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12/17/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/17/2025 06:43

Environmental Assessments; Availability, etc.: Independent Spent Fuel Storage Facilities Decommissioning Funding Plans

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 72-1041; NRC-2025-1535]

Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact of Independent Spent Fuel Storage Facilities Decommissioning Funding Plans

AGENCY:

Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION:

Notice; issuance.

SUMMARY:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is publishing this notice regarding the issuance of a final environmental assessment (EA) and a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for its review and approval of the initial and updated decommissioning funding plans (DFPs) submitted for the independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) at South Texas Project Electric Generating Station, Unit 1 and 2 (STP 1 and 2).

DATES:

The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on December 17, 2025.

ADDRESSES:

Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2025-1535 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 Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2025-1535. Address questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Bridget Curran; telephone: 301-415-1003; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact the individual(s) 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 https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select "Begin ADAMS Public Search." For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, at 301-415-4737, or by email to [email protected]. 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: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies of publicly available documents, is open by appointment. To make an appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to [email protected] or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time (ET), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Daneira Meléndez-Colón, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-7295, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

The NRC is considering the approval of the initial and updated DFPs submitted by the STP 1 and 2 ISFSI licensee, and the NRC staff has prepared a final EA and FONSI determination for the initial and updated STP 1 and 2 ISFSI DFPs 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. ).

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, "Financial assurance and recordkeeping for decommissioning," which concerns financial assurance and decommissioning for ISFSIs. This regulation requires each holder of, or applicant for, a license under 10 CFR part 72 to submit a DFP for the NRC's review and approval. 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 will later publish its financial analyses of the DFP submittals which will be available for public inspection in ADAMS.

II. Discussion

The table in this notice includes the plant name, docket number, licensee, and ADAMS accession number for the final EA and FONSI determination for the STP 1 and 2 ISFSI. The table also includes the ADAMS accession numbers for other relevant documents, including the initial and updated DFP submittals. For further details with respect to these actions, see the NRC staff's final EA and FONSI determinations which are available for public inspection in ADAMS and at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket ID NRC-2025-1535. For additional direction on accessing information related to this document, see the ADDRESSES section of this document.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

Facility South Texas Project, Unit 1 and 2
Docket No. 72-1041.
Licensee South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC).
Proposed Action The NRC's review and approval of STPNOC's initial and updated decommissioning funding plans (DFPs) submitted in accordance with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c), respectively.
Environmental Impact of Proposed Action The NRC staff has determined that the proposed action, the review and approval of STPNOC's initial and updated DFPs, submitted in accordance with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and (c), will not authorize changes to licensed operations or maintenance activities, or result in changes in the types, characteristics, or quantities of radiological or non-radiological effluents released into the environment from the independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI), or result in the creation of solid waste. Moreover, the approval of the initial and updated DFPs will not authorize any construction activity, facility modification, or other land-disturbing activity. The NRC staff has concluded that the proposed action is a procedural and administrative action that will not have a significant impact on the environment.
Finding of No Significant Impact The proposed action does not require changes to the ISFSI's licensed routine operations, maintenance activities, or monitoring programs, nor does it require new construction or land-disturbing activities. The scope of the proposed action concerns only the NRC's review and approval of STPNOC's initial and updated DFPs. The scope of the proposed action does not include, and will not result in, the review and approval of decontamination or decommissioning activities or license termination for the ISFSI or for other parts of STP 1 and 2. Therefore, the NRC staff determined that approval of the initial and updated DFPs for the STP 1 and 2 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 is not required.
Available Documents Federal Register notice. Final Rule "Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions and Related Conforming Amendments," published March 12, 1984 (49 FR 9381). Federal Register notice. Final Rule "Decommissioning Planning," published June 17, 2011 (76 FR 35512). U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. 2003/08/31-NUREG-1748, "Environmental Review Guidance for Licensing Actions Associated with NMSS Programs, Final Report." August 2003 (ML032540811).U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. "Environmental Assessment for Final Rule: Decommissioning Planning" (10 CFR parts 20, 30, 40, 50, 70, and 72; RIN 3150-AI55). February 2009 (ML090500648).U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ESA Section 7 No Effect Determination for ISFSI DFP Reviews (Note to File), dated May 15, 2017 (ML17135A062).U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. "Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact Related to the South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company Initial and Updated Decommissioning Funding Plans Submitted in Accordance with 10 CFR 72.30(b) and 10 CFR 72.30(c) for South Texas Project Electric Generating Station Unit 1 and 2 Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation," dated December 4, 2025 (ML25258A170).U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. "Review of the Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for South Texas Project Electric Generating Station Unit 1 and 2 Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation Initial and Updated Decommissioning Funding Plans," dated August 1, 2025 (ML25085A350).South Texas Project, Unit 1 and 2 ISFSI-Decommissioning Funding Plan for the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation, dated September 26, 2018 (ML18269A258).South Texas Project ISFSI-Decommissioning Funding Plan for the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation, dated September 27, 2021 (ML21270A142).South Texas Project ISFSI, Decommissioning Funding Plan for the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation, dated September 25, 2024 (ML24270A273).
Dated: December 12, 2025.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Yoira Diaz-Sanabria,
Chief, Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch, Division of Fuel Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2025-23099 Filed 12-16-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
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