[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 12, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31699-31700]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-14753]


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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 (NRC) is considering 
issuance of an exemption from certain requirements of its regulations 
to Facility Operating License No. DPR-36, issued to Maine Yankee Atomic 
Power Company (MYAPC or the licensee), for the Maine Yankee Atomic 
Power Station (MYAPS), a permanently shutdown nuclear reactor facility 
located in Lincoln County, Maine.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

ACTION: The proposed action would exempt the MYAPS Independent Spent 
Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) from some requirements of 10 CFR 
72.212(b)(5) to ``protect the spent fuel against the design basis 
threat of radiological sabotage in accordance with the same provisions 
and requirements as are set forth'' in 10 CFR 73.55, ``Requirements for 
physical protection of licensed activities in nuclear power reactors 
against radiological sabotage.'' The proposed action is in accordance 
with the licensee's application for exemption dated January 4, 2001, as 
supplemented by letters dated March 12 and April 4, 2001.

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The Need for the Proposed Action

    MYAPS was shut down in December 1996. On August 7, 1997, the 
licensee informed the Commission that it had decided to permanently 
cease 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 into the reactor vessel. The MYAPS spent 
nuclear fuel is currently being stored in the spent fuel pool, which is 
protected by a physical protection system meeting the requirements of 
10 CFR 73.55, with exemptions as previously issued by the NRC. To 
complete the plant site decommissioning process, the spent fuel will be 
removed from the spent fuel pool and transferred to an onsite ISFSI for 
interim storage. Under the

[[Page 31700]]

provisions of 10 CFR part 20, subpart K, General License for Storage of 
Spent Fuel at Power Reactor Sites, as specified in 10 CFR 72.212(b)(5), 
MYAPS is required to meet the physical protection requirements of 10 
CFR 73.55 for an ISFSI at a reactor site. However, MYAPC has proposed 
to be exempted from the requirements of 10 CFR 72.212(b)(5) to 
``protect the spent fuel against the design basis threat of 
radiological sabotage in accordance with the same provisions and 
requirements as are set forth'' in 10 CFR 73.55 (with certain 
exceptions provided by 10 CFR 72.212(b)(5)). Instead, MYAPC has 
proposed alternative approaches to meet the provisions of portions of 
10 CFR 73.55 related to the security organization, physical barriers, 
access requirements, detection aids, communications, and response 
requirements. The alternative measures for protection against 
radiological sabotage would meet the same high assurance objectives and 
the general performance requirements of 10 CFR 73.55 related to spent 
fuel storage at an ISFSI.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and 
concludes that granting an exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR 
72.212(b)(5) to protect the spent fuel against the design basis threat 
of radiological sabotage in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR 
75.55, thereby enabling MYAPC to implement alternative provisions of 10 
CFR 73.55, would not have a significant impact on the environment.
    The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability 
or consequences of accidents, no changes 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 resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement related to 
Operation of Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station (July 1972).

Agencies and Persons Contacted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on April 19, 2001, the staff 
consulted with Mr. Patrick Dostie of the State of Maine, Department of 
Human Services, Division of Health Engineering, 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 letters dated January 4, 2001, March 12, 2001, and April 4, 
2001, which 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 Electronic 
Reading Room).

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day of June 2001.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Michael K. Webb,
Project Manager, Section 1, Project Directorate IV & Decommissioning, 
Division of Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor 
Regulation.
[FR Doc. 01-14753 Filed 6-11-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P