ML111260473
| ML111260473 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Seabrook  |
| Issue date: | 05/06/2011 |
| From: | Gunter P Beyond Nuclear |
| To: | NRC/OCM |
| SECY RAS | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML111260472 | List: |
| References | |
| RAS 20156, 50-443-LR, ASLBP 10-906-02-LR-BD01 | |
| Download: ML111260473 (12) | |
Text
May 6-9, 2011 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION BEFORE THE COMMISSION In the Matter of
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Amerenue ) Docket No. 52-037-COL (Callaway Plant Unit 2) )
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AP1000 Design Certification Amendment ) NRC-2010-0131 10 CFR Part 52 ) RIN 3150-A18
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Calvert Cliffs 3 Nuclear Project, L.L.C. ) Docket No. 52-016-COL (Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 3) )
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Detroit Edison Co. ) Docket No. 52-033-COL (Fermi Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 3) )
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Duke Energy Carolinas, L.L.C. ) Docket Nos.52-018 (William States Lee III Nuclear Station, ) and 52-019 Units 1 and 2) )
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Energy Northwest ) Docket No. 50-397-LR (Columbia Generating Station) )
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Entergy Nuclear Generation Co. ) Docket No. 50-293-LR And Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. )
(Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station) )
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Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. ) Docket Nos. 50-247-LR (Indian Point Nuclear Generating ) and 50-286-LR Station, Units 2 and 3) )
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ESBWR Design Certification Amendment ) NRC-2010-0135 10 CFR Part 52 ) RIN-3150-AI85
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FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Co. ) Docket No. 50-346-LR (Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, )
Unit 1) )
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Florida Power & Light Co. ) Docket Nos. 52-040-COL (Turkey Point Units 6 and 7) ) and 52-041-COL
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Luminant Generation, Co., L.L.C. ) Docket Nos. 52-034-COL (Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant, ) and 52-035-COL Units 3 and 4) )
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Nextera Energy Seabrook, L.L.C. ) Docket No. 50-443-LR (Seabrook Station, Unit 1) )
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Pacific Gas and Electric Co. ) Docket Nos. 50-275-LR (Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, ) and 50-323-LR Units 1 and 2) )
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PPL Bell Bend, L.L.C. ) Docket No. 52-039-COL (Bell Bend Nuclear Power Plant) )
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Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc. ) Docket Nos. 52-022-COL (Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant, ) and 52-023-COL Units 2 and 3) )
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Progress Energy Florida, Inc. ) Docket Nos. 52-029-COL (Levy County Nuclear Power Plant, ) and 52-030-COL Units 1 and 2) )
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South Carolina Electric and Gas Co. ) Docket Nos. 52-027-COL And South Carolina Public Service Authority ) and 52-028-COL (Also Referred to as Santee Cooper) )
(Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2) )
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Southern Nuclear Operating Co. ) Docket Nos. 52-025-COL (Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, ) and 52-026-COL Units 3 and 4) )
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South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Co. ) Docket Nos. 52-012-COL (South Texas Project, ) and 52-013-COL Units 3 and 4) )
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Tennessee Valley Authority ) Docket Nos. 50-438-CP (Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant, ) and 50-439-CP Units 1 and 2) )
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Tennessee Valley Authority ) Docket Nos. 52-014-COL (Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant, ) and 52-015-COL Units 3 and 4) )
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Tennessee Valley Authority ) Docket No. 50-0391-OL (Watts Bar Unit 2) )
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Virginia Electric and Power Co. )
d/b/a/ Dominion Virginia Power and ) Docket No. 52-017-COL Old Dominion Electric Cooperative )
(North Anna Unit 3) )
PETITIONERS MOTION FOR MODIFICATION OF THE COMMISSIONS APRIL 19, 2011, ORDER TO PERMIT A CONSOLIDATED REPLY I. INTRODUCTION Petitioners respectfully request the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) to modify its April 19, 2011, Order setting forth a schedule for further briefing on Petitioners Emergency Petition to Suspend All Pending Reactor Licensing Decisions and Related Rulemaking Decisions Pending Investigation of Lessons Learned From Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (April 14-18, 2011, corrected April 18, 2011) (Emergency Petition), for the purpose of allowing Petitioners to file a single consolidated reply to the twenty responses that have been filed in opposition to the Emergency Petition. As discussed below, satisfy the NRCs standard for allowing a reply because this case involves compelling circumstances. 10 C.F.R. § 2.323(c).
