ML15056A049
"Draft Meeting" is not in the list (Request, Draft Request, Supplement, Acceptance Review, Meeting, Withholding Request, Withholding Request Acceptance, RAI, Draft RAI, Draft Response to RAI, ...) of allowed values for the "Project stage" property.
| ML15056A049 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Byron  |
| Issue date: | 03/23/2015 |
| From: | Lois James Division of License Renewal |
| To: | |
| Lois James, 301-415-3306 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML15061A020 | List: |
| References | |
| NRC-1338, TAC MF1834, TAC MF1835 | |
| Download: ML15056A049 (36) | |
Text
Official Transcript of Proceedings NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Title:
Public Meeting RE Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Exelon Generation Company Byron Station Units 1 and 2 Afternoon Session Docket Number:
50-454 and 50-455 Location:
Byron, Illinois Date:
Tuesday, February 3, 2015 Work Order No.:
NRC-1338 Pages 1-35 NEAL R. GROSS AND CO., INC.
Court Reporters and Transcribers 1323 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005 (202) 234-4433
1 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 2
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3 Category 3 Public Meeting to Discuss the 4
Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement 5
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6 EXELON GENERATION COMPANY 7
BYRON STATION UNITS 1 AND 2 8
Regarding the Renewal of Facility Operating 9
License Nos. NPF-37 and NPF-66 for a 20-Year Period 10 Docket Nos. 50-454 and 50-455 11
+ + + + +
12 TUESDAY 13 FEBRUARY 3, 2015 14
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15 BYRON FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT 16 7993 NORTH RIVER ROAD 17 BYRON, ILLINOIS 18
+ + + + +
19 The above-entitled matter commenced 20 pursuant to notice at 2:00 p.m.
21 22 23 24 25
2 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 PRESENT:
1 CHERYL HAUSMAN, Facilitator 2
LOIS M. JAMES, NRC Environmental Project Manager 3
BRIAN WITTICK, NRC Branch Chief 4
HARRAL LOGARAS, NRC Government Liaison 5
JAMES McGHEE, Senior Resident Inspector 6
JASON DRAPER, Resident Inspector 7
VIKTORIA MITLYNG, NRC Public Affairs Officer 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
3 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 P R O C E E D I N G S 1
(2:00 p.m.)
2 MS. JAMES: Welcome to the preliminary 3
results of the license renewal review for the Byron 4
Station license renewal application. At this time, I 5
would like to introduce the facilitator for the meeting, 6
and she will kick us off. Cheryl? Cheryl Hausman will 7
be the facilitator.
8 MS. HAUSMAN: Good afternoon, everybody.
9 I would like to thank you and welcome you, and thank you 10 for participating in the public meeting to provide 11 comments for the US NRC's draft supplemental impact 12 statement for license renewal of Byron Station's Units 13 1 and 2.
14 My name is Cheryl Hausman and I'm going to 15 be your facilitator for the meeting this afternoon. My 16 role as a facilitator is to help the meeting run smoothly 17 to ensure that everybody who wishes to speak has an 18 opportunity to do so, and to try to keep us on time.
19 This is a Category 3 public meeting to 20 encourage active participation and information 21 exchange with the NRC and members of the public to obtain 22 comments for the draft environmental impact statement.
23 The NRC invites and encourages members of the public to 24 present oral and written comments on the appropriate 25
4 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 scope of issues to be considered in and the content of 1
the draft environmental impact statement.
2 Before we begin, I would like to go over a 3
few ground rules for the meeting. I would like to let 4
everybody know that the meeting is being transcribed, 5
so I ask that you keep any background noise or sidebar 6
conversations to a minimum so the transcriber can 7
produce an accurate recording of the meeting. Also, a 8
security officer is present at the meeting. The 9
security officer is standard practice and is here for 10 everybody's safety.
11 Please be respectful of others during the 12 meeting, and we will ensure that all participants who 13 have a question or want to make a comment can be heard 14 and have time to do so. Please turn off all electronic 15 devices at this time or put them on vibrate. If you need 16 to take a phone call, that is certainly understandable; 17 but I ask that you step outside into the lobby to take 18 those calls so the audience can hear the proceedings and 19 the transcriber can obtain an accurate recording.
20 The exit for the room is right over here, 21 and then there are two outside exits on both corners.
22 Restrooms are outside in the lobby to the left. And if 23 we have to evacuate for any reason, please follow the 24 directions from the security officer.
25
5 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 The agenda for the meeting includes a 1
presentation by NRC staff to present an overview of the 2
NRC's role and mission, a summary of the draft 3
environmental
- review, and upcoming milestones.
4 Following the presentation, we will take time to answer 5
questions from the audience, and then we'll open the 6
floor for questions and comments. Please keep your 7
questions and comments relative to the topic.
8 Hopefully, everybody has signed in and 9
received copies of the agenda and the presentation 10 slides and the feedback form. If you haven't signed in, 11 please do so at the registration desk in the lobby.
12 When speaking, please use a microphone. If you have a 13 question or a comment, step up to the microphone in the 14 front of the room and begin by stating your name.
15 Finally, the NRC is always looking to 16 improve our meetings and your feedback is important to 17 us. There are some postage-paid public meeting 18 feedback forms available, and you can fill one out today 19 and give it to any NRC staff member or drop it in the 20 mail.
21 Are there any questions about the logistics 22 of the meeting today?
23 (No response.)
24 MS. HAUSMAN: Okay. With that, I would 25
6 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 like to turn the meeting over to Lois James. Please 1
hold questions and comments until I begin the question 2
and answer public comment periods. Thank you.
3 MS. JAMES: The first thing I'd like to do 4
is introduce all the, or have the NRC staff who is here 5
introduce themselves so that people know who they can 6
talk to after the meeting.
7 My name is Lois James. I'm from our 8
headquarters office outside of D.C. I'm the 9
Environmental Project Manager for the environmental 10 review of the license renewal associated with the Byron 11 Station. My supervisor is Brian Wittick. Here is here 12 to answer any other questions that I can't. You've 13 already met Cheryl.
14 We have, well, why don't we let the NRC 15 people wave their hands? All the people.
16 MR. LOGARAS: I'm Harral Logaras, I'm the 17 Government Liaison from Region III office.
18 MR. McGHEE: Jim McGhee, I'm the Senior 19 Resident Inspector for the Byron Station, one of two 20 inspectors that are here. We work seven and seven days 21 a week. I'd be happy to meet anybody here and speak to 22 anybody about the Byron Station, and I'm at your 23 disposal.
24 MR. DRAPER: I'm Jason Draper, I'm the 25
7 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 Resident Inspector, I work with Jim, here at the Byron 1
Station.
2 MS. MITLYNG: And I'm Viktoria Mitlyng, 3
the Public Affairs Officer for the Region III. Any 4
questions relating to this meeting or otherwise, I'm 5
over here.
6 MS. JAMES: And I'm going to ask Vika if you 7
could slide this way just a little bit because we have 8
a conference line set up and we have at least one 9
individual on the conference line. And so, as long as 10 you speak into the microphone, the individual on the 11 phone should hear. And then we will also be taking 12 comments or questions from the individual on the phone.
13 If we could turn to slide 5? Okay. Now 14 that we have introduced ourselves, the next thing I'm 15 going to do is to thank everybody here for coming. This 16 is very important, the environmental impact statement 17 is a very important part of our license renewal process.
18 And it is very important to hear from members of the 19 public on the environmental report as is.
20 I
would like to stress that the 21 environmental review is not complete at this time.
22 What we're presenting to you is the draft environmental 23 impact statement. And comments received today 24 verbally, in writing, by the end of the comment period 25
8 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 which is February 20th, will be considered in the final 1
supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS).
2 I would like to start off the briefing by 3
going over the agenda. Cheryl has already done that.
4 The first thing I'm going to cover is the NRC's 5
regulatory role. Then I'm going to go over our 6
preliminary findings. And then I'll present the 7
schedule for the remainder of the environmental review 8
and how you can submit comments. Next slide please.
9 The NRC was established to regulate the 10 civilian use of nuclear material, including facilities 11 producing power. The NRC conducts license renewals for 12 plants whose owners wish to operate them beyond their 13 initial licensing period, which is 40 years. The 14 license renewal reviews address safety issues related 15 to aging management and environmental issues relating 16 to the operation beyond the 40 years throughout the 20 17 years of continued operation.
18 In all aspects of the NRC's regulation, our 19 mission is threefold:
20 To ensure adequate protection of public 21 health and safety; 22 Promote common defense and security; and 23 Protect the environment.
24 Protecting the environment is a key part of 25
9 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 our mission. Next slide please.
1 We are here to discuss the potential 2
site-specific impacts of the license renewal. The way 3
we do license renewal and the way NEPA allows us to do 4
it is we have what we call a generic environmental impact 5
statement or GEIS. This examines the possible 6
environmental impacts that can be applied to all 7
applications.
8 The
- GEIS, to the extent
- possible, 9
establishes and bounds the significance of these 10 potential impacts. The analysis in the GEIS pertains 11 to operating power reactors. For each type of 12 environmental impact, the GEIS establishes generic 13 findings, covering as many plants as possible. For 14 some of these environmental issues, the GEIS found that 15 a generic evaluation was not sufficient; and thus, a 16 plant-specific, site-specific environmental impact was 17 required.
18 The site-specific findings for Byron are 19 contained in the draft SEIS which was published in 20 December. Hopefully, everybody has a copy of it.
21 Outside the door, we have hard copies of it. We have 22 the PDF file on CDs. You can also get it from the NRC 23 website and the EPA website. Next slide please.
24 NEPA. NEPA tells us we have to define a 25
10 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 purpose and a need for the proposed action. The 1
proposed action is to issue a renewed license. The 2
purpose and need is to provide an option that allows for 3
power generation beyond the initial term.
4 This is important because we don't 5
determine whether the plant will operate or continue to 6
produce power, that is done by the local population, the 7
power companies, the transmission companies, all the 8
people in this area actually will make the final 9
decision. What our decision is, is to determine if the 10 environmental are great enough to deny license renewal 11 as an option for those decision makers. So, that's an 12 important part of what we do. Next slide please.
13 How the impacts are defined. The 14 NRC-defined impact levels are small, moderate, and 15 large.
16 Small: Effects are not detectable or are 17 so minor that they need to destabilize nor noticeably 18 alter any important resource attribute.
19 Moderate: Effects are sufficient to alter 20 noticeably, but not to destabilize important attributes 21 of the resource.
22 Large: Effects are clearly noticeable and 23 are sufficient to destabilize important attributes.
24 While this applies to most of the resources 25
11 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 that we look at, there are three specific that have their 1
own designation. Next slide please.
2 Special Status Species or Endangered 3
Species Act. What you'll find there is no effect, may 4
affect but not likely to adversely affect, or may affect 5
and is likely to adversely affect. Cultural and 6
Historical Resources, that will be specific to whatever 7
historical properties are in the area. And then 8
Environmental
- Justice, the determination is 9
disproportionately high or adverse impacts. Next 10 slide please.
11 Okay. The first results I'm going to give 12 you is the cumulative impact, the overall impact to the 13 environment including past, present and reasonably 14 foreseeable future actions. In this area, the 15 preliminary findings were everything was small except 16 for two areas. Terrestrial resources was small to 17 moderate, and that was based primarily due to 18 agriculture runoff in the area and residential 19 development over the term of extended operation.
20 For aquatic and for global climate change, 21 they were determined to be a moderate cumulatory impact.
22 And that aquatic was moderate due to past river 23 channelization and damming and ongoing runoff. The 24 climate change was determined to be moderate primarily 25
12 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 due to present and future global emissions of greenhouse 1
gases. Next slide please.
2 Now, here is the site-specific results for 3
Byron. As you can see, we determined at the preliminary 4
results that everything was small. Historical and 5
cultural resources, there was no adverse effect.
6 Special species status, there was no effect. And under 7
environmental justice, there was no disproportionately 8
high or adverse impacts. All of these are discussed in 9
depth in Chapter 4 of the environmental impact 10 statement. Next slide please.
11 The National Environmental Policy Act or 12 NEPA mandates that each environmental impact statement 13 consider alternatives to any proposed major federal 14 action. A major step in determining whether a license 15 renewal is reasonable or not is to compare to likely 16 impacts of other alternatives. Alternatives must 17 provide an option that allows for power generation 18 capability beyond the term of the current license to 19 meet the future needs.
20 In the draft SEIS, the staff initially 21 considered 17 different alternatives. We narrowed it 22 down to five that we considered in the SEIS. They are 23 a new nuclear facility; integrated gasification 24 combined cycle; natural gas combined cycle; a 25
13 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 combination alternative which included natural gas 1
combined-cycle, wind, and solar. The last option was 2
purchase power, to just buy power from wherever you 3
could get it. And then the last thing which we always 4
have to consider is the no alternative, no action 5
alternative which would mean for the nuclear power plant 6
would be go into decommissioning at the end of its 7
initial license. Next slide please.
8 Our preliminary conclusion is that the 9
adverse environmental impacts of the license renewal 10 for Byron Station are not great enough to deny the option 11 of license renewal for the energy decision makers.
12 Again, at this point, I would like to stress that this 13 is our preliminary finding. This public meeting to 14 address comments are to gather the comments, it's an 15 important part of our process, and comments will be 16 considered. Next slide.
17 I just wanted to acknowledge or make sure 18 everyone knew that in September of 2014, the NRC issued 19 the Continued Storage Rule. The Continued Storage Rule 20 generically addresses the environmental impacts of 21 continuing to store spent fuel onsite or after the 22 licensed life of the reactor. We address these issues 23 in NUREG-2157. The rule went final on September 19th 24 and the location of where you can find the NUREG is 25
14 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 provided on the bottom of the slide. Next slide.
1 Environmental milestones. Here, we have 2
listed everything that we have completed as well as what 3
is future. The draft SEIS public meeting is today, 4
February 3rd. The comment period ends February 20th.
5 And the current schedule is to issue the final 6
supplemental environmental impact in July of 2015.
7 Next slide please.
8 For additional information, again my name 9
is Lois James. My contact information is provided.
10 The draft SEIS can be viewed locally at the public 11 library, and you can also find it on the NRC website.
12 Next slide.
13 Submitting comments after the meeting.
14 There are three different ways you can submit comments.
15 First, you can mail them directly to the NRC. Second, 16 you can provide them in person at the NRC, and our 17 address is there. Third, you can go to the 18 regulations.gov, do a search for the docket number, and 19 you will come up with the actual PDF file of the EIS and 20 you will be permitted to submit comments there.
21 Comments are due February 20th.
22 This concludes my presentation. I would 23 like to turn the meeting over to Cheryl to conduct the 24 question and answer session.
25
15 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 MS. HAUSMAN: Thank you, Lois. Before we 1
begin the public comment period, NRC would like to 2
provide an opportunity to answer questions or provide 3
clarifications on the presentation you have just heard.
4 So, let's take a few minutes, and for a brief Q&A period, 5
this is the part of the meeting where you have an 6
opportunity to ask questions on the material which has 7
just been presented.
8 If you have a question, please step up to 9
the microphone, introduce yourself by name, and mention 10 any organization affiliation if you would like. Please 11 keep your questions brief and relevant to the topic 12 which is the slides that you've just seen so that we can 13 get as many of them as possible. This portion of the 14 meeting is regarding the presentation. Following this 15 Q&A session, we will begin the public comment portion 16 of the meeting.
17 I would like to first go to the phone lines 18 and then to the audience in the room. Are there any 19 questions or comments from participants on the bridge 20 line?
21 PHONE OPERATOR: If anyone on the phone 22 line would like to ask a question or make a comment, 23 please dial one. Again, if you would like to ask a 24 question or make a comment, please dial one.
25
16 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 Currently, I'm showing no questions from the phone line.
1 MS. HAUSMAN: Thank you. Does anybody in 2
the audience have a question or comment about the slide 3
presentation? Please step into the microphone.
4 MR. BLOBAUM: This sort of relates to slide 5
6 MS. HAUSMAN: Please step into the 7
microphone.
8 MR. BLOBAUM: I'm sorry.
9 MS. HAUSMAN: That's all right. And state 10 your name please.
11 MR. BLOBAUM: This relates to storage, 12 this relates to storage. I would like to know if any 13 of the spent fuel rods or waste are in dry cask storage.
14 If so, how much?
15 MS. HAUSMAN: And your name, sir?
16 MR. BLOBAUM: Darrell Blobaum.
17 MS. JAMES: I would ask that specific 18 question but I'm not going to address that right here 19 because I don't know that information, specific 20 information off the top of my head. After the meeting, 21 we will have the resident inspectors available outside 22 the meeting. And then if you want more specifics in 23 that, I can promise to catch up with you after the 24 meeting, I mean via e-mail, via a letter or via 25
17 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 tele-conference. Okay?
1 MS. HAUSMAN: Are there any other 2
questions about the slide presentation? Please state 3
your name, sir.
4 MR. CAMPBELL: Stanley Campbell with 5
Sinnissippi Alliance and from Rockford, Illinois. I 6
was wondering if the NRC reviewed the activities at the 7
Byron Nuclear Power Plant as far as problems that came 8
up through its operating systems over the years, the 9
number of times they might have been dinged by the NRC 10 or actions that they may have been forced to take to make 11 any corrections?
12 MS. JAMES: The environmental impact 13 looked at what happened to the environment and actually 14 went way before the site was even built. So, in general 15 terms, I would say we did. Safety issues will be 16 addressed in the safety evaluation report, not 17 specifically in the environmental impact statement, and 18 that's another document that will be coming out later 19 this year.
20 MS. HAUSMAN: Thank you. We will now move 21 into the public comment period. This is the part of the 22 meeting where you have an opportunity to give your 23 comments or ask questions on the scope and content of 24 the draft environmental review.
25
18 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 There are a number of things we can do to 1
ensure this part of the meeting runs as smoothly as 2
possible. First, as I mentioned earlier, the meeting 3
is being transcribed, so please keep the background 4
noise to a minimum so that we can provide an accurate 5
transcript. For those making comments, please begin by 6
identifying yourself with your name, and if you would 7
like to mention any organization affiliation, please do 8
that as well.
9 In addition, if you could be as succinct as 10 possible, we should be able to get everyone's comments 11 and conclude the meeting in a timely manner. If you 12 wish to make a comment outside the scope of this meeting, 13 the NRC staff will be available for approximately 30 14 minutes following the meeting to answer specific 15 questions.
