ML20275A333

Letter from NRC Secretary Annette Vietti-Cook to the Honorable Jeff Steinborn, Et Al

ML20275A333
Person / Time
Site:	HI-STORE
Issue date:	10/01/2020
From:	Annette Vietti-Cook NRC/SECY
To:	Steinborn J State of NM, Senate
SECY RAS
References
ASLBP 18-958-01-ISFSI-BD01, Holtec International, RAS 55813
Download: ML20275A333 (10)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 October 1, 2020 The Honorable Jeff Steinborn, et.al.

State Senator, District 36 New Mexico State Legislature State Capitol Santa Fe, NM 87501

Dear Senators and Representatives:

On behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I am responding to the letter you submitted to Chairman Svinicki, copying the other members of the Commission, by electronic mail on September 22, 2020, regarding the Holtec International HI-STORE Consolidated Interim Storage Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Your letter expresses concern regarding the scope of the DEIS, other technical variables, and the NRCs outreach and public engagement opportunities.

Some of the technical concerns raised in your letter bear on matters currently before the Commission in an adjudicatory proceeding. Given that this contested proceeding is ongoing, it would be inappropriate for the Chairman to discuss or comment on these technical matters at this time. This is because the Commission must remain impartial during the pendency of the proceeding.

Those aspects of your letter concerning the scope of the DEIS and NRCs outreach and public engagement opportunities will be referred to the staff for consideration.

A copy of your letter and this response will be served on the participants in the Holtec CISF proceeding.

Sincerely, Annette L. Digitally signed by Annette L.

Vietti- Vietti-Cook Date: 2020.10.01 Cook 14:52:17 -04'00' Annette L. Vietti-Cook

cc:

Senator Peter Wirth, District 25 Senator Shannon D. Pinto, District 3 Senator Linda M. Lopez, District 11 Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, District 16 Senator Mimi Stewart, District 17 Senator Bill Tallman, District 18 Senator Nancy Rodriguez, District 24 Senator Elizabeth Liz Stefanics, District 39 Representative Eliseo Lee Alcon, District 6 Representative Patricia Roybal Caballero, District 13 Representative Deborah A. Armstrong, District 17 Representative Debra M. Sarinana, District 21 Representative Elizabeth Liz Thomson, District 24 Representative Christine Trujillo, District 25 Representative Angelica Rubio, District 35 Representative Joanne J. Ferrary, District 37 Representative Rodolpho Rudy S. Martinez, District 39 Representative Andrea Romero, District 46

New Mexico State Legislature STATE CAPITOL Santa Fe September 22, 2020 VIA EMAIL: Holtec-CISFEIS@nrc.gov; Chairman@nrc.gov Kristine L. Svinicki, Chair United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 RE: Holtec International HI-STORE Consolidated Interim Storage Draft Environmental Impact Statement; Docket ID NRC-2018-0052

Dear Chair Svinicki:

We write to express our opposition to the proposed Holtec International Consolidated Interim Storage (CIS) facility and concerns about the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). This project creates unreasonable health, economic and national security risks for New Mexico and its residents. It would expose many communities to risks during the transportation and storage of high-level radioactive waste. We believe that the scope of the DEIS fails to adequately and reliably assess the risks of this unprecedented proposed project and the many technical variables that exceed national experience. Furthermore, given the impacts of shipping high-level radioactive waste across the country to New Mexico, we are very disappointed by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) lack of appropriate adequate outreach and public engagement opportunities required by law.

The public engagement webinars, substituted by the NRC for the promised in-person meetings, fall far short of the meaningful participation opportunities essential to many impacted people who lack internet service. We urge the NRC to prolong the DEIS process and convene in-person hearings no earlier than six months after the risks of transmission of COVID-19 have ended.

Our specific concerns of the Holtec proposal and the DEIS include the following.

1. There is no permanent disposal site for the nation's high-level radioactive waste. Under the federal Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, a permanent repository is supposed to be licensed before a federal government CIS

Kristine L. Svinicki September 22, 2020 Page 2 facility can be constructed. It is premature and inappropriate to transport and store this waste in New Mexico or any other state until a permanent national strategy has been developed.

2. The risks and emergency response liability to local communities is significant. According to Holtec and the DEIS, local communities and the State of New Mexico would be responsible for emergency response should an accident occur during transport of the waste. This risk would be doubled when the waste is shipped back out of New Mexico to a permanent repository. This exposure would also exist for other communities and states along the transportation route. It is unacceptable to approve a national plan that does not adequately fund and execute a comprehensive emergency response capability.

3. The NRC cannot predict with complete assurance the safety and performance of the dry casks and canisters for the license period or longer.

The current performance history of this technology is less than the 40-year license period for the proposed Holtec facility.

4. The Holtec HI STORM UMAX canisters, approved only a few years ago by the NRC in 2015, have had problems with design and technology.