I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND Between April 14, 2011, and April 18, 2011, Petitioners submitted to the Commission an Emergency Petition requesting that the Commission exercise its supervisory jurisdiction to suspend all pending decisions regarding the issuance of construction permits, new reactor licenses, combined construction permit and operating licenses, early site permits, license renewals, and standardized design certification rulemakings for nuclear reactors, to suspend licensing decisions on those applications while it evaluated new and significant information regarding the safety and
environmental implications of the ongoing catastrophic radiological accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Units 1-6 (Fukushima), in Okuma, Japan.
On April 19, 2011, Petitioners submitted an amended and corrected version of the Emergency Petition, along with a supporting declaration by Dr. Arjun Makhijani.
On April 19, 2011, the Commission issued an Order acknowledging its receipt of both the original and corrected petitions and set a deadline of May 2, 2011, for responses and amicus briefs. The Order did not provide for a reply.
Approximately twenty separate responses have been filed in opposition to the Emergency Petition, including briefs from the NRC Staff, the Nuclear Energy Institute, and license applicants in nineteen separate proceedings.1 1
In addition to the NRC Staff and NEI, the following new reactor license applicants and license renewal applicants submitted Responses in opposition to the Emergency Petition:
Calvert Cliffs 2 Nuclear Project, L.L.C. and Unistar Nuclear Operating Services, L.L.C.
(Docket No.52-016); the Detroit Edison Co. (Docket No.52-033); Duke Energy Carolinas, L.L.C. (Docket Nos.52-018 and 52-019); Energy Northwest (Docket No. 50-397); Entergy Nuclear Generation co. and Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (Docket No.
50-203); Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (Docket Nos. 50-247 and 50-286); FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Co. (Docket No. 50-346); Florida Power & Light Co. (Docket Nos.52-040 and 52-041); Luminant Generation Co. (Docket Nos.52-034 and 52-035);
NextEra Energy Seabrook, L.L.C. (Docket No. 50-443); Nuclear Innovation North America L.L.C. (Docket Nos.52-012 and 52-013); Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (Docket Nos. 50-275 and 50-323); PPL Bell Bend, L.L.C. (Docket No.52-039); Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc. (Docket Nos.52-022 and 52-023); Progress Energy Florida, Inc. (Docket Nos.52-029 and 52-030); South Carolina Electric and Gas Co. and South Carolina Public Service Authority (a.k.a. Santee Cooper) (Docket Nos.52-027 and 52-028); Southern Nuclear Operating Co. (Docket Nos.52-025 and 52-026); Tennessee Valley Authority (Docket Nos. 50-391,52-014 and 52-015); and Dominion Virgina Power, et al. (Docket No.52-017).
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Docket No. 50-293) also filed a Response in support of Petitioners.
III. DISCUSSION Petitioners respectfully submit that there are two important respects in which this case presents compelling circumstances warranting the granting of leave to reply to the Responses filed in opposition to their Emergency Petition under 10 C.F.R. § 2.323(c).
First, the occurrence of the Fukushima accident, as the first severe radiological accident involving reactors and spent fuel pools with designs used in the U.S., raises unprecedented technical and legal issues for which there is very little precedent in NRC jurisprudence. The accident also raises unprecedented safety and environmental concerns for members of the public who are neighbors of proposed or existing reactors, and who seek to exercise their rights under the Atomic Energy Act (AEA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to ensure that the lessons of the Fukushima accident are adequately considered in all prospective licensing decisions. It is therefore appropriate to allow a thorough debate regarding the regulatory significance of the Fukushima accident under the AEA and NEPA and what procedural measures must be imposed to protect the publics right to participate in a meaningful way in the consideration of Fukushima-related issues licensing decisions.
Second, Petitioners could not have anticipated that many of the Responses would mischaracterize the nature of their Emergency Petition or misinterpret the governing law.
For example, virtually all of the Responses mischaracterize Petitioners Emergency Petition to suspend licensing decisions as a motion to suspend licensing proceedings.
They then rely on that mischaracterization to contend that the Petition is subject to a host of procedural regulations which are simply irrelevant, and with which Petitioners did not
comply. Because the Commissions acceptance of their mischaracterization would result in the dismissal of the Petition, the Commission should consider their Reply.
