80 FR 21271 - Southern California Edison Company San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, and Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 74 (April 17, 2015)

Page Range		21271-21274
FR Document		2015-08929

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering issuance of exemptions in response to a request from Southern California Edison Company (SCE or the licensee) that would permit the licensee to reduce its emergency planning (EP) activities at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), Units 1, 2, and 3, and the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI). The licensee is seeking exemptions that would eliminate the requirements to maintain offsite radiological emergency plans and reduce some of the onsite EP activities based on the reduced risks at the permanently shutdown and defueled reactors. Offsite emergency planning provisions would still exist using a comprehensive emergency management plan (CEMP) process. The NRC staff is issuing a final Environmental Assessment (EA) and final Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) associated with the proposed exemptions.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 74 (Friday, April 17, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 74 (Friday, April 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21271-21274]
From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-08929]

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-206, 50-361, 50-362, and 72-41; NRC-2015-0093]

Southern California Edison Company San Onofre Nuclear Generating
Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, and Independent Spent Fuel Storage
Installation

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 considering
issuance of exemptions in response to a request from Southern
California Edison Company (SCE or the licensee) that would permit the
licensee to reduce its emergency planning (EP) activities at the San
Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), Units 1, 2, and 3, and the
Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI). The licensee is
seeking exemptions that would eliminate the requirements to maintain
offsite radiological emergency plans and reduce some of the onsite EP
activities based on the reduced risks at the permanently shutdown and
defueled reactors. Offsite emergency planning provisions would still
exist using a comprehensive emergency management

[[Page 21272]]

plan (CEMP) process. The NRC staff is issuing a final Environmental
Assessment (EA) and final Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
associated with the proposed exemptions.

DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on
April 17, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2015-0093 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-2015-0093. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. 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 pdr.resource@nrc.gov. For
the convenience of the reader, the ADAMS accession numbers are provided
in a table in the ``Availability of Documents'' section of this
document.
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: Thomas J. Wengert, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-4037; email: Thomas.Wengert@nrc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

The NRC is considering issuance of an exemption concerning Facility
Operating License Nos. DPR-13, NPF-10, and NFP-15, issued to SCE for
the operation of SONGS, Units 1, 2, and 3, respectively, located in San
Diego County, California. Therefore, as required by sections 51.20(b)
and 51.22(c) of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR),
the NRC performed an EA. Based on the results of the EA 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.
SONGS, Units 1, 2, and 3, are permanently shutdown and defueled
power reactors in the process of decommissioning. SONGS is located in
San Diego County, California, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean,
approximately 51 miles north of San Diego, California. SCE is the
holder of Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-13, NPF-10, and NFP-15
for SONGS, Units 1, 2, and 3, respectively. SONGS, Unit 1 was
permanently shut down in 1993. On June 12, 2013, the licensee provided
the certifications that SONGS, Units 2 and 3, had permanently ceased
power operations. On June 28 and July 22, 2013, the licensee provided
certifications that all fuel had been permanently removed from the
SONGS, Units 3 and 2, reactors, respectively. As a permanently shutdown
and defueled facility, and pursuant to 10 CFR 50.82(a)(2), SONGS is no
longer authorized to operate the reactors or emplace fuel into the
reactor vessels, but is still authorized to possess and store
irradiated nuclear fuel. Irradiated fuel is currently stored onsite at
SONGS in spent fuel pools (SFPs) and in the ISFSI dry casks. The
licensee has requested exemptions from certain EP requirements in 10
CFR part 50, ``Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization
Facilities,'' for SONGS, Units 1, 2, and 3, and the ISFSI. The NRC's
regulations concerning EP do not recognize the reduced risks after a
reactor is permanently shut down and defueled. A permanently shutdown
reactor must continue to maintain the same EP requirements as an
operating reactor. To establish a level of EP commensurate with the
reduced risks, SCE requires exemptions from certain EP regulatory
requirements before it can change its emergency plans.
The NRC is considering issuance of exemptions to SCE from portions
of 10 CFR 50.47, ``Emergency plans,'' and 10 CFR part 50, appendix E,
``Emergency Planning and Preparedness for Production and Utilization
Facilities,'' which would permit SCE to modify its emergency plan to
eliminate the requirements to maintain offsite radiological emergency
plans and reduce some of the onsite EP activities based on the reduced
risks at SONGS, due to its permanently shutdown and defueled status.
Consistent with 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC staff has reviewed the
requirements in 10 CFR 51.20(b) and 10 CFR 51.22(c) and determined that
an EA is the appropriate form of environmental review for the requested
action. Based on the results of the EA, which is provided in Section II
of this document, the NRC is issuing a final finding of no significant
impact.

II. Environmental Assessment

Description of the Proposed Action

The proposed action would exempt SCE from meeting certain
requirements set forth in 10 CFR 50.47 and appendix E to 10 CFR part
50. More specifically, SCE requested exemptions from (1) certain
requirements in 10 CFR 50.47(b) regarding onsite and offsite emergency
response plans for nuclear power reactors, (2) certain requirements in
10 CFR 50.47(c)(2) to establish plume exposure and ingestion pathway EP
zones for nuclear power reactors, and (3) certain requirements in 10
CFR part 50, appendix E, section IV, which establishes the elements
that make up the content of emergency plans. The proposed action,
granting these exemptions, would result in the elimination of the
requirements for the licensee to maintain offsite radiological
emergency plans and reduce some of the onsite EP activities at SONGS,
based on the reduced risks at the permanently shutdown and defueled
reactors. However, requirements for certain onsite capabilities to
communicate and coordinate with offsite response authorities will be
retained. If necessary, offsite protective actions could still be
implemented using a CEMP process. A CEMP in this context, also referred
to as an emergency operations plan (EOP), is addressed in the Federal
Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Comprehensive Preparedness Guide
(CPG) 101, ``Developing and Maintaining Emergency Operations Plans.''
CPG 101 is the foundation for State, territorial, Tribal, and local EP
in the United States. It promotes a common understanding of the
fundamentals of risk-informed planning and decisionmaking, and helps
planners at all levels of government in their efforts to develop and
maintain viable, all-hazards, all-threats emergency plans. An EOP is
flexible enough for use in all emergencies. It describes how people and
property will be protected; provides details regarding who is
responsible for carrying out specific actions; identifies the
personnel, equipment, facilities, supplies and other resources
available; and outlines how all actions will be coordinated. A CEMP is
often referred to as a synonym for ``all-hazards planning.''
The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's
application dated

[[Page 21273]]

March 31, 2014, as supplemented by letters dated September 9, October
2, October 7, October 27, November 3, and December 15, 2014. An
additional supplemental letter dated October 6, 2014, contains
security-related information and is therefore, withheld from public
disclosure.

Need for the Proposed Action

The proposed action is needed for SCE to revise the SONGS emergency
plan to reflect the permanently shutdown and defueled status of the
facility. The EP requirements currently applicable to SONGS are for
operating power reactors. There are no explicit regulatory provisions
distinguishing EP requirements for a power reactor that has been shut
down from those for an operating power reactor. Therefore, since the 10
CFR part 50 licenses for SONGS no longer authorize operation of the
reactors or emplacement or retention of fuel into the reactor vessels,
as specified in 10 CFR 50.82(a)(2), the occurrence of postulated
accidents associated with reactor operation is no longer credible. In
its exemption request, the licensee identified the remaining possible
accidents at SONGS in its permanently shutdown and defueled condition.
The NRC staff evaluated these possible radiological accidents in the
Commission Paper (SECY)-14-0144, dated December 17, 2014. In SECY-14-
0144, the staff verified that SCE's analyses and calculations provide
reasonable assurance that if the requested exemptions were granted,
then (1) for a design-basis accident (DBA), an offsite radiological
release will not exceed the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA)
Protective Action Guides (PAGs) at the exclusion area boundary, as
detailed in the EPA ``PAG Manual, Protective Action Guides and Planning
Guidance for Radiological Incidents,'' dated March 2013, which was
issued as Draft for Interim Use and Public Comment; and (2) in the
unlikely event of a beyond DBA resulting in a loss of all SFP cooling,
there is sufficient time to initiate appropriate mitigating actions,
and in the unlikely event that a release is projected to occur, there
is sufficient time for offsite agencies to take protective actions
using a CEMP to protect the health and safety of the public. The
Commission approved the NRC staff's recommendation to grant the
exemptions in the Staff Requirements Memorandum to SECY-14-0144, dated
March 2, 2015.
Based on these analyses, the licensee states that application of
all of the standards and requirements of 10 CFR 50.47(b), 10 CFR
50.47(c), and 10 CFR part 50 appendix E, section IV, are not necessary
to achieve the underlying purpose of those rules. SCE also states that
it would incur undue costs in the maintenance of an emergency response
organization in excess of that actually needed to respond to the
diminished scope of credible accidents associated with a shutdown
plant.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

