The proposed project: Pursuant to the Atomic Energy Act, as amended, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's regulations in Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, an application with an accompanying Environmental Report, was filed by Northeast Utilities (hereinafter referred to as the applicant) for construction permits for two generating units designated as the Montague Nuclear Power Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-496 and 50-497), each of which is powered by a boiling water reactor (BWR) and is designed for initial operation at approximately 3579 megawatts thermal (MWt) with a net electrical output of 1150 megawatts electric (MWe). A safety design rating of 3759 (MWt) has been used in assessing the impact in this report. Condenser cooling will be accomplished through the use of natural-draft cooling towers. Makeup water for the cooling towers will be obtained from the Connecticut River, and the tower discharge (blowdown) will be returned to the Connecticut River. The proposed facilities will be located on the 1900-acre Montague Plain in the Town of Montague, Franklin County, in northwestern Massachusetts about 1.8 miles east of the Connecticut River and about 3.5 miles east-southeast of the Town of Greenfield, Massachusetts, the largest community within 10 miles with a population of about 15,000. Integration of the power from the Montague Nuclear Power Station will be accomplished by individual routes for each unit, requiring the construction of approximately 118 miles of 345-kV circuit transmission lines into existing electrical systems. A 345-kV switchyard will be located on the Montague site in proximity to the generating units and will constitute the terminus of the 345-kV circuits over which the output of the station will be delivered to the load centers. The route for Unit 1 will terminate at the Ludlow, Massachusetts, substation, and the route for Unit 2 will terminate at the Frost Bridge, Connecticut, substation.