ML24088A272
| ML24088A272 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crystal River  |
| Issue date: | 03/28/2024 |
| From: | NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ERMB |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Download: ML24088A272 (3) | |
Text
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Historic and Cultural Resources 1
Historic and Cultural Resources Affected Environment 2
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA), requires federal agencies 3
to consider the effects of their undertakings on historic properties; the remaining license 4
termination and decommissioning activities at Crystal River Unit 3 (CR3) are an undertaking that 5
could potentially affect historic properties, should such properties be present. The NHPA defines 6
historic properties as any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or object 7
included in, or eligible for, inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Historic 8
properties are a subset of cultural resources that are considered during the National 9
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as amended, process. Cultural resources include, but are not 10 limited to, properties that may not be NRHP-eligible or listed; places or landscapes of traditional 11 cultural importance; and sacred, ceremonial, and religious sites.
12 Construction of CR3 was started in 1968 and completed in 1976, beginning commercial 13 operation in March 1977. Construction of CR3 involved excavation to a depth of approximately 14 18.3 m [60 ft] below grade and then constructing the nuclear power station, backfilling around 15 the deeper structures to form a berm (i.e., elevated area) constructed of crushed limestone 16 placing CR3 approximately 6.4 m [21 ft] above the surrounding structures (ADP 2023). CR3 17 stopped producing power in 2009 and was officially retired in 2013 (ADP 2023). At present, CR3 18 occupies approximately 11 ha [27 ac] of previously disturbed land within the approximately 358 19 ha [884 ac] licensed boundary (i.e., the controlled area) (ADP 2023).
20 Decommissioning activities within the current CR3 license boundary and areas previously 21 disturbed by the original construction in 1968 would include the removal of all above grade 22 structures and some paved surfaces, decontaminating, backfilling deep basements, and 23 removing all buried structures to a depth of 1 m [3 ft] below ground surface from the elevated 24 berm. There would be no disturbance to native soil nor any tree clearing. In addition, there 25 would be limited disturbances associated with settling pond 1 and the former shooting range 26 where remedial activities have already been completed under Florida Department of 27 Environmental Protection oversight (ADP 2024). Furthermore, the independent spent fuel 28 storage installation (ISFSI) would remain undisturbed and under an NRC license.
29 The NRC staff has determined the direct area of potential effects (APE) to be the same as the 30 11-ha [27-acre] disturbance area. The APE for indirect effects would be the remaining 31 approximately 347 ha [857 acres] within the 358-ha [884-acre] NRC-licensed area, or controlled 32 area.
33 The NRC staff reviewed the current and historic land use within and immediately adjacent to the 34 CR3 site. In addition, the NRC staff reviewed numerous previously conducted cultural resources 35 surveys that cover the direct and indirect APE and surrounding vicinity (ADP 2024); and 36 conducted independent research with the Florida Master Site File. From this research, one 37 previously recorded cultural resources site, the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad, (CI01455), was 38 identified within the direct and indirect APE.
39 Information provided in the previous survey coverage and site recordation indicate that the rail 40 line was constructed in approximately 1966 associated with the development of the Crystal 41 River Nuclear Plant (Arbuthnot, et al 2014). The eastwest spur rail line connects the nuclear 42
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plant with the main rail line to the east and runs along the south side of West Powerline Street.
1 The rail corridor consists of a singletrack, standardgauge rail with wooden cross ties and metal 2
tie plates set on a bed of crushedstone ballast. At the western end of the rail line there is a loop 3
that circles to the south and a branch that arcs to the north. Originally a straight branch to the 4
south side of the plant, the line was altered to form a continuous loop by 1980, likely to allow 5
trains to exit more efficiently as there appeared to be no other turnaround within the plant. The 6
original straight branch was removed, likely at the time that the line was reconfigured. To be 7
considered NRHP-eligible, a Florida railroad must have served a historic transportation function 8
and have been constructed during one of Floridas historic railroad periods. NRHP eligibility 9
must also be supported by association with an important local historical event or person.
