ML18162A121
| ML18162A121 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | HI-STORE |
| Issue date: | 05/21/2018 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards |
| To: | |
| Caverly J | |
| References | |
| Download: ML18162A121 (2) | |
Text
Commenting on the Scope of the EIS How to Comment on the Scope of the NRCs Environmental Impact Statement for a Proposed Consolidated Interim Storage Facility for Spent Nuclear Fuel in Lea County, New Mexico T he NRC is conducting its environmental review for a proposed Consolidated Interim Storage Facility (CISF) for spent nuclear fuel in Lea County, New Mexico in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
The NRC is evaluating the potential environmental impacts of the proposed facility, which will be documented in an environmental impact statement (EIS). The NRC is requesting public comments on the scope and content of this EIS.
Why is NRC requesting comments?
The NRC announced its intent to conduct scoping and prepare the EIS on March 30, 2018, and seeks public input on the scope of the EIS. The NRCs announcement can be found at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/
news/2018/18-011.pdf. The scoping process is intended to: (i) define the proposed action for the EIS; (ii) determine the scope of the EIS and identify the significant issues to be analyzed in depth; (iii) identify and eliminate from detailed study issues which are peripheral, are not significant, or which have been covered by prior environmental review; and (iv) identify other environmental review and consultation requirements related to the proposed action.
What kind of input is NRC looking for?
The NRC typically includes the following environmental resources in its environmental reviews: air quality, water quality, ecological resources, historic and cultural resources, land use, transportation, soil and geology, socioeconomics and environmental justice, public and occupational health, noise, visual and scenic resources, and waste management.
The NRC is requesting information and input specific to this proposed facility regarding what should be included or excluded from the scope of the EIS. Some examples of information NRC is requesting are:
- What issues are most important to analyze in detail in the EIS, and why?
- What reasonable alternatives to the proposed action should be analyzed, and why?
- What site-specific characteristics should be considered in the environmental analysis?
- What local sources of information should the NRC consider? (Examples include local information about subsistence living, important site features, etc.)
- What kind of information should NRC consider with regard to historic properties that may be affected by the proposed project?
- What issues or alternatives should be eliminated from detailed consideration, and why?
Where can I find information about the NRCs review?
The NRC has set up a public webpage for Holtecs application for the CISF at https://www.nrc.gov/waste/spent-fuel-storage/cis/holtec-international.html. The webpage contains links to the Holtec application, the NRCs request for supplemental information and Holtecs responses, and the NRCs letter to Holtec accepting the application for detailed review. The NRC will periodically update the webpage with additional information as its review progresses.
What are the next steps?
After the close of the scoping period, the NRC staff will collect all comments submitted, organize them according to subject, and summarize the input received. The staff will then issue a scoping summary report that provides a concise summary of the NRCs conclusions regarding the scope and content of the EIS, including the significant issues identified. The report will be distributed to participants in the scoping process and made available on the NRCs webpage for the Holtec application.
Next, the NRC will then take the following steps in its EIS process:
- The NRC will continue preparing the EIS with consideration of the scoping comments.
- The NRC will publish the EIS in draft form for public review and comment.
- The NRC will revise the draft EIS, as appropriate, based on the comments received.
- The NRC will publish a final EIS and make it publicly available.
In parallel to the EIS process, the NRC also is conducting a detailed safety review. The results of that review will be documented in a safety evaluation report. The NRC will make its licensing decision on Holtecs application based on the results of both the safety review and the environmental review.
How can I submit my comments?
The NRC is accepting comments in the following ways:
Post comments to the Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for documents filed under Docket ID NRC-2018-0052. Click on the comment icon and complete the web form.
Mail comments to: May Ma, Office of Administration, Mail Stop: TWFN-7-A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.
Email comments to: Holtec- CISFEIS@nrc.gov Comment at a public meeting: Attendees are invited to speak comments on the record at public scoping meetings (transcriptions are publicly available). (To see the public meeting schedule, visit https://www.nrc.gov/pmns/mtg)
Remember to include Docket ID NRC-2018-0052 in written comments.
Scoping comments should be submitted by July 30th, 2018, to ensure consideration. All comments are considered equally, regardless of how they are submitted