GPU Nuclear, Inc. Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 139 (Wednesday, July 21, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 39178]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18633]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-320]


GPU Nuclear, Inc. Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 2; 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission or NRC) is 
considering issuance of an exemption from Title 10 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50 for Facility Operating License No. 
DPR-73, issued to GPU Nuclear, Inc. (GPUN or the licensee), for 
operation of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 2 (TMI-2), 
located in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would reduce the amount of onsite property 
insurance as required by 10 CFR 50.54(w), based on the permanently 
shutdown status of TMI-2 and that the plant is in a safe, inherently 
stable condition suitable for long-term management and any threat to 
the health and safety of the public has been eliminated. The requested 
action would allow GPUN to reduce onsite insurance coverage from $1.6 
billion to $50 million.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for exemption dated March 9, 1999.

Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is needed because the licensee's required 
insurance coverage significantly exceeds the potential cost 
consequences of radiological incidents possible at a permanently 
shutdown and defueled reactor with over 99 percent of the fuel removed.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed action 
and concludes that the issuance of the proposed exemption is an 
administrative action and will not have any environmental impact. TMI-2 
permanently ceased operations following the March 28, 1979, accident. 
The licensee maintains the facility in a safe, stable configuration to 
comply with the facility operating license and the Commission's rules 
and regulations.
    No changes are being made in the types or amounts of any 
radiological effluents that may be released offsite. There is no 
increase in occupational or public radiation exposure. Accordingly, the 
Commission concludes that there are no significant radiological 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.
    With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed 
action does not involve any historic sites. It does not affect 
nonradiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. 
Therefore, there are no significant nonradiological environmental 
impacts associated with the proposed action.
    Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    The principal alternative to the action would be to deny the 
request thereby requiring the licensee to maintain insurance coverage 
required of an operating plant (i.e., the ``no action'' alternative); 
such an action would not enhance the protection of the environment. 
Denial of the application would result in no change in current 
environmental impacts. The environmental impacts of the proposed action 
and the alternative action are similar.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Programmatic Final Environmental Statement 
Related to Decontamination and Disposal of Radioactive Wastes Resulting 
from the March 28, 1979, Accident--Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, 
Unit 2, Supplement No. 3, issued in August 1989.

Agencies and Persons Contacted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on June 3, 1999, the NRC 
staff consulted with Pennsylvania State official, Stan Miangi of the 
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection regarding the 
environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had no 
comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    On the basis of the environmental assessment, the Commission 
concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant impact 
on the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the Commission 
has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the 
proposed action.
    For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the 
licensee's letter dated March 9, 1999, which is available for public 
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, The Gelman 
Building, 2120 L Street NW., Washington DC, and at the local public 
document room located at the Government Publications Section, State 
Library of Pennsylvania, Walnut Street and Commonwealth Avenue, 
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 15th day of July, 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Suzanne C. Black,
Deputy Director, Division of Licensing Project Management, Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-18633 Filed 7-20-99; 8:45 am]
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