81_FR_26674 81 FR 26589 - Humboldt Bay Power Plant Unit 3 License Termination Plan, Pacific Gas & Electric Company

81 FR 26589 - Humboldt Bay Power Plant Unit 3 License Termination Plan, Pacific Gas & Electric Company

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 85 (May 3, 2016)

Page Range26589-26590
FR Document2016-10321

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an environmental assessment (EA) and a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for a license amendment request submitted by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E or licensee) related to its shutdown Humboldt Bay Power Plant (HBPP) Unit 3 License Termination Plan (LTP).

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 85 (Tuesday, May 3, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 3, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26589-26590]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10321]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No.: 50-133; NRC-2016-0091]


Humboldt Bay Power Plant Unit 3 License Termination Plan, Pacific 
Gas & Electric Company

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 (EA) and a finding of no significant impact 
(FONSI) for a license amendment request submitted by Pacific Gas and 
Electric Company (PG&E or licensee) related to its shutdown Humboldt 
Bay Power Plant (HBPP) Unit 3 License Termination Plan (LTP).

DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on 
May 3, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2016-0091 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-2016-0091. 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. The 
ADAMS accession number for each document referenced (if it is available 
in ADAMS) is provided the first time that it is mentioned in 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: Alan Bjornsen, Office of Nuclear 
Materials Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-6925; email: 
Alan.Bjornsen@nrc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Introduction

    In accordance with section 50.90 of title 10 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (10 CFR), and 10 CFR 50.82(a)(9), PG&E submitted a request 
to the NRC dated May 3, 2013 (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML13130A008 and 
ML13130A009, respectively) to amend its nuclear power plant operating 
license (DPR-7) for HBPP Unit 3 which is located near Eureka, 
California. The license amendment request proposed to add license 
conditions that incorporate the LTP and establish the criteria for 
determining when changes to the LTP require NRC approval. The NRC 
performed a safety and environmental review for this license amendment 
request. This EA documents the staff's environmental review and its 
compliance with Section 102(2) of the National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969, as amended (NEPA).

II. Environmental Assessment Summary

    Under the requirements of Sec. Sec.  51.21 and 51.30(a), the NRC 
staff developed an EA (ADAMS Accession No. ML16106A054) to evaluate the 
proposed action to amend PG&E's operating license for HBPP Unit 3 to 
include the LTP. The LTP provides the basis for the NRC to ensure that 
the licensee has adequate funds available to complete decommissioning. 
In addition, the LTP enables the NRC to ensure that the licensee is 
using the proper radiation release criteria and to determine the 
adequacy of the licensee's final site survey. Upon PG&E demonstrating 
that it has reduced the residual radioactivity at HBPP Unit 3 to levels 
permitting its release for unrestricted use (in accordance with the 
NRC's regulation, 10 CFR 20.1402), as demonstrated by the final site 
survey, the NRC will terminate PG&E's license. The NRC, in the EA, 
considered a no-action alternative in which the NRC would not approve 
the LTP, therefore preventing the termination of the HBPP Unit 3 
operating license. The no-action alternative would keep the PG&E 
operating license in effect, and the site would not be available for 
another use. As a result, the no-action alternative was not evaluated 
further in the EA. The NRC evaluated the potential impacts to 
threatened and endangered species, environmental justice, and offsite 
land use for waste disposal. The NRC determined that approval of the 
LTP for HBPP Unit 3 would not result in a significant impact to the 
human environment.
    The NRC staff consulted with a number of Federal, State and local 
agencies, and other parties regarding the potential environmental 
impacts of the proposed action. These consultations were intended to 
afford these agencies and parties the opportunity to comment on the 
proposed action, and to ensure that the requirements of Section 102(2) 
of NEPA, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 
7 of the Endangered Species Act, and Section 305 of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act were met. Regarding 
these laws, the NRC staff requested input from the Army Corps of 
Engineers and consulted with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the 
National Marine Fisheries Service, the California Office of Historic 
Preservation, the California Native American Heritage Commission, the 
California Office of Native American Affairs, three Federally-
recognized Native American Tribes (the Wiyot Tribe, the Bear River Band 
of Rohnerville Rancheria, and the Blue