Petitioners also could not have anticipated the numerous technical arguments that the Responses have made in challenging the validity of Dr. Makhijanis supporting declaration regarding the new and significant information demonstrated by the Fukushima accident, or that the Responses would fail to provide expert support for their technical arguments.
Finally, the Petitioners could not have anticipated the numerous ways in which the opponents misinterpret NEPAs requirement for consideration of new and significant information in NRC licensing decisions. They ascribe to the NRC a level of discretion that simply does not exist in the statute. They also fail to recognize that to the limited extent that NEPA does give agencies discretion to avoid public participation on some issues, the AEA nevertheless requires the NRC to allow the public to participate. Given that to date, the Commission has provided no guidance regarding how it will apply NEPA to the lessons of the Fukushima accident, Petitioners believe it is extremely important to have a thorough discussion of NEPA that provides for their reply.
Pursuant to 10 C.F.R. 2.323, the undersigned have conferred with other parties to this proceeding. All parties consulted stated that they would oppose this motion, except for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Separate certificates of counsel are being submitted in each separate proceeding.
IV. CONCLUSION For the foregoing reasons, Petitioners Motion should be granted.
Signed (electronically) by:
Diane Curran Harmon, Curran, Spielberg & Eisenberg, L.L.P.
1726 M Street N.W. Suite 600 Washington, D.C. 20036 202-328-3500 Fax: 202-328-6918 E-mail: dcurran@harmoncurran.com Counsel to San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace in Diablo Canyon License Renewal Proceeding Counsel to Southern Alliance for Clean Energy in Watts Bar Unit 2 Operating License Proceeding Signed (electronically) by:
Nina Bell Northwest Environmental Advocates P.O. Box 12187 Portland, OR 97212-0187 503-295-0490 E-mail: nbell@advocates-nwea.org Duly authorized representative of Northwest Environmental Advocates in Columbia Generating Station license renewal proceeding Signed (electronically) by:
Sara Barczak Southern Alliance for Clean Energy 428 Bull Street Savannah, GA 31401 912-201-0354 E-mail: sara@cleanenergy.org Duly authorized representative of Southern Alliance for Clean Energy in Bellefonte Units 3 and 4 COL proceeding Signed (electronically) by:
Cara L. Campbell Ecology Party of Florida 641 SW 6 Avenue E-mail: levynuke@ecologyparty.org Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315 Duly authorized representative of Ecology Party of Florida Signed (electronically) by:
Tom Clements Friends of the Earth 1112 Florence Street Columbia, SC 29201
803-834-3084 E-mail: tomclements329@cs.com Duly authorized representative of Friends of the Earth and South Carolina Chapter of Sierra Club in COL proceeding for V.C. Summer Signed (electronically) by:
Robert V. Eye, KS Sup. Ct. No. 10689 Kauffman & Eye 112 SW 6th Ave., Suite 202 Topeka, KS 66603 785-234-4040 E-mail: bob@kauffmaneye.com Counsel for Public Citizen and SEED Coalition in Comanche Peak COL proceeding and South Texas COL proceeding Signed (electronically) by:
William C. Garner Nabors, Giblin & Nickerson, P.A.
1500 Mahan Drive Suite 200 Tallahassee, FL 32308 850-224-4070 Fax: 850-224-4073 E-mail: bgarner@nglaw.com Counsel to Village of Pinecrest, Florida in Turkey Point COL proceeding Signed (electronically) by:
Mindy Goldstein Turner Environmental Law Clinic 1301 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA 30322 404-727-3432 Fax: 404-7272-7853 Email: magolds@emory.edu Counsel to Center for a Sustainable Coast, Georgia Womens Action for New Directions, Savannah Riverkeeper, and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy in Vogtle Units 3 and 4 COL proceeding.
Counsel to Dan Kipnis, Mark Oncavage, National Parks Conservation Association, and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy in Turkey Point Units 6 and 7 COL proceeding.
Signed (electronically) by:
Manna Jo Greene, Environmental Director Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc.
