ML23257A186

Response Letter to Marcia Schneider Regarding Holtec Consolidated Interim Storage Facility

ML23257A186
Person / Time
Site:	HI-STORE
Issue date:	09/27/2023
From:	Shana Helton Division of Fuel Management, Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch
To:	Schneider M Public Citizen
Shared Package
ML23240A691	List: ML23240A690 ML23257A186
References
LTR-23-0197-1-NMSS
Download: ML23257A186 (3)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001

September 27, 2023

Marcia Schneider via email

SUBJECT:

HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL SAFETY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AT THE HI-STORE CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STORAGE FACILITY FOR SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL IN LEA COUNTY, NEW MEXICO

Dear Marcia Schneider:

This letter is in response to your August 27, 2023, email to Chair Hanson of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) ML23240A690). You expressed concern about Holtec Internationals (Holtec) ability to safely operate the HI-STORE Consolidated Interim Storage Facility (CISF), for which the NRC issued an operating license in May 2023.

The NRCs mission is to license and regulate the civilian use of radioactive materials to protect public health and safety, protect the environment, and promote the common defense and security. Consistent with that mission, when NRC issued the license, we made findings of reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety and protection of the environment. Our safety and security evaluation is documented in the safety evaluation report (SER) (ML23075A183), and our environmental evaluation is documented in the environmental impact statement (EIS) (ML22181B094) and EIS Supplement 1 ( ML22299A238), where the NRC concluded that the facility met all applicable NRC regulations and statutory requirements.

Should the licensee move forward with building the facility, the NRC will inspect and oversee the construction, operation, and eventual decommissioning activities of the facility through the NRCs inspection program. This oversight will ensure that Holtec is conducting operations at the HI-STORE CISF safely and in accordance with their operating license and other applicable NRC regulations and statutory requirements. Additionally, the NRC and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will provide oversight for the safe and secure transportation of spent nuclear fuel. You can find additional information on the plans and potential impacts of the transportation of spent nuclear fuel to the HI-STORE CISF in the EIS. NRCs coordination with the DOT helps to ensure that workers and the public living or working along the transportation routes to the HI-STORE CISF are protected.

In your email you also provided a link to a Washington Post article regarding Holtecs decommissioning activities at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station (Oyster Creek) in New Jersey. The NRC addressed the issues raised in the article as part of its routine decommissioning oversight, which included additional inspections at the site, identifications of violations of the NRC requirements, and implementation of enforcement actions to ensure that the violations were addressed and corrected. The NRCs oversight program inspects, measures, and assesses the safety and security performance of facilities, and responds to any decline in facility performance. The NRCs oversight and enforcement actions, along with corrective actions implemented by Holtec as a result, give the NRC assurance that public M. Schneider 2 health, safety, and security are adequately protected at Oyster Creek. You can find additional information on the enforcement actions the NRC took related to Oyster Creek in the associated inspection reports, which are available in ADAMS at Accession Nos. ML21202A231, ML21326A151, ML21272A254, and ML22041A336. As noted above, Holtec operations at the HI-STORE CISF will be subject to similar regulatory oversight.

In accordance with Title 10 pf the Code of Federal Regulations Part 2, Agency Rules of Practice and Procedure, a copy of this letter will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room (PDR) or from the Publicly Available Records component of the NRCs ADAMS. ADAMS is accessible from the NRC website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. The PDR is open by appointment. To make an appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time (ET), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

If you have questions or require additional information related to this inquiry, you may contact Yoira Diaz Sanabria, Chief of the Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch in the Division of Fuel Management of the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, at Yoira.Diaz-Sanabria@nrc.gov or 301-415-8064.

Sincerely, Shana R. Helton, Director Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Signed by Helton, Shana on 09/27/23

M. Schneider 3

SUBJECT:

HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL SAFETY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AT THE HI-STORE CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STORAGE FACILITY FOR SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL IN LEA COUNTY, NEW MEXICO DATED:

DISTRIBUTION: LTR-23-0197-1-NMSS DFM r/f EDO r/f RidsEDOMailCenter RidsOGCMailCenter RidsOCAMailCenter RidsSECYMailCenter RidsNMSSOdResource RLewis, NMSS JZimmerman, NMSS CSafford, NMSS JTobin, NMSS HLindsay, NMSS KRoach, OGC ABell, OGC AAverbach, OGC ADAMS Accession Number: ML23257A186 *via email OFFICE NMSS/DFM NMSS/DFM NMSS/REFS NMSS/REFS NAME JNguyen JGoodridge for WWheatleyMDoell SAnderson DATE 9/14/2023 9/15/2023 9/15/2023 9/18/2023 OFFICE NMSS/DFM OGC (NLO) NMSS/DFM NAME YDiaz-SanabriaABell* SHelton DATE 9/18/2023 9/21/2023 9/27/2023 OFFICIAL RECORD COPYSeptember 27, 2023