The NRC staff concluded that the exemptions, if granted, will not
significantly increase the probability or consequences of accidents at
SONGS in its permanently shutdown and defueled condition. There will be
no significant change in the types of effluents that may be released
offsite. There will be no significant increase in the amounts of any
effluents that may be released offsite. There will be no significant
increase in the individual or cumulative 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 have any foreseeable impacts to land, air, or water
resources, including impacts to biota. In addition, there are also no
known socioeconomic or environmental justice impacts associated with
the proposed action. 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 application would result in no change in current
environmental impacts. The environmental impacts of the proposed action
and the alternative action are similar.

Alternative Use of Resources

The proposed action does not involve the use of any different
resources than those previously considered in the Final Environmental
Statement for SONGS, Units 2 and 3, dated April 1981, and the ``Final
Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Decommissioning of Nuclear
Facilities,'' NUREG-0586, Supplement 1, dated November 2002.

Agencies or Persons Consulted

The NRC staff did not enter into consultation with any other
Federal agency or with the State of California regarding the
environmental impact of the proposed action. On April 8, 2015, the
California State representatives were notified of this EA and FONSI.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

The licensee has proposed exemptions from (1) certain requirements
in 10 CFR 50.47(b) regarding onsite and offsite emergency response
plans for nuclear power reactors; (2) certain requirements in 10 CFR
50.47(c)(2) to establish plume exposure and ingestion pathway EP zones
for nuclear power reactors; and (3) certain requirements in 10 CFR part
50, appendix E, section IV, which establishes the elements that make up
the content of emergency plans. The proposed action of granting these
exemptions would result in the elimination of the requirements for the
licensee to maintain offsite radiological emergency plans and reduce
some of the onsite EP activities at SONGS, based on the reduced risks
at the permanently shutdown and defueled reactor. However, requirements
for certain onsite capabilities to communicate and coordinate with
offsite response authorities will be retained.
The NRC staff decided not to prepare an environmental impact
statement for the proposed action. On the basis of the EA included in
Section II of this document, the NRC staff concludes that the proposed
action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human
environment. Accordingly, the NRC staff has determined that a finding
of no significant impact is appropriate.

IV. Availability of Documents

The documents identified in the following table are available to
interested persons through one or more of the following methods, as
indicated.

[[Page 21274]]

