ML22347A220
| ML22347A220 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/25/2022 |
| From: | Daniel Barnhurst NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ENRB |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Download: ML22347A220 (1) | |
Text
NRC Licensing Process Overview October 25, 2022
Protecting People and the Environment Mission The NRC licenses and regulates the Nation's civilian use of radioactive materials to provide reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety and to promote the common defense and security and to protect the environment.
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Principle Legislation, Regulations, and Outcome
- National Environmental Policy Act - NEPA
- Atomic Energy Act - AEA (1954)
(1969)
- Energy Reorganization Act (1974)
- 10 CFR Parts 2, 20, 40, 50, 52, 70
- Impacts ON the environment
- Impacts ON the facility FROM the FROM licensed activities environment
- Impact-focused
- Risk Informed
- Disclosure document (CatEx, EA/FONSI,
- Reasonable assurance of adequate EIS/ROD) protection (SER)
Other Important Statutes
- National Waste Policy Act of 1982
- Energy Policy Act of 2005
- Title 41 of Fixing Americas Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41) 3
Two Parallel Reviews - Safety & Environmental Environmental Scoping Activity Public Outreach Review and Public Meeting and Outreach Comments on Preapplication Meeting Draft EIS Interactions Environmental Final EIS with Review and Draft EIS Comment Request Responses Information Optional FRN (NOI and Commission License Acceptance Mandatory Preapplication Opportunity Decision on Application Review Hearing Interaction for Hearing) Application Safety Safety Review ACRS Evaluation and Request Review Preapplication Report (SER)
Information Interactions Safety Review Documents Available to Public Opportunity for Public Involvement NRC Interaction With Applicant Does not include ASLBP (Contested Hearing) Review This would happen for each application
Acceptance Review 30 - 60 calendar days, depending on quality of the application Historic Times for NEPA Process Scoping Comment Period 60 calendar days, with advertised meetings held near plant Draft EIS Preparation Approximately one year (based on complexity of application)
Draft EIS Public Historically, at least 60 days, with advertised meetings held near Comment Period plant Final EIS Development Approximately one year (based on complexity and number of comments on the draft EIS) 5
Resource Areas Addressed in NRCs NEPA Reviews Each Subject Matter Expert describes the affected environment (baseline conditions) for their resource area and then describes the construction and operations consequences of the action and assigns an impact level, which is compared to the same impacts from reasonable alternatives. SMEs also describe cumulative impacts from any known past, present, or reasonably foreseeable future actions. 6
Types of Environmental Impacts to be Evaluated Per 10 CFR 51.49(a)(3), the EIS must evaluate the environmental impacts that may reasonably be expected to result from the activities. 40 CFR 1508.1(g) describes these effects or impacts as follows:
(1) Direct effects- caused by the action and occur at the same time and place (2) Indirect effects- caused by direct effects and are reasonably foreseeable (3) Cumulative effects- result from incremental effects when added to the effects of other past, present, or reasonably foreseeable actions regardless of who undertakes.
(4) Effects on a range of resource areas- (e.g., ecology, historic and cultural, hydrology, economic, socio/ej,) whether direct, indirect or cumulative including beneficial and detrimental.
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NRCs NEPA Impact Level Definitions The three levels of environmental impacts are:
SMALL -Environmental effects are not detectable or are so minor that they will neither destabilize nor noticeably alter any important attribute of the resource.
MODERATE -Environmental effects are sufficient to alter noticeably, but not to destabilize, important attributes of the resource.
LARGE -Environmental effects are clearly noticeable and are sufficient to destabilize important attributes of the resource.
NOTE: NEPA requires the depth of analysis and the level of detail in an EIS must be commensurate with the expected level of impact.
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NRCS NEPA LEVEL OF DETAIL 10 CFR Part 51 Appendix A to Subpart A
- 6. Affected environment The environmental impact statement will succinctly describe the environment to be affected by the proposed action. Data and analyses in the statement will be commensurate with the importance of the impact, with less important material summarized, consolidated, or simply referenced. Effort and attention will be concentrated on important issues; useless bulk will be eliminated.
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Coordination with Federal, State, local, and Tribal Government Agencies 10
Contact Information
- Daniel Mussatti, Project Manager, Environmental Review New Reactors Branch, Division of Rulemaking, Environmental & Financial Support, Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards
- Email: daniel.mussatti@nrc.gov
- Dan Barnhurst, Project Manager, Environmental Review New Reactors Branch, Division of Rulemaking, Environmental & Financial Support, Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards
- Email: daniel.barnhurst@nrc.gov
- Ken Erwin, Branch Chief, Environmental Review New Reactors Branch , Division of Rulemaking, Environmental & Financial Support, Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards
- Email: kenneth.erwin@nrc.gov 11
Acronym Key
- Categorical Exclusion (CatEx)
- Environmental Assessment (EA)
- Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
- Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
- Record of Decision (ROD)
- Safety Evaluation Report (SER)
- Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel (ASLBP)