[[Page 26590]]

Lake Rancheria), and the City of Eureka. The NRC staff used the 
information provided during the consultations to inform the EA.
    The NRC provided a draft copy of the EA to the California State 
Department of Health for review on March 9, 2016 (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML14169A392) and did not receive any comments.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    The NRC staff prepared an EA in support of the proposed action. The 
EA is available at ADAMS Accession No. ML16106A054. The NRC staff 
concluded that the proposed action to amend PG&E's license for HBPP 
Unit 3 to include the LTP will not significantly impact the quality of 
the human environment, and that the proposed action is the preferred 
alternative. Therefore, 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 FONSI is appropriate. The FONSI incorporates 
the EA by reference.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 26th day of April 2016.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Craig G. Erlanger,
Acting Director, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety, Safeguards, and 
Environmental Review Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2016-10321 Filed 5-2-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7590-01-P



                                                                                        Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 85 / Tuesday, May 3, 2016 / Notices                                            26589

                                                          Day                                                                                Event/Activity

                                                    A + 28 ...........    Deadline for submission of contentions whose development depends upon access to SUNSI. However, if more than 25 days re-
                                                                            main between the petitioner’s receipt of (or access to) the information and the deadline for filing all other contentions (as es-
                                                                            tablished in the notice of hearing or opportunity for hearing), the petitioner may file its SUNSI contentions by that later dead-
                                                                            line.
                                                    A + 53 ...........    (Contention receipt +25) Answers to contentions whose development depends upon access to SUNSI.
                                                    A + 60 ...........    (Answer receipt +7) Petitioner/Intervenor reply to answers.
                                                    >A + 60 .........     Decision on contention admission.



                                                    [FR Doc. 2016–09981 Filed 5–2–16; 8:45 am]                  please contact the NRC’s Public                       enables the NRC to ensure that the
                                                    BILLING CODE P                                              Document Room (PDR) reference staff                   licensee is using the proper radiation
                                                                                                                at: 1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or                  release criteria and to determine the
                                                                                                                by email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The                 adequacy of the licensee’s final site
                                                    NUCLEAR REGULATORY                                          ADAMS accession number for each                       survey. Upon PG&E demonstrating that
                                                    COMMISSION                                                  document referenced (if it is available in            it has reduced the residual radioactivity
                                                    [Docket No.: 50–133; NRC–2016–0091]
                                                                                                                ADAMS) is provided the first time that                at HBPP Unit 3 to levels permitting its
                                                                                                                it is mentioned in this document.                     release for unrestricted use (in
                                                    Humboldt Bay Power Plant Unit 3                                • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and                   accordance with the NRC’s regulation,
                                                    License Termination Plan, Pacific Gas                       purchase copies of public documents at                10 CFR 20.1402), as demonstrated by
                                                    & Electric Company                                          the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One                       the final site survey, the NRC will
                                                                                                                White Flint North, 11555 Rockville                    terminate PG&E’s license. The NRC, in
                                                    AGENCY:  Nuclear Regulatory                                 Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.                      the EA, considered a no-action
                                                    Commission.                                                 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      alternative in which the NRC would not
                                                    ACTION: Environmental assessment and                        Alan Bjornsen, Office of Nuclear                      approve the LTP, therefore preventing
                                                    finding of no significant impact;                           Materials Safety and Safeguards, U.S.                 the termination of the HBPP Unit 3
                                                    issuance.                                                   Nuclear Regulatory Commission,                        operating license. The no-action
                                                                                                                Washington DC 20555–0001; telephone:                  alternative would keep the PG&E
                                                    SUMMARY:    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory                     301–415–6925; email:
                                                    Commission (NRC) is issuing an                                                                                    operating license in effect, and the site
                                                                                                                Alan.Bjornsen@nrc.gov.                                would not be available for another use.
                                                    environmental assessment (EA) and a
                                                    finding of no significant impact (FONSI)                    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                            As a result, the no-action alternative
                                                    for a license amendment request                                                                                   was not evaluated further in the EA. The
                                                                                                                I. Introduction
                                                    submitted by Pacific Gas and Electric                                                                             NRC evaluated the potential impacts to
                                                                                                                   In accordance with section 50.90 of                threatened and endangered species,
                                                    Company (PG&E or licensee) related to
                                                                                                                title 10 of the Code of Federal                       environmental justice, and offsite land
                                                    its shutdown Humboldt Bay Power
                                                                                                                Regulations (10 CFR), and 10 CFR                      use for waste disposal. The NRC
                                                    Plant (HBPP) Unit 3 License
                                                                                                                50.82(a)(9), PG&E submitted a request to              determined that approval of the LTP for
                                                    Termination Plan (LTP).
                                                                                                                the NRC dated May 3, 2013 (ADAMS                      HBPP Unit 3 would not result in a
                                                    DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in                       Accession Nos. ML13130A008 and
                                                    this document are available on May 3,                                                                             significant impact to the human
                                                                                                                ML13130A009, respectively) to amend                   environment.
                                                    2016.                                                       its nuclear power plant operating
                                                    ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID                        license (DPR–7) for HBPP Unit 3 which                    The NRC staff consulted with a
                                                    NRC–2016–0091 when contacting the                           is located near Eureka, California. The               number of Federal, State and local
                                                    NRC about the availability of                               license amendment request proposed to                 agencies, and other parties regarding the
                                                    information regarding this document.                        add license conditions that incorporate               potential environmental impacts of the
                                                    You may obtain publicly-available                           the LTP and establish the criteria for                proposed action. These consultations
                                                    information related to this document                        determining when changes to the LTP                   were intended to afford these agencies
                                                    using any of the following methods:                         require NRC approval. The NRC                         and parties the opportunity to comment
                                                       • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to                     performed a safety and environmental                  on the proposed action, and to ensure
                                                    http://www.regulations.gov and search                       review for this license amendment                     that the requirements of Section 102(2)
                                                    for Docket ID NRC–2016–0091. Address                        request. This EA documents the staff’s                of NEPA, Section 106 of the National
                                                    questions about NRC dockets to Carol                        environmental review and its                          Historic Preservation Act, Section 7 of
                                                    Gallagher; telephone: 301–415–3463;                         compliance with Section 102(2) of the                 the Endangered Species Act, and
                                                    email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For                         National Environmental Policy Act of                  Section 305 of the Magnuson-Stevens
                                                    technical questions, contact the                            1969, as amended (NEPA).                              Fishery Conservation and Management
                                                    individual listed in the FOR FURTHER                                                                              Act were met. Regarding these laws, the
                                                    INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
                                                                                                                II. Environmental Assessment                          NRC staff requested input from the
                                                    document.                                                   Summary                                               Army Corps of Engineers and consulted
                                                       • NRC’s Agencywide Documents                                Under the requirements of §§ 51.21                 with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
                                                    Access and Management System                                and 51.30(a), the NRC staff developed                 the National Marine Fisheries Service,
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    (ADAMS): You may obtain publicly-                           an EA (ADAMS Accession No.                            the California Office of Historic
                                                    available documents online in the                           ML16106A054) to evaluate the proposed                 Preservation, the California Native
                                                    ADAMS Public Documents collection                           action to amend PG&E’s operating                      American Heritage Commission, the
                                                    at: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/                          license for HBPP Unit 3 to include the                California Office of Native American
                                                    adams.html. To begin the search, select                     LTP. The LTP provides the basis for the               Affairs, three Federally-recognized
                                                    ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then                         NRC to ensure that the licensee has                   Native American Tribes (the Wiyot
                                                    select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS                              adequate funds available to complete                  Tribe, the Bear River Band of
                                                    Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS,                          decommissioning. In addition, the LTP                 Rohnerville Rancheria, and the Blue


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                                                    26590                           Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 85 / Tuesday, May 3, 2016 / Notices

                                                    Lake Rancheria), and the City of Eureka.                U.S.C. 552b(e) and 9.107(a) of the                    Week of May 9, 2016—Tentative
                                                    The NRC staff used the information                      Commission’s rules that both items in                   There are no meetings scheduled for
                                                    provided during the consultations to                    the above referenced Affirmation                      the week of May 9, 2016.
                                                    inform the EA.                                          Session be held with less than one week
                                                      The NRC provided a draft copy of the                  notice to the public. The meeting is                  Week of May 16, 2016—Tentative
                                                    EA to the California State Department of                scheduled on May 4, 2016.                             Tuesday, May 17, 2016
                                                    Health for review on March 9, 2016                      *      *     *    *      *
                                                    (ADAMS Accession No. ML14169A392)                          The schedule for Commission                        9:00 a.m. Briefing on the Status of
                                                    and did not receive any comments.                       meetings is subject to change on short                    Lessons Learned from the
                                                                                                            notice. For more information or to verify                 Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident
                                                    III. Finding of No Significant Impact                                                                             (Public Meeting) (Contact: Kevin
                                                                                                            the status of meetings, contact Denise
                                                       The NRC staff prepared an EA in                      McGovern at 301–415–0681 or via email                     Witt: 301–415–2145)
                                                    support of the proposed action. The EA                  at Denise.McGovern@nrc.gov.                             This meeting will be webcast live at
                                                    is available at ADAMS Accession No.                     *      *     *    *      *                            the Web address—http://www.nrc.gov/.
                                                    ML16106A054. The NRC staff                                 The NRC Commission Meeting
                                                    concluded that the proposed action to                                                                         Thursday, May 19, 2016
                                                                                                            Schedule can be found on the Internet
                                                    amend PG&E’s license for HBPP Unit 3                    at: http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/                10:00 a.m. Briefing on Security Issues
                                                    to include the LTP will not significantly               public-meetings/schedule.html.                            (Closed Ex. 1)
                                                    impact the quality of the human                                                                               1:30 p.m. Briefing on Security Issues
                                                    environment, and that the proposed                      *      *     *    *      *
                                                                                                               The NRC provides reasonable                            (Closed Ex. 1)
                                                    action is the preferred alternative.
                                                                                                            accommodation to individuals with                     Week of May 23, 2016—Tentative
                                                    Therefore, the NRC finds that there are
                                                                                                            disabilities where appropriate. If you
                                                    no significant environmental impacts                                                                            There are no meetings scheduled for
                                                                                                            need a reasonable accommodation to
                                                    from the proposed action, and that                                                                            the week of May 23, 2016.
                                                                                                            participate in these public meetings, or
                                                    preparation of an environmental impact
                                                                                                            need this meeting notice or the                       Week of May 30, 2016—Tentative
                                                    statement is not warranted.
                                                                                                            transcript or other information from the
                                                    Accordingly, the NRC has determined                                                                           Thursday, June 2, 2016
                                                                                                            public meetings in another format (e.g.
                                                    that a FONSI is appropriate. The FONSI
                                                                                                            braille, large print), please notify                  9:00 a.m. Briefing on Results of the
                                                    incorporates the EA by reference.
                                                                                                            Kimberly Meyer, NRC Disability                            Agency Action Review Meeting
                                                       Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 26th day          Program Manager, at 301–287–0739, by                      (Public Meeting) (Contact: Andrew
                                                    of April 2016.                                          videophone at 240–428–3217, or by                         Waugh: 301–415–5601)
                                                       For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.               email at Kimberly.Meyer-Chambers@                       This meeting will be webcast live at
                                                    Craig G. Erlanger,                                      nrc.gov. Determinations on requests for               the Web address—http://www.nrc.gov/.
