ML20206A556

Environ Assessment & Finding of No Significant Impact Re Proposed Action to Change Liquid & Gaseous Release Rate Limits Included in Radioactive Effluent Control Program Portion of TS to Reflect Revs to 10CFR20

ML20206A556
Person / Time
Site:	Maine Yankee
Issue date:	04/23/1999
From:	Masnik M NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:
Shared Package
ML20206A553	List: ML20206A552 ML20206A556
References
NUDOCS 9904280217
Download: ML20206A556 (3)

Text

. . 7590-01-P UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION MAINE YANKEE ATOMIC POWER COMPANY MAINE YANKEE ATOMIC POWER STATION DOCKET NO. 50-309 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is considering issuance of an amendment to the Appendix A Technical Specifications (TS) to Facility Operating License No. DPR-36, a license held by the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company (MYAPCo or the licensee). The amendment would apply to the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station (Maine Yankee), a permanently shutdown plant located at the MYAPCo site in Lincoln County, Maine.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Identification of Proposed Action:

The proposed action would change the liquid and gaseous release rate limits included in the Radioactive Effluent Control Program portion of the TS to reflect revisions to 10 CFR Part 20, " Standards for Protection Against Radiation." The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's application dated July 14,1998.

The Need for the Proposed Action:

The proposed action is needed to update the license to incorporate revised requirements of 10 CFR Part 20 (i.e., the need for the proposed action was crev.:d by a change in the regulatory requirements).

EnvironmentalImoact of the Proposed Action:

The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed amendment to the Maine l Yankee TS and concludes that issuance of the proposed amendment wil; not cause an increase

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f in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposures. The proposed change in TS effluent release rates will allow the licensee to retain operational flexibility consistent with the design objectives for radioactive effluent releases in Appendix l to 10 CFR Part 50 and will not have a negative impact on the licensee's ability to continue to operate within as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) criteria.

The proposed action will not increase the probability or consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of any 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 I

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 ,

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

l Alternative Use of Resources:

l This action does not involve the use of any resources not previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement related to Operation of Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station l- (July 1972).

l Acencies and Persons Consulted:

In accordance with its stated policy, on March 29,1999, the NRC staff consulted with the Maine State Official, Mr. Patrick Dostie, Department of Human Services, regarding the environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments.

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT On the basis of the environmental assess,r=+ the Commission concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment.

Accordingly, the Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact l

statement for the proposed exemption.

For further details with respect to this action, see the licensee's letter dated July 14, 1998, which is available for public inspection at the Commission Public Document Room, Gelman Building,2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555, and at the local public document room located at the Wiscasset Public Library, High Street, Post Office Box 367, Wiscasset, Maine, 04578.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23th day of April 1999.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Sk -

Michael T. Masnik, Chief Decommissioning Section Project Directorate IV & Decommissioning Division of Licensing Project Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation