Environmental statements; availability, etc.: PSEG Nuclear LLC,

[Federal Register: January 9, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 6)]

[Notices]

[Page 1213]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr09ja03-73]

[[Page 1213]]

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-272 and 50-311]

PSEG Nuclear, LLC, Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering issuance of an exemption from Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, Section 55.59(c) for Facility Operating License Nos. DPR-70 and DPR-75, issued to PSEG Nuclear LLC (PSEG or the licensee), for operation of the Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 (Salem), located in Salem County, New Jersey. Therefore, as required by 10 CFR 51.21, the NRC is issuing this environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

The proposed action would exempt the facility licensee on a one- time basis from the 24 month schedule requirement of 10 CFR 55.59(c) for completing the licensed operator requalification training program at Salem.

The proposed action is in accordance with the facility licensee's application for exemption docketed October 28, 2002.

The Need for the Proposed Action

The proposed action would extend the date for the facility licensee to complete the licensed operator requalification training program at Salem. The proposed action would extend the date for completing the training program from October 3, 2002, to January 9, 2003, therefore extending the training program by approximately 3 months over the schedule required by 10 CFR 55.59(c). This proposed action is needed to allow Salem to align their requalification training program with the training program at the Hope Creek Nuclear Generating station.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and concludes, as set forth below, that there are no significant environmental impacts associated with the extension of the licensed operator requalification program at Salem from October 3, 2002, to January 9, 2003.

The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability or consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of effluents that may be released off site, and there is no significant increase in occupational or public radiation exposure. Therefore, there are no significant radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed action does not have a potential to affect any historic sites. It does not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Therefore, there are no significant non- radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

Accordingly, the NRC concludes that there are no significant environmental impacts associated with the proposed action.

Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action

As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative). Denial of the application would result in no change in current environmental impacts. The environmental impacts of the proposed action and the alternative action are similar.

Alternative Use of Resources

The action does not involve the use of any different resource than those previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for Salem.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

In accordance with its stated policy, the staff consulted with the New Jersey State official, Mr. D. Zannoni, on November 14, 2002, regarding the environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

On the basis of this environmental assessment, the NRC concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the NRC has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed action.

For further details with respect to the proposed action, see PSEG's letter dated October 28, 2002. Documents may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR), located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible electronically from the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at the NRC Web site, http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. Persons who do not have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, should contact the NRC PDR Reference staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, or by e-mail to pdr@nrc.gov.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 3rd day of January 2003.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Victor Nerses, Acting Chief, Section 2, Project Directorate I, Division of Licensing Project Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.

[FR Doc. 03-374 Filed 1-8-03; 8:45 am]

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