                                                    Acting Director, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety,         reasonable accommodation will be                      2:00 p.m. Discussion of Management
                                                    Safeguards, and Environmental Review Office             made on a case-by-case basis.                             and Personnel Issues (Closed—Ex. 2
                                                    of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards.
                                                                                                            *      *     *    *      *                                & 6)
                                                    [FR Doc. 2016–10321 Filed 5–2–16; 8:45 am]                 Members of the public may request to
                                                    BILLING CODE 7590–01–P                                  receive this information electronically.              Week of June 6, 2016—Tentative
                                                                                                            If you would like to be added to the                     There are no meetings scheduled for
                                                                                                            distribution, please contact the Nuclear              the week of June 6, 2016.
                                                    NUCLEAR REGULATORY                                      Regulatory Commission, Office of the                  *      *     *    *      *
                                                    COMMISSION                                              Secretary, Washington, DC 20555 (301–                    The schedule for Commission
                                                    [NRC–2016–0001]                                         415–1969), or email                                   meetings is subject to change on short
                                                                                                            Brenda.Akstulewicz@nrc.gov or                         notice. For more information or to verify
                                                    Sunshine Act Meeting Notice                             Patricia.Jimenez@nrc.gov.                             the status of meetings, contact Denise
                                                                                                              Dated: April 28, 2016.                              McGovern at 301–415–0681 or via email
                                                    DATE:May 2, 2016.
                                                                                                            Denise L. McGovern,                                   at Denise.McGovern@nrc.gov.
                                                    PLACE: Commissioners’ Conference
                                                                                                            Policy Coordinator, Office of the Secretary.          *      *     *    *      *
                                                    Room, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
                                                                                                            [FR Doc. 2016–10374 Filed 4–29–16; 11:15 am]             The NRC Commission Meeting
                                                    Maryland.
                                                                                                            BILLING CODE 7590–01–P                                Schedule can be found on the Internet
                                                    STATUS: Public.                                                                                               at: http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/
                                                    Week of May 2, 2016                                                                                           public-meetings/schedule.html.
                                                                                                            NUCLEAR REGULATORY                                    *      *     *    *      *
                                                    Wednesday, May 4, 2016                                  COMMISSION                                               The NRC provides reasonable
                                                    9:25 a.m. Affirmation Session (Public                   [NRC–2016–0001]                                       accommodation to individuals with
                                                        Meeting) (Tentative)                                                                                      disabilities where appropriate. If you
                                                      Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.                      Sunshine Act Meeting Notice                           need a reasonable accommodation to
                                                        (Indian Point Nuclear Generating                                                                          participate in these public meetings, or
                                                        Units 2 and 3)—State of New York                    DATE:May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, June 6, 2016.              need this meeting notice or the
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                        Petitions for Review of LBP–13–13                   PLACE:Commissioners’ Conference                       transcript or other information from the
                                                        and Associated Board Decision on                    Room, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville,                public meetings in another format (e.g.
                                                        Contention NYS–12C (Tentative)                      Maryland.                                             braille, large print), please notify
                                                    *     *    *     *    *                                 STATUS: Public and Closed.                            Kimberly Meyer, NRC Disability
                                                                                                                                                                  Program Manager, at 301–287–0739, by
                                                    Additional Information                                  Week of May 2, 2016                                   videophone at 240–428–3217, or by
                                                      By a vote of 4–0 on April 28, 2016,                     There are no meetings scheduled for                 email at Kimberly.Meyer-Chambers@
                                                    the Commission determined pursuant to                   the week of May 2, 2016.                              nrc.gov. Determinations on requests for


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Document Created: 2016-05-03 00:30:42
Document Modified: 2016-05-03 00:30:42
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionEnvironmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; issuance.
DatesThe EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on May 3, 2016.
ContactAlan Bjornsen, Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-6925; email: [email protected]
FR Citation81 FR 26589 

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