ML24046A161
| ML24046A161 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oconee  |
| Issue date: | 02/16/2024 |
| From: | Lance Rakovan NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ELRB |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Download: ML24046A161 (25) | |
Text
- Public Meeting Information:
https://www.nrc.gov/pmns/mtg?do=details
&Code=20240153
- Meeting Slides: ML24046A161 OCONEE NUCLEAR STATION PUBLIC MEETING WILL BEGIN SHORTLY
Preliminary Findings of the Environmental Review for Oconee Nuclear Station Units 1, 2, and 3 Subsequent License Renewal February 27, 2024 Lance Rakovan, Environmental Project Manager
Agenda
- Opening Remarks
- Introductions and Purpose
- Environmental Impact Statement Preliminary Findings
- Public Questions on the Presentation
- Public Comments on the Environmental Impact Statement 3
Meeting Logistics
- NRC is actively soliciting comments on the draft site-specific Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to aid the NRC staffs review
- Participants are in listen-only mode until the comment session
- No regulatory decisions will be made at todays meeting 4
Introductions
- Lance Rakovan, Environmental Review Lead, NRC Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)
- Stephen Koenick, Chief, Environmental Project Management Branch 1, NMSS 5
- NRCs Governing Statutes
- Atomic Energy Act
- National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
- NRCs Mission
- Protect Public Health and Safety
- Promote Common Defense and Security
- Protect the Environment NRCs Regulatory Role 6
Plant Background Description Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Operating Licenses Issued 2/6/1973 10/6/1973 7/19/1974 Renewed Licenses Issued 5/30/2000 Current Expiration Dates 2/6/2033 10/6/2033 7/19/2034 Proposed Expiration Dates 2/6/2053 10/6/2053 7/19/2054 7
- Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS)
- Addresses Category 1 environmental issues common to all plants (or a distinct subset of plants) during the license renewal term
- Site-Specific Environmental Impact Statement
- Addresses Category 1 environmental issues during the license renewal term on a site-specific basis
- Includes any new information deemed significant regarding Category 2 issues, and supplements the other information in the FSEIS, as appropriate Environmental Review 8
Environmental Review
How Impacts are Defined
- SMALL Effects are not detectable or are so minor that they will neither destabilize nor noticeably alter any important attribute of the resource
- MODERATE Effects are sufficient to alter noticeably, but not to destabilize, important attributes of the resource
- LARGE Effects are clearly noticeable and are sufficient to destabilize important attributes of the resource 11
How Impacts are Defined (cont.)
- Federally Listed Species and Critical Habitat (Endangered Species Act) o No effect o May affect but is not likely to adversely affect o May affect and is likely to adversely affect
- Essential Fish Habitat (Magnuson-Stevens Act) o No adverse impacts o Minimal adverse impacts o More than minimal, but less than substantial adverse effects o Substantial adverse impact 12
How Impacts are Defined (cont.)
- Natural Marine Sanctuary Act (NMSA) o No effect o May effect but is not likely to destroy, cause the loss of, or injure o May effect and is likely to destroy, cause the loss of, or injure 13
How Impacts are Defined (cont.)
- Cultural and Historic Resources (National Historic Preservation Act)
- Would adversely affect
- Would not adversely affect
- Environmental Justice* (Executive Order 12898)
- Disproportionally high and adverse human health and environmental effects
- The NRC chooses to address EJ, though not required. There is a pending vote by the Commission on addressing EJ.
14
Draft EIS Preliminary Findings Resource Area Land Use/Visual Resources Air Quality/Noise Geologic Environment Surface Water/Groundwater Resources Terrestrial Resources Aquatic Resources Socioeconomics Transportation Human Health Postulated Accidents Uranium Fuel Cycle Waste Management Impacts SMALL 15
Draft EIS Preliminary Findings (cont.)
Resource Area
- Historic and Cultural Resources
- Cumulative Impacts Impacts
- Would not adversely affect known historic properties
- No disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental effects on minority and low-income populations
- See Draft EIS Section 3.15 16
Draft EIS Preliminary Findings -
Special Status Species and Habitats 17
- May affect but is not likely to adversely affect
- Monarch butterfly
- Tricolored bat
- No effect
- Indiana bat
-Smooth coneflower
- Northern long-eared bat
-Dwarf-flowered heartleaf
- Bog turtle
-Mountain sweet pitcher plant
- Persistent trillium
- Small whorled pogonia
- No essential fish habitat or National Marine Sanctuaries present
Alternatives
- No new and significant information identified regarding the following alternatives
- Alternative energy sources (power replacement) o New nuclear power o Natural gas combined-cycle power o Combination of new nuclear (solar photovoltaic, offshore wind, small modular reactor, and demand-side management)
- No-action alternative 20
Preliminary Recommendation The adverse environmental impacts of subsequent license renewal for Oconee for an additional 20 years beyond the current expiration dates are not so great that preserving the option of subsequent license renewal for energy-planning decisionmakers would be unreasonable 21
Environmental Review Milestones 22 Milestone Date Draft EIS published February 8, 2024 Start of Comment Period February 16, 2024 Draft EIS Public Meetings February 21, 2024 February 27, 2024 Draft EIS Comments Due April 1, 2024 Final EIS August 2024
Obtaining the Draft EIS Public Library: (printed copy for inspection)
Oconee County Public Library, 300 E South 2nd St.,
Seneca, SC 29678 Oconee Project Public Website:
https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/
applications/oconee-subsequent.html Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS):
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html Draft EIS accession number: ML24033A298 23
Additional Information
- Oconee Project Public Website:
https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/
applications/oconee-subsequent.html
- Oconee subsequent license renewal application
- Environmental report
- Current schedule
- Project managers associated with Oconee Oconee Correspondence:
- https://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver/plants-by-region.html 24
Submitting Comments
- By mail Office of Administration Mailstop TWFN-7-A60M U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001
- Website http://www.regulations.gov Docket ID NRC-NRC-2021-0146 By Email: OconeeEnvironmental@nrc.gov Comments should be submitted by April 1, 2024 25
Public Participation 26
Audio/Technical Issues
- Drop off and log back on
- Call into bridgeline:
- 301-576-2978
- Passcode: 533481601#
- Conference ID: 533 481 601#
- In Teams, check your device settings:
- Click More
- Choose Settings
- Choose Device Settings 27
Draft EIS Participant Contact Information
- Meeting Summary
- Meeting participant list
- NRC presentation
- Transcript of the meeting
- Final EIS
- To receive the final EIS, email contact information to Lance.Rakovan@NRC.gov 28