ML072070691

Request for Comments Concerning the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2 License Renewal Application Review

ML072070691
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle
Issue date:	08/31/2007
From:	Rani Franovich NRC/NRR/ADRO/DLR/REBB
To:	Blue G Catawba Indian Nation
Leous, JP, DLR/REBB 301-415-2864
References
Download: ML072070691 (8)

Text

August 31, 2007Mr. Gilbert Blue, ChiefCatawba Indian Nation 996 Avenue of the Nations Rock Hill, SC 29730

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR COMMENTS CONCERNING THE VOGTLE ELECTRICGENERATING PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2 LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION REVIEW

Dear Chief Blue:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is seeking input for its environmental reviewof an application from Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC or the applicant) for the renewal of the operating licenses for the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2 (VEGP), located in Waynesboro, Burke County, Georgia. VEGP is in close proximity to lands that may be of interest to the Catawba Indian Nation. As described below, the NRC's processincludes an opportunity for public and inter-governmental participation in the environmental review. We want to ensure that you are aware of our efforts and, pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 51, Section 51.28(b), the NRC invites the CatawbaIndian Nation to provide input to the scoping process relating to the NRC's environmentalreview of the application. In addition, as outlined in 36 CFR 800.8(c), the NRC plans to coordinate compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 through the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.Under NRC regulations, the original operating license for a nuclear power plant is issued for upto 40 years. The license may be renewed for up to an additional 20 years if NRC requirements are met. The current operating licenses for VEGP will expire in 2027 and 2029. SNC submitted its application for renewal of the VEGP operating licenses in a letter dated June 27, 2007.The NRC is gathering information for a VEGP site-specific supplement to its "GenericEnvironmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants" (GEIS),

NUREG-1437. The supplement will contain the results of the review of the environmental impacts on the area surrounding the VEGP site related to terrestrial ecology, aquatic ecology, hydrology, cultural resources, and socioeconomic issues (among others) and will contain a recommendation regarding the environmental acceptability of the license renewal action. Provided for your information is the VEGP Site Layout (Enclosure 1) and Transmission LineMap (Enclosure 2).

G. Blue-2-To accommodate interested members of the public, the NRC will hold two public scopingmeetings for the VEGP license renewal supplement to the GEIS on September 27, 2007, at theAugusta Technical College Waynesboro Campus, located at 216 Highway 24 South, Waynesboro, GA. There will be two sessions to accommodate interested parties. The first session will convene at 1:30 p.m. and will continue until 4:30 p.m., as necessary. The second session will convene at 7:00 p.m., with a repeat of the overview portions of the first meeting, and will continue until 10:00 p.m., as necessary. Additionally, the NRC staff will host informal discussions one hour before the start of each session. The license renewal application (LRA) and the GEIS are publicly available at the NRC PublicDocument Room (PDR), located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852, or from the NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS). The ADAMS Public Electronic Reading Room is accessible athttp://adamswebsearch.nrc.gov/dologin.htm

. The Accession Number for the LRA isML071840360, and ML071840357 for the Environmental Report. Persons who do not haveaccess to ADAMS, or who encounter problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, should contact the NRC's PDR Reference staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, or by e-mail at pdr@nrc.gov

.The VEGP LRA is also available on the Internet atwww.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/applications/vogtle.html. In addition, theBurke County Library, located at 130 Highway 24 South, Waynesboro, GA, has agreed to make the LRA available for public inspection.The GEIS, which documents the NRC's assessment of the scope and impact of environmentaleffects that would be associated with license renewal at any nuclear power plant site, can alsobe found at the Burke County Library, on the NRC's website, and at the NRC's PDR.Please submit any comments that the Catawba Indian Nation may have to offer on the scope ofthe environmental review by October 24, 2007. Written comments should be submitted by mailto the Chief, Rules and Directives Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Mail Stop T-6D59, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. Electronic comments may be submitted to the NRC by e-mail at Vogtle_LR_EIS@nrc.gov. At theconclusion of the scoping process, the NRC staff will prepare a summary of the significant issues identified and the conclusions reached, and mail a copy to you.

G. Blue-3-The staff expects to publish the draft supplement to the GEIS in May 2008. The NRC will holdanother set of public meetings in the site vicinity to solicit comments on the draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS). A copy of the draft SEIS will be sent to you for your review and comment. After consideration of public comments received on the draft, the NRC will prepare a final SEIS. The issuance of a final SEIS for VEGP is planned for January 2009. If you need additional information regarding the environmental review process, please contact JP Leous, Environmental Project Manager, at 301-415-2864 or at jpl1@nrc.gov

.Sincerely,/RA Jennifer Davis for/Rani L. Franovich, Branch ChiefEnvironmental Branch BDivision of License RenewalOffice of Nuclear Reactor RegulationDocket Nos. 50-424 and 50-425

Enclosures:

1. Site Layout 2. Transmission Line Map cc w/encls: See next page

ML072070691 Document Name: C:\FileNet\ML072070691.wpdOFFICELA:DLRPM:DLR:REBBPM:DLR:REBBBC:DLR:REBBNAMESFigueroaJPLeousSHernandezJDavis forRFranovichDATE08/10/0708/31/07 08/31/0708/31/07 Letter to G. Blue from R. Franovich, dated August 31, 2007

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR COMMENTS CONCERNING THE VOGTLE ELECTRICGENERATING PLANT UNITS, 1 AND 2 LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION REVIEWDISTRIBUTION

Email P.T. Kuo (RidsNrrDlr)

R. Franovich (RidsNrrDlrRebb)

E. Benner (RidsNrrDlrReba)Bobbie.hurley@earthtech.comJ. Leous C. Jacobs D. AshleyB. SingalB. AndersonG. McCoyS. Shaeffer V. Lickus W. Maier R. Hannah J. Schlueter RidsOpaMail Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2 cc:Mr. Tom E. Tynan Vice President - Vogtle Vogtle Electric Generating Plant 7821 River Road Waynesboro, GA 30830Mr. N. J. StringfellowManager, Licensing Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

P.O. Box 1295 Birmingham, AL 35201-1295Mr. Jeffrey T. GasserExecutive Vice President Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.

P.O. Box 1295 Birmingham, AL 35201-1295Mr. Steven M. JacksonSenior Engineer - Power Supply Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia 1470 Riveredge Parkway, NW Atlanta, GA 30328-4684Mr. Reece McAlisterExecutive Secretary Georgia Public Service Commission 244 Washington Street, SW Atlanta, GA 30334Mr. Harold Reheis, DirectorDepartment of Natural Resources 205 Butler Street, SE, Suite 1252 Atlanta, GA 30334Attorney GeneralLaw Department 132 Judicial Building Atlanta, GA 30334Mr. Laurence BergenOglethorpe Power Corporation 2100 East Exchange Place P.O. Box 1349 Tucker, GA 30085-1349Arthur H. Domby, EsquireTroutman Sanders Nations Bank Plaza 600 Peachtree Street, NE Suite 5200 Atlanta, GA 30308-2216Resident InspectorVogtle Plant 8805 River Road Waynesboro, GA 30830Office of the County CommissionerBurke County Commission Waynesboro, GA 30830Ms. Julie KeysNuclear Energy Institute 1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20006-3708