16 First, I will call to the microphone the 17 individuals who have filled out a yellow comment card 18 and then open it up to the general audience. Mr. Mitch 19 Farmer?
20 MR. FARMER: I'd like to start by saying I 21 didn't want to go first. Well, this is my, I just want 22 to say this is my first environmental impact meeting.
23 And I live in Geneva, I'm a nuclear engineer at Argonne 24 National Lab, and I've worked the last 27 years in the 25
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(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 area of light-water reactor safety which is one element 1
of this but I think it's predominantly addressing the 2
environmental impact.
3 My personal opinion is, and I'm speaking 4
personally now, is that this plant runs safely. And I 5
really have worked heavily with the industry over the 6
years and I can tell you there is a real commitment to 7
safety and a continuing evolution of safe operation of 8
these plans. And I'm saying this as a citizen, not as 9
an engineer. I have lived in this state for many years 10 and I feel perfectly comfortable living here.
11 And then with respect to the environmental 12 impacts, I think that the impacts are actually positive 13 of the operation of this plant. CO2, you know, if 14 anybody who is I guess bucking horns with the concept 15 of global warming, you don't have to really question it 16 anymore, I think it's a real issue. And I believe that 17 plants like this are greatly reducing the amount of CO2 18 gas emissions in the country. And therefore, on the 19 environmental side of the story, I think this is a very 20 positive viewpoint. So, that's what I wanted to say.
21 MS. HAUSMAN: Thank you. Ms. Deanna 22 Mershon.
23 MS. MERSHON: Thank you. Deanna Mershon, 24 Executive Director of the Byron Area Chamber of 25
20 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 Commerce. The Byron Chamber of Commerce fully supports 1
the license renewal for the Byron Station. We also 2
respect the importance of this license renewal to our 3
community in general. The economic activity and jobs 4
that the Byron Station creates in our community is 5
critical. It is very important that our residents 6
understand the importance of this renewal process and 7
fully support the benefits nuclear power brings to our 8
Byron community. Thank you.
9 MS. HAUSMAN: Thank you. Mr. Doug 10 O'Brien?
11 MR. O'BRIEN: Good afternoon. I'm Doug 12 O'Brien with the Illinois Clean Energy Coalition. I 13 wanted to echo what Mr. Farmer had said a few moments 14 ago. One of the most vital issues that is involved in 15 the renewal of operating licenses for these plants is 16 whether or not we are truly going to pursue meaning 17 reductions in carbon emissions that negatively impact 18 public health, our economy, and global climate.
19 Nuclear power provides over 90 percent of 20 the carbon-free electricity generation in the state of 21 Illinois. It's a simple fact that we as a state cannot 22 hope to meet the pending federal EPA emission reduction 23 targets without continued operation of our nuclear 24 fleet. The closing of any of these plans will force us 25
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(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 to rely on alternative sources, particularly fossil 1
fuels, that will increase the generation of carbon 2
pollution.
3 Last year, the Illinois Clean Energy 4
Coalition studied the state's carbon emissions from 5
electricity and found that nuclear energy prevents the 6
emissions of over 90 million tons of CO2 each year.
7 That is the equivalent of the carbon pollution from 8
every passenger car in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and 9
Wisconsin. And while other carbon sources like wind 10 and solar are desirable and promising, the simple fact 11 is that they are nowhere near capable of replacing the 12 amount of electricity generated by nuclear.
13 The recent multi-agency report produced by 14 the state of Illinois about the risk of losing nuclear 15 generation stated that the social costs of replacing 16 nuclear generation with fossil fuel generation could be 17 as high as $18 billion over the next decade. This is 18 in the form of added public health costs and other 19 expenditures resulting from increased pollution. That 20 report also stated that the state's economy would lose 21 billions in economic activity.
22 In closing, the Illinois Clean Energy 23 Coalition strongly encourages the renewal of the 24 operating license for Byron Station. It is a key 25
22 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 component in our role as the leading generator of 1
carbon-free energy, and vital to our progress towards 2
a cleaner environment, sound public health, and a better 3
quality of life. Thank you.
4 MS. HAUSMAN: Thank you. Mr. Steve 5
Herdklotz.
6 MR. HERDKLOTZ: Hi, my name is Steve 7
Herdklotz. I'm with Hoo Haven Wildlife. We would like 8
to take a few minutes to comment on the Exelon Nuclear 9
facility here in Byron.
10 It's a testimony of how the company is good 11 to the community and how it helps their endeavor to be 12 a good steward of Mother Earth into the community.
