ML21077A273

03-25-21 Letter to the Honorable Charles E. Schumer, Et Al., from Chairman Hanson Responds to Letter Regarding Concerns Related to the Commissions Recent Decision to Deny Hearing Requests in the Indian Point Energy Center License Transfer P

ML21077A273
Person / Time
Site:	Indian Point
Issue date:	03/25/2021
From:	Christopher Hanson NRC/Chairman
To:	Bowman J, Gillibrand K, Michael Jones, Maloney S, Schumer C US Congress, US HR (House of Representatives), US SEN (Senate)
Jennifer Scro (301) 287-9081
Shared Package
ML21054A200	List: ML21054A199 ML21077A273
References
CORR-21-0021, LTR-21-0062
Download: ML21077A273 (2)

Text

f moog

/ p

//1g UNITEDSTATES r

NUCLEARREGULATORY COMMISSION o

d WASHINGTON,D.C,20555-0001

<4 w /

u*#

CHAIRMAN March25,2021 TheHonorable Charles E.Schumer United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 DearSenator Schumer:

IwanttothankyouforyourFebruary 22,2021,letter expressing concerns related tothe Commission's recent decision todeny hearing requests intheIndian Point Energy Center license transfer proceeding.

Irecognizeyour disappointment with thedecision butwantto assure youthat wesharethesameobjective of ensuring there isadequate funding forthesite tobefully cleaned upforfuture reuseandthat the agency's focus isonthelicensee's compli-ance with allourrules andregulations.

TheCommission's decision wasreached inaccordance withits established process for deciding adjudicatory matters.

Bylaw,NRCadjudicatory functionsare reserved tothewhole Commission acting asacollegial body.TheNRCChairman does nothavetheauthority to unilaterally modify anagency adjudicatory ruling reached bythe entire Commission.

Given that this Commission decision hasbeenchallenged inthecourt ofappeals andisthusthesubject of ongoing litigation, itwouldbeinappropriate todiscuss thedecisionfurther atthis time.

Asageneral

matter, theNRCstaff's independent evaluation ofa license transfer application includes athorough review ofthefinancial andtechnical qualifications ofthe proposed newlicensee.

Further, after alicense transfer

occurs, thenewlicensee remains subject tocontinuous NRCregulatory oversight throughout decommissioning until the radiological cleanup iscompleted andthelicense isterminated.

Theagency alsoconducts annual reviews ofalicensee's updated estimate ofdecommissioning costs andthe funds available tocomplete decommissioning.

Moreover, NRCregulations require the licensee to include additional financial assurance tocoveranyshortfalls.

Again, Iwantyoutoknowthat Iappreciate hearing yourcandid

views, andIlook forward toworking withyou,theState ofNewYork, andlocal community toensure thedecommissioning isperformed safely andinamannerthat protects theworkers, membersofthepublic, andthe environment.

Ifyouhaveadditional questions orconcerns, please contact meorhaveyourstaff contact EugeneDacus,Director oftheOffice ofCongressional

Affairs, at(301) 415-1776.

Sincerely, m

Christopher T.Hanson

identical letter sentto:

TheHonorable CharlesE.Schumer United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 TheHonorableKirsten Gillibrand United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 TheHonorable Jamaal Bowman United States HouseofRepresentatives Washington, DC20515 TheHonorable Mondaire Jones United States HouseofRepresentatives Washington, DC20515 TheHonorable SeanPatrick Maloney United States HouseofRepresentatives Washington, DC20515