ML14171A427

Notice of Intent Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Conduct Scoping Process for License Renewal of Fermi 2

ML14171A427
Person / Time
Site:	Fermi
Issue date:	07/03/2014
From:	Brian Wittick License Renewal Projects Branch 2
To:	Mason R State of MI, Dept of Natural Resources
Perkins L, 415-2375
References
Download: ML14171A427 (6)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 July 3, 2014 Mr. Russ Mason, Chief Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division P.O. Box 30028 Lansing, MI 48909

SUBJECT:

NOTICE OF INTENT TO PREPARE AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND CONDUCT SCOPING PROCESS FOR LICENSE RENEWAL OF FERMI 2

Dear Mr. Mason:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff) is reviewing an application submitted by DTE Electric Company (DTE or the applicant), for the renewal of the operating license for Fermi 2. The application for renewal was submitted in a letter dated April 24, 2014, pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 54. If approved, the NRCs issuance of the renewed license would authorize DTE to operate Fermi 2 for an additional 20 years beyond the current licensing period, which expires on March 20, 2025.

The NRC has established that, as part of the staff's review of any nuclear power plant license renewal application (LRA), a site-specific Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to its Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, NUREG-1437, will be prepared under 10 CFR Part 51, the NRC's regulation that implements the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended. The SEIS documents the staffs independent analysis of pertinent environmental issues, including endangered or threatened species and impacts to fish and wildlife.

Fermi 2 is located in Frenchtown Township, Monroe County, Michigan , approximately 30 miles (mi) (48 kilometers [km]) southwest of Detroit, Michigan, and 7 mi (11 km) from the United States-Canada border. Lake Erie borders the Fermi site to the east. The Fermi site consists primarily of developed, woodlands, water, and wetland areas. The land surrounding the site is mostly rural. The Fermi 2 site also encompasses 646 acres (261 hectares) of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.

R.Mason Fermi 2 is a single unit boiling water reactor plant. The principle structures on the site include the reactor building, turbine building, auxiliary building, radwaste building, 120-kV and 345-kV switchyards, residual heat removal complex, two natural draft hyperbolic cooling towers, general service water pump house, circulating water pump house, circulating water reservoir, meteorological tower, auxiliary boiler house, training center, and independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) pad. In-scope transmission lines associated with the Fermi 2 license renewal are located within the property boundary.

The facility's cooling system includes two natural draft hyperbolic cooling towers, which are part of the residual heat removal complex that serves as the ultimate heat sink for the reactor. Lake Erie supplies makeup water to replace cooling tower evaporation. Cooling tower blow down water is continuously discharged to Lake Erie from the Fermi 2 cooling water reservoir to control the reservoir water level and the total dissolved solids concentration. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment regulates station withdrawals from and discharges to Lake Erie under National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit No.

MI0037028.

Enclosed are figures of the Fermi site and surrounding six-mile vicinity (Figure 1) and the site layout (Figure 2). For a more detailed description of the Fermi 2 site, see Chapters 2 and 3 of DTE's Environmental Report (ER), which is available on the NRC's website at

<http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/applications/fermi.html>.

To support the SEIS preparation process, you and your staff are invited to participate in the environmental scoping process. As discussed in the enclosed Federal Register notice, the staff is providing the public with the opportunity to participate in two environmental scoping meetings to be held on July 24, 2014. The meetings will be held at the Monroe County Community College, La-Z-Boy Center, Meyer Theater, 1555 South Raisinville Road, Monroe, Michigan 48161. The first session will be held in the afternoon, and the second session, covering the same subjects, will be held in the evening. The afternoon session will be from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and the evening session will be from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. In addition, the NRC plans to hold a one hour open house prior to each meeting.

The anticipated publication date for the draft SEIS is June 2015. Your office will receive a copy of the draft SEIS along with a request for comments.

R. Mason If you have any questions concerning the NRC staffs environmental review of the Fermi 2 license renewal application, please contact the NRCs environmental project manager, Ms.

Leslie Perkins, at 301-415-2375 or by e-mail at Leslie.Perkins@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Brian Wittick, Chief Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-341

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/encl: Distribution via Listserv

ML1418B175 (Package), ML14171A27(Letter),

ML14161A016 (Federal Register Notice) *concurred via email OFFICE LA:RPB1:DLR PM:RPB2:DLR BC:RPB2:DLR NAME YEdmonds LPerkins BWittick DATE 6/30/14 6/30/14 7/3/14

Figure 1. Fermi 2 Six Mile Radius Map Figure 2. Fermi 2 Site Map