13 Byron has shown how it has helped the community and the 14 surrounding area with this willingness to give back.
15 They have helped financially and supportively with the 16 wildlife rehabilitation of the animals. They have been 17 very, very conscious of the environmental impact to the 18 migratory birds and to the other animals to which they 19 have to be around. They have helped with the 20 environment as far as waterways and stuff like that, as 21 far as keeping them clean and everything. Exelon has 22 been very good to the community in its willingness to 23 go the extra mile to education with schools and 24 community groups and everything to show how safe and how 25
23 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 much the nuclear power is creating the power generation 1
and how it's helped the community.
2 Hoo Haven with its environmental program 3
tied with Exelon have helped together and worked 4
together to show they have given back and how much care 5
they have given to the environment and to the wildlife 6
and the economic impact to the community. They also are 7
a very big factor in the tax base to the government 8
agencies and stuff like that. And they help as far as 9
being able to outreach the other communities and 10 facilities and help them in their endeavors to grow and 11 keep everything safe in the environment.
12 We support the Byron facility and think 13 they have done a tremendous job. They are great with 14 the no carbon emissions or very, very low carbon 15 emissions in the electrical power industry. And I 16 think they have done a great job. We support them very 17 much.
18 MS. HAUSMAN: Thank you. Mr. Mark 19 Nearkorn?
20 MR. NEARKORN: My name is Mark Nearkorn.
21 I am the current president of Rockriversweep.org.
22 Rockriversweep.org is a
- 501C3, not-for-profit 23 organization dedicated to preserving the health and the 24 ecosystem of the Rock River. We represent over 500 25
24 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 volunteers in 34 communities along the 284 miles of the 1
Rock River in a one-day yearly cleanup effort.
2 The Byron Generating Station of Exelon has 3
supported this effort with its generous support that was 4
instrumental of the funding of Rockriversweep.org as 5
well as the employee volunteers of the Byron Station 6
that contribute every year to the local cleanup efforts 7
here in Byron and in Oregon. With their help, we are 8
making a positive impact every year to the river 9
cleanliness. Thank you.
10 MS. HAUSMAN: Thank you. Mr. Ken 11 Harrison?
12 MR. HARRISON: Good afternoon. My name is 13 Ken Harrison. I'm a senior reactor operator at the 14 Byron Nuclear Power Plant. I wanted to talk here today 15 because I am proud of the environmental stewardship of 16 our power plant, and especially the role of operators 17 in this effort. There are three key aspects that I 18 believe demonstrate the operators' critical role in 19 environmental stewardship: training, engaged thinking 20 operations, and monitoring.
21 Our training program is intensive.
22 Initial training involves classroom training as well as 23 on-the-job training. This one or two-year-long 24 program includes detailed information about the 25
25 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 specific systems and equipment and their potential 1
impact to the environment. Initial qualification 2
includes practical examinations and plant 3
demonstration of proper operation of the equipment, and 4
including specific checks to ensure proper 5
environmental stewardship.
6 Once qualified, the training continues 7
with six one-week-long sessions each year. These 8
continuing training sessions review and examine the 9
operators on systems and equipment, and include an 10 annual review of the environmental safety requirements 11 that we employ at the station. Additionally, most of 12 the operators have been trained as level 3 or 5 HAZMAT 13 responders, and a
specific number of these 14 qualifications are maintained on shift 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> a day.
15 The detailed training then translates into 16 the next key aspect of engaged thinking operations. We 17 have detailed procedures for operating the plant and 18 equipment. The operators, through training, understand 19 the details of these procedures and then tier them step 20 by step during operations. The details include 21 specific precautions, limitations, and actions so 22 support environmental safety.
23 But we're not satisfied with strict 24 compliance to the letter of the procedure. Our operators 25
26 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 are fully engaged and use all of their senses and 1
training to help events. They are engaged in the 2
operations to the point that they can identify which 3
procedures are appropriate given the current plant 4
conditions and to recommend alternatives or even stop 5
jobs if, based on their training and knowledge, there 6
are any safety concerns including environmental safety.
7 Finally, the operators, recognizing that 8
the best way to respond to an event is to prevent one, 9
monitor the plant through detailed tours of the power 10 plant. They monitor the operating condition of running 11 equipment and ensure that the standby equipment is ready 12 when necessary. Additionally, they focus their tours 13 looking for environmental safety issues. They inspect 14 vendor trucks and equipment when accepting chemical 15 deliveries. They look to ensure appropriate burns or 16 spill collection devices are in place for portable 17 equipment staged throughout the plant. And they look for 18 any signs of potential trouble.
19 While these three sound like great 20 expectations, I can assure you that I know because, as 21 a supervisor, I go into the field and I observe their 22 behaviors. And I sit on curriculum review committees 23 which determine the training program details. Proper 24 training, engaged thinking operations, and monitoring 25
27 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 will continue to be significant success markers in our 1
successful environmental stewardship. Thank you.
