81_FR_39397 81 FR 39281 - Duke Energy; McGuire Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation

81 FR 39281 - Duke Energy; McGuire Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 116 (June 16, 2016)

Page Range39281-39283
FR Document2016-14252

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an environmental assessment (EA) and a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for its review and approval of the decommissioning funding plan submitted by Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (Duke), on December 13, 2012, for the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) at McGuire Nuclear Station (MCG) in Huntersville, North Carolina.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 116 (Thursday, June 16, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 116 (Thursday, June 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39281-39283]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14252]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 72-38; NRC-2016-0111]


Duke Energy; McGuire Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an 
environmental assessment (EA) and a finding of no significant impact 
(FONSI) for its review and approval of the decommissioning funding plan 
submitted by Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (Duke), on December 13, 2012, 
for the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) at McGuire 
Nuclear Station (MCG) in Huntersville, North Carolina.

DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on 
June 16, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2016-0111 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-2016-0111. 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. In addition, for the convenience of the 
reader, the ADAMS accession numbers are provided in a table in the 
section of this document entitled, Availability of Documents.
     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: Richard Baum, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-0018, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Introduction

    The NRC is considering issuance of the decommissioning funding plan 
(DFP) for the McGuire ISFSI. Duke submitted a DFP for NRC review and 
approval by letter dated December 13, 2012 (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML12353A033). The NRC staff has prepared a final EA (ADAMS Accession 
No. ML16144A261) in support of its review of Duke's DFP, in accordance 
with the NRC regulations in part 51 of title 10 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (10 CFR), ``Environmental Protection Regulations for 
Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions,'' which implement 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.). Based on the EA, the NRC staff has determined that 
approval of the DFP for the McGuire ISFSI will not significantly affect 
the quality of the human environment, and, accordingly, the staff has 
concluded that a FONSI is appropriate. The NRC staff further finds that 
preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) is not warranted 
because under 10 CFR 51.22(c)(10) or 10 CFR 51.22(c)(11) do not apply 
to the DFP reviews, since the categorical exclusions only apply to 
license amendments and the 10 CFR 72.30 DFP reviews and approvals are 
not license amendments.

[[Page 39282]]

II. Environmental Assessment

Background

    The McGuire ISFSI is located in Huntersville, North Carolina. Duke 
is authorized by NRC, under License No. SFGL-11, to store spent nuclear 
fuel at the McGuire ISFSI.
    The NRC requires its licensees to plan for the eventual 
decommissioning of their licensed facilities prior to license 
termination. On June 17, 2011, the NRC published a final rule in the 
Federal Register amending its decommissioning planning regulations (76 
FR 35512). The final rule amended the NRC regulation, 10 CFR 72.30, 
which concerns financial assurance and decommissioning for ISFSIs. This 
regulation now requires each holder of, or applicant for, a license 
under 10 CFR part 72 to submit, for NRC review and approval, a DFP. The 
purpose of the DFP is to demonstrate the licensee's financial 
assurance, i.e., that funds will be available to decommission the 
ISFSI. The NRC staff is reviewing the DFP submitted by Duke on December 
13, 2012. Specifically, the NRC must determine whether Duke's DFP 
contains the information required by 10 CFR 72.30(b) and whether Duke 
has provided reasonable assurance that funds will be available to 
decommission the ISFSI.

Description of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is the NRC's review and approval of Duke's DFP 
submitted in accordance with 10 CFR 72.30(b). To approve the DFP, the 
NRC will evaluate whether the decommissioning cost estimate (DCE) 
adequately estimates the cost to conduct the required ISFSI 
decommissioning activities prior to license termination, including 
identification of the volume of onsite subsurface material containing 
residual radioactivity that will require remediation to meet the 
license termination criteria in 10 CFR 20.1402 or 10 CFR 20.1403. NRC 
will also evaluate whether the aggregate dollar amount of Duke's 
financial instruments provide adequate financial assurance to cover the 
DCE and that the financial instruments meet the criteria of 10 CFR 
72.30(e).
    The proposed action does not require any changes to the ISFSI's 
licensed routine operations, maintenance activities, or monitoring 
programs, nor does it require any new construction or land disturbing 
activities. The scope of the proposed action concerns only the NRC's 
review and approval of Duke's DFP. The scope of the proposed action 
does not include, and will not result in, the review and approval of 
any decontamination or decommissioning activity or license termination 
for the ISFSI or any other part of McGuire.

Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action provides a means for Duke to demonstrate that 
it will have sufficient funding to cover the costs of decommissioning 
the ISFSI, including the reduction of the residual radioactivity at the 
ISFSI to the level specified by the applicable NRC license termination 
regulations concerning release of the property (10 CFR 20.1402 or 10 
CFR 20.1403).

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC's approval of the DFP will not change the scope or nature 
of the operation of the ISFSI and will not authorize any changes to 
licensed operations or maintenance activities. The NRC's approval of 
the DFP will not result in any changes in the types, characteristics, 
or quantities of radiological or non-radiological effluents released 
into the environment from the ISFSI, or result in the creation of any 
solid waste. Moreover, the approval of the DFP will not authorize any 
construction activity or facility modification. Therefore, the NRC 
staff concludes that the approval of the DFP is a procedural and 
administrative action that will not result in any significant impact to 
the environment.
    Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as 
amended (NHPA), requires federal agencies to consider the effects of 
their undertakings on historic properties. In accordance with the NHPA 
implementing regulations at 36 CFR part 800, ``Protection of Historic 
Properties,'' NRC's approval of Duke's DFP constitutes a federal 
undertaking. The NRC, however, has determined that the approval of the 
DFP is a type of undertaking that does not have the potential to cause 
effects on historic properties, assuming such historic properties were 
present, because the NRC's approval of Duke's DFP will not authorize or 
result in changes to licensed operations or maintenance activities, or 
changes in the types, characteristics, or quantities of radiological or 
non-radiological effluents released into the environment from the 
ISFSI, or result in the creation of any solid waste. Therefore, in 
accordance with 36 CFR 800.3(a)(1), no consultation is required under 
Section 106 of the NHPA.
    Under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, prior to 
taking a proposed action, a federal agency must determine whether (i) 
endangered and threatened species or their critical habitats are known 
to be in the vicinity of the proposed action and if so, whether (ii) 
the proposed Federal action may affect listed species or critical 
habitats. If the proposed action may affect listed species or critical 
habitats, the federal agency is required to consult with the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service (FWS) and/or the U.S. National Marine Fisheries 
Service. In accordance with 50 CFR 402.13, the NRC has engaged in 
informal consultation with the FWS. The NRC has determined that the 
proposed action is not likely to adversely affect listed species or 
their critical habitats because the NRC's approval of Duke's DFP will 
not authorize or result in changes to licensed operations or 
maintenance activities, or changes in the types, characteristics, or 
quantities of radiological or non-radiological effluents released into 
the environment from the ISFSI, or result in the creation of any solid 
waste. The FWS has concurred with the NRC's determination that the 
proposed action is not likely to adversely affect listed species or 
critical habitat.

Alternative to the Proposed Action

    In addition to the proposed action, the NRC evaluated the no-action 
alternative. The no-action alternative is to deny Duke's DFP. A denial 
of a DFP that meets the criteria of 10 CFR 72.30(b) does not support 
the regulatory intent of the 2011 rulemaking. As noted in the 
rulemaking EA (ADAMS Accession No. ML090500648), not promulgating the 
2011 final rule would have increased the likelihood of additional 
legacy sites. Thus, denying Duke's DFP, which the NRC has found to meet 
the criteria of 10 CFR 72.30(b), will undermine the licensee's 
decommissioning planning. On this basis, the NRC has concluded that the 
no-action alternative is not a viable alternative.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    The NRC staff consulted with other agencies and parties regarding 
the environmental impacts of the proposed action. The NRC provided a 
draft of its EA to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human 
Services on August 10, 2015, and gave them 30 days to respond. The 
State never responded. The NRC also consulted with the FWS. The FWS 
concurred with the NRC's determination that the proposed action is not 
likely to adversely affect listed species or critical habitat.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    The NRC staff has determined that the proposed action, the review 
and

