[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 240 (Monday, December 15, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69729-69730]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-30858]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 030-00842]


Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of 
No Significant Impact for License Amendment for the University of 
Minnesota and Release of its Facility in Minneapolis, MN

ACTION: Notice of availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding 
of No Significant Impact for license amendment.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Peter J. Lee, Division of Nuclear 
Materials Safety, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region III, 801 
Warrenville Road, Lisle, Illinois 60532-4351; telephone (630) 829-9870 
or by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an 
amendment to University of Minnesota Byproduct Material License No. 22-
00187-46, to remove authorization to use radioactive materials from its 
license for Stone Lab I and II Buildings located at 410 Church Street 
SE. in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and release the facilities for 
unrestricted use.
    The NRC staff has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) in 
support of this licensing action in accordance with the requirements of 
10 CFR Part 51. Based on the EA, the NRC has concluded that a Finding 
of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is appropriate. The amendment will be 
issued following publication of this Notice.

II. EA Summary

    The purpose of the proposed action is to allow for the release of 
the licensee's Stone Lab I and II Buildings located on Minneapolis 
campus for unrestricted use. The University of Minnesota was authorized 
by the NRC to use radioactive materials for medical diagnosis, therapy, 
and research utilizing labeled compounds, such as H-3, C-14, P-32, etc. 
On September 11, 2003, the University of Minnesota requested that NRC 
release the facilities

[[Page 69730]]

for unrestricted use. The University of Minnesota has conducted surveys 
of the facilities and provided information to the NRC to demonstrate 
that the site meets the license criteria in Subpart E of 10 CFR Part 20 
for unrestricted release.
    The staff has prepared an EA in support of the proposed licensing 
action. The staff examined the University of Minnesota's request and 
the information that the licensee has provided in support of its 
request, including the surveys performed by University of Minnesota to 
demonstrate compliance with 10 CFR 20.1402, ``Radiological Criteria for 
Unrestricted Use,'' to ensure that the NRC's decision is protective of 
the public health and safety and the environment. Based on its review, 
the staff has determined that the affected environment and the 
environmental impacts associated with the unrestricted use of the 
University of Minnesota's facilities are bounded by the impacts 
evaluated by the ``Generic Environmental Impact Statement in Support of 
Rulemaking on Radiological Criteria for License Termination of NRC-
Licensed Nuclear Facilities'' (NUREG-1496). Additionally, no non-
radiological impacts were identified.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    On the basis of the EA, summarized above, the staff has concluded 
that there are no significant environmental impacts from the proposed 
action. Accordingly, the staff has determined that a FONSI is 
appropriate, and has determined that the preparation of an 
environmental impact statement is not warranted.

IV. Further Information

    In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's ``Rules of Practice,'' 
University of Minnesota's request, the EA summarized above, and the 
documents related to this proposed action are available electronically 
for public inspection and copying from the Publicly Available Records 
(PARS) component of NRC's document system (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible 
from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. 
These documents include University of Minnesota's letter dated 
September 11, 2003, with enclosures (Accession No. ML033230183); and 
the EA summarized above (Accession No. ML033280741).

    Dated at Lisle, Illinois, this 2nd day of December 2003.
Christopher G. Miller,
Chief, Decommissioning Branch, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, 
RIII.
[FR Doc. 03-30858 Filed 12-12-03; 8:45 am]
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