80 FR 19093 - Zion Solutions, LLC; Zion Nuclear Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 68 (April 9, 2015)

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact regarding exemptions from specific emergency planning requirements for license nos. DPR-39 and DPR-48, issued to ZionSolutions, LLC, for the Zion Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 68 (Thursday, April 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19093-19094]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-08169]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-295 and 50-304; NRC-2015-0087]


Zion Solutions, LLC; Zion Nuclear Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 
2

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; 
issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an 
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact regarding 
exemptions from specific emergency planning requirements for license 
nos. DPR-39 and DPR-48, issued to ZionSolutions, LLC, for the Zion 
Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2.

DATES: The environmental assessment and finding of no significant 
impact referenced in this document is available on April 9, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2015-0087 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may obtain publicly-available information related to this document 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2015-0087. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact 
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this document.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly available documents online in the 
ADAMS Public Documents collection at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and 
then select ``Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.'' For problems with ADAMS, 
please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 
1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to [email protected]. The 
ADAMS accession number for each document referenced in this document 
(if that document is available in ADAMS) is provided the first time 
that a document is referenced.
     NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public 
documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Hickman, Division of 
Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery, and Waste Programs, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-00001. Telephone: 301-415-3017; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Introduction

    The NRC is considering issuance of exemptions from specific 
emergency planning (EP) requirements of part 50 of Title 10 of the Code 
of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) for license nos. DPR-39 and DPR-48, 
issued to ZionSolutions, LLC (ZS, the licensee), for the Zion Nuclear 
Power Station (ZNPS), Units 1 and 2. Therefore, as required by 10 CFR 
51.21, the NRC performed an environmental assessment. Based on the 
results of the environmental assessment that follows, the NRC has 
determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the 
exemptions, and is issuing a finding of no significant impact.
    On November 23, 2011, the NRC issued a Final Rule modifying or 
adding EP requirements in Sec.  50.47, Sec.  50.54, and appendix E of 
10 CFR part 50 (76 Federal Register (FR) 72560). The EP Final Rule was 
effective on December 23, 2011, with specific implementation dates for 
each of the rule changes, varying from the effective date of the Final 
Rule through December 31, 2015. The EP Final Rule codified certain 
voluntary protective measures contained in NRC Bulletin 2005-02, 
``Emergency Preparedness and Response Actions for Security-Based 
Events,'' and generically applicable requirements similar to those 
previously imposed by NRC Order EA-02-026, ``Order for Interim 
Safeguards and Security Compensatory Measures,'' dated February 25, 
2002. In addition, the EP Final Rule amended other licensee emergency 
plan requirements to: (1) Enhance the ability of licensees in

[[Page 19094]]

preparing and in taking certain protective actions in the event of a 
radiological emergency; (2) address, in part, security issues 
identified after the terrorist events of September 11, 2001; (3) 
clarify regulations to effect consistent emergency plan implementation 
among licensees; and (4) modify certain EP requirements to be more 
effective and efficient. However, the EP Final Rule was only an 
enhancement to the NRC's regulations and was not necessary for adequate 
protection. On page 72563 of the Federal Register notice for the EP 
Final Rule, the Commission ``determined that the existing regulatory 
structure ensures adequate protection of public health and safety and 
common defense and security.''

II. Environmental Assessment

Description of Proposed Action
    The proposed action would exempt ZNPS, a 10 CFR part 50 licensee, 
from certain 10 CFR part 50 EP requirements because ZNPS is a 
permanently shut-down nuclear facility.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application dated June 20, 2012, (ADAMS Accession No. ML12173A316).
Need for Proposed Action
    ZNPS was shut down on February 21, 1997, and is currently in a 
permanently shut-down and defueled condition. In a letter dated May 4, 
1998, the NRC acknowledged that pursuant to 10 CFR 50.82(a)(2), the 10 
CFR part 50 licenses for ZNPS, Units 1 and 2 no longer authorize 
operation of the reactors, or emplacement or retention of fuel in the 
reactor vessels. Active decommissioning is currently underway.
    The licensee claims that the proposed action is needed because the 
Final Rule imposed requirements on ZNPS that are not necessary to meet 
the underlying purpose of the regulations in view of the greatly 
reduced offsite radiological consequences associated with the current 
plant status as permanently shut down. The EP program at this facility 
met the EP requirements in 10 CFR part 50 that were in effect before 
December 23, 2011, subject to any license amendments or exemptions 
modifying the EP requirements for the licensee. Thus, compliance with 
the EP requirements in effect before the effective date of the EP Final 
Rule demonstrated reasonable assurance that adequate protective 
measures could be taken in the event of a radiological emergency.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
    The NRC staff evaluated the environmental impacts of the proposed 
action and concludes that exempting the facility from the emergency 
planning requirements will not have any adverse environmental impacts. 
With respect to radiological impacts, the NRC has determined that no 
credible events at ZNPS would result in doses to the public beyond the 
owner controlled area boundary that would exceed the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency Protective Actions Guides at the site boundary. The 
proposed action is wholly procedural and administrative in nature. As 
such, the proposed action will not: Significantly increase the 
probability or consequences of radiological accidents, result in any 
changes to the types of effluents that may be released offsite, and 
result in any 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 construction activities, renovation of 
buildings or structures, ground disturbing activities or other 
alteration to land. The proposed action will not change the site 
activities and therefore will not result in any changes to the 
workforce or vehicular traffic. Furthermore, the proposed action is not 
a type of activity that has the potential to cause effects on historic 
properties or cultural resources, including traditional cultural 
properties. In addition the proposed action will not result in any 
change to non-radiological plant effluents and thus, will have no 
impact on either air or water quality. As the proposed action is wholly 
procedural and administrative in nature, the NRC staff has determined 
that the proposed action will have no effect on listed species or 
critical habitat. Therefore, there are no significant non-radiological 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
    Accordingly, the NRC staff concludes that there are no significant 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action
    As an alternative to the proposed action, the NRC staff considered 
denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative). 
Denial of the exemption request would result in no change in current 
environmental impacts because there will be no construction or major 
renovation of any buildings or structures, nor any associated ground 
disturbing activities. Thus the environmental impacts of the proposed 
action and no-action alternative are similar. Therefore, the no-action 
alternative is not further considered.
Conclusion
    The NRC staff has concluded that the proposed action will not 
significantly impact the quality of the human environment, and that the 
proposed action is the preferred alternative.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
    The NRC contacted the Illinois Emergency Management Agency 
concerning this request. There were no comments, concerns or objections 
from the State official.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    The NRC staff has prepared this EA as part of its review of the 
proposed action. On the basis of this EA, the NRC finds that there are 
no significant environmental impacts from the proposed action, and that 
preparation of an environmental impact statement is not warranted. 
Accordingly, the NRC has determined that a Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FONSI) is appropriate. In accordance with 10 CFR 51.32(a)(4), 
this FONSI incorporates the EA set forth in this notice by reference.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 30th day of March 2015.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Larry W. Camper,
Director, Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery, and Waste 
Programs, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2015-08169 Filed 4-8-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7590-01-P