[[Page 39283]]

approval of the DFP, submitted in accordance with 10 CFR 72.30(b), will 
not authorize or result in changes to licensed operations or 
maintenance activities, or changes in the types, characteristics, or 
quantities of radiological or non-radiological effluents released into 
the environment from the ISFSI, or result in the creation of any solid 
waste. Moreover, the approval of the DFP will not authorize any 
construction activity, facility modification, or any other land-
disturbing activity. The NRC staff has concluded that the proposed 
action is a procedural and administrative action and as such, that the 
proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of 
the human environment. Therefore, the NRC staff has determined not to 
prepare an EIS for the proposed action but will issue this FONSI. In 
accordance with 10 CFR 51.32(a)(4), the FONSI incorporates the EA by 
reference.

IV. Availability of Documents

    The following documents, related to this Notice, can be found using 
any of the methods provided in the following table. Instructions for 
accessing ADAMS were provided under the ADDRESSES section of this 
Notice.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Date                    Document      ADAMS Accession No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 13, 2012................  Submission of    ML12353A033
                                    MCG
                                    decommissionin
                                    g funding plan.
February 1, 2009.................  Environmental    ML090500648
                                    Assessment for
                                    Final Rule--
                                    Decommissionin
                                    g Planning.
May 31, 2016.....................  NRC staff's      ML16144A261
                                    Final EA for
                                    the approval
                                    of the
                                    decommissionin
                                    g funding plan.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 7th day of June 2016.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Bernard H. White IV,
Acting Branch Chief, Spent Fuel Licensing Branch, Division of Spent 
Fuel Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2016-14252 Filed 6-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7590-01-P



                                                                                  Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 116 / Thursday, June 16, 2016 / Notices                                            39281