2 MS. HAUSMAN: Thank you. Before we 3
continue, I'd just like to check in with the 4
participants on the bridge line. Are there any 5
questions from anybody who is on the bridge line?
6 PHONE OPERATOR: At this time, we do have 7
a question from Mr. Morgan Lewis. The line is open.
8 MR. LEWIS: Thank you. I'm a member of the 9
public. I just like to point out that I did call in 10 today several times to get the bridge line and the tax 11 code and I did not see any mention of handouts on the 12 zonings. It puts me at a grave, or a disadvantage as 13 I am a member, I am not from the area, I am from 14 Pennsylvania, I wish to help with my expertise. I am 15 registered, I am a retired, registered professional 16 engineer for 50 years, and I am the only individual 17 intervenor to ever -- day intervention against a, an 18 operating nuclear power plant, namely Two Mile Island, 19 number one restart during the 1980's. Thank you, over 20 and out.
21 PHONE OPERATOR: Thank you. There are no 22 additional questions on the phone line.
23 MS. HAUSMAN: Thank you. Okay. Are 24 there anybody, is there anybody else in the audience who 25
28 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 would like to make a comment or who has a question?
1 Please step up to the microphone.
2 MR. BLOBAUM: Darrell Blobaum. I'm from 3
the Rock River Open Forum in Rock Falls. I oppose 4
re-licensing of the Byron Nuclear Power Plant. I do not 5
believe that nuclear power is viable as a clean source 6
of energy. From cradle to the grave of nuclear 7
materials, it produces carbon emissions as well as 8
dangerous radioactive emissions.
9 I believe that, at present, our renewable 10 energy alternatives are rapidly developing and that 11 nuclear power should be put on the back burner, allowed 12 to die a natural death which it seems to be doing now 13 with rising costs. I do not believe nuclear energy is 14 environmentally sound or economically sound at this 15 point. Thank you.
16 MS. HAUSMAN: Thank you.
17 MR. CAMPBELL: Stanley Campbell with 18 Sinnissippi Alliance in Rockford, Illinois. Exelon 19 has indicated at the state level that they are running 20 out of money and may have to shut down the Byron Nuclear 21 Power Plant.
22 If this is true, it might indicate that the 23 utility has to cut costs, and at a plant like Byron, this 24 could mean cutting the staff and the maintenance. Or 25
29 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 both. This could indicate that Exelon may not have the 1
funds to safely operate the reactor. So, if the NRC 2
could please check and see if Exelon has the wherewithal 3
to financially operate the plant safely, I think the 4
public would be satisfied.
5 Also, the NRC needs to ensure that 6
employees at the plant feel secure in expressing safety 7
concerns and do not experience any form of retribution 8
as has previously occurred, at least according to an 9
article published in the Japan Times in March of, I 10 believe it was 2014. Ensuring that the employees at the 11 plant are able to present their concerns and are heard 12 by the management I think gives the public at least a 13 belief that problems would be stopped, or at least would 14 be looked into. Thank you.
15 MS. HAUSMAN: Thank you. Ms. Linda Lewison?
16 MS. LEWISON: Thank you. Hello. I am 17 with Nuclear Energy Information Service. This is a 34 18 year-old watchdog on the nuclear industry in Illinois, 19 a safe energy grassroots group for the past 34 years.
20 And I am also a member of the National Core Team of the 21 Sierra Club Nuclear Free Campaign.
22 Here are our comments. Fact: Byron has 23 been slated by Exelon for possible closure due to 24 unprofitability. We might add into the record that the 25
30 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 CEO of Exelon has been given a multimillion-dollar raise 1
in the last year. One way utilities use to regain 2
profitability is to cut costs. At a plant like Byron, 3
this could mean cutting staff and cutting O&M or both.
4 Exelon's comments on unprofitability may indicate that 5
it has already engaged in actions that have degraded the 6
safety levels at the reactor site. Those are facts.
7 Our comment and our concern. NRC needs to 8
ensure that Exelon cuts neither staff nor O&M spending, 9
and that both are kept at levels to ensure the safety 10 of the public, the workers, and the plant. Also, NRC 11 needs to publicly guarantee that any workers expressing 12 safety concerns, as Stanley mentioned, publicly do not 13 experience any form of retribution as has previously 14 occurred. I'm referring to the Drew Richards study 15 that Mr. Campbell also mentioned. Can a utility 16 publicly stating it may have to close a reactor site be 17 serious about continuing the costly re-licensing 18 process and vice versa? And be serious about meeting 19 its requirements in full?
20 The second set of facts. Byron has been 21 slated by Exelon for possible closure due to 22 unprofitability. Worker layoffs and other economic 23 disruption are guaranteed when Exelon makes the 24 decision to close Byron for whatever reasons it chooses.
