ML23285A165
| ML23285A165 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Hermes |
| Issue date: | 10/12/2023 |
| From: | NRC/OGC |
| To: | NRC/OCM |
| SECY RAS | |
| References | |
| Construction Permit Mndtry Hrg, RAS 56826, 50-7513-CP | |
| Download: ML23285A165 (0) | |
Text
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION In the Matter of KAIROS POWER LLC Docket No. 50-7513-CP (Hermes Test Reactor)
Hearing Exhibit Exhibit Number: NRC-011 Exhibit
Title:
Staff Presentation Slides - Environmental Panel (October 12, 2023).
NRC Staff Exhibit NRC-011 KAIROS HERMES MANDATORY HEARING CONSTRUCTION PERMIT APPLICATION REVIEW Environmental Panel 1
Kenneth Erwin B r a n c h C h i e f, N M S S / R E F S 2
PANELISTS Kenneth Erwin
- Branch Chief, Environmental Review New Reactors Branch, NMSS/REFS Tamsen Dozier
- Project Manager, NMSS/REFS Peyton Doub
- Environmental Scientist, NMSS/REFS 3
REVIEW PROCESS - VISION AND STRATEGY Completed transformational NEPA review and EIS
- Significant improvements to clarity, focus, and readability High level of public engagement Ensured NRC's NEPA obligations (and related laws, regulations, and processes) are met 4
Tamsen Dozier P r o j e c t M a n a g e r, N M S S / R E F S 5
PROPOSED FEDERAL ACTION / PURPOSE AND NEED Proposed Federal Issuance of a construction permit to Kairos Power, LLC Action Purpose and Build and operate a non-power test reactor to demonstrate key elements of the Kairos Power Fluoride Salt-Cooled, High Temperature Reactor Need technology for possible future commercial development Staff prepared an EIS to meet requirements under NEPA and other environmental laws.
6
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS Solicited and Reconciled Scoping Comments
- Scoping period (60 days) from February to April 2022 NRCs NEPA Process Conducted Technical Review
- Comment period on Draft EIS from October 7 to
/ stakeholder comment December 6, 2022 (60 days); meeting held in Oak Ridge Prepared Final EIS
- Final EIS published August 2023 7
PUBLIC OUTREACH
- March 2022: Public outreach and scoping meeting Meetings with
- November 2022: Draft EIS comment meeting in Oak Ridge, TN External Parties
- November 2022: Government to Government meeting with local officials in Oak Ridge during draft EIS comment period
- Local newspaper ads for scoping and draft EIS meetings to solicit Other Forms of comments Outreach
- Letters to over 20 other agencies and Federally Recognized Tribes
- Hermes CP review page on NRCs website 8
Peyton Doub Environmental Scientist, NMSS/REFS 9
CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVES Purpose and Need statement in the EIS bounds the alternatives for consideration No Action and shapes the range of reasonable alternatives Alternative Applicants Proposed Project Alternative Sites Purpose and Need Reasonable Alternative Alternatives Energy Sources*
Alternative
- No Alternative Energy Sources or Alternative System Designs meet System Designs*
the Purpose and Need of the proposed Hermes Test Reactor 10
PROCESS FOR IDENTIFYING POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE SITES Region of Interest Alternative Sites Candidate Areas (e.g., service area)
Candidate Sites
- Oak Ridge Site (Proposed)
- Eagle Rock Site Potential Sites (Alternative) 11
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AREAS 12
IMPACTS ON RESOURCES - SMALL Resource Area EIS Section Impacts The direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts from Land Use & Visual Resources 3.1 SMALL building, operating, and Air Quality & Noise 3.2 SMALL decommissioning the Hydrogeology & Water Resources 3.3 SMALL Hermes reactor at the Oak Ecological Resources 3.4 SMALL Ridge site would be SMALL Historic & Cultural Resources 3.5 SMALL Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice 3.6 SMALL Human Health 3.7 SMALL Nonradiological Waste Management 3.8 SMALL Uranium Fuel Cycle and Radiological Waste Management 3.9 SMALL Transportation 3.10 SMALL Accidents 3.11 SMALL Climate Change 3.12 SMALL 13
IMPACTS ON RESOURCES - SMALL Oak Ridge Eagle Resource Area No Action The proposed action of siting the Site Rock Site Hermes reactor at the Oak Ridge Land Use & Visual Resources SMALL SMALL MODERATE site is the environmentally Air Quality & Noise SMALL SMALL SMALL preferrable alternative.
Hydrogeology & Water Resources SMALL SMALL SMALL Ecological Resources SMALL SMALL MODERATE Historic & Cultural Resources SMALL SMALL MODERATE The No Action Alternative does Socioeconomics and Environmental not meet the Purpose & Need SMALL SMALL SMALL Justice Human Health SMALL SMALL SMALL Nonradiological Waste Management SMALL SMALL SMALL Uranium Fuel Cycle and SMALL SMALL SMALL Radiological Waste Management Transportation SMALL SMALL SMALL Accidents SMALL SMALL SMALL Climate Change SMALL SMALL SMALL See Table 4-1 in EIS 14
CONSULTATIONS Section 7 of Endangered Species Act
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concurred that project may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect protected species and habitats Section 106 of National Historic Preservation Act
- Coordinated consultation through the NEPA process
- Communicated with 18 American Indian Tribes, Tennessee Historical Commission, National Park Service, and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
- Consultation completed for all but one Tribe, which requested more information
- Staff will complete consultation with the Tribe before CP issued 15
NRC STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION Environmental impacts for all resource areas would be small.
None of the reasonable alternatives were environmentally preferable.
The staff recommends issuance of the construction permit once National Historic Preservation Act consultations are completed.
16
FUTURE HERMES NEPA ANALYSES Hermes
- Supplemental environmental report Operating
- Matters that differ from the final EIS License
- New and significant information 17
- CFR - Code of Federal Regulations
- CP - construction permit
- EIS - environmental impact statement
- NEPA - National Environmental Policy Act
- NMSS - Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
- NRC - U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- NUREG - U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission technical report designation
- OL - operating license
- REFS - Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support 18