ML20111A183

Letter to W. Nelson of Comanche Nation Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Interim Storage Partners' Proposed Consolidated Interim Storage Facility

ML20111A183
Person / Time
Site:	Consolidated Interim Storage Facility
Issue date:	05/04/2020
From:	Roman C NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ERMB
To:	Nelson W Comanche Nation
James Park
References
Download: ML20111A183 (3)

Text

May 4, 2020 Mr. William Nelson, Sr., Chairman Comanche Nation P.O. Box 908 Lawton, OK 73502

SUBJECT:

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR INTERIM STORAGE PARTNERS PROPOSED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STORAGE FACILITY LOCATED IN ANDREWS COUNTY, TEXAS (DOCKET NUMBER: 72-1050)

Dear Chairman Nelson:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has completed a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Interim Storage Partners LLCs (ISPs) proposed consolidated interim storage facility (CISF) for spent nuclear fuel to be located in Andrews County, Texas.

The draft EIS provides the NRC staffs evaluation of the potential environmental impacts of the construction and operation of the proposed CISF, including analyses of potential impacts to historic properties. As stated in our letters dated March 24, 2017 and May 7, 2019 (available in NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) under Accession Nos. ML17069A409 and ML18345A028, respectively), the NRC staff is using the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process to comply with its obligations under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA), as outlined in Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 800.8(c).

As discussed in Chapter 4 of the draft EIS, the NRC staff preliminarily has determined that the construction and operation of the proposed CISF would not adversely affect historic properties near the site. In support of this determination, the NRC staff reviewed available archaeological literature, conducted a search and evaluation of archaeological records and collections maintained by the Texas and the New Mexico State Historic Preservation Offices, and reviewed reports of archaeological surveys conducted on the site. Documentation of tribal consultation is presented in Appendix A of the draft EIS. While consultation under NHPA Section 106 is ongoing, the NRC staffs preliminary conclusion is that no historic properties would be affected by the proposed action.

An electronic copy of the draft EIS is available in ADAMS, which is accessible from the NRC website at http://www.nrc.gov/readingrm/adams.html. The ADAMS accession number for the draft EIS is ML20122A220. If you prefer a CD or hard copy of the draft EIS, please let us know; however, due to the COVID-19 situation and associated government-wide actions, delivery of the CD or hard copy will be delayed.

A separate Notice of Availability of the draft EIS will be placed in the Federal Register (FR) through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The 120-day public comment period end date is calculated from the date on which the EPA notice is published in the FR.

W. Nelson Pursuant to 36 CFR 800.8(c), we are requesting comments on the draft EIS and the NRC staffs preliminary conclusions. Electronic comments on the draft EIS may be submitted to the NRC by accessing https://www.regulations.gov/ and searching for Docket ID NRC-2016-0231 and by e-mail to WCS_CISF_EIS@nrc.gov. Written comments should be submitted by mail to the NRC at:

ATTN: Program Management, Announcements and Editing Staff Office of Administration Mail Stop: TWFN-7A60M U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 Should you have any questions concerning the staffs environmental review of ISPs application for construction and operation of a proposed CISF, please contact Mr. James Park at 301-415-6954 or via e-mail at James.Park@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, Cinthya I. Román, Chief Environmental Review Branch Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket No. 72-1050 cc: Listserv Martina Minthorn, THPO

ML20111A183 *concurred via email OFFICE NMSS:REFS NMSS:REFS NMSS:REFS NAME *JPark *AWalker-Smith *CRomán DATE 04/22/2020 04/20/2020 05/04/20