[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 5, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30236-30237]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-14093]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-389]


Florida Power and Light Company, et al. St. Lucie Plant, Unit No. 
2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
issuance of an exemption from 10 CFR 50.55a(f)(ii) and 50.55a(f)(5)(i) 
for Facility Operating License No. NPF-16, issued to Florida Power and 
Light Company, et al. (the licensee), for operation of the St. Lucie 
Unit 2, located in St. Lucie County, Florida.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would revise the second and third 120-month 
Inservice Test (IST) intervals for St. Lucie Unit 2. Currently, St. 
Lucie Unit 2 is in its second IST interval, with an end date of August 
7, 2003. The proposed action would shorten the second IST interval for 
St. Lucie Unit 2 by retroactively changing the end date to February 10, 
1998, to coincide with the end date of the second IST interval for St. 
Lucie Unit 1. Thus, the third IST interval for both units would begin 
on February 11, 1998, and end on February 10, 2008.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated November 27, 2000.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The IST intervals for St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 are currently offset 
by approximately 5 years, primarily due to the initial licensing dates 
of the units. This requires maintaining distinct but similar programs, 
with the administrative burden of updating them approximately every 5 
years. The proposed action provides a one-time schedule exemption, 
which would allow the licensee to implement a combined IST program 
consistent between units, requiring compliance with the same edition of 
the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Code and addenda, and 
allow both units to be tested using the same test requirements.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and 
concludes that there are no significant environmental impacts 
associated with the proposed action.
    The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability 
or consequences of accidents, no changes

[[Page 30237]]

are being made in the types of any effluents that may be released off 
site, and there is no significant increase in occupational or public 
radiation exposure. Therefore, there are no significant radiological 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
    With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed 
action does not involve any historic sites. It does not affect 
nonradiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. 
Therefore, there are no significant nonradiological environmental 
impacts associated with the proposed action.
    Accordingly, the NRC concludes that there are no significant 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered 
denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative). 
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 different resources 
than those previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement 
for St. Lucie Unit 2 (NUREG-0842).

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on May 17, 2001, the staff 
consulted with the Florida State official, William Passetti, of the 
Bureau of Radiation Control, regarding the environmental impact of the 
proposed action. The State official had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    On the basis of the environmental assessment, the NRC concludes 
that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the 
quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the NRC 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 November 27, 2000. Documents may be examined, 
and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document Room, located at 
One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, 
Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible electronically 
from the ADAMS Public Library component on the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 30th day of May 2001.
    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Brendan T. Moroney,
Project Manager, Section 2, Project Directorate II Division of 
Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
[FR Doc. 01-14093 Filed 6-4-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P