ML101050376

Preliminary Site-Specific Results of the License Renewal Environmental Review for Cooper Nuclear Station

ML101050376
Person / Time
Site:	Cooper
Issue date:	04/07/2010
From:	Division of License Renewal
To:
Brady B
References
Download: ML101050376 (16)

Text

Preliminary Site-Specific Results of the License Renewal Environmental Review For Cooper Nuclear Station April 7, 2010

Meeting Overview NRC presentation (25 minutes)

Brief project background Summary of environmental review Upcoming milestones and how to submit comments outside this meeting Your comments (remaining time)

NRCs Regulatory Oversight NRC regulates civilian use of nuclear materials, including power plants C s mission:

NRCs ss o Protect public health and safety Promote common defense and security Protect the environment 3

License Renewal Process Onsite Inspections Safety Review Application Independent Review Review License Renewal Application**

submitted to NRC NRC Decision Hearings*

On Application**

Environmental Review

• If a Request for Hearing is Granted

• • Available at www.nrc.gov 4

Environmental Review Process License Renewal NRC Decision Application** on Hearings*

Submitted to NRC Application Local Public Final Meeting/

Information Supplement Comments Meeting To GEIS On Draft Issued**

Draft Meeting/

Environmental Supplement Comments Review To GEIS On Scoping Issued**

Site Environmental Audit 5

Environmental Review Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement addresses site-specific issues Generic Environmental Impact Statement addresses issues common to many or all plants Review proposed action (license renewal) and alternatives 6

Site-Specific Environmental Issues of Continued Operation Issues Impact Ground water use conflicts (potable and service SMALL water, plants using > 100 gpm)

Entrainment of fish and shellfish in early life stages SMALL Impingement of fish and shellfish Heat shock SMALL Microbiological organisms (public health, for SMALL plants using small rivers)

Electromagnetic fields (acute effects) SMALL Socioeconomics - renewal (housing, education, transportation, land use, public utilities, and SMALL historic and archaeological resources)

Threatened or endangered species SMALL

Example Common Issue:

Impact on Aquatic Resources Entrainment and impingement on fish and shellfish NRC staff review found a SMALL level of impact NPPD has taken measures to reduce impact p Heat shock Impacts of thermal discharge on fish and shellfish NRC staff visited plant, reviewed documentation of compliance with permits, and field studies on impact of cooling water system NRC staff concludes level of impact due to all aspects of CNS cooling system operation is SMALL

Cumulative Impacts Overall impacts to environment including past, present, and likely future actions Preliminary findings LARGE cumulative impacts on aquatic resources MODERATE cumulative impacts on terrestrial resources SMALL cumulative impacts in all other areas

Alternatives Alternative energy sources analyzed Supercritical coal-fired power plant Natural gas-fired combined cycle units Combination of alternatives (combined cycle gas fired unit gas-fired unit, wind power power, energy conservation)

Alternative energy sources considered but dismissed Coal and gas-fired generation at other sites, new nuclear unit, purchased power, solar power, hydroelectric power No action - NRC takes no action, CNS shutdown on or before 2014

Alternatives Preliminary findings The coal-fired alternative is the least environmentally favorable alternative due to air i quality lit andd construction t ti iimpacts t The gas-fired alternative would have slightly lower impacts due to air quality and construction All other alternatives, capable of meeting the energy needs served by CNS, have greater impacts than the proposed action of license 11 renewal

Preliminary Conclusion The environmental impacts of license renewal for Cooper Nuclear Station are not so great as to make license renewal unreasonable

Cooper Environmental Review Milestones Application Submitted September 24, 2008 Notice of Environmental January 26, 2009 Scoping Scoping Public Meeting February 25, 2009 Scoping Period Ended March 27, 2009 Scoping Summary Report April 30, 2009 Draft SEIS February 18, 2010 Draft SEIS Public Meeting April 7, 2010 Draft SEIS Comments Due May 5, 2010 Final SEIS (projected) July, 201013

Additional Information Environmental PM: Safety PM:

Bennett Brady Tam Tran (800) 368-5642, Ext. 2981 (800) 368-5642, Ext. 3617 Bennett.brady@nrc.gov Tam.tran@nrc.gov The draft SEIS can be viewed at:

Auburn Memorial Library, 1810 Courthouse Avenue, Auburn, NE 68305 Online:

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr1437/supplement41/

Submitting Comments By e-mail: CooperEIS.Resource@nrc.gov By mail: Chief, Rules, Directives and Editing Branch Division of Administrative Services M il t T Mailstop T- 6D59 U.S. NRC, Washington, DC 20555 By internet: Go to http://www.regulations.gov, search for NRC-2008-0617-0004, select Submit a Comment In person: 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland

Public Comments 16