These occurrences and lack of proven technology provide a clear warning that the NRC cannot adequately consider the performance limitations and risks of storage of large amounts of high-level radioactive waste in New Mexico for this project.

5. The NRC cannot account for and calculate the risks of unanticipated accidents or performance deficiency. New Mexico has experienced the high costs and risks associated with unplanned events at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

6. There has not been adequate community outreach for the DEIS. There has been no consent-based citing for this proposal or any proactive interviews with affected communities about its potential impacts. This lack of involvement creates significant concerns regarding the social justice impacts to New Mexicans.

7. Experts are concerned about the inability to repackage this waste on-site, either for shipment to a permanent repository or if there are cracked or corroded canisters.

Kristine L. Svinicki September 22, 2020 Page 3

8. Many New Mexico communities oppose this proposal. In addition to opposition from the governor, the commissioner of public lands and a majority of New Mexico's congressional delegation, local governments representing close to 50% of the population have passed resolutions opposing the CIS facility or the transportation of high-level radioactive waste through their communities, including the following.

Town of Lake Arthur 09/07/17 City of Albuquerque 05/21/18 City of Jal 05/29/18 Bernalillo County 06/12/18 City of Las Cruces 07/23/18 Santa Fe County 09/25/18 City of Gallup 09/25/18 McKinley County 10/02/18 City of Belen 11/10/18 Church Rock Chapter, Navajo Nation 08/15/18 Navajo Nation Diné Uranium Remediation Advisory Commission 11/29/18 All Pueblo Council of Governors, Representing 20 Indigenous Nations 10/17/19 In Texas, local governments representing close to 5.4 million people have passed similar resolutions, including the following.

Bexar County 02/21/17 City of San Antonio 03/30/17 Dallas County 04/4/17

Kristine L. Svinicki September 22, 2020 Page 4 Midland County 04/24/17 Nueces County 12/16 City of Denton 10/16/18 City of Midland 11/13/18 El Paso County 11/18 For these reasons, we respectfully urge the NRC not to issue a license for the Holtec International HI-STORE CIS facility or approve the DEIS.

Sincerely, JEFF STEINBORN PETER WIRTH State Senator, District 36 State Senator, District 25 SHANNON D. PINTO LINDA M. LOPEZ State Senator, District 3 State Senator, District 11 ANTOINETTE SEDILLO LOPEZ MIMI STEWART State Senator, District 16 State Senator, District 17 BILL TALLMAN NANCY RODRIGUEZ State Senator, District 18 State Senator, District 24 ELIZABETH "LIZ" STEFANICS ELISEO LEE ALCON State Senator, District 39 State Representative, District 6

Kristine L. Svinicki September 22, 2020 Page 5 PATRICIA ROYBAL CABALLERO DEBORAH A. ARMSTRONG State Representative, District 13 State Representative, District 17 DEBRA M. SARIÑANA ELIZABETH "LIZ" THOMSON State Representative, District 21 State Representative, District 24 CHRISTINE TRUJILLO ANGELICA RUBIO State Representative, District 25 State Representative, District 35 JOANNE J. FERRARY RODOLPHO "RUDY" S. MARTINEZ State Representative, District 37 State Representative, District 39 ANDREA ROMERO State Representative, District 46 cc: Commissioner Jeff Baran, NRC (via email: CMRBaran@nrc.gov)

Commissioner Annie Caputo, NRC (via email: CMRCaputo@nrc.gov)

Commissioner Christopher T. Hanson, NRC (via email: CMRHanson@nrc.gov)

Commissioner David A. Wright, NRC (via email: CMRWright@nrc.gov)

Jill Caverly, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, NRC (via email:

jill.caverly@nrc.gov)

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of )

)

)

HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL ) Docket No. 72-1051-ISFSI

)

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(HI-STORE Consolidated Interim Storage )

Facility) )

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that copies of the foregoing Letter from NRC Secretary Annette Vietti-Cook to The Honorable Jeff Steinborn, et.al. have been served upon the following persons by Electronic Information Exchange (EIE).

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Commission Appellate Adjudication Office of the Secretary of the Commission Mail Stop: O-16B33 Mail Stop: O-16B33 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Washington, DC 20555-0001 E-mail: ocaamail.resource@nrc.gov E-mail: hearingdocket@nrc.gov U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel Office of the General Counsel Mail Stop: T-3F23 Mail Stop - O-14A44 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Washington, DC 20555-0001 Paul S. Ryerson, Chair Sheldon Clark, Esq.

Administrative Judge Joseph I. Gillespie, Esq.

Esther Houseman, Esq.

Nicholas G. Trikouros Sara B. Kirkwood, Esq.

Administrative Judge Mauri Lemoncelli, Esq.

Patrick Moulding, Esq.

Dr. Gary S. Arnold Carrie Safford, Esq.

Administrative Judge Thomas Steinfeldt, Esq.

