[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 5, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17374-17375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-8312]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-410]


Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation; Nine Mile Point Nuclear 
Station--Unit 2 Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant 
Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of exemptions from Facility Operating License No. 
NPF-69, issued to Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (the licensee), for 
operation of the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 2 (NMP-2) 
located in Oswego County, New York.

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 
March 9, 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 1995 refueling outage to the 1997 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 1995 refueling outage to the 1997 refueling 
outage, thereby deferring the cost of performing the tests and 
eliminating the time required to perform the test from the critical 
path schedule during the upcoming spring 1995 refueling outage.

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 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 NMP-2 to show good containment 
performance and will continue to be required to conduct the Type B and 
C local leak rate tests which historically 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 exemption, 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 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 Nine 
Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit 2. [[Page 17375]] 

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, the NRC staff consulted with 
the New York 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 March 9, 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 Reference and Documents Department, 
Penfield Library, State University of New York, Oswego, New York 13126.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 29th 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. 95-8312 Filed 4-4-95; 8:45 am]
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