ML20197D172

Environ Assessment & Finding of No Significant Impact Re Exemption from Certain Requirements of Regulations to License DPR-36.Exemption Would Modify Emergency Response Plan Requirements

ML20197D172
Person / Time
Site:	Maine Yankee
Issue date:	08/11/1998
From:	Weiss S NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:
Shared Package
ML20197C802	List: ML20197C798 ML20197C809 ML20197C823 ML20197D172
References
NUDOCS 9809160105
Download: ML20197D172 (3)

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1 J 7590-01-P UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION MAINE YANKEE ATOMIC POWER COMPANY MAINE YANKEE ATOMIC POWER STATION i DOCKET NO. 50-309 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT  ;

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuance of an exemption from certain requirements of its regulations to Facility Operating License No. DPR-36, a license held by the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company (MYAPCo or the  ;

licensee). The exemption would apply to tho Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station, a permanently shutdown plant located at the MYAPCo site in Lincoln County, Maine.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification of the Proposed Action: ,

The proposed exemption would modify emergency response plan requirements due to the permanently shutdown and defueled status of the Maine Yankee facility.

The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's application dated November 6,1997, as supplemented by letter dated June 29,1998. The requested action would grant an exemption from certain requirements of 10 CFR 50.54(q) to discontinue offsite planning activities and reduce the scope of onsite emergency planning.

The Need for the Proposed Action:

Maine Yankee was shut down in December 1996. By letter dated August 7,1997, the licensee informed the Commission that it had decided to permanently cease operations at Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station and that all fuel had been permanently removed from the reactor. In accordance with 10 CFR 50.82(a)(2), upon docketing of the i certifications in the letter of August 7,1997, the facility operating license no longer l

authorizes MYAPCo to operate the reactor and to load fuelin the reactor vessel. In this permt.nently shutdown condition, the facility poses a reduced risk to public health and 9809160105 900903 PDR ADOCK 05000309 F PDR t

. 2 safety. Because of this reduced risk, certain requirements of 10 CFR 50.54(q) are no longer required. An exemption is required from portions of 10 CFR 50.54(q) to sliow the licensee to implement a revised Defueled Emergency Plan that is appropriate for the permanently shutdown and defueled reactor facility.

EnvironmentalImpact of the Proposed Action:

The Commission has concluded that the granting of the exemption will not increase the probability or consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of effluents that may be released offsite, t .id there is no significant increase in the allowable individual or cumulative occupational exposure. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant radiological environmental impacts associated with the

. proposed action.

With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed action does not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Therefore, the Commission concludes that there are no significant non-radiological impacts associated with the proposed action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action:

Since the Commission has concluded that there is no measurable environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any alternative with equal or greater environmental impact need not be evaluated. The principal alternative to the action would be to deny the request (no-action alternative). Denial of the exemption request 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:

This action does not involve the use of resources not previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement related to Operation of Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station (July 1972).

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Agencies and Persons Consulted:

In accordance with its stated policy, on July 31,1998, the NRC staff consulted with 1

Mr. Patrick Dostie of the State of Maine, Department of Human Services, regarding the environmentalimpact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments. l FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT 1

Based upon the environmental assessment, the Commission concludes that the l 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 this action, see the licensee's letters, dated November 6,1997, and June 29,1998, which are available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, Gelman Building,2120 L Street, NW.,

Washington, D.C., and at the Local Public Document Room at the Wiscasset Public Library, High Street, Post Office Box 367, Wiscasset, Maine 04578.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this lith day of August 1998.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Sey our H. Weiss, Director Non-Power Reactors and Decommissioning Project Directorate Division of Reactor Program Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation a