[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 146 (Monday, July 29, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39482-39483]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-19183]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-458]


Entergy Operations, Inc.; River Bend Station; Environmental 
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) is 
considering issuance of an amendment to Facility Operating License No. 
NPF-47, issued to Entergy Operations, Inc., (the licensee), for 
operation of the River Bend Station, located in West Feliciana Parish, 
Louisiana.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would revise the Facility Operating License No. 
NPF-47 and Appendix C to the license to reflect the name change from 
Gulf States Utilities Company to Entergy Gulf States, Inc.
    The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's 
application for amendment dated May 20, 1996.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is to correct the name in the license to 
reflect the change which occurred on April 22, 1996. The name change 
was made by the licensee to improve customer identification by 
establishing the name Entergy in the region that it serves.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The Commission has completed its evaluation of the proposed changes 
to the license. We agree with the licensee that the name change will 
not impact the existing ownership of the River Bend Station (RBS) or 
the existing entitlement to power and will not alter the existing 
antitrust license conditions applicable to Gulf States Utilities 
Company (GSU) or GSU's ability to comply with these conditions or with 
any of its other obligations or responsibilities. As stated by the 
licensee, ``The corporate existence continues uninterrupted and all 
legal characteristics remain the same. Thus, there is no change in the 
state of incorporation, registered agent, registered office, directors, 
officers, rights or liabilities of the company. Nor is there a change 
in the function of the Company or the way in which it does business. 
GSU's financial responsibility for RBS and its sources of funds to 
support the facility will remain the same.'' Therefore, the change will 
not increase the probability or consequences of accidents, no changes 
are being made in the types of any effluent that may be released 
offsite, and there is no significant increase in the allowable 
individual or cumulative occupational 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 affect nonradiological plant effluent and has no other 
environmental impact. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there 
are no significant nonradiological environmental impacts associated 
with the proposed action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Since the Commission has concluded there is no measurable 
environmental impact associated with the proposed action, any 
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impact need not be 
evaluated. As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff 
considered denial of the proposed action. 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.

[[Page 39483]]

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of any resources not 
previously considered in the Final Environmental Statement for the 
River Bend Station.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In accordance with its stated policy, on July 17, 1996, the staff 
consulted with the Louisiana State official, Dr. Stan Shaw, Assistant 
Administrator of the Louisiana Radiation Protection Division of the 
Department of Environmental Quality, regarding the environmental impact 
of the proposed action. The State official had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based upon the environmental assessment, the Commission concludes 
that the proposed action will not have a significant effect 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 May 20, 1996, 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 Documents 
Department, Troy H. Middleton Library, Louisiana State University, 
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 22nd day of July 1996.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
David L. Wigginton,
Senior Project Manager, Project Directorate IV-1, Division of Reactor 
Projects III/IV, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 96-19183 Filed 7-26-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P