ML21022A316

Request for Scoping Comments Concerning the Environmental Review of Point Beach SLRA (3)

ML21022A316
Person / Time
Site:	Point Beach
Issue date:	02/01/2021
From:	Robert Elliott NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ELRB
To:	Penkiunas D State of WI, Historical Society
Shared Package
ML21022A325	List: ML21022A312 ML21022A315 ML21022A316
References
Download: ML21022A316 (7)

Text

February 1, 2021 Ms. Daina Penkiunas State Historic Preservation Officer Wisconsin Historical Society 816 State Street Madison, WI 53706

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR SCOPING COMMENTS CONCERNING THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF POINT BEACH NUCLEAR PLANT UNITS 1 AND 2 SUBSEQUENT LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION (DOCKET NUMBER: 50-266 and 50-301)

Dear Ms. Penkiunas:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is conducting a review of the environmental effects of renewing the operating licenses for Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 (PBN).

PBN is operated by NextEra Energy Point Beach, LLC (NEPB) and is located in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin on the western shore of Lake Michigan (see Enclosure 1). NEPB submitted an application for the subsequent renewal of PBN operating licenses in a letter dated November 16, 2020, pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 54.

The NRC has defined subsequent license renewal to be the period of extended operation from 60 years to 80 years. The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, authorizes the NRC to issue 40-year initial licenses, and upon application and approval, renew licenses for nuclear power reactors. The NRCs regulations limit these renewals to 20-year increments. Approval of a renewed license is based on the outcome of a safety and environmental review. The NRC issued renewed PBN, Units 1 and 2 operating licenses in 2005; the current Unit 1 operating license expires on October 5, 2030, and the Unit 2 operating license expires on March 8, 2033.

The requested renewals would extend the operating license expiration dates for PBN, Units 1 and 2, to October 5, 2050 and March 8, 2053, respectively.

As part of the NRCs license renewal review, a site-specific supplement to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, NUREG-1437, is prepared in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51, the NRCs environmental protection regulations.

These regulations also implement Section 102(2) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA). In accordance with 36 CFR 800.8(c), the NRC intends to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA),

through the NEPA process. Accordingly, the NRC is inviting parties who may be interested in the proposed action to consult on this matter. The purpose of this letter is to initiate Section 106 consultation with the Wisconsin Historical Society under NHPA.

D. Penkiunas 2 In the context of NHPA, the NRC has determined that the area of potential effects (APE) for this subsequent license renewal is the area at the power plant site and its immediate environs that may be impacted by ongoing routine maintenance and operational activities during the license renewal term (see Enclosure 2). The APE may extend beyond the immediate PBN environs if NEPB maintenance and operational activities affect offsite historic properties (see Enclosure 3).

This determination is made irrespective of ownership or control of the lands of interest.

Although Units 1 and 2 will exceed 50 years of age during the initial license renewal stage, no survey has been conducted to determine their eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. We would like to know whether an eligibility determination for Units 1 and 2 should be conducted as part of the subsequent license renewal undertaking.

Please provide any comments that you may have on the scope of the environmental review within 30 days of the date of this letter. Written comments should be submitted by mail to:

ATTN: Program Management, Announcements and Editing Staff Office of Administration Mail Stop: TWFN-7A60M U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 Electronic comments may be submitted to the NRC by accessing www.regulations.gov and searching for Docket ID NRC 2020-0277. Because there are limited personnel in NRC buildings at this time due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the preferred method for providing your comments is through regulations.gov or through the NRC staff email contact listed below.

The NRC will hold a public environmental scoping webinar on February 17, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. eastern time. The webinar will be held online and will offer a telephone line for members of the public to submit comments. The public webinar information is as follows:

Microsoft Teams Meeting: Click here to join the meeting Telephone Bridgeline: 800-369-1750 Bridgeline Passcode: 4187785 The application is available through the web-based version of the NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. The environmental report portion of the application is listed under ADAMS Accession No. ML20329A248. The NRC expects to publish a draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement in October 2021. The NRC will forward the draft supplement to you for your review and comment. This draft supplement will include identification of historic properties, assessment of impacts, and a preliminary determination.

After consideration of public comments received, the NRC plans to issue the final supplement, in June 2022.

D. Penkiunas 3 If you have any questions concerning the NRCs license renewal review, please contact Ms. Nancy Martinez, at 630-829-9734 or via e-mail at Nancy. Martinez@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, Signed by Elliott, Robert on 02/01/21 Robert B. Elliott, Chief Environmental Review License Renewal Branch Division of Rulemaking, Environment and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket Nos: 50-266 and 50-301

Enclosures:

1. Area Map, 50-mile radius

2. PBN Site Area Map

3. Area Map, 6-mile radius cc: Listserv Jen Davel Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Wisconsin Historical Society 816 State Street Madison, WI 53706 Tyler Howe Historic Preservation Compliance Supervisor 816 State Street.

Madison, WI 53706

Area Map, 50-mile radius Source: Modified from PBN Environmental Report Enclosure 1

PBN Site Area Map Source: PBN Environmental Report Enclosure 2

Area Map, 6-mile radius Source: Modified from PBN Environmental Report Enclosure 3

ML21022A325; Ltr ML21022A316 OFFICE NMSS/REFS/ERLRB NMSS/REFS/ERLRB NMSS/REFS/ERLRB NAME NMartinez NM PClark PC RElliott RE DATE Jan 25, 2021 Jan 28, 2021 Feb 1, 2021