ML20297A191
| ML20297A191 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Indian Point  |
| Issue date: | 10/22/2020 |
| From: | Neil Sheehan Office of Public Affairs Region I |
| To: | Elie M United 4 Clean Energy |
| Sheehan N | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20297A177 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML20297A191 (2) | |
Text
From:
Sheehan, Neil To:
marilyn elie
Subject:
RE: United 4 Clean Energy a new CAB Date:
Thursday, October 22, 2020 2:36:22 PM
Dear Ms. Elie,
Thank you for your e-mail of Sept. 30, 2020 informing the NRC of your groups interest in forming a new advisory panel focused on the decommissioning of the Indian Point nuclear power plant.
For your awareness, the NRC encourages, but does not require, the creation of decommissioning community advisory boards, or CABs, for permanently shutdown U.S.
nuclear power plants. By way of background, NRC regulations call for engagement with the public if a plant owner requests restricted use of the site at the conclusion of the decommissioning process. For decommissioning sites requesting unrestricted release, which we expect to be the case for Indian Point, the NRC does not have a requirement for such outreach. The section of NRC regulations that addresses this is 10 C.F.R. § 20.1403.
As such, it would be outside the statutory authority of the NRC, as an independent safety regulator, to require a CAB, and there are other means by which plant owners can engage the public on issues important to the local community. But that said, the NRC considers engagement with the public regarding decommissioning nuclear power plants and the formation of such panels to be a good practice, as these advisory boards can serve as a valuable conduit of information from its members, the local community and others to the public at large.
Most decommissioning CABs have been established by state legislation or local officials or been created by plant owners. We are aware of the local government-sponsored CAB for Indian Point, as well as a bill being considered by the New York Legislature that would establish a state-sponsored Indian Point CAB.
We have been asked by many of the CABs and other organizations to provide them with information and/or to appear before them to address topics and answer questions. We consider these requests on a case-by-case basis, with participation by NRC staff contingent on factors that include a prioritization of agency competing needs. Of course, participation in public meetings at present may be impacted by travel and gathering restrictions due to the Covid-19 public health emergency.
I would like to point out that you can automatically receive NRC information about Indian Point, including inspection reports, via our listserv for the plant, available at this link:
https://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver/plants-by-region.html. In addition, I and the other NRC Region I public affairs officer, Diane Screnci, are available to assist you with any information you might need with respect to our oversight of the plant. This will continue when Indian Point Unit 3 permanently ceases operations next April, joining Units 1 and 2 in that status. Also, we will post this response in our electronic documents system, ADAMS, so that others are likewise made aware of these informational resources.
I hope this information is helpful to your group. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you need further details.
Neil Sheehan NRC Public Affairs, Region I (610) 337-5331
From: marilyn elie <eliewestcan@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2020 2:36 AM To: Sheehan, Neil <Neil.Sheehan@nrc.gov>
Subject:
[External_Sender] United 4 Clean Energy a new CAB
Hi Neil,
Attached is information about a community group that is very concerned with clean energy and Indian Point. U4CE would like to be considered a Community Advisory Board. We understand that the NRC recognizes all community voices, however, we would like to make you aware of our interest and intention.
Sincerely, Marilyn Elie United 4 Clean Energy