20290 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 79 / Tuesday, April 25, 1995 / Notices

the required wording was incorporated

into this TS by Amendment Nos. 71 and

60, issued by the NRC on February 14,

1995, in response to another

amendment request.

For further details with respect to this

action, see the application for

amendment dated November 8, 1994,

and the licensee’s letter dated March 14,

1995, which withdrew a portion of the

application for license amendments.

The above documents are 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 room located at the Wharton

County Junior College, J. M. Hodges

Learning Center, 911 Boling Highway,

Wharton, TX 77488.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 17th day

of April 1995.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Lawrence E. Kokajko,

Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate

IV–1, Division of Reactor Projects—III/IV,

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.

[FR Doc. 95–10125 Filed 4–24–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–M

[Docket No. 030–20457]

Environmental Assessment: Finding of

No Significant Impact and Notice of

Opportunity for Hearing Related to

Amendment of Materials License No.

11–27380–01

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (NRC).

ACTION: NRC plans to issue an

amendment to License No. 11–27380–

01, authorizing Idaho State University to

use carbon–14 (C–14) labeled

particulate organic material in

dispersion studies in two streams in

Idaho. Three streams were chosen with

one being a backup location. These are

the Bloomington, Deep, and Toponce

Creeks, which traverse the Cache and

Caribou National Forests and the

Curlew National Grasslands. The study

calls for releases of 25 microcuries of C–

14 at a time, with no more than 100

microcuries used in each stream in a

year.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joseph Wang, Office of Nuclear Material

Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear

Regulatory Commission, Washington,

D.C. 20555, Telephone: (301) 415–7909.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

The proposed amendment action

would authorize personnel from Idaho

State University to use C–14 labeled

particulate organic material in

dispersion studies in two streams in

Idaho. Three streams were chosen with

one being a backup location. These are

the Bloomington, Deep, and Toponce

Streams, which traverse the Cache and

Caribou National Forests and the

Curlew National Grasslands. The study

calls for release of 25 microcuries of C–

14 at a time, with no more than 100

microcuries used in each stream in a

year. The amount of C–14 used in an

experiment is such that the radioactivity

is ‘‘instantaneously’’ diluted to

concentrations below drinking water

standards and additional dilution

occurs continuously thereafter.

Background

Idaho State University (ISU)

submitted a letter to the NRC, dated

December 9, 1994, requesting to amend

its Byproduct Material License No. 11–

27380–01. ISU’s request is for

authorization to use C–14 as

radioisotopic tracers to study the

dispersal and fate of ‘‘fine particulate

organic matter’’ (FPOM) in lotic

ecosystems. This study is funded

through a grant by the National Science

Foundation to the Stream Ecology

Center at ISU. Along with its letter, ISU

also submitted an Environmental

Assessment (EA) for its proposed action

based on guidelines provided by NRC’s

RIV Office.

Need for the Proposed Action

FPOM constitutes that bulk of

particulate organic matter carried in the

suspended matter in streams and is a

major component of food webs, energy

flow, and organic matter budgets in

stream ecosystems. The issues involved

in FPOM dynamics cover a range of

disciplines, and workers from many

different areas, from water treatment

engineering to population dynamics of

marine organisms, face similar

questions about how particles exchange

between surfaces and the suspended

state. The proposed research by ISU is

important to further major advances in

the understanding of the ecology of

stream ecosystems because it will result

in determination of: (1) The detailed

dynamics of FPOM transport over a

range of flow and channel conditions,

(2) the specific mechanisms of transport

and deposition, and (3) the relative

importance of physical and biological

factors in the transport of organic matter

in streams.

In its submitted EA, the applicant has

considered alternatives to the proposed

isotope study. Specifically, two

alternatives to radiolabeled natural

FPOM have been reviewed for the

proposed study: Use of exotic pollen

and use of plastic microspheres.

