[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 250 (Friday, December 29, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67369-67370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-31479]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. STN 50-454 and STN 50-455]


Commonwealth Edison Company (Byron Station, Units 1 and 2) 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an exemption to Facility Operating License Nos. 
NPF-37 and NPF-66, issued to Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd, the 
licensee), for operation of the Byron Station, Units 1 and 2, located 
in Ogle County, Illinois.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for an exemption from certain requirements of 10 CFR 73.55, 
``Requirements for Physical Protection of Licensed Activities in 
Nuclear Power Reactors Against Radiological Sabotage.'' The requested 
exemption would allow the implementation of a hand geometry biometric 
system off site access control in conjunction with photograph 
identification badges, and would allow the badges to be taken off site.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    Pursuant to 10 CFR 73.55(a), the licensee is required to establish 
and maintain an onsite physical protection system and security 
organization.
    In 10 CFR 73.55(d), ``Access Requirements,'' it specifies in part 
that ``The licensee shall control all points of personnel and vehicle 
access into a protected area.'' In 10 CFR 73.55(d)(5), it specifies in 
part that ``A numbered pictured badge identification system shall be 
used for all individuals who are authorized access to protected areas 
without escort.'' It further indicates that an individual not employed 
by the licensee (e.g., contractors) may be authorized access to 
protected areas without an escort provided the individual, ``receives a 
picture badge upon entrance into the protected area which must be 
returned upon exit from the protected area.''
    Currently unescorted access for both employee and contractor 
personnel into the Byron Station, Units 1 and 2, is controlled through 
the use of picture badges. Positive identification of personnel who are 
authorized and request access into the protected area is established by 
security personnel making a visual comparison of the individual 
requesting access and that individual's picture badge. The picture 
badges are issued, sorted, and retrieved at the entrance/exit location 
to the protected area. In accordance with 10 CFR 73.55(d)(5), 
contractor personnel are not allowed to take their picture badges off 
site. In addition, in accordance with plant's physical security plan, 
the licensee's employees are also not allowed to take their picture 
badges off site. The licensee proposes to implement an alternative 
unescorted access control system which would eliminate the need to 
issue and retrieve picture badges at the entrance/exit location to the 
protected area. The proposal would also allow contractors who have 
unescorted access to keep their picture badges in their possession when 
departing the Byron site. In addition, the site security plans will be 
revised to allow implementation of the hand geometry system and to 
allow employees and contractors with unescorted access to keep their 
picture badges in their possession when leaving the Byron site.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action.

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action. 
In addition to their picture badges, all individuals with authorized 
unescorted access will have the physical characteristics of their hand 
(hand geometry) registered with their picture badge number in a 
computerized access control system. Therefore, all authorized 
individuals must not only have their picture badges to gain access into 
the protected area, but must also have their hand geometry confirmed.
    All other access processes, including search function capability 
and access revocation, will remain the same. A security officer 
responsible for access control will continue to be positioned within a 
bullet-resistant structure. The proposed system is only for individuals 
with authorized unescorted access and will not be used for individuals 
requiring escorts.
    The underlying purpose for requiring that individuals not employed 
by the licensee must receive and return their picture badges at the 
entrance/exit is to provide reasonable assurance that the access badges 
could not be compromised or stolen with a resulting risk that an 
unauthorized individual could potentially enter the protected area. 
Although the proposed exemption will allow individuals to take their 
picture badges off site, the proposed measures require not only that 
the picture badge be provided for access to the protected area, but 
also that verification of the hand geometry registered with the badge 
be performed as discussed above. Thus, the proposed system provides an 
identity verification process that is equivalent to the existing 
process.
    Accordingly, the Commission concludes that the exemption to allow 
individuals not employed by the licensee to take their picture badges 
off site will not result in an increase in the risk that an 
unauthorized individual could potentially enter the protected area. 
Consequently, the Commission concludes that there are no significant 
radiological impacts associated with the proposed action.
    The proposed exemption does not affect non-radiological plant 
effluents and has no other environmental impact. Accordingly, the 
Commission concludes that there are no significant non-radiological 
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. The principal alternative to the proposed action would be to 
deny the requested action. Denial of the requested action would not 
significantly enhance the environment in that the 

[[Page 67370]]
proposed action will result in a process that is equivalent to the 
existing identification verification process.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the 
Byron Station, Units 1 and 2.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its state policy, on December 20, 1995, the 
staff consulted with the Illinois State official, Mr. Frank Niziolek, 
Head, Reactor Safety Section; Division of Engineering; Illinois 
Department of Nuclear Safety, regarding the environmental impact of the 
proposed action. The State official had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based upon the foregoing 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 exemption.
    For further details with respect to this action, see the licensee's 
letter dated November 6, 1995, which is available for public inspection 
at the Commission's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW., 
Washington, DC, and at the local public document room located at the 
Byron Public Library, 109 N. Franklin, P.O. Box 434, Byron, Illinois.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 22nd day of December 1995.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert A. Capra,
Director, Project Directorate III-2, Division of Reactor Projects--III/
IV Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-31479 Filed 12-28-95; 8:45 am]
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