ML20209H964

Environ Assessment & Finding of No Significant Impact Re Issuance of Exemption That Would Reduce Amount of Onsite Property Insurance Based on Permanently Shutdown Status of TMI-2 & That Plant Suitable for Long Term Management

ML20209H964
Person / Time
Site:	Three Mile Island, Crystal River
Issue date:	07/15/1999
From:	Black S NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:
Shared Package
ML20209H946	List: ML20209H940 ML20209H964
References
NUDOCS 9907210100
Download: ML20209H964 (3)

Text

7590-01-P UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION GPU NUCLEAR. INC.

DOCKET NO. 50-320 THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR STATION. UNIT 2 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT i

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission or NRC) is considering issuance of an exemption from Title 10 of the Code of Federal Reaulations (10 CFR) Part 50 for

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Facility Operating License rJo. DPR-73, issued to GPU Nuclear, Inc. (GPUN or the licensee),

g for operation of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 2 (TMI 2), located in Dauphin f

County, Pennsylvania.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ldentification of the Prooosed Action:

i The proposed action would reduce the amount of onsite property insurance as required

'l by 10 CFR 50.54(w), based on the permanently shutdown status of TMI-2 and that the plant is in a safe, inherently stable condition suitable for long-term management and any threat to the health and safety of the public has been eliminated. The requested action would allow GPUN to reduce onsite insurance coverage from $1.6 billion to $50 million.

The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's application for exemption dated March 9,1999.

Need for the Proposed Action:

The proposed action is needed because the licensee's required insurance coverage significantly exceeds the potential cost consequences of radiological incidents possible at a permanently shutdown and defueled reactor with over 99 percent of the fuel removed.

i ADOCK 0500 2

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- EnvironmentalImoacts of the Prooosed Action:

The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and concludes that the issuance of the proposed exemption is an administrative action and will not have any 6

environmental impact. TMI-2 permanently ceased operations following the March 28,1979, j

accident The licensee maintains the facility in a safe, stable configuration to comply with the j

1 facility operating license and the Commission's rules and regulations.

No changes are being made in the types or amounts of any radiological effluents that f

1 may be released offsite. There is no increase in occupational or public radiation exposure.

Axordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant radiological environmental

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4 impacts associated with the proposed action.

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Witn regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed action does not involve

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1 any historic sites, it does not affect nonradiological plant effluents and has no other j

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environmental impact. Therefore, there are no significant nonradiological environmental

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1 impacts associated with the proposed action.

I Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant environmental il'

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impacts associated with the proposed action.

Alternatives to the Prooosed Action:

3 The principal alternative to the action would be to deny the request thereby requiring the licensee to maintain insurance coverage required of an operating plant (i.e., the "no action" altomative); such an action would not enhance the protection of the environment. Denial of the applic;. tion would result in no change in current environme,ntal impacts. The environmental impacts of the proposed action and the altamative action are similar.

Attemative Use of Resources:

This action does not involve the use of any resources not previously considered in the Programmatic Final Environmental Statement Related to Decontamination and Disposal of 4

! f Radioactive Wastes Resulting from the March 28,1979, Accident - Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 2, Supplement No. 3, issued in August 1989.

J Aaencies and Persons Contacted:

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In accordance with its stated policy, on June 3,1999, the NRC staff consulted with l

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Pennsylvania State official, Stan Miangi of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental j

i Protection regarding the environmentalimpact of the proposed action. The State official had no 1

I comments.

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1 FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT I

k On the basis of the environmental assessment, the Commission concludes that the

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proposed action will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment.

Accordingly, the Commission has determined not to prepare an environmentalimpact '

j statement for the proposed action.

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For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the licensee's letter dated March 9,1999, which is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document i}

i Room, The Gelman Building,2120 L Street NW., Washingten DC, and at the local public l

3 document room located at the Government Publications Section, State Library of Pennsylvania,

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Walnut Street and Commonwealth Avenue, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

j Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 15" day of July 1999.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

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Suzanne. Black, Deputy Director

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Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 1

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