Final Environmental Statement Related to the Operation of Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2,” Dated April 1995 (1995 SFES-OL-1)
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NUREG-0498 Supplement 2, Vol. 1 Final Environmental Statement Related to the Operation of Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 2 Supplement 2 Final Report Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation AVAILABILITY OF REFERENCE MATERIALS IN NRC PUBLICATIONS NRC Reference Material Non-NRC Reference Material As of November 1999, you may electronically access Documents available from public and special technical NUREG-series publications and other NRC records at libraries include all open literature items, such as books, NRC’s Public Electronic Reading Room at journal articles, transactions, Federal Register notices, http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm.html. 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NUREG-0498 Supplement 2, Vol. 1 Final Environmental Statement Related to the Operation of Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 2 Supplement 2 Final Report Manuscript Completed: May 2013 Date Published: May 2013 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Abstract The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) prepared this supplemental final environmental statement in response to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) application for a facility operating license. The proposed action requested is for the NRC to issue an operating license for a second light-water nuclear reactor at the Watts Bar Nuclear (WBN) Plant in Rhea County, Tennessee. TVA received construction permits (CPs) for two units at the WBN site and began construction in 1973. In 1978, the NRC issued a final environmental statement related to the operating license for WBN Units 1 and 2. On March 4, 2009, the NRC received an update to the application from TVA for a facility operating license to possess, use, and operate WBN Unit 2. The NRC published the notice of the receipt of application and the opportunity for hearing in the Federal Register on May 1, 2009. NRC regulations in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 51.92, “Supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Statement,” require the NRC staff to prepare a supplement to the final environmental statement if there are substantial changes in the proposed action relevant to environmental concerns or if there are significant new circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action or its impacts. The same regulation permits the NRC staff to prepare a supplement when, in its opinion, preparation of a supplement will further the interests of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. This supplement documents the NRC staff’s environmental review related to the operating license for WBN Unit 2. The NRC staff evaluated a full scope of environmental topics, including land and water use, air quality and meteorology, terrestrial and aquatic ecology, radiological and nonradiological impacts on humans and the environment, historic and cultural resources, socioeconomics, and environmental justice. The NRC staff’s evaluations are based on (1) the application submitted by TVA, including the environmental report and previous environmental impact statements and historical documents, (2) consultation with other Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies, (3) the NRC staff’s independent review, and (4) the NRC staff’s consideration of comments related to the environmental review received during the public scoping process. May 2013 iii NUREG-0498, Supp 2 Table of Contents Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................ v Figures ....................................................................................................................................... xiii Tables ......................................................................................................................................... xv Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................xix Abbreviations/Acronyms ....................................................................................................... xxiii 1.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Background .............................................................................................................. 1-2 1.2 NRC Operating License Application Review ............................................................ 1-4 1.3 Compliance and Consultations ................................................................................. 1-5 1.4 Report Contents ....................................................................................................... 1-6 1.5 References ............................................................................................................... 1-7 2.0 Affected Environment .................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Land Use .................................................................................................................. 2-1 2.1.1 Site Location .............................................................................................. 2-1 2.1.2 The Site and Vicinity .................................................................................. 2-1 2.1.3 Transmission Corridors and Offsite Areas ................................................. 2-4 2.1.4 The Region ................................................................................................ 2-4 2.2 Water Use and Quality ............................................................................................. 2-5 2.2.1 Hydrology .................................................................................................. 2-5 2.2.1.1 Surface-Water Hydrology ......................................................... 2-5 2.2.1.2 Groundwater Hydrology ..........................................................