ML25098A195
| ML25098A195 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07007038 |
| Issue date: | 04/14/2025 |
| From: | Osiris Siurano-Perez NRC/NMSS/DFM/FFLB |
| To: | Lav S NRC/NMSS/DFM/FFLB |
| References | |
| Download: ML25098A195 (1) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 MEMORANDUM TO:
Samantha Lav, Chief Fuel Facility Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards FROM:
Osiris Siurano-Pérez, Project Manager Fuel Facility Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF MARCH 18, 2025, TELECONFERENCE WITH ORANO ENRICHMENT USA, LLC - DISCUSSION OF NON-FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE PROCESS FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT CONSULTATION On March 18, 2025, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff held a pre-application telephone conference call with representatives from Orano Enrichment USA, LLC (Orano), and Boston Government Services to continue discussions regarding Oranos interest in Non-Federal Representative designation for Endangered Species Act section 7 consultation for the planned Project IKE Uranium Enrichment Facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
I am enclosing the conference call summary for your use. The summary does not contain sensitive information. Orano staff also reviewed this summary for factual information and/or clarifications.
Docket No.: 07007038
Enclosure:
- 1. Summary of Teleconference with Orano Enrichment USA, LLC, Discussion of Non-Federal Representative Process for Endangered Species Act cc: Peter Vescovi, Orano CONTACTS: Stacey Imboden, NMSS/REFS 301-415-2462 Osiris Siurano-Pérez, NMSS/DFM 301-415-7827 April 14, 2025 Signed by Siurano-Perez, Osiris on 04/14/25
ML25098A195 Enclosure Summary of Teleconference with Orano Enrichment USA, LLC Discussion of Non-Federal Representative Process for Endangered Species Act Date and Time: March 18, 2025; 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM Call
Participants:
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Briana Arlene, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)
Patrick Donohue, NMSS Stacey Imboden, NMSS Patricia Jehle, Office of the General Counsel (OGC)
Osiris Siurano-Pérez, NMSS Blake Vaisey, OGC Diana Woodyatt, NMSS Orano Enrichment USA, LLC (Orano)
Lionel Antognelli Peter Vescovi Boston Government Services Lou Qualls
Background
During a previous pre-application meeting conducted on February 27, 2025, Orano representatives expressed their interest in serving as the Non-Federal Representative (NFR) for consultation during the NRC staff environmental review of Oranos license application for Project IKE with oversight from the NRC. During this call, the NRC staff, therefore, discussed the background and basic steps of the NFR process for consultation under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) section 7, which enables Orano to conduct ESA consultation activities on behalf of the NRC.
Summary of Teleconference Following introduction of the meeting participants, the NRC staff proceeded to discuss the purpose and process for the NFR consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS),
including documenting consultation as part of the review of the environmental report of Oranos application, which Orano plans to submit to the NRC during the last quarter of 2025. During the meeting the NRC staff clarified that, to move forward with the NFR process, Orano could reconfirm their interest during this meeting to get it documented in the meeting summary or send an email to the NRC project manager to confirm their interest so it could get docketed in the Agencywide Documents Access Management System (ADAMS). Orano stated that they still were interested, and the NRC staff suggested that Orano follow-up with the email, which Orano agreed to do.
2 During the meeting, the NRC staff summarized the highlights of ADAMS Accession No. ML25076A129, Endangered Species Act (ESA) Non-Federal Representative (NFR) Overview for NRC Applicants and Prospective Applicants, focusing on the bullets on page 4.
Following this discussion, the NRC staff provided responses to questions from the Orano representatives. Orano inquired whether the NFR process was part of the efficiencies in environmental review processes, as required by the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act, which were discussed at the recently concluded NRC Regulatory Information Conference (RIC). The NRC staff confirmed that the NFR process is one method of increasing efficiency in environmental reviews.
Orano also wanted to know if they would need to consult with FWS, or local and State representatives. In response, the NRC staff stated that the NFR designation would only cover Federal consultations. Orano also inquired about the NRC efforts to improve the efficiency for conducting environmental assessments (EAs) instead of environmental impact statements (EISs), which the NRC staff discussed at the RIC, since they wanted to know if it would apply to their project. The NRC staff then stated that the NRC would not be able to make that determination until the entire application was submitted to the NRC. The NRC staff did note that, under the current regulatory framework, an EIS is required for the NRC approval and issuance of licenses for construction and operation of an enrichment facility under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Section 51.20, and that for only an EA, and not an EIS, to be conducted, the NRC staff would need to request an exemption to the regulations. The NRC staff also specified that past exemptions granted to only conduct an EA instead of an EIS were due to unique circumstances that do not appear to apply to this project in immediately apparent ways.
In this regard, Orano stated that the U.S. Department of Energy had already conducted an EA for the adjacent Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training Center parcel, which could also be applicable to their project and, thus, make the NRC environmental review of Oranos application more efficient by reducing the time for the NRC review process. The NRC staff stated that this would be considered during its review of the Orano application.
Following this discussion, and with no other questions asked, the meeting was adjourned at around 11:50 AM.
Action Items 1.
For Orano:
a.
Confirm, via email, their interest in participating in the NFR process for their project.
2.
For the NRC:
a.
Prepare and issue the NFR designation letter.
PRINCIPAL CONTRIBUTORS Patrick Donohue, NMSS Stacey Imboden, NMSS Osiris Siurano-Pérez, NMSS