                                                    Technology Research and Development                     will be made available to the public via               ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then
                                                    (NITRD) National Coordination Office                    the FASTER CoP Web site.                               select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS
                                                    (NCO) on June 13, 2016.                                   Submitted by the National Science                    Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS,
                                                                                                            Foundation in support of the                           please contact the NRC’s Public
                                                    Suzanne H. Plimpton,
                                                                                                            Networking and Information                             Document Room (PDR) reference staff at
                                                    Reports Clearance Officer, National Science             Technology Research and Development                    1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by
                                                    Foundation.
                                                                                                            (NITRD) National Coordination Office                   email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The
                                                    [FR Doc. 2016–14249 Filed 6–15–16; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                            (NCO) on June 13, 2016.                                ADAMS accession number for each
                                                    BILLING CODE 7555–01–P
                                                                                                            Suzanne H. Plimpton,
                                                                                                                                                                   document referenced in this document
                                                                                                                                                                   (if that document is available in
                                                                                                            Reports Clearance Officer, National Science
                                                    NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION                             Foundation.
                                                                                                                                                                   ADAMS) is provided the first time that
                                                                                                                                                                   a document is referenced. In addition,
                                                                                                            [FR Doc. 2016–14251 Filed 6–15–16; 8:45 am]
                                                    Faster Administration of Science and                                                                           for the convenience of the reader, the
                                                                                                            BILLING CODE 7555–01–P
                                                    Technology Education and Research                                                                              ADAMS accession numbers are
                                                    (FASTER) Community of Practice                                                                                 provided in a table in the section of this
                                                    (CoP)                                                                                                          document entitled, Availability of
                                                                                                            NUCLEAR REGULATORY                                     Documents.
                                                    AGENCY: The Networking and                              COMMISSION
                                                                                                                                                                      • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and
                                                    Information Technology Research and                     [Docket No. 72–38; NRC–2016–0111]                      purchase copies of public documents at
                                                    Development (NITRD) National
                                                                                                                                                                   the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One
                                                    Coordination Office (NCO), National                     Duke Energy; McGuire Independent
                                                    Science Foundation.                                                                                            White Flint North, 11555 Rockville
                                                                                                            Spent Fuel Storage Installation                        Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
                                                    ACTION: Notice of meetings.
                                                                                                            AGENCY:  Nuclear Regulatory                            FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                       Contact: Mr. Fouad Ramia at ramia@                   Commission.                                            Richard Baum, Office of Nuclear
                                                    nitrd.gov or (703) 292–4873. Reference                  ACTION: Environmental assessment and                   Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S.
                                                    the NITRD Web site at: http://                          finding of no significant impact;                      Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
                                                    www.nitrd.gov/.                                         issuance.                                              Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone:
                                                       Date/Location: The FASTER CoP                                                                               301–415–0018, email: Richard.Baum@
                                                    meetings will be held monthly (July                     SUMMARY:    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
                                                                                                                                                                   nrc.gov.
                                                    2016–June 2017) at the National Science                 Commission (NRC) is issuing an
                                                    Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard,                      environmental assessment (EA) and a                    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                    Arlington, VA 22230. Please note that                   finding of no significant impact (FONSI)
                                                                                                            for its review and approval of the                     I. Introduction
                                                    public seating for these meetings is
                                                    limited and is available on a first-come,               decommissioning funding plan
                                                                                                                                                                      The NRC is considering issuance of
                                                    first-served basis. WebEx and/or                        submitted by Duke Energy Carolinas,
                                                                                                                                                                   the decommissioning funding plan
                                                    Teleconference participation is available               LLC (Duke), on December 13, 2012, for
                                                                                                                                                                   (DFP) for the McGuire ISFSI. Duke
                                                    for each meeting. Please reference the                  the Independent Spent Fuel Storage
                                                                                                            Installation (ISFSI) at McGuire Nuclear                submitted a DFP for NRC review and
                                                    FASTER CoP Web site for meeting dates                                                                          approval by letter dated December 13,
                                                    and times.                                              Station (MCG) in Huntersville, North
                                                                                                            Carolina.                                              2012 (ADAMS Accession No.
                                                       FASTER Web site: The agendas,                                                                               ML12353A033). The NRC staff has
                                                    minutes, and other meeting materials                    DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in                  prepared a final EA (ADAMS Accession
                                                    and information can be found on the                     this document are available on June 16,                No. ML16144A261) in support of its
                                                    FASTER Web site at: https://                            2016.                                                  review of Duke’s DFP, in accordance
                                                    www.nitrd.gov/nitrdgroups/                              ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID                   with the NRC regulations in part 51 of
                                                    index.php?title=FASTER.                                 NRC–2016–0111 when contacting the                      title 10 of the Code of Federal
                                                    SUMMARY: The goal of the FASTER CoP                     NRC about the availability of                          Regulations (10 CFR), ‘‘Environmental
                                                    is to enhance collaboration and                         information regarding this document.                   Protection Regulations for Domestic
                                                    accelerate agencies’ adoption of                        You may obtain publicly-available                      Licensing and Related Regulatory
                                                    advanced IT capabilities developed by                   information related to this document                   Functions,’’ which implement the
                                                    Government-sponsored IT research.                       using any of the following methods:                    National Environmental Policy Act of
                                                    FASTER, seeks to accelerate                               • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to                 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
                                                    deployment of promising research                        http://www.regulations.gov and search                  seq.). Based on the EA, the NRC staff has
                                                    technologies; share protocol                            for Docket ID NRC–2016–0111. Address                   determined that approval of the DFP for
                                                    information, standards, and best                        questions about NRC dockets to Carol                   the McGuire ISFSI will not significantly
                                                    practices; and coordinate and                           Gallagher; telephone: 301–415–3463;                    affect the quality of the human
                                                    disseminate technology assessment and                   email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For                    environment, and, accordingly, the staff
                                                    testbed results.                                        technical questions, contact the                       has concluded that a FONSI is
                                                       Public Comments: The government                      individual listed in the FOR FURTHER                   appropriate. The NRC staff further finds
                                                    seeks individual input; attendees/                      INFORMATION CONTACT section of this                    that preparation of an environmental
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    participants may provide individual                     document.                                              impact statement (EIS) is not warranted
                                                    advice only. Members of the public are                    • NRC’s Agencywide Documents                         because under 10 CFR 51.22(c)(10) or 10
                                                    welcome to submit their comments to                     Access and Management System                           CFR 51.22(c)(11) do not apply to the
                                                    Faster-comments@nitrd.gov. Please note                  (ADAMS): You may obtain publicly-                      DFP reviews, since the categorical
                                                    that under the provisions of the Federal                available documents online in the                      exclusions only apply to license
                                                    Advisory Committee Act (FACA), all                      ADAMS Public Documents collection at                   amendments and the 10 CFR 72.30 DFP
                                                    public comments and/or presentations                    http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/                         reviews and approvals are not license
                                                    will be treated as public documents and                 adams.html. To begin the search, select                amendments.


