ML24310A014

Ape Notification to Mackinac Bands of Chippewa Palisades

ML24310A014
Person / Time
Site:	Palisades
Issue date:	11/05/2024
From:	Rome M NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ETRB1
To:	Powers L Mackinac Bands of Cheppewa And Ottawa Indians
References
EPID L-2024-LNE-0003
Download: ML24310A014 (1)

Text

Lisa Powers, Chairperson Mackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians P.O. Box 250 St. Ignace, Michigan 49781

SUBJECT:

AREA OF POTENTIAL EFFECTS NOTIFICATION 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 Lisa Powers:

As previously noted by letter dated July 1, 2024 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System ML24172A003), 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. 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 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 potential effects on November 5, 2024 historic and cultural resources and historic properties as well as the NRC staffs preliminary determinations.

If you have any questions or comments, 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, Michelle Rome, Chief Environmental Technical Review Branch 1 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 Signed by Rome, Michelle on 11/05/24

ML24292A133 (Package); ML24310A014 (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 10/28/2024 10/29/2024 10/29/2024 OFFICE BC:REFS/EPM3 BC:REFS/ETR1 NAME DBarnhurst MRome DATE 11/04/2024 10/05/2024

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