ML18059A650

Requests to Review Environ Documentation NRC Used to Determine Action,W/Regard to Proposed Dry Cask Storage Proposal for Palisades & Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plants Not Having Significant Impact on Human or Natural Environ

ML18059A650
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades, Prairie Island
Issue date:	12/30/1993
From:	Adamkus V ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
To:	Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
Shared Package
ML18059A649	List: ML18059A650
References
NUDOCS 9402030316
Download: ML18059A650 (2)

Text

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION 5 77 WEST JACKSON BOULEVARD CHljff 0 I~ 1;04-3590 3

REPLY TO THE ATIENTION OF:

ME-19J Mr. James M. Taylor Executive Director for Operations United states Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20046-0001

Dear Mr. Taylor:

We are writing in regards to the proposed dry cask storage proposal for Consumers Power Company's Palisades Nuclear Power Plant nea~ South Haven, Michigan and Northern States Power, Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant. We have recently become aware of both of t.hese proposals. From our understanding, both Consumers Power and Northern States Power have been granted approval by your agency to use a dry cask storage system to store spent nuclear fuel on a concrete pad on each facility's *property.

The license for storage of these spent fuel rods is for io years

• with the potential of extending the license for an additional twenty years.

• The dry cask storage system was authorized by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, Section 133 . . Your agency has assessed dry cask storage systems generically and has also evaluated the environmental impacts of them generically. The Consumers _Power Company's dry cask storage site will be adjacent to Lake Michigan which is a valuable resource providing drinking water and recreational opportunities for many people.

• Similarly, the Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant is situated on.an island in the ~ississippi River, another valuable natural resource. We believe the potential for significant adverse impact to either Lake Michigan or the Mississippi River is real and was not fully assessed in the generic environmental assessment prepared for the dry cast storage process. Therefore, under our authority under Section 309 of the Clean Air Act, we are requesting to review the*

environmental documentation that you have used to determine that this action would not have a significant impact upon the human or natural environment. The site specific conditions and the valuable resources of Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River*

warrant a full and complete evaluation of the impacts and the review of* this analysis by other Federal and State agencies as well as the interested public.

EJ>O --- 0 09 67 8

@ Printed on Recycled Paper

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f .:.~ In addition~ the Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant shares the island with the Prairie Island Dakota Community. It does not appear that the impact to the Tribe was assessed in the generic environmental impact statement. You may need to evaluate your agency's trust responsibilities, to the Indian Tribe, regarding the siting of the dry cast storage area at the Prairie Island Nuclear Power* Plant.

We will appreciate your cooperation in this matter and look forward to a timely response. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mr. Robert Springer, Assistant Regional Adminis rator for Planning and Management, at 312/353-2024 ..