                                               VerDate Sep<11>2014   18:04 Jun 15, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00035   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\16JNN1.SGM   16JNN1


                                                    39282                         Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 116 / Thursday, June 16, 2016 / Notices

                                                    II. Environmental Assessment                            decontamination or decommissioning                     threatened species or their critical
                                                                                                            activity or license termination for the                habitats are known to be in the vicinity
                                                    Background
                                                                                                            ISFSI or any other part of McGuire.                    of the proposed action and if so,
                                                       The McGuire ISFSI is located in                                                                             whether (ii) the proposed Federal action
                                                    Huntersville, North Carolina. Duke is                   Need for the Proposed Action
                                                                                                                                                                   may affect listed species or critical
                                                    authorized by NRC, under License No.                      The proposed action provides a                       habitats. If the proposed action may
                                                    SFGL–11, to store spent nuclear fuel at                 means for Duke to demonstrate that it                  affect listed species or critical habitats,
                                                    the McGuire ISFSI.                                      will have sufficient funding to cover the              the federal agency is required to consult
                                                       The NRC requires its licensees to plan               costs of decommissioning the ISFSI,                    with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
                                                    for the eventual decommissioning of                     including the reduction of the residual                (FWS) and/or the U.S. National Marine
                                                    their licensed facilities prior to license              radioactivity at the ISFSI to the level                Fisheries Service. In accordance with 50
                                                    termination. On June 17, 2011, the NRC                  specified by the applicable NRC license                CFR 402.13, the NRC has engaged in
                                                    published a final rule in the Federal                   termination regulations concerning                     informal consultation with the FWS.
                                                    Register amending its decommissioning                   release of the property (10 CFR 20.1402                The NRC has determined that the
                                                    planning regulations (76 FR 35512). The                 or 10 CFR 20.1403).                                    proposed action is not likely to
                                                    final rule amended the NRC regulation,                                                                         adversely affect listed species or their
                                                    10 CFR 72.30, which concerns financial                  Environmental Impacts of the Proposed
                                                                                                            Action                                                 critical habitats because the NRC’s
                                                    assurance and decommissioning for                                                                              approval of Duke’s DFP will not
                                                    ISFSIs. This regulation now requires                       The NRC’s approval of the DFP will                  authorize or result in changes to
                                                    each holder of, or applicant for, a                     not change the scope or nature of the                  licensed operations or maintenance
                                                    license under 10 CFR part 72 to submit,                 operation of the ISFSI and will not                    activities, or changes in the types,
                                                    for NRC review and approval, a DFP.                     authorize any changes to licensed                      characteristics, or quantities of
                                                    The purpose of the DFP is to                            operations or maintenance activities.                  radiological or non-radiological
                                                    demonstrate the licensee’s financial                    The NRC’s approval of the DFP will not                 effluents released into the environment
                                                    assurance, i.e., that funds will be                     result in any changes in the types,                    from the ISFSI, or result in the creation
                                                    available to decommission the ISFSI.                    characteristics, or quantities of                      of any solid waste. The FWS has
                                                    The NRC staff is reviewing the DFP                      radiological or non-radiological                       concurred with the NRC’s determination
                                                    submitted by Duke on December 13,                       effluents released into the environment                that the proposed action is not likely to
                                                    2012. Specifically, the NRC must                        from the ISFSI, or result in the creation              adversely affect listed species or critical
                                                    determine whether Duke’s DFP contains                   of any solid waste. Moreover, the                      habitat.
                                                    the information required by 10 CFR                      approval of the DFP will not authorize
                                                    72.30(b) and whether Duke has                           any construction activity or facility                  Alternative to the Proposed Action
                                                    provided reasonable assurance that                      modification. Therefore, the NRC staff                    In addition to the proposed action, the
                                                    funds will be available to decommission                 concludes that the approval of the DFP                 NRC evaluated the no-action alternative.
                                                    the ISFSI.                                              is a procedural and administrative                     The no-action alternative is to deny
                                                                                                            action that will not result in any                     Duke’s DFP. A denial of a DFP that
                                                    Description of the Proposed Action                      significant impact to the environment.                 meets the criteria of 10 CFR 72.30(b)
                                                      The proposed action is the NRC’s                         Section 106 of the National Historic                does not support the regulatory intent of
                                                    review and approval of Duke’s DFP                       Preservation Act of 1966, as amended                   the 2011 rulemaking. As noted in the
                                                    submitted in accordance with 10 CFR                     (NHPA), requires federal agencies to                   rulemaking EA (ADAMS Accession No.
                                                    72.30(b). To approve the DFP, the NRC                   consider the effects of their                          ML090500648), not promulgating the
                                                    will evaluate whether the                               undertakings on historic properties. In                2011 final rule would have increased
                                                    decommissioning cost estimate (DCE)                     accordance with the NHPA                               the likelihood of additional legacy sites.
                                                    adequately estimates the cost to conduct                implementing regulations at 36 CFR part                Thus, denying Duke’s DFP, which the
                                                    the required ISFSI decommissioning                      800, ‘‘Protection of Historic Properties,’’            NRC has found to meet the criteria of 10
                                                    activities prior to license termination,                NRC’s approval of Duke’s DFP                           CFR 72.30(b), will undermine the
                                                    including identification of the volume                  constitutes a federal undertaking. The                 licensee’s decommissioning planning.
                                                    of onsite subsurface material containing                NRC, however, has determined that the                  On this basis, the NRC has concluded
                                                    residual radioactivity that will require                approval of the DFP is a type of                       that the no-action alternative is not a
                                                    remediation to meet the license                         undertaking that does not have the                     viable alternative.
                                                    termination criteria in 10 CFR 20.1402                  potential to cause effects on historic
                                                    or 10 CFR 20.1403. NRC will also                        properties, assuming such historic                     Agencies and Persons Consulted
                                                    evaluate whether the aggregate dollar                   properties were present, because the                      The NRC staff consulted with other
                                                    amount of Duke’s financial instruments                  NRC’s approval of Duke’s DFP will not                  agencies and parties regarding the
                                                    provide adequate financial assurance to                 authorize or result in changes to                      environmental impacts of the proposed
                                                    cover the DCE and that the financial                    licensed operations or maintenance                     action. The NRC provided a draft of its
                                                    instruments meet the criteria of 10 CFR                 activities, or changes in the types,                   EA to the North Carolina Department of
                                                    72.30(e).                                               characteristics, or quantities of                      Health and Human Services on August
                                                      The proposed action does not require                  radiological or non-radiological                       10, 2015, and gave them 30 days to
                                                    any changes to the ISFSI’s licensed                     effluents released into the environment                respond. The State never responded.
                                                    routine operations, maintenance                         from the ISFSI, or result in the creation
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                                                                                   The NRC also consulted with the FWS.
                                                    activities, or monitoring programs, nor                 of any solid waste. Therefore, in                      The FWS concurred with the NRC’s
                                                    does it require any new construction or                 accordance with 36 CFR 800.3(a)(1), no                 determination that the proposed action
                                                    land disturbing activities. The scope of                consultation is required under Section                 is not likely to adversely affect listed
                                                    the proposed action concerns only the                   106 of the NHPA.                                       species or critical habitat.
                                                    NRC’s review and approval of Duke’s                        Under Section 7 of the Endangered
                                                    DFP. The scope of the proposed action                   Species Act of 1973, prior to taking a                 III. Finding of No Significant Impact
                                                    does not include, and will not result in,               proposed action, a federal agency must                    The NRC staff has determined that the
                                                    the review and approval of any                          determine whether (i) endangered and                   proposed action, the review and


