[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 6, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 72666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-6893]
[[Page 72666]]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 50-280 AND 50-281]
Virginia Electric and Power Company, Surry Power Station, Unit
Nos. 1 and 2; Environmental Assessment And Finding of No Significant
Impact
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
issuance of an exemption from Title 10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50, Appendix E, Section IV.F.2.b and c for
Renewed Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-32 and DPR-37, issued to
Virginia Electric and Power Company (the licensee), for operation of
the Surry Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 (Surry 1 and 2), located in
Surry County, Virginia. Therefore, as required by 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC
is issuing this environmental assessment and finding of no significant
impact.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action, as described in the licensee's application for
a one-time exemption from the requirements of 10 CFR part 50, Appendix
E, dated September 15, 2005, would allow the licensee to postpone the
offsite full-participation emergency exercise from December 6, 2005, to
February 7, 2006. The proposed action is in accordance with the
licensee's application dated September 15, 2005, that requested an
exemption from Section IV.F.2.b and c of Appendix E to 10 CFR part 50
regarding the full participation by each offsite authority having a
role under the plan. The NRC staff has determined that the requirements
of Appendix E to 10 CFR part 50, Sections IV.F.2.b and c are applicable
to the circumstances of the licensee's request and that an exemption
from those requirements is appropriate. The licensee also stated in its
letter dated September 15, 2005, that Surry 1 and 2 will resume its
normal biennial exercise cycle in 2007.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The proposed exemption from 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, Section
IV.F.2.b and c is needed because the Virginia Department of Emergency
Management (DEM) has requested to delay the full participation exercise
from December 6, 2005, to February 7, 2006. The Virginia DEM had
requested this delay in order to utilize the new Emergency Operations
Center, which is currently under construction and will not become fully
operational until January 2, 2006. In its letter to the licensee on May
20, 2005, the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved Virginia
DEM's request to delay the full-participation exercise until February
7, 2006.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC has completed its safety evaluation (SE) of the proposed
action and concludes that the proposed exemption will not present an
undue risk to the public health and safety. The details of the NRC
staff's SE will be provided in the exemption that will be issued as
part of the letter to the licensee approving the exemption to the
regulation. The action relates to the exercising of the emergency
response plan, which has no effect on the operation of the facility.
The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability
or consequences of accidents. No changes are being made in the types of
effluents that may be released off site. There is no significant
increase in the amount of any effluent released off site. 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 non-radiological impacts, the proposed
action does not have a potential to affect any historic sites. It does
not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no other
environmental impact. Therefore, there are no significant non-
radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Accordingly, the NRC concludes that there are no significant
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to the proposed action, the NRC 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
The action does not involve the use of any different resources than
those previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement
related to the operation of Surry 1 and 2, May and June 1972,
respectively.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, on October 26, 2005, the NRC
staff consulted with Mr. Les Foldesi, Director of the Bureau of
Radiological Health, Department of Health, Commonwealth of Virginia,
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 September 15, 2005. Documents may be examined,
and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR),
located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor),
Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible
electronically from the Agencywide Documents Access and Management
System (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at the
NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. Persons who do
not have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in accessing the
documents located in ADAMS should contact the NRC PDR Reference staff
by telephone at 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, or send an e-mail to
[email protected].
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 29th day of November 2005.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Stephen R. Monarque,
Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch II-1, Division of Operating
Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. E5-6893 Filed 12-5-05; 8:45 am]
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