ML20238F217

Environ Assessment & Finding of No Significant Impact Re Util Proposed Exemption from Certain Requirements of 10CFR50.54(q) to Discontinue Offsite Emergency Planning Activities & Reduce Scope of Onsite Emergency Planning

ML20238F217
Person / Time
Site:	Haddam Neck File:Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co icon.png
Issue date:	08/11/1998
From:	Weiss S NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:
Shared Package
ML20238F201	List: ML20238F198 ML20238F211 ML20238F213 ML20238F217
References
NUDOCS 9809030198
Download: ML20238F217 (4)

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7590-01-P UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION CONNECTICUT YANKEE ATOMIC POWER COMPANY HADDAM NECK PLANT DOC iET NO. 50-213 -

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

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The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission or NRC) is considering issuance of an exemption from certain requirements of its regulations to Facility Operating

. License No. DPR-61, a license held by the Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company (CYAPCO or the licensee). The exemption would apply to the Haddam Neck Plant (HNP), a

" permanently shutdown and defueled plant located at the CYAPCO site in Middlesex

. County, Connecticut.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification of the Proposed Action:

d The proposed exemption would modify emergency response plan requirements,-in i

response to the permanently shutdown and defueled status of the Haddam Neck facility.

The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's application dated May 30,

- 1997, as supplemented or modified by letters of September 19, September 26,

. October 21, and December 18,1997, and Jr.nuary 22, March 25, June 19, and July 31, 1

1998. The requested action would grant an exemption from certain requirements of 10

; CFR 50.54(q) to discontinue offsite emergency planning activities and reduce the scope of f

onsite emergency planning.

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2 The Need for the Proposed Action:

By letter dated December 5,1996, the licensee submitted certifications that it had permanently ceased operations at HNP and that all fuel had been permanently removed from the reactor. In accordance with 10 CFR 50.82(a)(2), upon docketing of the certifications, CYAPCO was no longer authorized to operate the reactor or to retain fuel in the reactor vessel. In this permanently shutdown and defueled condition, the facility poses a reduced risk to public health and safety. Because of this reduced risk, certain provisions of 10 CFR 50.54(q) are no longer required. An exemption is required from portions of 10 CFR 30.54(q) to allow the licensee to implement a revised Defueled Emergency Plan (DEP) that is appropriate for the permanently shutdown and defueled reactor facility.

Environmentalimpact of the Proposed Action:

The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action. The Commission concludes that exemptions from certain portions of 10 CFR 50.54(q) are acceptable given the reduced risk and reduced consequences of an accident occurring at a permanently defueled reactor site with a substantially reduced decay heat load produced by the spent fuel held in storage.

The proposed change 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 the allowable individual or cumulative occupational exposure. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant radiological environmentalimpacts associated with the proposed action.

With regard to notential non-radiological impacts, the proposed action does not affect l

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3 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 environmentalimpact 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 not change any current environmentalimpacts. The environmentalimpacts 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 HNP issued in October 1973.

Agencies and Persons Consulted:

In accordance with its stated policy, on August 5,1998, the NRC staff consulted with Mr. D. Galloway of the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, regarding the environmentalimpact of the proposed action. The NRC staff and the State official discussed the proposed issuance of the exemption. The State official did not object to issuance of the exemption.

! FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT j On the basis of the environmental assessment, the Commission concludes that the I

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

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

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For further details with respect to this action, see the licensee's letters, dated l.

l May 30, September 19, September 26, October 21, and December 18,1997,and l

! January 22, March 25, June 19, and July 31,1998, which are available for public review i

at the NRC's Public Document Room, the Gelman Building,2120 L Street, NW, Washington, DC, and at the Local Public Document Room at the Russell Public Library,

' 123 Broad Street, Middletown, Connecticut 06457.

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

l FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Q

! Seymour H. Weiss, Director Non-Power Reactors and Decommissioning Project Directorate Division of Reactor Program Management i Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation L

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