724 Wolcott Ave Beacon, NY 12508 845-265-8080 (ext. 7113)
Duly authorized representative for Hudson River Sloop Clearwater in Indian Point license renewal proceeding Signed (electronically) by:
Paul Gunter Beyond Nuclear 6930 Carroll Ave., Suite 400 Takoma Park, MD 20912 202-546-4996 E-mail: paul@beyondnuclear.org Duly authorized representative of Beyond Nuclear in Calvert Cliffs COL proceeding, Davis-Besse license renewal proceeding, and Seabrook license renewal proceeding Signed (electronically) by:
Kevin Kamps Beyond Nuclear 6930 Carroll Ave., Suite 400 Takoma Park, MD 20912 202-546-4996 E-mail: paul@beyondnuclear.org Duly authorized representative of Beyond Nuclear in Davis-Besse license renewal proceeding Signed (electronically) by:
Mary Lampert Pilgrim Watch 148 Washington Street Duxbury, MA 02332 Duly authorized representative of Pilgrim Watch in Pilgrim License Renewal Proceeding Signed (electronically) by:
Terry J. Lodge 316 North Michigan St., Suite 520 Toledo, OH 43604-5627 419-255-7552 E-mail: tjlodge50@yahoo.com Attorney for Citizens Environment Alliance of Southwestern Ontario, Dont Waste Michigan, and the Green Party of Ohio in Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 license renewal proceeding.
Counsel to Keith Gunter, Michael J. Keegan, Edward McArdle, Leonard Mandeville, Frank Mantei, Marcee Meyers, Henry Newnan, Sierra Club (Michigan Chapter),George Steinman, Shirley Steinman, Harold L. Stokes, and Marilyn R. Timmer in the Fermi COL proceeding.
Signed (electronically) by:
Michael Mariotte, Executive Director Nuclear Information and Resource Service 6930 Carroll Ave., Suite 340 Takoma Park, MD 20912 301-270-6477 E-mail: nirsnet@nirs.org Duly authorized representative of NIRS in Calvert Cliffs COL proceeding Signed (electronically) by:
Mary Olson NIRS Southeast P.O. Box 7586 Asheville, NC 28802 828-252-8409 E-mail: maryo@nirs.org Duly authorized representative of Nuclear Information and Resource Service in Levy COL proceeding Signed (electronically) by:
Henry B. Robertson Great Rivers Environmental Law Center 705 Olive Street, Suite 614 St. Louis, MO 63101-2208 314-231-4181 E-mail: hrobertson@greatriverslaw.org Counsel to Missouri Coalition for the Environment and Missourians for Safe Energy in Callaway COL proceeding Signed (electronically) by:
John D. Runkle P.O. Box 3793 Chapel Hill, NC 27515-3793 919-942-0600 E-mail: junkle@pricecreek.com Counsel to NC Waste Awareness and Reduction Network in Shearon Harris 2 and 3 COL proceeding Counsel to AP1000 Oversight Group in AP1000 Rulemaking Proceeding Counsel to Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League fin Vogtle 3 and 4 COL proceeding Counsel to Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League and Peoples Alliance for Clean Energy in North Anna 3 COL proceeding
Signed (electronically) by:
Raymond Shadis Friends of the Coast/New England Coalition Post Office Box 98 Edgecomb, Maine 04556 207-882-7801 E-mail: shadis@prexar.com Duly authorized representative of Friends of the Coast and New England Coalition in Seabrook license renewal proceeding Signed (electronically) by:
Gene Stilp 1550 Fishing Creek Valley Road Harrisburg, PA 17112 717-829-5600 E-mail: genestilp@comcast.net Pro se petitioner in Bell Bend COL proceeding Signed (electronically) by:
Jason Totoiu Everglades Law Center P.O. Box 2693 Winter Haven, FL 33883 561-568-6740 E-mail: Jason@evergladeslaw.org Counsel to Dan Kipnis, Mark Oncavage, National Parks Conservation Association, and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy in Turkey Point Units 6 and 7 COL proceeding.
Signed (electronically) by:
Barry White Citizens Allied for Safe Energy 1001 SW 129 Terr.
Miami, FL 33176 305-251-1960 E-mail: btwamia@bellsouth.net Duly authorized representative of Citizens Allied for Safe Energy in Turkey Point COL proceeding
Signed (electronically) by:
Louis A. Zeller Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League P.O. Box 88 Glendale Springs, NC 28629 336-982-2691 E-mail: BREDL@skybest.com Duly authorized representative of Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League and Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team in COL Proceeding for Bellefonte Units 3 and 4.
Duly authorized representative of Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League and Peoples Alliance for Clean Energy in North Anna COL proceeding Duly authorized representative of Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League in W.S. Lee COL proceeding May 6-9, 2011