ML15069A635
| ML15069A635 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Turkey Point  |
| Issue date: | 03/09/2015 |
| From: | Office of Public Affairs |
| To: | |
| References | |
| +reviewed Press release-15-015 | |
| Download: ML15069A635 (1) | |
Text
No: 15-015 March 9, 2015 CONTACT: Scott Burnell, 301-415-8200 NRC Seeks Comment On Draft Environmental Impact Statement For Turkey Point New Reactors, Public Meetings in April The Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, are seeking public comment on a preliminary conclusion that environmental impacts would not prevent issuing Combined Licenses (COL) for two new reactors at the Turkey Point site in Florida. The site is adjacent to the existing Turkey Point nuclear power plant, about 20 miles south of Miami.
The NRC staffs preliminary environmental recommendation is that the licenses could be issued. The staffs conclusion is based on its independent review of a report submitted by the applicant, Florida Power and Light (FPL). The review took into account consultations with federal agencies, including the National Park Service as a cooperating agency.
The staff also consulted with state, tribal and local agencies, and considered comments received during the public scoping process in July 2010. The staffs preliminary conclusions include a finding that there are no environmentally preferable or obviously superior sites. The staff must also complete a separate review of safety issues, and a mandatory hearing must be held, before an agency decision on the licenses.
The staff documents these preliminary conclusions in NUREG-2176, Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Combined Licenses for Turkey Point Nuclear Plant Units 6 and 7. The EIS will be available on Regulations.gov under Docket ID NRC-2009-0337. The public can comment on the draft EIS until May 22, including at public meetings in April near Homestead, Fla. The NRC will issue a separate notice for the meetings in the near future. Comments can be submitted, using Docket ID NRC-2009-0337, through Regulations.gov or by mailing them to Cindy Bladey, Office of Administration, Mail Stop: OWFN 12 H8, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.
The COL review process includes examination of the potential environmental impacts from construction and operation of a nuclear power plant at the designated site. FPL submitted the COL application on June 30, 2009. If approved, the COLs would give FPL permission to build and operate two AP1000 reactors at the site. More information on the FPL application is available on the NRC website.
The COL application includes activities that require Army Corps of Engineers authorization under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbor Act of 1899. Those activities are described in the draft EIS. The Corps is reviewing FPLs permit application to authorize those activities, and the Corps will publish a separate public notice detailing the work proposed for Corps review and authorization.