[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 104 (Wednesday, May 31, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 28431]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13206]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-499]


Houston Lighting & Power Company City Public Service Board of San 
Antonio Central Power and Light Company City of Austin, Texas; South 
Texas Project, Unit 2 Environmental Assessment And Finding of No 
Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption from Facility Operating License 
No. NPF-80, issued to Houston Lighting & Power Company (HL&P) acting on 
behalf of itself and for the City Public Service Board of San Antonio 
(CPS), Central Power and Light Company (CPL), and City of Austin, Texas 
(COA) (the licensees), for operation of the South Texas Project, Unit 
2, located in Matagorda County, Texas.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Acting

    The proposed action would grant an exemption from a requirement of 
Section III.D.1.(a) of appendix J to 10 CFR part 50, which requires a 
set of three type A tests (Containment Integrated Leak Rate Test or 
CILRT) be performed, at approximately equal intervals during each 10-
year service period. This licensee request for an exemption would delay 
the next scheduled containment integrated leak rate test for one 
outrage, from the fourth refueling outage to the fifth refueling 
outage.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated March 16, 1995.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is needed because the licensee's current 
schedule would require the second CILRT to be performed during the 
fourth refueling outage (Fall 1995). Minimal safety benefit would be 
realized by performing the scheduled CILRT, since the majority of 
primary containment leakage has previously been identified through the 
biennial performance of the Local Leak Rate Test (LLRT). Without this 
exemption, the licensee would not be allowed to reduce a regulatory 
burden that has minimal impact on safety.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the exemption would not significantly increase the 
probability or amount of expected containment leakage, and that 
containment integrity would thus be maintained.
    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 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 related to 
the operation of South Texas Project, Units 1 and 2,'' dated August 
1986.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on April 25, 1995, the staff 
consulted with the Texas State official, Arthur C. Tate of the Bureau 
of Radiation Control, Texas Department of Health, 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 the proposed action, see the 
licensee's letter dated March 16, 1995, 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 room located at the Wharton County Junior College, J.M. Hodges 
Learning Center, 911 Boling Highway, Wharton, TX 77488.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day of May 1995.

    For The Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
George Kalman,
Project Manager, Project Directorate IV-1, Division of Reactor 
Projects--III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-13206 Filed 5-30-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M