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ADAMS Accession No./
Document Web link/ Federal
Register citation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Developing and Maintaining Emergency Operations http://www.fema.gov.
Plans, Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 101,
Version 2.0, November 2010.
Docket Nos. 50-206, 50-361, 50-362, and 72-041, ADAMS Accession No.
Emergency Planning Exemption Request, San ML14092A332.
Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2,
3 and Independent Spent Fuel Storage
Installation, dated March 31, 2014.
Docket Nos. 50-206, 50-361, 50-362, and 72-041, ML14258A003.
Response to Request for Additional Information
Regarding Emergency Planning Exemption Request,
San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1,
2, 3 and ISFSI dated, September 9, 2014.
Docket Nos. 50-206, 50-361, 50-362, and 72-041, ML14280A265.
Response to Request for Additional Information
Regarding Emergency Planning Exemption Request,
San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1,
2, 3 and ISFSI dated October 2, 2014.
Docket Nos. 50-206, 50-361, 50-362, and 72-041, ML14287A228.
Response to Request for Additional Information
Regarding Emergency Planning Exemption Request,
San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1,
2, 3 and ISFSI dated October 7, 2014.
Docket Nos. 50-206, 50-361, 50-362, and 72-041, ML14303A257.
Response to Requests for Clarification of
October 6, 2014 RAI Responses concerning
Emergency Planning Exemption Request, San
Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2,
3, and ISFSI, dated October 27, 2014.
Docket Nos. 50-206, 50-361, 50-362, and 72-041, ML14309A195.
Response to Request for Additional Information
Regarding Emergency Planning Exemption Request,
San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1,
2, 3 and ISFSI, dated November 3, 2014.
Docket Nos. 50-206, 50-361, 50-362, and 72-041, ML14351A078.
Redacted Version of Response to Request for
Additional Information Proposed Exemptions from
Certain Portions of 10 CFR 50.47 and Appendix
E, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Units
1, 2, 3 and ISFSI, dated December 15, 2014.
Protective Action Guides and Planning Guidance http://www.epa.gov.
for Radiological Incidents, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Draft for Interim Use and
Public Comment, March 2013.
SECY 14-0144, ``Request by Southern California ML14251A554.
Edison for Exemptions from Certain Emergency
Planning Requirements,'' dated December 17,
2014.
Staff Requirements Memorandum to SECY-14-0144, ML15061A521.
dated March 2, 2015.
Final Environmental Statement Related to the ADAMS Legacy Library
Operation of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Accession No.
Station, Units 2 and 3, Docket Nos. 50-361 and 8105180391.
50-362, dated April 30, 1981.
NUREG-0586, Supplement 1, ``Final Generic ADAMS Accession No.
Environmental Impact Statement on ML023470327.
Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities, issued
November 2002.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day of April 2015.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Meena K. Khanna,
Chief, Plant Licensing IV-2 and Decommissioning Transition Branch,
Division of Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation.
[FR Doc. 2015-08929 Filed 4-16-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 74 / Friday, April 17, 2015 / Notices 21271

10 CFR 51.22(c)(25), granting of an II. 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25)(ii): There is no exemption will support the NRC staff’s
exemption from the requirements of any significant change in the types or effective and efficient review of the COL
regulation of 10 CFR Chapter 1 (which significant increase in the amounts of application, when resumed, as well as
includes 10 CFR 50.71(e)(3)(iii)) is an any effluents that may be released issuance of the NRC staff’s safety
action that is a categorical exclusion, offsite. evaluation report. Therefore, the NRC
provided that: Staff Analysis: The proposed action hereby grants UNE a one-time
(i) There is no significant hazards involves only a schedule change, which exemption from the requirements of 10
consideration; is administrative in nature, and does not CFR 50.71(e)(3)(iii) pertaining to the
(ii) There is no significant change in involve any changes in the types or BBNPP COL application to allow
the types or significant increase in the significant increase in the amounts of submittal of the next FSAR update on or
amounts of any effluents that may be effluents that may be released offsite. before December 31, 2015.
released offsite; III. 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25)(iii): There is Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22, the
(iii) There is no significant increase in no significant increase in individual or Commission has determined that the
