[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 21, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14979-14980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-6877]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 318]


Baltimore Gas and Electric Company; Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power 
Plant Unit No. 2, Environmental Assessment and Funding of No 
Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of exemptions from Facility Operating License No. 
DPR-69, issued to Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (the licensee), 
for operation of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 2 
(CC2) located in Calvert County, Maryland.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    This Environmental Assessment has been prepared to address 
potential environmental issues related to the licensee's application of 
February 24, 1995. The proposed action would exempt the licensee from: 
(1) The requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix J, Paragraph 
III.D.1.(a), to permit a one-time interval extension between the first 
and second Type A test (containment integrated leak rate test) for 
approximately 24 months from the spring 1995 refueling outage to the 
spring 1997 refueling outage and, (2) would extend the second 10-year 
service period to 12 years allowing the third Type A test to be 
performed during the spring 1999 refueling outage.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is needed to permit the licensee to defer the 
Type A test from the spring 1995 refueling outage to the spring 1997 
refueling outage, which will also result in extending the second 10-
year service period to 12 years to allow the third Type A test to be 
performed, thereby deferring the cost of performing the tests and 
elimination the time required to perform the test from the critical 
path schedule during the upcoming spring [[Page 14980]] 1995 refueling 
outage. In addition, not performing the test during this outage will 
reduce the occupational radiation exposure which is consistent with as 
low as reasonable achievable goal of the licensee's Radiation 
Protection Program.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the one-time interval extension between the first 
and second Type A tests and the extension of the 10-year service period 
to 12 years would not increase the probability or consequences of 
accidents previously analyzed and the proposed exemptions would not 
affect facility radiation levels or facility radiological effluents. 
The licensee has analyzed the results of previous Type A tests 
performed at CC2. Although the first test was not successful,the 
licensee promptly identified and corrected the problems. As a result, 
the last three tests have been successful and have demonstrated good 
containment performance. The licensee will continue to be required to 
conduct the Type B and C local leak rate tests which, subsequent to the 
prompt corrective actions following the initial Type A test, have been 
shown to be the principal means of detecting containment leakage paths 
with the Type A tests confirming the Type B and C test results. It is 
also noted that the licensee, as a condition of the proposed 
exemptions, will perform the visual containment inspection although it 
is only required by Appendix J to be conducted in conjunction with Type 
A tests. The NRC staff considers that these inspections, though limited 
in scope, provide an important added level of confidence in the 
continued integrity of the containment boundary. 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 NRC staff 
considered denial of the proposed action. Denial of the application 
would result in no change in current environmental impacts.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the 
Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 2.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, the NRC staff consulted with 
the Maryland State official 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 February 24, 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 Calvert County Library, Prince Frederick, 
Maryland 20678.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 15th day of March, 1995.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Ledyard B. Marsh,
Director, Project Directorate I-1, Division of Reactor Projects--I/II, 
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 95-6877 Filed 3-20-95; 8:45 am]
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