Although both of these options may

hold promise for future FPOM research,

certain characteristics of each may cause

these particles to behave differently

from natural FPOM, thus defeating the

purpose of the proposed study.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed

Action

In the EA submitted by ISU, and

based on telephone discussion with the

licensee, the applicant stated that it’s

current plan is to conduct

approximately two or three releases per

year, per stream. The study will be for

2 years using no more than two streams.

ISU identified three streams (i.e.,

Bloomington Creek, Deep Creek, and

Toponce Creek) for this study, with the

Toponce Creek being a backup location.

The releases would be in medium-sized

surface waters (i.e., flowing streams

having discharge rates of 0.25 to 0.75

cubic meters per second or more)

located in remote areas, on Federal

lands, miles away from human

habitation and domestic animals. Each

release would be separated by 7 or more

days and involve 25 microcuries of C–

14; thus, the total amount of C–14

introduced into any stream in any year

would not exceed 100 microcuries. The

introduction of C–14 into a stream takes

place over several hours and the

concentrations in the stream are

immediately diluted to 26 picocuries

per liter or less at the point of release.

These levels are well below

Environmental Protection Agency’s

established drinking water standard of

2500 picocuries per liter for C–14 (40

CFR 141.16), even at the point (and

time) of introduction.

The study sites have been selected so

that the nearest human residence is

located several miles from the study

area. The nearest human community is

located about 5 miles away in

Bloomington, Idaho. No endangered

plants or species will be affected by this

study. According to National Council on

Radiation Protection and Measurements

(NCRP) Publication No. 45 on Natural

Background Radiation, there are 303.3

million curies or 303.3 trillion

microcuries of natural C–14 in the

environment. Despite this large

inventory of natural C–14 in the

environment, the average annual whole

body dose, due to natural C–14 to an

adult member of the general public, is

estimated to be 0.7 millirem (page 42,

NCRP 45) per year. Therefore, the dose

to an adult member of the general

public, due to no more than 200

microcuries of C–14 released per year

over a predominately remote Federal

lands, is insignificant.
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 79 / Tuesday, April 25, 1995 / Notices 20291

ISU has also submitted to the NRC,

written responses from the Division of

Environmental Quality, Idaho

Department of Health and Welfare; the

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

Region X Office; and the U.S.

Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest

Service. All three agencies responded in

writing that they have no objections to

the proposed ISU study. In addition, the

U.S. Forest Service has made available

in November, 1994, the submitted EA,

for a 45 days public review and

comment period.

Conclusions

Based on the foregoing assessment,

the NRC staff concludes that the

environmental effects of using C–14 in

the proposed ISU stream ecosystems

study are expected to be extremely

small. Authorizing the study will help

to better understand how to preserve

our ecosystems. Since ISU’s proposed

study will be conducted in a

predominately remote Federal land

administered by the U.S. Forest Service,

there is no environmental justice issue

in this EA.

Therefore, in accordance with 10 CFR

51.31, a Finding of No Significant

Impact is considered appropriate for

this proposed action.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

In performing this assessment and in

accordance with the NRC’s Office of

Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

procedure 1–48, the staff consulted with

Mr. Steve Oberg, State Liaison Officer

with the NRC, Division of

Environmental Quality, State of Idaho,

on March 17, 1995, at (208) 334–0436.

The State of Idaho has no objection to

the proposed action. The staff also

contacted Mr. Lee Leffert of the U.S.

Forest Service, Department of

Agriculture, on March 21, 1995, at (208)

236–7534. The U.S. Forest Service

informed the NRC that based on

comments received on its Federal

Register Notice, it is preparing a

Finding of No Significant Impact

(FONSI) and will issue a Decision

Notice authorizing ISU’s project

implementation as proposed.

Finding of No Significant Impact

The Commission has determined

under the National Environmental

Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the

Commission’s regulations in 10 CFR

Part 51, that the proposed action to

amend Byproduct Material License No.

11–27380–01 to permit the introduction

of C–14 into two streams, if granted,

would not have a significant effect on

the quality of the human environment

and that an environmental impact

statement is not required. This

determination is based on the foregoing

environmental assessment performed in

accordance with the procedures and

criteria in 10 CFR Part 51,

‘‘Environmental Protection Regulations

for Domestic Licensing and Related

Regulatory Functions.’’

