ML23009B607

Request to Initiate Section 106 Consultation for Abilene Christian University Molten Salt Research Reactor Construction Permit Application (Docket No. 05000610)

ML23009B607
Person / Time
Site:	Abilene Christian University
Issue date:	05/08/2023
From:	Kenneth Erwin NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ENRB
To:	Wolfe M State of TX
References
Download: ML23009B607 (1)

Text

May 8, 2023 Mark S. Wolfe State Historic Preservation Officer Texas Historical Commission P.O. Box 12276 Austin, TX 78711-2276

SUBJECT:

REQUEST TO INITIATE SECTION 106 CONSULTATION FOR THE ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY MOLTEN SALT RESEARCH REACTOR CONSTRUCTION PERMIT APPLICATION (DOCKET NUMBER: 05000610)

Dear Mark Wolfe:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is conducting an environmental review for a construction permit application submitted by Abilene Christian University (ACU) for the proposed Molten Salt Research Reactor (MSRR) in Abilene, Texas. The construction permit application was submitted to the NRC by letter dated August 12, 2022 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML22227A202), as supplemented by letter dated October 14, 2022 (ML22293B816),

pursuant to title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities, and section 104c of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended. An environmental report was included as part of the construction permit application as Chapter 19 of ACUs Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (ML22227A203). These documents may be obtained online in the NRCs ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html . To begin the search, select Begin Web-based ADAMS Search. For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRCs Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov .

The proposed MSRR would be constructed within the Science and Engineering Research Center (SERC) on the ACU campus. The SERC is presently being built on the southeast corner of the ACU campus in the City of Abilene, which is located 150 miles (241 kilometers) west of Fort Worth, in West Central Texas. The SERC site encompasses approximately 15.17 acres (6.14 hectares) of land (see Enclosure) that the NRC is considering to be the Area of Potential Effect (APE) for the proposed MSRR project. The northern border of the site is East North 16th Street, and the eastern border is North Judge Ely Boulevard. The proposed location for the MSRR covers approximately 25,000 square feet within the SERC.

As part of its review, the NRC staff is preparing an environmental assessment (EA) on the proposed action of whether to issue a construction permit for the MSRR, as provided by 10 CFR part 51, Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions, the NRCs environmental protection regulations that implement the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA). In accordance with title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR) part 800, Protection of Historic Properties, paragraph 800.8(c), the NRC staff is using the NEPA process to comply with section 106 of

M. Wolfe 2 the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA), in lieu of the procedures set forth in 36 CFR 800.3 through 800.6. The EA will include identification of historic and cultural resources and historic properties, an analysis of potential effects of the proposed action, including potential effects on historic and cultural resources and historic properties, and the NRC staffs preliminary determination. The purpose of this letter is to initiate NHPA section 106 consultation with the Texas Historic Preservation Office.

The NRC invites you to submit any comments that you may have on the scope of the environmental review within 30 days of date sent. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:

Email comments to: Brian.Glowacki@nrc.gov or Mail comments to: Office of Administration, Mail Stop: TWFN-7-A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, ATTN: Program Management, Announcements and Editing Staff.

The NRC staff expects to publish the draft EA in October 2023. A copy of the draft EA will be made available for your review and comment.

If you have any questions concerning the NRCs NHPA section 106 consultation and associated historic and cultural resources review of the construction permit application for the MSRR, please contact Brian Glowacki, Environmental Project Manager, at 301-415-7783 or via email at Brian.Glowacki @nrc.gov; or Pat Vokoun, Environmental Project Manager, at 301-415-3470 or via email at Patricia.Vokoun@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, Signed by Erwin, Kenneth on 05/08/23 Kenneth T. Erwin, Chief Environmental Review New Reactors Branch Division of Rulemaking, Environment, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket No. 05000610

Enclosure:

Site Location

ML23009B607 (letter) *concurrence via e-mail OFFICE PM:REFS LA:REFS OGC (NLO) BC:REFS NAME PVokoun AWalker-Smith JWachutka KErwin DATE 5/4/23* 5/4/23* 5/4/23* 5/8/23*

ENCLOSURE