ML24309A212

Ape Notification to Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Palisades

ML24309A212
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	11/04/2024
From:	Tanya Smith NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ETRB1
To:	Lowes A Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Michigan
Shared Package
ML24292A044	List: ML24292A049 ML24309A204 ML24309A205 ML24309A206 ML24309A207 ML24309A208 ML24309A209 ML24309A210 ML24309A211 ML24309A212 ML24309A213 ML24309A214
References
EPID L-2024-LNE-0003
Download: ML24309A212 (1)

Text

Austin Lowes, Chairperson Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians 523 Ashmun Street Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783

SUBJECT:

AREA OF POTENTIAL EFFECTS NOTIFICATION AND CONTINUING SECTION 106 CONSULTATION FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF HOLTEC DECOMMISSIONING INTERNATIONAL, LLCS LICENSING AND REGULATORY REQUESTS FOR REAUTHORIZATION OF POWER OPERATIONS AT PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT (EPID NUMBER:

L-2024-LNE-0003) (DOCKET NUMBER: 50-0255)

Dear Chairperson Austin Lowes:

As previously noted by letter dated July 1, 2024 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System ML24183A158), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is conducting an environmental review for a series of licensing and regulatory requests submitted by Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC that seek NRC approvals to reauthorize power operations at the Palisades Nuclear Plant (Palisades). These requests include an exemption request, a license transfer request, and license amendment requests. Also discussed in our previous letter, the NRC is using the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) process to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA) in accordance with Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 800, Protection of Historic Properties, Section 800.8(c).

Concurrently, the U.S. Department of Energys (DOE) Loan Programs Offices (LPOs) proposed action, pursuant to its authority under Title 17 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, as amended, is considering providing Federal financial assistance (a loan guarantee) to support the reauthorization of power operations at Palisades. Accordingly, the DOE LPO will serve as a cooperating agency on the environmental review while the NRC will be the lead Federal agency for the environmental review under NEPA and Section 106 consultation under the NHPA.

The purpose of this letter is to notify you about the area of potential effects (APE) determination for NRCs environmental review and NHPA Section 106 consultation. Specifically, the NRC is defining the direct and indirect APE for this undertaking as the entire 432-acre Palisades site (Enclosed). The APE shown in the enclosed map is the same APE evaluated in the 2006 NUREG-1437, Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, Supplement 27, Regarding Palisades Nuclear Plant.

The NRC expects to issue the draft environmental assessment (EA) for the consulting parties and public review and comment in January 2025. A copy of the draft EA will be made available for your review and comment. The EA will include identification of historic and cultural resources and historic properties, an analysis of potential effects of the proposed actions, including November 4, 2024 A. Lowes potential effects on historic and cultural resources and historic properties as well as the NRC staffs preliminary determinations.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the APE, please contact Jennifer Davis, Staff Archaeologist, by phone at 301-415-3835 or via email at Jennifer.Davis@nrc.gov; or the Environmental Project Manager, Laura Willingham, by phone at 301-415-0857 or via email at Laura.Willingham@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, Theodore Smith, Acting Deputy Director Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket No. 50-255

Enclosure:

Figure 1 - A Map of the 432-acre Palisades Area of Potential Effects cc:

GovDelivery Emma Donmyer Repatriation and Historic Preservation Specialist edonmyer1@saulttribe.net Signed by Smith, Theodore on 11/04/24

ML24292A044 (Package); ML24309A212 (Letter) *concurrence via email OFFICE PM:REFS/ETR1 LA:REFS/EPM3 PM:REFS/EPM3 OGC PM:REFS/ETR1 NAME JDavis MCampestrin LWillingham MASpencer* JDavis DATE 10/22/2024 10/23/2024 10/29/2024 10/29/2024 10/29/2024 OFFICE BC:REFS/EPM3 BC:REFS/ETR1 NAME DBarnhurst TSmith DATE 11/04/2024 11/04/2024

Figure 1 - A Map of the 432-acre Palisades Area of Potential Effects Figure modified from SEARCH, Inc.s 2024 Technical Report: Phase 1 Archaeological Survey of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, Van Buren County, Michigan. Prepared for Enercon, prepared by SEARCH. SEARCH project number: 240030. Report on file at the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office.

Enclosure 1