individual or cumulative public or cumulative public or occupational exemption request meets the applicable
occupational radiation exposure; radiation exposure. categorical exclusion criteria set forth in
(iv) There is no significant Staff Analysis: Since the proposed 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25), and the granting of
construction impact; action involves only a schedule change, this exemption will not have a
(v) There is no significant increase in which is administrative in nature, it significant effect on the quality of the
the potential for or consequences from does not contribute to any significant human environment.
radiological accidents; and increase in occupational or public This exemption is effective upon
(vi) The requirements from which an radiation exposure. issuance.
exemption is sought involve: IV. 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25)(iv): There is
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 9th day
(A) Recordkeeping requirements; no significant construction impact.
of April 2015.
(B) Reporting requirements; Staff Analysis: The proposed action
(C) Inspection or surveillance involves only a schedule change which For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
requirements; is administrative in nature. While the Frank Akstulewicz,
(D) Equipment servicing or environmental portion of the Director, Division of New Reactor Licensing,
maintenance scheduling requirements; application review is complete in that Office of New Reactors.
(E) Education, training, experience, the final environmental impact [FR Doc. 2015–08934 Filed 4–16–15; 8:45 am]
qualification, requalification or other statement is already issued, the safety BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
employment suitability requirements; portion of the COL application review
(F) Safeguard plans, and materials has been suspended and no license will
control and accounting inventory be issued prior to the NRC resuming the NUCLEAR REGULATORY
scheduling requirements; review and receipt of the COMMISSION
(G) Scheduling requirements; aforementioned application’s December [Docket Nos. 50–206, 50–361, 50–362, and
(H) Surety, insurance or indemnity 31, 2015, submittal of the revised FSAR; 72–41; NRC–2015–0093]
requirements; or therefore, the proposed action does not
(I) Other requirements of an involve any construction impact. Southern California Edison Company
administrative, managerial, or V. 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25)(v): There is no San Onofre Nuclear Generating
organizational nature. significant increase in the potential for Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, and
The requirements from which this or consequences from radiological Independent Spent Fuel Storage
exemption is sought involve only ‘‘(B) accidents. Installation
Reporting requirements’’ or ‘‘(G) Staff Analysis: The proposed action
Scheduling requirements’’ of those involves only a schedule change which AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory
required by 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25)(vi). is administrative in nature and does not Commission.
The NRC staff’s determination that impact the probability or consequences ACTION: Environmental assessment and
each of the applicable criteria for this of accidents. finding of no significant impact;
categorical exclusion is met as follows: VI. 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25)(vi): The issuance.
I. 10 CFR 51.22(c)(25)(i): There is no requirements from which this
significant hazards consideration. exemption is sought involve only ‘‘(B) SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Staff Analysis: The criteria for Reporting requirements’’ or ‘‘(G) Commission (NRC) is considering
determining if an exemption involves a Scheduling requirements.’’ issuance of exemptions in response to a
significant hazards consideration are Staff Analysis: The exemption request request from Southern California Edison
found in 10 CFR 50.92. The proposed involves requirements in both of these Company (SCE or the licensee) that
action involves only a schedule change categories because it involves would permit the licensee to reduce its
regarding the submission of an update submitting an updated COL FSAR by emergency planning (EP) activities at
to the application for which the December 31, 2015, and also relates to the San Onofre Nuclear Generating
licensing review is currently suspended. the schedule for submitting COL FSAR Station (SONGS), Units 1, 2, and 3, and
Therefore, there are no significant updates to the NRC. the Independent Spent Fuel Storage
hazard considerations because granting Installation (ISFSI). The licensee is
the proposed exemption would not: IV. Conclusion seeking exemptions that would
(1) Involve a significant increase in The NRC has determined that, eliminate the requirements to maintain
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