25
31 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 Our comments and our concerns. As part of 1
the re-licensing process, NRC needs to publicly affirm 2
that sufficient funds are available in the 3
decommissioning fund to meet the NRC requirements for 4
decommissioning, as outlined in current NRC 5
decommissioning calculation formulas. And I might 6
add, since the organizations I work with have followed 7
the decommissioning at Zion closely, we have been at 8
every ZCAP meeting from the beginning, this is almost 9
a billion dollars in public rate payer funds. And the 10 man who is running the project announced in December 11 that they were out of money. They are going to make it 12 up in some other way, but the public needs to have access 13 to how those decommissioning funds are being spent and 14 misspent. So, that refers to the NRC requirements for 15 decommissioning, and the NRC needs to affirm that if you 16 do close, as part of the re-licensing process, you need 17 to give information that you have that there are funds 18 for decommissioning.
19 Number two, our other concern is a just 20 transition fund needs to be established immediately as 21 a condition for community acceptance of re-licensing 22 that financially prepares the workers and community for 23 a future loss of incomes and economic benefits. This 24 needs to be negotiated among community leaders, 25
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(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 workers, and their union leadership and Exelon 1
management. It can also be a part of negotiations with 2
the legislature, Exelon, and workers unions. And it 3
should be a part of the re-licensing process at this 4
time.
5 Lastly, I want to add to make the point the 6
question: "How do you close a reactor?" You only have 7
two choices. You can either close it proactively, 8
preemptively as Zion closed, as Big Rock Point closed, 9
as Kewaunee has closed, and that still has a number of 10 problems associated with it in terms of what do you do 11 with the waste, how is it stored "safely" since it's 12 going to be around almost a million years, in other 13 words, forever? What do you do, how do you close it 14 preemptively with responsible management? Or do you 15 let it close you as in the case of Fukushima and 16 Chernobyl?
17 And when you go into the re-licensing 18 process at this time, and this reactor here, the two 19 reactors at Zion had been around quite a while, that 20 should be very much on your mind. There is going to be 21 an ending to this at some point; hopefully sooner rather 22 than later. And the question is which way do you want 23 to see this reactor closed? Thank you.
24 MS. HAUSMAN: Thank you. Is there anybody 25
33 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 else in the room this evening, or this afternoon, that 1
has a question or would like to make a comment?
2 (No response.)
3 MS. HAUSMAN: One last check with the 4
bridge line. Anybody have a question or comment from 5
the bridge line?
6 PHONE OPERATOR: There is no question or 7
comment currently on the line.
8 MS. HAUSMAN: Thank you.
9 PHONE OPERATOR: But I do see one coming in 10 shortly. Hi, Morgan Lewis, your line is open. Morgan 11 Lewis, your line is open.
12 MR. LEWIS: A big thing on my mind right now 13 in Pennsylvania is that we have a little problem with 14 the shaft oil transport across the state, and the 15 railroad cars have a nasty habit of having fires and 16 there's going to be radioactive waste on the highway.
17 As far as I know, mainly shipping coming down from Canada 18 of liquid radioactive waste going to South Carolina, I 19 don't know if you know --be coast, but yes, it can go 20 to Philadelphia or any other place it wants to.
21 Now, and I hope that people over there 22 understand what it means to have radioactive shipments 23 on the road, sometimes a truck having more radioactivity 24 in it than many Hiroshima style bombs. And we, our 25
34 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 state, we're outside of major cities, we are almost 1
totally dependent on volunteer firemen who have no 2
training due to the fact that they can't afford the time 3
and effort on a volunteer basis, uncompensated, to take 4
the needed training even when offered which they don't.
5 And I hope that the NRC and the utility have seen to train 6
these people, to supply these people with adequate 7
equipment such as Yoke meters and whatever training is 8
necessary.
9 That's my comment. Take it as you wish.
10 It doesn't need an answer at this time. I hope you will 11 look into it and put it in the draft generic 12 environmental impact statement. Thank you.
13 MS. HAUSMAN: Thank you.
14 PHONE OPERATOR: Thank you. At this time, 15 we have no additional questions on the phone line.
16 MS. HAUSMAN: Okay, thank you. Anybody 17 else in the room? Lois or Brian, any comments?
18 MS. JAMES: Again, I just wanted to thank 19 everybody who participated. Remember, the comments 20 are due by February 20th. You have several ways to 21 provide them, writing or online. And the NRC staff will 22 be available for the next 30 minutes to answer other 23 questions you may have. Thank you. Thank you very 24 much.
25
35 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 (202) 234-4433 MS. HAUSMAN: And just a reminder for 1
openness and transparency, the transcript of this 2
meeting will be available publicly on NRC's web page.
3 Thank you.
4 (Whereupon, the meeting was concluded at 5
2:49 p.m.)
6 7