Under the revised NEPA regulations, the Brunswick project is one of the facilities for which licensees were required to submit information for consideration by AEC's Director of Regulation in determining whether the construction permits should be suspended during the period of further environmental review.

In reaching the determination on the Brunswick plant, the Director of Regulation considered (1) whether it is likely the continued construction during the review period would give rise to a significant adverse effect on the environment; (2) whether continued construction would foreclose subsequent adoption of alternatives in design that could result from the environmental review; and (3) the effect of delay in construction upon the public interest taking into account the power needs to be served by the facility, the availability of alternatives to meet those needs on a timely basis, and costs of delay to the licensee and to consumers.

The details of the findings leading to the conclusion that construction at the Brunswick plant should be partially suspended are included in a document entitled "Discussion and Findings by the Division of Reactor Licensing, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Relating to Consideration of Suspension Pending NEPA Environmental Review of the Construction Permit for the Brunswick Steam Electric Plant, AEC Docket Nos. 50-324 and 50-325." Copies of this document are available for inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, 1717 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C., and will be available at the Southport-Brunswick County Library, 109 W. Moore Street, Southport, North Carolina. Additional copies may be obtained by writing to the Director, Division of Reactor Licensing, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, D.C. 20545.

Any person whose interest may be affected by this proceeding may file a request for a hearing within 30 days after publication of the determination in the Federal Register. Such a request should include the matters, with reference to the criteria in the regulation, alleged to warrant a determination other than that made by the Director of Regulation and should show the factual basis for the request. If the Commission finds that the matter stated in the request warrants a hearing, a notice of hearing will be published. Requests for a hearing should be addressed to Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, D.C. 20545, Attention: Chief, Public Proceedings Branch.

DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS BY THE DIVISION OF REACTOR LICENSING U.S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION RELATING TO CONIDERATION OF SUSPENSION PENDING NEPA ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF THE CONSTRUCTION PERMITS FOR THE BRUNSWICK STEAM ELECTRIC PLANT UNITS 1 & 2

(AEC Docket Nos. 50-324 and 50-325, November 18, 1971) 1.0 Introduction

On September 9, 1971 the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) published in the Federal Register a revised Appendix D to 10 CFR Part 50 setting forth AEC's implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPĀ). Paragraph E (3) of revised Appendix D

generally requires a holder of a construction permit issued after January 1, 1970 but before September 9, 1971 to furnish to the AEC within 40 days of September 9, 1971 a written statement of any reasons, with supporting factual submission why with reference to the criteria in paragraph E (2) of revised Appendix D the permit should not be suspended, in whole or in part, pending completion of the NEPA environmental review specified in Appendix D.

On February 7, 1970 the AEC issued two provisional construction permits to the Carolina Power & Light (CP & L) Company, Raleigh, North Carolina, for the Brunswick Steam Electric Plant (Units 1 & 2). On October 19, 1971 CP & L filed with the AEC the statement required by Paragraph E (3) of Appendix D.

1.1 Determination

In accordance with the requirements of Section E of revised Appendix D we have determined that certain construction activities at the Brunswick Steam Electric Plant should be suspended, pending completion of the NEPA environmental review specified in revised Appendix D. Specifically, we have determined that work should be suspended on construction of the off-site circulating water discharge canal on the off-site transmission lines until the environmental review of these matters is completed. The time necessary to complete this part of the NEPA review probably will not be less than two months or greater than 10 months. A formal "Determination" to this effect is being forwarded to the Federal Register for publication. In reaching this determination we have considered and balanced the criteria in Paragraph E(2) of Appendix D.

1.2 Background

On July 31, 1968 CP&L filed an application for construction permits for the Brunswick Steam Electric Plant with the AEC. An extensive review of the application was made by the AEC's regulatory staff and by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards. A public hearing was held before a three man Atomic Safety and Licensing Board at Southport, North Carolina on December 2 and 3, 1969. On February 4, 1970 the Board issued its initial decision authorizing the Director of Regulation to issue the construction permits to the applicant and on February 7, 1970 Construction Permit Nos. CPPR-67 and CPPR-68 were issued.

The applicant submitted an environmental report for the Brunswick Plant on November 8, 1971 as required by Paragraph B (1) of revised Appendix D. Our review of this report is in progress.

Construction of the Brunswick Plant at the Southport site has begun. Moreover, as to the full NEPA review of the Southport site for the Brunswick Plant, there have been through and broad-based favorable deliberations by several Federal, State, and local agencies regarding construction plans for the plant and the need for additional generating capacity in the service area. However, it is our judgment that a full NEPA review, considering possibilities for minimizing environmental impact, might result in a conclusion that certain portions of the facility design should be modified. This assessment, as required by Paragraph E of revised Appendix D to 10 CFR Part 50, is based largely on whether construction of certain portions of the facility

should be suspended so as not to foreclose the future adoption of alternatives that might result in significant savings of environmental values.

