ML20216G982

Environ Assessment & Finding of No Significant Impact Re 990730 Request for Exemption from Certain Requirements of Regulations for FOLs DPR-39 & DPR-48

ML20216G982
Person / Time
Site:	Zion  File:ZionSolutions icon.png
Issue date:	09/27/1999
From:	Scaletti D NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:
Shared Package
ML20216G959	List: ML20216G954 ML20216G982
References
NUDOCS 9910010241
Download: ML20216G982 (4)

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7590-01P UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION COMMONWEALTH EDISON COMPANY DOCKET NOS. 50-295 AND 50-304

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ZION NUCLEAR POWER STATION. UNITS 1 AND 2 I ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANiIMPACT The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuance of an exemption from cedain requirements of its regulations for Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-39 and DPR-48, issued to Commonwealth Edison Company (Comed or the licensee) for the Zion Nuclear Power Station (ZNPS) Units 1 and 2, located in Lake County, filinois.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ldentification of the Proposed Action The proposed exemption would modify security requirements to eliminate certain

. equipment, to relocate cedain equipment, to modify certain procedures, and reduce the number of armed responders, due to the permanently shutdown and defueled status of the Zion Nuclear Power Station.

The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's application dated July 30, 1999. 'The requested action would grant an exemption from certain requirements of 10 CFR 73.55, " Requirements for physical protection of licensed activities in nuclear power plant reactors against radiological sabotage."

The Need for the Proposed Action ZNPS was shut down permanently in February 1997. Comed certified the permanent shutdown on February 13,1998, and, on March 9,1998, certified that all fuel had been

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removed from the reactor vessels. In accordance with 10 CFR 50.82(a)(2), upon docketing of the certifications, the facility operating license no longer authorizes Comed to operate the reactor or to load fuel into the reactor vessel. In this permanently shutdown condition, the facility poses a reduced risk to public health and safety. Because of this reduced risk, certain requirements of 10 CFR 73.55 are no longer required. An exemption is required from portions of 10 CFR 73.55(a), (c)(6), (e)(1), (f)(4) and (h)(3) to allow the licensee to implement a revised

- defueled physical security plan (DPSP) that is appropriate for the permanently shutdown and defueled ZNPS.

EnvironmentalImoact of the Proposed Action The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and concludes 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 off site, and 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 involve 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 Commission concludes that there are no significant environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered denial of the proposed action (i.e., the "no-action" alternative). Denial of the application would result in no change in E

c'irrent environmental impacts. The environmentalimpacts of the proposed action and the attemative action are similar.

~ Altemative Use of Resources This action does not involve the use of resources not previously considered in the l

Final Environmental Statement for the Zion Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2, dated I

December 1972.

Acencies and Persons Consulted l

- In accordance with its stated policy, on September 22,1999, the staff consulted with the

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lilinois State official, Mr. Gary Wright, of the lilinois Department of Nuclear Safety (IDNS) l regarding the environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had no i

comments.

1 FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT On the basis of 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 determi.ed not to prepare an environmentalimpact l

' statement for the proposed action.

For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the licensee's letter dated  ;

. July 30,1999, which is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW, Washington, D.C., and at the local public A &

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document room located at the Waukegan Public Library,128 N. County Street. Waukegan, Illinois 60085.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 27th day of September 1999.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION e

Dino C. Scaletti, Project Manager Decommissioning Section Project Directorate IV & Decommissioning Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation t