ML25105A276
| ML25105A276 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 04/08/2025 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Blind A - No Known Affiliation |
| References | |
| Download: ML25105A276 (1) | |
Text
From:
PalisadesRestartProject To:
Alan Blind
Subject:
RE: Final Avenue for Public Engagement: Follow-Up Request for NRC Public Meeting on Palisades Restart Licensing Process Date:
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 1:37:00 PM Mr. Blind,
The NRC staff remains committed to open and transparent public engagement on the Palisades restart project. The panel understands the publics interest and we have always been as responsive as possible. From the start of the review, we have explained the multiple ways the public can participate in NRC activities, both informally and through petitions and legal challenges. We have also clearly noted the areas where staff is unable to directly respond to matters in litigation before the agency. We have also worked to ensure all stakeholders have access to information on the legal proceeding and other review details.
We are currently preparing for the next public meeting in late April 2025 and as always will take your feedback into consideration. The licensing and oversight processes are typically part of our agenda and you along with other interested stakeholders will continue to have the opportunity to ask questions, like our previous public meetings. Please continue to check theNRCs public websitefor additional information regarding this upcoming meeting.
We appreciate your interest and appreciate your feedback. We have committed time, staff, and resources to answering hundreds of questions, hosting multiple public meetings, and having technical experts and inspectors available to have conversations with members of the public throughout. We have always responded to the community, even before the potential restart project, and we will continue to be responsive. We take our roles as the safety regulator seriously and our team is working to ensure the company meets our safety rules and regulations.
Palisades Restart Panel
From: Alan Blind <a.alan.blind@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, April 7, 2025 6:48 PM To: PalisadesRestartProject <PalisadesRestartProject.Resource@nrc.gov>
Cc: Tracy Vercillo <tracyvercillo12@gmail.com>; Beth Stark <stark.elizabeth@gmail.com>;
CHRISTEEN PAULISON <cpaulison@aol.com>; Elizabeth Chandler
<elizabethchandler72@gmail.com>; Anne Owen <anneowen@sbcglobal.net>; Kathleen Jaffers
<Kakjeffers@hotmail.com>; Laura King <lfkingchgo@comcast.net>; Laura Strehlow
<laurastrehlow@bloomingdalecom.net>; John Hoskin <jhoskin50@yahoo.com>; Ann S
<annsylvester12@gmail.com>; Christian Moevs <christian.moevs.1@nd.edu>; mary Tamm
<mbtamm6@gmail.com>; Will Schlicher <willschlicher@hotmail.com>; Amy Guirl
<amyguirl@gmail.com>; Steve Richards <rockynotbates@msn.com>; Jill Schlicher
<jill_schlicher@hotmail.com>; Barb Grigola <treasurer@palisadespark.org>; Claudia Somes
<drmomcjs@aol.com>; Susan Slater <slater5561@gmail.com>; Martha Hanson
<mhanson901@gmail.com>; David Bailey <daveb326@gmail.com>; Gerry O'Connor
<Gerry.OConnor@epicbrokers.com>; Cbdejohn <cbdejohn@gmail.com>; Karen Jefferson
<kjefferson0106@gmail.com>; Judy Schmitt <jpschmitt352@gmail.com>; pat
<patflynnspub@aol.com>; Brian Roche <broche614@gmail.com>; Brett Thomas
<brettnthomas@gmail.com>; Peter Welles <pcwelles@mac.com>; Barbara Drake
<dunewood3@comcast.net>; Bob/Dianne Ebert <rebes1025@gmail.com>; Mary D Huffman
<huffmanmaryd@hotmail.com>; Tom McCullough <tpm@redoxsolutions.com>; Carolyn Ferry
<carolynferry@sbcglobal.net>; ncjsp@aol.com; Jamie Sloan <jwsloan@mac.com>; William Connor
<wsc@connorcompany.com>; R. James Scott <rjamesscott@gmail.com>; kathleen phillips
<kcfp215@gmail.com>; SHORTRIDGE MICHAEL <shortridge5@sbcglobal.net>; Salvatore Grigola
<drsincii@msn.com>; Meg McCleary <meggie.mccleary@gmail.com>; Sally Nosal
<smnosal@gmail.com>; John Mailander <jmailander@yahoo.com>; Mackenzie Flynn
<m.mackenzie.flynn@gmail.com>; William Stark <williamhstark0630@gmail.com>; Olivia Flynn
<oliviasflynn@gmail.com>; Dillon Reed <dillonreed1@gmail.com>; Becky Davis
<rbccdvd@yahoo.com>; Linda Fitzgerald <Loufitz14@yahoo.com>; Sheila Sullivan
<sheilamarie62@icloud.com>; Laurel Goetzinger <legoetzinger@gmail.com>; Leslie Whippen
<leswhippen@gmail.com>; Nancy&Glenn <gnancy1188@yahoo.com>; Lynne Master
<lynneldc@aol.com>; James N. Guirl II <jng@guirlfirm.com>; Steve Huffine <Steve@facollc.com>;
Mark Stevens <markestephens57@gmail.com>; 38sajodavis@gmail.com; Alan Silverberg
<alanhsilverberg@gmail.com>; Tom Flynn <tflynn71@gmail.com>; Sarah Collyer
<sarahcollyer@gmail.com>; Peter Forsee <peter.forsee@epicbrokers.com>; David Tynan
<dtynan24@yahoo.com>; Devon Russell <devonmrussell14@hotmail.com>; Andy Goff
<drewgoff2000@yahoo.com>; Ed Owen <edgowen@sbcglobal.net>; mdrakelaw
<mdrakelaw@yahoo.com>; Steve Heavrin <heavr7@aol.com>; Sandy MCWETHY
<sandywmc@mac.com>; TERRY SCHMITT <taschmtt@aol.com>; McCleary, Nancy O., R.N.