2.0 Completion of NEPA Review

The time necessary for the completion of the NEPA review for the Brunswick Steam Electric Plant is estimated at 10 months and the criteria set forth in Section E of revised Appendix D to 10 CFR Part 50 have been evaluated with this approximate time period in mind. That is, the environmental impact of continuing construction at this. site, the foreclosure of alternatives of the type that might be required as a result of the full NEPA review, and the cost of delay all have been considered with respect to approximately 10 months of continuing construction activity.

Should the actual NEPA review for this case exceed 10 months, such a longer time period would add to the environmental impact which construction activities have caused to date. The longer delay would substantially increase the incremental cost of delay if construction of portions of the facility were now suspended.

We have taken these considerations into account in balancing the factors specified in Paragraph E of revised Appendix D to 10 CFR Part 50 and have concluded that if a significantly longer time period were required to complete the NEPA review, it would not affect our determination that the construction activities at the Brunswick Steam Electric Plant should not be suspended in their entirety, but should be suspended in part.

3.0 Environmental Impact During the Prospective Review Period

Since construction of the plant will not be completed during the forecast NEPA review period, there will be no environmental impact from radioactive, water, or chemical effluents which would be released as a result of operation of the plant. Construction to be accomplished during the prospective review period falls basically into three categories: (1) continuation of structural work on the reactor containment buildings and other buildings on the site; (2) continuation of excavation and related construction activities for the circulating water intake and discharge canals; and (3) initiation of right-of-way clearances and construction of transmission line facilities. The current construction status and anticipated activities during the next 10 months are described below for each of these areas.

3.1 Current Status of Construction

Construction on Brunswick 2 is 39% complete and on Brunswick 1, 22% complete, as of September 30, 1971. The corresponding investment in the plant is $120,000,000.

The current status of construction for onsite structures is as follows: (a) The primary containment liner for Unit No. 2 has been completed with concrete walls erected up to elevation 17 feet (MSL). Unit No. 1 will be in a similar state by the end of 1971.

(b) Two levels of the Unit No. 2 turbine building are essentially complete with forming of the upper wall sections in progress. The turbine-generator pedestal, and all column foundations have been

completed for the Unit No. 1 turbine building with forming of lower walls in progress.

(c) Forming and concreting of upper wall sections of the plant's radwaste building are in progress.

(d) The lower floor of the plant's control building has been completed with concreting of the walls in progress.

(e) Forming of the top wall lift for the plant's circulating water intake structure is in progress. Forming of the first wall lift for the plant's service water intake structure is in progress.

3.1.2 Off-site Structures and facilities

The current status of construction for off-site structures and facilities is as follows:

(a) The section of the intake canal (see figure 1 for route), which is about 400 feet wide at the top, from the Cape Fear channel across Snows Marsh to the mainland (9,000 linear feet) has been completed. Construction is in progress on the remainder of the intake canal which is an additional 9,000 linear feet (approximate) toward the intake structures.

(b) The discharge canal, which is about 200 feet wide at the top, will extend about 8 miles from the condenser discharge point to the Atlantic Ocean near Oak Island.

Clearing for the canal is in progress with about 1⁄2 mile of excavation completed.

(c) About 90% of the land for transmission lines has been purchased. One right-of-way will be 800 feet wide and the second will be about 200 feet wide. Both rights-of-way will be about 25 miles long. Clearing of the rights-of-way has not been initiated, though scheduled for December 1971.

(d) The rail spur to the site and the railroad trestle across Nancy's Creek are complete and all access roads to the site have been completed though not yet surfaced with macadam.

3.2 Planned Construction During Next 10 Months

3.2.1 Planned Onsite Construction

During the next 10 months, construction plans call for completion of all the concrete and structural steel portions of the facility. All the equipment for Unit No. 2 and for systems and structures that are to be shared with Unit No. 1 are scheduled to be set in place. Construction is scheduled to begin on the diesel generator building, service building, office building, warehouse, and the 100-meter stack. Construction work will continue on the onsite portions of the intake and discharge canals, and on the intake structure.

The continuation of construction on the principal structures located on the site will have a small, incremental adverse environmental impact when compared with the impact that already has resulted from the present state of construction. This incremental adverse impact will be largely temporary in nature, of the type which usually accompanies activities at large scale construction projects. Impact factors will include heavy truck traffic as construction materials are brought to and moved on the site, operation of a concrete batch plant at the site, and the noises associated with crane operation, building erection work, and miscellaneous mechanized tools and equipment.