ML20236F682

Environ Assessment & Finding of No Significant Impact Re Exemption from Certain Requirements of 10CFR73.55.Proposed Exemption Would Modify Security Requirements to Eliminate Certain Equipment & to Relocate Certain Equipment

ML20236F682
Person / Time
Site:	Maine Yankee
Issue date:	06/23/1998
From:	Weiss S NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:
Shared Package
ML20236F675	List: ML20236F673 ML20236F678 ML20236F682
References
NUDOCS 9807020284
Download: ML20236F682 (4)

Text

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7590-01 1

I UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION i- MAINE YANKEE ATOMIC POWER COMPANY l . MAINE YANKEE ATOMIC POWER STATION -)

DOCKET NO. 50-309 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT .

l The U.S. . Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuance of I .an exemption from certain requirements of its regulations to Facility Operating License No. DPR-36, a license held by the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Cnmpany (MYAPC or the licensee). The exemption would apply to the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station, a permaner.tly shutdown plant located at the MYAPC site in Lincoln County, Maine.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification of the Pronosed Actior1:

The proposed exemption would modify security requirements to eliminate certain equipment, to relocate certain equipment, to modify certain procedures, and reduce the number of armed responders, 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 25,1997. The requested action would grant an exemption from certain l requirements of 10 CFR 73.55, " Requirements for Physical Protection of Licensed Activities l

in Nuclear Power Plant Reactors against Radiological Sabotage."

. The Naad for the Pronosed Action:

Maine Yankee was shut down in December 1996. On August 7,1997, the licensee  !

informed the Commission that it had decided to permanently cease operations at Maine l 9907020284 990629 l PDR. ADOCK 05000309  ;

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Yankee Atomic Power Station and that all fuel had been permanently rem reactor. In accordance with 10 CFR 50.82(a)(2), the certifications in the letter facility operating license to permanently withdraw MYAPC's authority to o(

and to load fuelin the reactor vessel. In this permanently shutdown condi poses a reduced risk to public health and sa'ety. Due to this reduced risk, certain i requirements of 10 CFR 73.55 are no longer appropriate. An exemption is requ portions of 10 CFR 73.55 to allow the licensee to implement a revised De Plan that is appropriate for the permanently shutdown and defueled reactor f ,

EnvironmentalImnact of the Pronosed Action: t The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action. The Commission concludes that exemption from certain portions of 10 CFR 73.55 are acceptable given the reduced consequences of the threat to a defueled reactor site wi respect to public health and safety from an act of sabotage resulting in the release of radioactive material contained in the spent fuel.

The proposed change will not increase the probability or consequences of a no changes are being made in the types of effluents that may be released offsite, a

- is no significant increase in the allowable individual or cumulative occupational exp! .

Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

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With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed action doe features located entirely with the restricted area as defined in .10 CFR Part 20 It does not affect non radiological plant effluents and has no other environmentalimpact. Therefore, the Commission concludes that there are no significant non-radiologicalimp ae with the proposed action.

Alternatives to the Prooosed Action:

Since the Commission has concluded that there is no measurab impact associated with the proposed action, any attemative with equal or grea environmentalimpact need not be evaluated. The principal alternative to the ac[

be to deny the request. Denial of the exemption request would result in no cha}.

current environmentalimpacts. The environmentalimpacts of the proposed action and alternative action are similar.

Alternative Use of Resources:

This action does not involve the use of resources not previously considered in t Environmental Statement related to Operation of Maine Yankee Atomic Power Statio ,

Uuly 1972).

Acencies and Persons Consulted:

In accordance with its stated policy, on May 14,1998, the NRC staff consulted with Mr. Patrick Dostle of the State of Maine, Department of Human Services, regardin environmentalimpact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments.

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FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT Based upon the environmental assessment, the Commission concludes tha proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human e .

Accordingly, the Commission has determined not to prepare an environme statement for the proposed action.

' For further details with respect to this action, see the licensee's letter, dated November 25,1997, which is available for public inspection at the Commission Public Document Room, Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC a ,

Public Document Room at the Wiscasset Public Library, High Street, Post Of .

Wiscasset, Maine 04578.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day of June 1998.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 4

e W Seymour H. Weiss, Director Non-Power Reactors and Decommissioning Project Directorate Division of Reactor Program Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation j

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