ML20154K761

University of California-Davis - Request for a Section 106 Review Under the National Preservation Act for Proposed Renewal of Facility Operating License No. R-130 for the Mcclellan Nuclear Research Center Training Research

ML20154K761
Person / Time
Site:	University of California-Davis
Issue date:	06/23/2020
From:	Casto G NRC/NRR/DANU/UNPL
To:	Polanco J State of CA, Office of Historic Preservation
Tran L, NRR/DANU/UNPL, 301-415-4103
References
EPID L-2018-RNW-0014
Download: ML20154K761 (7)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 June 23, 2020 Ms. Julianne Polanco State Historic Preservation Officer Office of Historic Preservation 1725 23rd Street, Suite 100 Sacramento, CA 95816

SUBJECT:

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS - REQUEST FOR A SECTION 106 REVIEW UNDER THE NATIONAL PRESERVATION ACT FOR THE PROPOSED RENEWAL OF FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. R-130 FOR THE MCCLELLAN NUCLEAR RESEARCH CENTER TRAINING, RESEARCH, ISOTOPES, GENERAL ATOMICS REACTOR (EPID NO. L-2018-RNW-0014)

Dear Ms. Polanco:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is conducting an environmental review of the effects of renewing the operating license for the University of California (UC) Davis, Training, Research, Isotopes, General Atomics (TRIGA) reactor. The reactor is housed within the McClellan Nuclear Research Center (MNRC) located at 5335 Price Avenue, McClellan Park, Sacramento County, California.

Under NRC regulations, an operating license may be renewed for up to 20 years. The application for renewal was submitted to the NRC by Regents of the University of California pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities. In accordance with 10 CFR 2.109, Effect of timely renewal application, the existing operating license remains in effect until the NRC approves the renewed operating license.

As part of the NRCs license renewal review, a site-specific environmental assessment (EA) is being prepared in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51, Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions. These regulations also implement Section 102(2) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended. In accordance with 36 CFR 800.3-800.6, in Subpart B - The Section 106 Process, the NRC will comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA).

The purpose of this letter is to initiate Section 106 consultation with the California Office of Historic Preservation under the NHPA. The EA will include analyses of potential impacts of license renewal on historic properties near the UC Davis TRIGA reactor. The area of potential effects (APEs) is the MNRC facility and its immediate areas that may be impacted by continued reactor operations after license renewal. This determination is made irrespective of ownership or control of the lands of interest.

The NHPA requires federal agencies to consider the effects of their undertakings on historic properties. As stated in the NHPA, historic properties are any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in, or eligible for inclusion in the National Register

J. Polanco of Historic Places (NRHP). The NRHP lists several historic properties in Sacramento County, California, within 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) of the UC Davis TRIGA reactor. The nearest NRHP listed historic property is the Sacramento Air Depot Historic District located approximately 1,500 feet (457 meters) south-southeast of the MNRC facility at its nearest point. The historic air depot headquarters building, and residential area are located approximately one-half mile (0.7 kilometers) east-southeast of the MNRC facility. The Sacramento Air Depot Historic District, located on McClellan Air Force Base, consisting of original buildings and structures, was the first of six bases authorized by the Wilcox Act of 1935 and was the only depot located west of the Rocky Mountains. The historic district consists of 43 buildings, seven structures, and one object (McClellan Mall and flagpole). The buildings and structures in the historic district appear almost exactly as they did in photographs taken between 1937 to 1939.

The renewal of the operating license and the continued operation of the UC Davis TRIGA reactor would not require any construction or land disturbing activities, or changes to the reactor facility design. Furthermore, there have been no major modifications to the MNRC facility since the issuance of the original operating license on August 13, 1998. Given the distance to historic properties and given that the proposed action does not involve any changes in land use, new construction, rehabilitation of existing buildings, or demolition, the NRC has determined that there would be no adverse effect on historic properties located near the UC Davis TRIGA reactor because of the proposed license renewal.

The NRC requests your written concurrence on the above determination. This correspondence provides the relevant information requested in the California Office of Historic Preservation Section 106 Submission Checklist. Enclosure 1 to this letter is a general location map. Enclosure 2 to this letter is an area map depicting the location of the APE. Enclosure 3 to this letter provides an aerial photograph of the location of the MNRC facility.

In addition, this letter replaces our letter to your office dated April 29, 2020 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML20057D644), that initiated a Section 106 consultation in accordance with 36 CFR Section 800.8 (c).

J. Polanco If you have any questions or require any further information, please contact Linh Tran at 301-415-4103, or by electronic mail at Linh.Tran@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Greg A. Casto, Chief Non-Power Production and Utilization Facility Licensing Branch Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-607 License No. R-130

Enclosures:

As stated

ML20154K761 *concurrence via e-mail NRR-106 OFFICE NRR/DANU/UNPL/PM* NRR/DANU/UNPL/LA* NMSS/REFS/ERLRB*

NAME LTran NParker JRikhoff DATE 6/8/2020 6/3/2020 6/8/2020 OFFICE NMSS/REFS/ERLRB/BC* NRR/DANU/UNPL/BC*

NAME RElliott GCasto DATE 6/8/2020 6/23/2020 General Location of the University of California Davis/McClellan Nuclear Research Center Enclosure 1

Location of the Area of Potential Effects for the University of California Davis/McClellan Nuclear Research Center Enclosure 2

Aerial Photograph of the University of California Davis/McClellan Nuclear Research Center Facility Enclosure 3