Rebecca Susko, Esq.

E-mail: paul.ryerson@nrc.gov Alana M. Wase, Esq.

nicholas.trikouros@nrc.gov Brian Newell, Senior Paralegal gary.arnold@nrc.gov Stacy Schumann, Paralegal E-mail: sheldon.clark@nrc.gov joe.gillespie@nrc.gov Ian Curry, Law Clerk esther.houseman@nrc.gov Stephanie Fishman, Law Clerk sara.kirkwood@nrc.gov Molly Mattison, Law Clerk mauri.lemoncelli@nrc.gov E-mail: ian.curry@nrc.gov patrick.moulding@nrc.gov stephanie.fishman@nrc.gov carrie.safford@nrc.gov molly.mattison@nrc.gov thomas.steinfeldt@nrc.gov rebecca.susko@nrc.gov alana.wase@nrc.gov brian.newell@nrc.gov stacy.schumann@nrc.gov

Holtec International - Docket No. 72-1051-ISFSI Letter from NRC Secretary Annette Vietti-Cook to The Honorable Jeff Steinborn, et.al.

Counsel for Holtec International Counsel for Dont Waste Michigan Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP 316 N. Michigan Street, Suite 520 1200 Seventeenth Street, NW Toledo, OH 43604-5627 Washington, DC 20036 Terry J. Lodge, Esq.

Meghan Hammond, Esq. E-mail: tjlodge50@yahoo.com Anne Leidich, Esq.

Michael Lepre, Esq. Counsel for Sierra Club Jay Silberg, Esq. 4403 1st Avenue SE, Suite 402 Timothy Walsh, Esq. Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 Sidney Fowler, Esq. Wallace L. Taylor, Esq.

E-mail: meghan.hammond@pillsburylaw.com E-mail: wtaylor784@aol.com anne.leidich@pillsburylaw.com michael.lepre@pillsburylaw.com Counsel for NAC International Inc.

jay.silberg@pillsburylaw.com Robert Helfrich, Esq.

timothy.walsh@pillsburylaw.com NAC International Inc.

sidney.fowler@pillsburylaw.com 3930 E Jones Bridge Rd., Ste. 200 Norcross, GA 30092 Counsel for Beyond Nuclear E-mail: rhelfrich@nacintl.com Harmon, Curran, Spielberg & Eisenberg LLP 1725 DeSales Street NW Hogan Lovells LLP Suite 500 555 13th Street NW Washington, DC 20036 Washington, DC 20004 Diane Curran, Esq. Sachin S. Desai, Esq.

E-mail: dcurran@harmoncurran.com Allison E. Hellreich, Esq.

E-mail: sachin.desai@hoganlovells.com Turner Environmental Law Clinic allison.hellreich@hoganlovells.com 1301 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA 30322 Counsel for Fasken Land and Oil and Permian Mindy Goldstein, Esq. Basin Land and Royalty Owners E-mail: magolds@emory.edu Monica R. Perales, Esq.

6101 Holiday Hill Road Counsel for Alliance Environmental Strategies Midland, TX 79707 Law Office of Nancy L. Simmons E-mail: monicap@forl.com 120 Girard Boulevard SE Albuquerque, NM 87106 Kanner & Whiteley, LLC 701 Camp Street Nancy L. Simmons, Esq. New Orleans, LA 70130 E-mail: nlsstaff@swcp.com Allan Kanner, Esq.

Elizabeth Petersen, Esq.

Cynthia St. Amant, Esq Eddy-Lea Energy Alliance Conlee Whiteley, Esq .

102 S. Canyon E-mail: a.kanner@kanner-law.com Carlsbad, NM 88220 e.petersen@kanner-law.com c.stamant@kanner-law.com John A. Heaton c.whiteley@kanner-law.com E-mail: jaheaton1@gmail.com 2

Holtec International - Docket No. 72-1051-ISFSI Letter from NRC Secretary Annette Vietti-Cook to The Honorable Jeff Steinborn, et.al.

Eddy County, NM* City of Hobbs, NM 101 W. Greene Street 2605 Lovington Highway Carlsbad, NM Hobbs, NM 88242 Rick Rudometkin Garry A. Buie E-mail: rrudometkin@co.eddy.nm.us E-mail: gabuie52@hotmail.com

• Eddy County not served due to no representative for the County assigned at the time of Mr. Rudometkins departure. City of Carlsbad, NM 1024 N. Edward Carlsbad, NM 88220 Lea County, NM 100 N. Main Jason G. Shirley Lovington, NM 88260 E-mail: jgshirley@cityofcarlsbadnm.com Jonathan B. Sena E-mail: jsena@leacounty.net Krupskaya Digitally signed by Krupskaya T. Castellon T. Castellon Date: 2020.10.01 15:00:13 -04'00' Office of the Secretary of the Commission Dated at Rockville, Maryland, This 1st day of October 2020 3