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                                                                                     Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 116 / Thursday, June 16, 2016 / Notices                                                            39283

                                                    approval of the DFP, submitted in                           any construction activity, facility                          accordance with 10 CFR 51.32(a)(4), the
                                                    accordance with 10 CFR 72.30(b), will                       modification, or any other land-                             FONSI incorporates the EA by reference.
                                                    not authorize or result in changes to                       disturbing activity. The NRC staff has
                                                    licensed operations or maintenance                          concluded that the proposed action is a                      IV. Availability of Documents
                                                    activities, or changes in the types,                        procedural and administrative action                           The following documents, related to
                                                    characteristics, or quantities of                           and as such, that the proposed action                        this Notice, can be found using any of
                                                    radiological or non-radiological                            will not have a significant effect on the
                                                                                                                                                                             the methods provided in the following
                                                    effluents released into the environment                     quality of the human environment.
                                                                                                                                                                             table. Instructions for accessing ADAMS
                                                    from the ISFSI, or result in the creation                   Therefore, the NRC staff has determined
                                                    of any solid waste. Moreover, the                           not to prepare an EIS for the proposed                       were provided under the ADDRESSES
                                                    approval of the DFP will not authorize                      action but will issue this FONSI. In                         section of this Notice.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ADAMS
                                                                  Date                                                                        Document                                                              Accession
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       No.

                                                    December 13, 2012 ............        Submission of MCG decommissioning funding plan ......................................................................   ML12353A033
                                                    February 1, 2009 ................     Environmental Assessment for Final Rule—Decommissioning Planning .......................................                ML090500648
                                                    May 31, 2016 ......................   NRC staff’s Final EA for the approval of the decommissioning funding plan ................................              ML16144A261