10 Additionally, the railroad must retain its original appearance to a high degree (Johnston and 11 Mattick 2001). The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (CI01455) was built as a spur line solely to 12 provide access to the Crystal River Nuclear Plant, never functioned as a major transportation 13 corridor, and was constructed during the midtwentieth century, which is not considered a 14 historic Florida railroad period (Johnston and Mattick 2001). Furthermore, the railroad lacks 15 association with any local historical event or individual. The section of the rail line in the direct 16 and indirect APEs has been altered since it was originally constructed, including the removal of 17 the original rails and cross ties and the reconfiguration of the line to form a loop. Therefore, the 18 NRC staff has determined that CI01455 is not eligible for listing on the NRHP.
19 The NRC staff consulted with four federally recognized Tribes that have historic or current ties 20 to the project area to assist in identifying cultural resources within the direct and indirect APEs.
21 The four tribes included the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the 22 Muscogee Nation, and the Miccosukee Tribe of Florida.
23 Historic and Cultural Resources Direct and Indirect Impacts 24 Decommissioning GEIS Determination 25 As discussed in the Decommissioning GEIS (NRC 2002), in most cases, the amount of land 26 required to support the decommissioning process is relatively small and is a small portion of the 27 overall plant site. Usually, the areas disturbed, or used to support decommissioning are within 28 the operational areas of the site and typically are within the protected area. For plants where the 29 disturbance of lands beyond the operational areas is not anticipated, the impacts on cultural, 30 historic, and archaeological resources are not considered to be detectable or destabilizing. The 31 GEIS concluded the impacts of decommissioning on historic and cultural resources within the 32 operational area are SMALL. The staff does not anticipate any impacts beyond those discussed 33 in the GEIS because all planned disturbances are within the CR3 operational area.
34 Site-Specific Activities 35 Although the Decommissioning GEIS concluded a site-specific inquiry was necessary outside 36 the operational area (NRC 2002), there would be no decommissioning activities outside of the 37 operational area or on previously undisturbed land (ADP 2023). As part of the LTP application 38 and environmental report, ADP CR3 coordinated with the Florida State Historic Preservation 39 Office (SHPO) in September 2022 (ADP 2023). In November 2023, the Florida SHPO 40 responded stating that It is the opinion of this office that the proposed project will have no effect 41 on historic properties (ADP 2024). Furthermore, the applicant implements an internal 42 procedure, PRG-RNV-01-015, which provides for cultural resources awareness, archaeological 43 discovery procedures, and compliance with various local, state, and federal regulations (ADP 44
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2023, 2024). Based on its cultural resources review, the NRC staff has made a determination of 1
No Historic Properties Affected and is coordinating with SHPO for concurrence on this 2
determination.
3 4
References 5
ADP (ADP, LLC). 2023. Response to Crystal River Unit 3 - Supplemental Information Needed 6
for Acceptance on the Application for a License Amendment Regarding Approval of the License 7
Termination Plan. Revision 1. Crystal River, Florida. ADAMS Accession No. ML23160A296.
8 ADP (Accelerated Decommissioning Partners, LLC). 2024. Response to Request for Additional 9
Information for the Environmental Assessment of the License Termination Plan for Crystal River 10 Unit 3 Nuclear Generating Plant. Crystal River, Florida. ADAMS Accession No. ML24086A459.
11 Arbuthnot, Michael, Melissa Dye, and Ryan VanDyke. 2014. Cultural Resource Assessment 12 Survey of the Duke Energy 2018 CC Parcel, Citrus County, Florida. SEARCH, Newberry, 13 Florida. (non-public) 14 Johnston, Sidney, and Barbara Mattick. 2001. Floridas Historic Railroad Resources. Florida 15 Master Site File Survey No. 6289. MS on file, Tallahassee, Florida: Florida Division of Historical 16 Resources. (non-public) 17 NRC (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission). 2002. NUREG-0586, Supplement 1, Vol. 1 -
18 Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities.
19 Washington, D.C. ADAMS Accession No. ML023470304, ML023470323, ML023500187, 20 ML023500211, ML023500223.
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