, 
Division of Reactor Program Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor 
Regulation.
[FR Doc. 98-17218 Filed 6-26-98; 8:45 am]
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