For further details on this action, see

ISU’s letter, dated December 9, 1995,

and the attached EA, requesting

amendment of License No. 11–27380–01

and related correspondence. These

documents (in Docket No. 030–32322)

may be examined or copied for a fee in

the Commission’s Region IV Walnut

Creek Field Office’s Public Document

Room, 1450 Maria Lane, Suite 210,

Walnut Creek, California 94596.

Notice of Opportunity for a Hearing

Any person whose interest may be

affected by the issuance of this license

amendment may file a request for a

hearing. Any request for a hearing must

be filed with the Office of the Secretary,

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,

Washington, DC 20555, within 30 days

of publication of this notice in the

Federal Register and must be served on

the NRC staff by mail addressed to the

Executive Director for Operations, U.S.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission,

Washington, DC 20555, or be delivery to

the Executive Director for Operations,

One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville

Pike, Rockville, MD 20852; and must be

served on the applicant by mail or

delivery to Idaho State University,

Technical Safety Office, Physical

Science 103, 785 South Eighth Avenue,

Campus Box 8106, Pocatello, ID 83209.

The request for a hearing must comply

with the requirements set forth in the

Commission’s regulations, 10 CFR Part

2, Subpart L, ‘‘Informal Hearing

Procedures for Adjudications in

Material Licensing Proceedings.’’

Subpart L of 10 CFR Part 2, may be

examined or copied for a fee in the

Commission’s Region IV Walnut Creek

Field Office’s Public Document Room,

1450 Maria Lane, Suite 210, Walnut

Creek, CA 94596 or in the Commission’s

Public Document Room, 2120 L Street

(Lower Level), NW, Washington, DC

20555.

As required by Part 2, Subpart L (10

CFR 2.1205), the request for hearing

must describe in detail: (1) The interest

of the requestor in the proceeding; (2)

how that interest may be affected by the

results of the proceeding, including the

reasons why the requestor should be

permitted a hearing, with particular

reference to the factors set out in

paragraph (g) of 10 CFR 2.1205; (3) the

requestor’s areas of concern about the

licensing activity that is the subject

matter of the proceeding; and (4) the

circumstances establishing that the

request for a hearing is timely in

accordance with paragraph (c) of 10 CFR

2.1205(c).

The factors in 10 CFR 2.1205(g),

which must be addressed in the request

for hearing include: (1) The nature of

the requestor’s right under the Act to be

made a party to the proceeding; (2) the

nature and extent of the requestor’s

property, financial, or other interest in

the proceeding; and (3) the possible

effect of any order that may be entered

in the proceeding upon the requestor’s

interest.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 19th day

of April 1995.

For The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission

Larry W. Camper,

Chief, Medical, Academic, and Commercial

Use Safety Branch, Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety, Office of Nuclear

Material Safety and Safeguards.

[FR Doc. 95–10126 Filed 4–24–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–M

Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2;

Environmental Assessment and

Finding of No Significant Impact

[Docket Nos. 50–390 and 50–391]

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (the Commission) is

considering incorporating an exemption

from certain requirements of its

regulations in the operating licenses for

operation of the Watts Bar Nuclear

Plant, Units 1 and 2, located in Spring

City, Tennessee. Operating licenses

have not been issued for Watts Bar;

Units 1 and 2 are currently under

Construction Permits CPPR–91 and

CPPR–92, respectively.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

10 CFR 73.55(c)(10) requires a license

applicant whose application was

submitted prior to August 31, 1994, to

incorporate a land vehicle bomb control

program into the site physical security

plan and implement it by the date of

receipt of the operating license. Since

Watts Bar Unit 1 will seek to obtain an

operating license ahead of the schedule

by which operating power reactors are

required to fully implement the vehicle

control measures, the applicant

requested, by letter dated November 30,

1994, that Watts Bar be granted the same

implementation date (February 29,

1996) imposed on operating reactor

licensees to implement the land vehicle

bomb control program.