ML23214A014

(External Sender) Docket NRC-2022-0183 Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant Renewal (with Attachment) - C1

ML23214A014
Person / Time
Site:	Comanche Peak
Issue date:	01/23/2023
From:	Bhandari R - No Known Affiliation
To:	Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
References
Download: ML23214A014 (1)

Text

From: Liveable Arlington To: Docket, Hearing; Clara Sola; tam Tran; Manny Sayoc; Chair Resource; Molly Marsh; CMRBARAN Resource; CMRWright Resource; CMRCaputo Resource; CMRCrowell Resource

Subject:

[External_Sender] Docket: NRC-2022-0183 Re: Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant Renewal Date: Monday, January 23, 2023 1:21:45 PM Attachments: ComanchePeakLetter.pdf

Liveable Arlington.

903 Loch Lomond Drive Arlington, Texas 76012 January 23, 2023 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555-0001 Docket:NRC-2022-0183 Re: Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant Renewal

Dear Sir or Madam,

We are writing to ask for the following in reference to the 20-year license extension for Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant in Glen Rose, Texas.

A. We are writing to request that an in-person meeting be rescheduled for the public in Glen Rose in order that local residents can participate in a meeting regarding the additional twenty years for the plants operation.

1. The two, two-hour sessions of in-person meetings that were previously scheduled were cancelled.

Those two meetings were replaced with a two-hour session held via videoconference. Approximately half of the two-hour session was taken up by a staff presentation. This relegated the public to only a little over an hour to ask questions or make comment.

2. Frankly, the public Q&A portion of the videoconference was a mess. Many who were on the video call or via the phone line who wanted to speak could not get unmuted by the administrator to speak despite multiple tries. Several organization representatives and a former state representative were not able to ask questions or give comment.

3. Lastly, there was misinformation given during the presentation. A deadline of January 27 th was given as the deadline for scoping comments. Though staff verbally corrected it to the correct date of January 30th, it was recorded in the written presentation incorrectly.

Though many of us work for organizations that are used to videoconferencing, Im sure many residents of Glen Rose are unfamiliar with this kind of video meeting. Therefore, many residents who planned on attending the in-person meetings, with it abruptly cancelled on short notice, were undoubtedly prevented from having a voice. Furthermore, there was no longer an evening opportunity to participate for those who work or go to school during the day.

We would like to see the ads or notice the public was given of the rescheduling via videoconference. What publications were they published in? How much notice was given? At what time did the last-minute press release finally get posted on January 9th on NRCs website for the meeting the next day, January 10th? Was there a violation of the Open Meetings Act?

B. Finally, given the gravity of a 20-year renewal of Comanche Peaks permit on an aging facility with an application that is more than 2200 pages long, we request there be at least a 90-day extension of the deadline to submit comments and to request a hearing on the application in light of the cancellations and rescheduling of these initial in-person public meetings. Preparing to request a hearing takes a significant amount of time and preparation for concerned individuals, organizations, lawyers and expert witnesses. The Federal Register posted information on December 1, 2022, at the start of a holiday season and a period of increasing Covid cases. More time is needed to thoughtfully submit requests for a hearing.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

I am also attaching a copy of this letter to this email.

Warm regards,

Ranjana Bhandari, Executive Director Liveable Arlington Ranjana Bhandari, Executive Director LIVEABLE ARLINGTON liveablearlington@gmail.com l (She/Her)

Facebook: liveablearlington Twitter: @LivablArlington,@Ranjana_LA Instagram: liveablearlington Liveable Arlington.

903 Loch Lomond Drive Arlington, Texas 76012

January 23, 2023 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555-0001

Docket: NRC-2022-0183 Re: Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant Renewal

Dear Sir or Madam,

We are writing to ask for the following in reference to the 20-year license extension for Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant in Glen Rose, Texas.

A. We are writing to request that an in-person meeting be rescheduled for the public in Glen Rose in order that local residents can participate in a meeting regarding the additional twenty years for the plants operation.

1. The two, two-hour sessions of in-person meetings that were previously scheduled were cancell ed. Those two meetings were replaced with a two -hour session held via videoconference. Approximately half of the two -

hour session was taken up by a staff presentation. This relegated the public to only a little over an hour to ask questions or make comment.

2. Frankly, the public Q&A portion of the videoconference was a mess. Many who were on the video call or via the phone line who wanted to speak could not get unmuted by the administrator to speak despite multiple tries. Several organization representatives and a former state representative were not able to ask questions or give comment.

3. Lastly, there was misinformation given during the presentation. A deadline of January 27th was given as the deadline for scoping comments. Though staff verbally corrected it to the correct date of January 30th, it was recorded in the written presentation incorrectly.

Though many of us work for organizations that are used to videoconferencing, Im sure many residents of Glen Rose are unfamiliar with this kind of video meeting. Therefore, many residents who planned on attending the in-person meetings, with it abruptly cancelled on short notice, were undoubtedly prevented from having a voice.

Furthermore, there was no longer an evening opportunity to participate for those who work or go to school during the day.

We would like to see the ads or notice the public was given of the rescheduling via videoconference. What publications were they published in? How much notice was given? At what time did the last-minute press release finally get posted on January 9th on NRCs website for the meeting the next day, January 10th? Was there a violation of the Open Meetings Act?

B. Finally, given the gravity of a 20-year renewal of Comanche Peaks permit on an aging facility with an application that is more than 2200 pages long, we request there be at least a 90-day extension of the deadline to submit comments and to request a hearing on the application in light of the cancellations and rescheduling of these initial in-person public meetings. Preparing to request a hearing takes a significant amount of time and preparation for concerned individuals, organizations, lawyers and expert witnesses. The Federal Register posted information on December 1, 2022, at the start of a holiday season and a period of increasing Covid cases. More time is needed to thoughtfully submit requests for a hearing.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Ranjana Bhandari, Executive Director Liveable Arlington