the probability or consequences of an pursuant to 10 CFR 50.12, the offsite radiological emergency plans and
accident previously evaluated; or exemption is authorized by law, will not reduce some of the onsite EP activities
(2) Create the possibility of a new or present an undue risk to the public based on the reduced risks at the
different kind of accident from any health and safety, and is consistent with permanently shutdown and defueled
accident previously evaluated; or the common defense and security. Also, reactors. Offsite emergency planning
(3) Involve a significant reduction in special circumstances exist under 10 provisions would still exist using a
a margin of safety. CFR 50.12(a)(2)(ii). This one-time comprehensive emergency management

VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:08 Apr 16, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00070 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\17APN1.SGM 17APN1

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 74 / Friday, April 17, 2015 / Notices 21273

March 31, 2014, as supplemented by Memorandum to SECY–14–0144, dated Alternative Use of Resources
letters dated September 9, October 2, March 2, 2015. The proposed action does not involve
October 7, October 27, November 3, and Based on these analyses, the licensee the use of any different resources than
December 15, 2014. An additional states that application of all of the those previously considered in the Final
supplemental letter dated October 6, standards and requirements of 10 CFR Environmental Statement for SONGS,
2014, contains security-related 50.47(b), 10 CFR 50.47(c), and 10 CFR Units 2 and 3, dated April 1981, and the
information and is therefore, withheld part 50 appendix E, section IV, are not ‘‘Final Generic Environmental Impact
from public disclosure. necessary to achieve the underlying Statement on Decommissioning of
Need for the Proposed Action purpose of those rules. SCE also states Nuclear Facilities,’’ NUREG–0586,
that it would incur undue costs in the Supplement 1, dated November 2002.
The proposed action is needed for maintenance of an emergency response
SCE to revise the SONGS emergency organization in excess of that actually Agencies or Persons Consulted
plan to reflect the permanently needed to respond to the diminished
shutdown and defueled status of the The NRC staff did not enter into
scope of credible accidents associated consultation with any other Federal
facility. The EP requirements currently with a shutdown plant.
applicable to SONGS are for operating agency or with the State of California
power reactors. There are no explicit Environmental Impacts of the Proposed regarding the environmental impact of
regulatory provisions distinguishing EP Action the proposed action. On April 8, 2015,
requirements for a power reactor that the California State representatives were
The NRC staff concluded that the notified of this EA and FONSI.
has been shut down from those for an exemptions, if granted, will not
operating power reactor. Therefore, III. Finding of No Significant Impact
significantly increase the probability or
since the 10 CFR part 50 licenses for
consequences of accidents at SONGS in The licensee has proposed
SONGS no longer authorize operation of
its permanently shutdown and defueled exemptions from (1) certain
the reactors or emplacement or retention
condition. There will be no significant requirements in 10 CFR 50.47(b)
of fuel into the reactor vessels, as
change in the types of effluents that may regarding onsite and offsite emergency
specified in 10 CFR 50.82(a)(2), the
be released offsite. There will be no response plans for nuclear power
occurrence of postulated accidents
significant increase in the amounts of reactors; (2) certain requirements in 10
associated with reactor operation is no
any effluents that may be released CFR 50.47(c)(2) to establish plume
longer credible. In its exemption
offsite. There will be no significant exposure and ingestion pathway EP
request, the licensee identified the
remaining possible accidents at SONGS increase in the individual or cumulative zones for nuclear power reactors; and
in its permanently shutdown and occupational or public radiation (3) certain requirements in 10 CFR part
defueled condition. The NRC staff exposure. Therefore, there are no 50, appendix E, section IV, which
evaluated these possible radiological significant radiological environmental establishes the elements that make up
accidents in the Commission Paper impacts associated with the proposed the content of emergency plans. The
(SECY)–14–0144, dated December 17, action. proposed action of granting these
2014. In SECY–14–0144, the staff With regard to potential non- exemptions would result in the
verified that SCE’s analyses and radiological impacts, the proposed elimination of the requirements for the
calculations provide reasonable action does not have any foreseeable licensee to maintain offsite radiological
assurance that if the requested impacts to land, air, or water resources, emergency plans and reduce some of the
exemptions were granted, then (1) for a including impacts to biota. In addition, onsite EP activities at SONGS, based on
design-basis accident (DBA), an offsite there are also no known socioeconomic the reduced risks at the permanently
radiological release will not exceed the or environmental justice impacts shutdown and defueled reactor.
Environmental Protection Agency’s associated with the proposed action. However, requirements for certain
(EPA) Protective Action Guides (PAGs) Therefore, there are no significant non- onsite capabilities to communicate and
at the exclusion area boundary, as radiological environmental impacts coordinate with offsite response
detailed in the EPA ‘‘PAG Manual, associated with the proposed action. authorities will be retained.
Protective Action Guides and Planning Accordingly, the NRC staff concludes The NRC staff decided not to prepare
Guidance for Radiological Incidents,’’ that there are no significant an environmental impact statement for
dated March 2013, which was issued as environmental impacts associated with the proposed action. On the basis of the
Draft for Interim Use and Public the proposed action. EA included in Section II of this
Comment; and (2) in the unlikely event Environmental Impacts of the document, the NRC staff concludes that
of a beyond DBA resulting in a loss of the proposed action will not have a
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
all SFP cooling, there is sufficient time significant effect on the quality of the
to initiate appropriate mitigating As an alternative to the proposed human environment. Accordingly, the
actions, and in the unlikely event that action, the NRC staff considered denial NRC staff has determined that a finding
a release is projected to occur, there is of the proposed action (i.e., the ‘‘no- of no significant impact is appropriate.
sufficient time for offsite agencies to action’’ alternative). Denial of the
take protective actions using a CEMP to application would result in no change IV. Availability of Documents
protect the health and safety of the in current environmental impacts. The The documents identified in the
public. The Commission approved the environmental impacts of the proposed following table are available to
NRC staff’s recommendation to grant the action and the alternative action are interested persons through one or more
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

exemptions in the Staff Requirements similar. of the following methods, as indicated.

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Document Created: 2015-12-18 11:20:12
Document Modified: 2015-12-18 11:20:12

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; issuance.
Dates		The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on April 17, 2015.
Contact		Thomas J. Wengert, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-4037; email: [email protected]
FR Citation		80 FR 21271