ML060440138

License Renewal Review (TAC MC6441) (SHPO No. 2004-2193)

ML060440138
Person / Time
Site:	Monticello
Issue date:	02/10/2006
From:	Rani Franovich NRC/NRR/ADRO/DLR/REBB
To:	Archabal N State of MN, Historical Society
Davis J, NRR/DLR/REBB, 415-3835
Shared Package
ML060440216	List: ML060440138
References
SHPO 2004-2193, TAC MC6441
Download: ML060440138 (6)

Text

February 10, 2006 Dr. Nina M. Archabal State Historic Preservation Officer Minnesota Historical Society State Historic Preservation Office 345 Kellogg Blvd West St. Paul, MN 55102-1906

SUBJECT:

MONTICELLO NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANT LICENSE RENEWAL REVIEW (TAC NO. MC6441) (SHPO NO. 2004-2193)

Dear Dr. Archabal:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is reviewing an application to renew the operating license for Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant (Monticello), which is located in Wright County, Minnesota, on the southern bank of the Mississippi River. Monticello is operated by Nuclear Management Company, LLC (NMC), and owned by Northern States Power Company, a wholly owned utility operating subsidiary of Xcel Energy, Inc. As part of its review of the proposed action, the NRC staff has prepared a site-specific Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to its ?Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, NUREG-1437. The SEIS includes analyses of relevant environmental issues, including potential impacts to historic and archaeological resources for the extended period of operation. In accordance with our letter to you dated June 2, 2005, a copy of the draft supplement is enclosed. Pursuant to Title 36 Code of the Federal Regulations Part 800.8 (36 CFR 800.8), we are requesting your comments on the draft supplement and on our preliminary conclusions regarding historic properties.

As stated in our June 2, 2005, letter the NRC staff has determined that the area of potential effect (APE) for a license renewal action is the area at the power plant site and its immediate environs, which may be impacted by post-license renewal land disturbing operation or projected refurbishment activities associated with the proposed action. The staff views the APE for the Monticello license renewal as including the Monticello site and the immediate environs.

The NRC staff has conducted an environmental audit at the site and has reviewed historic and archaeological records. The NRC staff also contacted twenty-four Native American Tribes identified as having potential interest in the proposed undertaking. To date, no comments have been received.

In the context of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, under which the draft environmental impact statement was prepared, the NRC staffs preliminary determination is that the impact of license renewal on historical and archaeological resources is SMALL and additional mitigation is not warranted. Under the provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the NRC staffs preliminary determination is that there will be no historic properties affected for the proposed action.

N. Archabal Please note that the period for public comment expires on May 4, 2006. If your office requires additional time, or if there are any other questions regarding this correspondence, please have your representative contact the Environmental Project Manager, Jennifer A. Davis, at 301-415-3835 or via e-mail at JXD10@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Rani Franovich, Branch Chief Environmental Branch B Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-263

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/o encl.: See next page

N. Archabal Please note that the period for public comment expires on May 4, 2006. If your office requires additional time, or if there are any other questions regarding this correspondence, please have your representative contact the Environmental Project Manager, Jennifer A. Davis, at 301-415-3835 or via e-mail at JXD10@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Rani Franovich, Branch Chief Environmental Branch B Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-263

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/o encl.: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

F. Gillespie/P.T. Kuo (RidsNrrDlr)

R. Franovich, (RidsNrrDlrRebb)

A. Kugler (RidsNrrDlrReba)

J. Davis J. Flemming S. Imboden D. Merzke P. Tam B. Burgess, Rgn III C. Thomas, Rgn III R. Orlikowski, Rgn III C. Quinly (quinly2@llnl.gov)

RidsOGCMailRoom DLR/REBB Adams Accession Nos.

1. Letter to N. Archabal w/Svc. List: ML060440138

2. NUREG-1437, GEIS for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, Suppl. 26, Re: Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant, Draft Report for Comment: ML060190072

3. Pkg: ML060440216 Document Name:E:\\Filenet\\ML060440138.wpd OFFICE RLRA:DLR:LA:

REBB:DLR:GS REBB:DLR:PM REBB:DLR:BC NAME Y. Edmonds E. Keto J. Davis R. Franovich (w/comments)

DATE 2/9/06 2/10/06 2/10/06 2/10/06 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant cc:

Jonathan Rogoff, Esquire Vice President, Counsel & Secretary Nuclear Management Company, LLC 700 First Street Hudson, WI 54016 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Resident Inspector's Office 2807 W. County Road 75 Monticello, MN 55362 Manager, Regulatory Affairs Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Nuclear Management Company, LLC 2807 West County Road 75 Monticello, MN 55362-9637 Robert Nelson, President Minnesota Environmental Control Citizens Association (MECCA) 1051 South McKnight Road St. Paul, MN 55119 Commissioner Minnesota Pollution Control Agency 520 Lafayette Road St. Paul, MN 55155-4194 Regional Administrator, Region III U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 801 Warrenville Road Lisle, IL 60532-4351 Commissioner Minnesota Department of Health 717 Delaware Street, S. E.

Minneapolis, MN 55440 Douglas M. Gruber, Auditor/Treasurer Wright County Government Center 10 NW Second Street Buffalo, MN 55313 Commissioner Minnesota Department of Commerce 85 7th Place East, Suite 500 St. Paul, MN 55101-2198 Manager - Environmental Protection Division Minnesota Attorney Generals Office 445 Minnesota St., Suite 900 St. Paul, MN 55101-2127 John Paul Cowan Executive Vice President & Chief Nuclear Officer Nuclear Management Company, LLC 700 First Street Hudson, WI 54016 Nuclear Asset Manager Xcel Energy, Inc.

414 Nicollet Mall, R.S. 8 Minneapolis, MN 55401 Mr. James Ross Nuclear Energy Institute 1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20006-3708 Patrick Burke License Renewal Project Manager Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Nuclear Management Company, LLC 2807 West County Road 75 Monticello, MN 55362-9637 Mr. Douglas F. Johnson Director, Plant Life Cycle Issues Nuclear Management Company, LLC 700 First Street Hudson, WI 54016

Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant cc:

Margo Askin Head Librarian, Monticello Public Library 200 W. 6th Street Monticello, MN 55362 Amy Wittmann Branch Librarian, Buffalo Public Library 18 Northwest Lake Boulevard Buffalo, MN 55313 David R. Lewis Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP 2300 N Street, NW Washington, DC 20037-1122