                                                      Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 7th day                information related to this document                         I. Introduction
                                                    of June 2016.                                               using any of the following methods:
                                                      For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.                       • Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to                         The NRC is considering issuance of
                                                                                                                http://www.regulations.gov and search                        the decommissioning funding plan
                                                    Bernard H. White IV,
                                                                                                                for Docket ID NRC–2016–0114. Address                         (DFP) for the H.B. Robinson ISFSI. Duke
                                                    Acting Branch Chief, Spent Fuel Licensing                                                                                submitted a DFP for NRC review and
                                                    Branch, Division of Spent Fuel Management,                  questions about NRC dockets to Carol
                                                    Office of Nuclear Material Safety and                       Gallagher; telephone: 301–415–3464;                          approval by letter dated December 13,
                                                    Safeguards.                                                 email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For                          2012 (ADAMS Accession
                                                    [FR Doc. 2016–14252 Filed 6–15–16; 8:45 am]                 technical questions, contact the                             No.ML12353A033). The NRC staff has
                                                                                                                individual listed in the FOR FURTHER                         prepared a final EA (ADAMS Accession
                                                    BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
                                                                                                                INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
                                                                                                                                                                             No. ML16141B198) in support of its
                                                                                                                document.                                                    review of Duke’s DFP, in accordance
                                                    NUCLEAR REGULATORY                                             • NRC’s Agencywide Documents                              with the NRC regulations in part 51 of
                                                    COMMISSION                                                  Access and Management System                                 title 10 of the Code of Federal
                                                                                                                (ADAMS): You may obtain publicly-                            Regulations (10 CFR), ‘‘Environmental
                                                                                                                available documents online in the                            Protection Regulations for Domestic
                                                    [Docket No. 72–03; NRC–2016–0114]
                                                                                                                ADAMS Public Documents collection at                         Licensing and Related Regulatory
                                                    Duke Energy; H.B. Robinson                                  http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/                               Functions,’’ which implement the
                                                    Independent Spent Fuel Storage                              adams.html. To begin the search, select                      National Environmental Policy Act of
                                                    Installation                                                ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then                          1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
                                                                                                                select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS                               seq.). Based on the EA, the NRC staff has
                                                    AGENCY:  Nuclear Regulatory                                 Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS,                           determined that approval of the DFP for
                                                    Commission.                                                 please contact the NRC’s Public                              the H.B. Robinson ISFSI will not
                                                    ACTION: Environmental assessment and                        Document Room (PDR) reference staff at                       significantly affect the quality of the
                                                    finding of no significant impact;                           1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by                          human environment, and, accordingly,
                                                    issuance.                                                   email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The                           the staff has concluded that a FONSI is
                                                                                                                ADAMS accession number for each                              appropriate. The NRC staff further finds
                                                    SUMMARY:    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory                     document referenced (if it is available in                   that preparation of an environmental
                                                    Commission (NRC) is issuing an                              ADAMS) is provided the first time that                       impact statement (EIS) is not warranted
                                                    environmental assessment (EA) and a                         it is mentioned in this document. In                         because under 10 CFR 51.22(c)(10) or 10
                                                    finding of no significant impact (FONSI)                    addition, for the convenience of the                         CFR 51.22 (c)(11) do not apply to the
                                                    for its review and approval of the                          reader, the ADAMS accession numbers                          DFP reviews, since the categorical
                                                    decommissioning funding plan                                are provided in a table in the                               exclusion only apply to license
                                                    submitted by Duke Energy Carolinas,                         ‘‘Availability of Documents’’ section of                     amendments and the 10 CFR 72.30 DFP
                                                    LLC (Duke), on December 13, 2012, for                       this document.                                               reviews and approvals are not license
                                                    the Independent Spent Fuel Storage                             • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and                          amendment.
                                                    Installation (ISFSI) at H.B. Robinson                       purchase copies of public documents at
                                                    Steam Electric Plant, Unit 2 (HBR),                                                                                      II. Environmental Assessment
                                                                                                                the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One
                                                    located in Darlington County, South                         White Flint North, 11555 Rockville                           Background
                                                    Carolina.                                                   Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.                               The H.B. Robinson ISFSI is located in
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in                       FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                             Darlington County, South Carolina.
                                                    this document are available on June 16,                     Richard Baum, Office of Nuclear                              Duke is authorized by the NRC, under
                                                    2016.                                                       Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S.                         License Nos. SNM–2502 and SFGL–26,
                                                    ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID                        Nuclear Regulatory Commission,                               to store spent nuclear fuel at the H.B.
                                                    NRC–2016–0114 when contacting the                           Washington, DC 20555.-0001;                                  Robinson ISFSI.
                                                    NRC about the availability of                               telephone: 301–415–0018, email:                                The NRC requires its licensees to plan
                                                    information regarding this document.                        Richard.Baum@nrc.gov.                                        for the eventual decommissioning of
                                                    You may obtain publicly-available                           SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                                   their licensed facilities prior to license


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Document Created: 2016-06-16 00:37:15
Document Modified: 2016-06-16 00:37:15
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 June 16, 2016.
ContactRichard Baum, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-0018, email: [email protected]
FR Citation81 FR 39281 

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