<NOMCCLEARY@mgh.harvard.edu>; Charles Brand <cmbrand417@yahoo.com>; Joe Kirk
<joekirk1932@gmail.com>; Frank Whitney <fw1793@gmail.com>; John Hinsel
<mytopdown2@gmail.com>; Andrea Dunlevy <andidunlevy@hotmail.com>; Rhett Murry
<Murrayr531@aol.com>; Richard Huffine, Jr <rich.huffine@gmail.com>; John Regan
<jdreganjr@gmail.com>; Peg McCowan <pegmccowan57@gmail.com>; Terry O'Brien
<tobrien@obrienauto.com>; Thomas Jeffers <thomasjeffersiii@gmail.com>; Mike Bates
<gmbates1957@gmail.com>; Janmarie Connor <janmariec@comcast.net>; Lisa Lemoin
<liezer2@yahoo.com>; m_luedeman <m_luedeman@yahoo.com>; Kathy Heisel
<heiselmom@comcast.net>; Lwhippen <lwhippen@gmail.com>; Linda Neal <lindaneal@mac.com>;
Scott Jennings <ecruit@gmail.com>; Maureen Henry <mhenry0321@comcast.net>; Kimeri SwansonBeck <kimeri@msn.com>; Janice King <jan.king1@icloud.com>; Ann Scott
<Anngoldenscott@gmail.com>; Brent Harrison <brent.a.harrison@gmail.com>; Julie Cooney
<jhcooney1@gmail.com>; Toby Mathias <tmathias1@cinci.rr.com>; Rudpersons@att.net; John Wiaduck <brewduck@yahoo.com>; Terry Alsterda <terryalsterda@gmail.com>; Kevin Hohman
<kevin.hohman@sbcglobal.net>; Martha Eldredge Stark <meldredgestark@gmail.com>; Carrie A
<cankenbruck@hotmail.com>; Sarah Heck <sarah.heck@gmail.com>; ali.schwinger
<ali.schwinger@gmail.com>; Colleen Henry <colleenmariehenry@hotmail.com>; Mary Lee Stephens
<stephensmarylee@gmail.com>; tleld@aol.com; Bob Zimmermann <zimbo55@bellsouth.net>;
Bruce G. Davis <cdxp@aol.com>; Joanie Obrien <joanieobrien@comcast.net>; kitzieconnor
<kitzieconnor@att.net>; Kathryn Thompson <kgarvint@gmail.com>; Erik Schwinger
<erik.schwinger@gmail.com>; kathleenop@maine.rr.com; John Cordell <cordellj@gmail.com>; Anne Frenchick, Ted Thompson <tedanne449@gmail.com>; Jody Flynn <jodygflynn@gmail.com>; JOSEPH W. King <boking1@aol.com>; Walt Oberheu <waltoberheu@hotmail.com>; Barney Quinn
<fbquinn1@gmail.com>; David Bogacz <davidabogacz@gmail.com>; pam lewis
<plewis1962@yahoo.com>; Lisa Lewis <bigdog600@sbcglobal.net>; Josephine Ownen
<Joownen@yahoo.com>; Sara Burson <srburson@sbcglobal.net>; Bill Eldredge
<eldredgeb@yahoo.com>; Kathleen Jeffers <tomkakjeffers@gmail.com>; martimur
<martimur@aol.com>; Berverly Brand <Bbbrand510@yahoo.com>; Pam Zimmermann
<zmannp@gmail.com>; Kevin Flynn <kflynn@cvrindy.com>; marie roche
<mfroche212@gmail.com>; David E. Simonelli <desimonelli@gldd.com>; Joan Mailander
<joanmailander@yahoo.com>; Lancaster, Marcus <MJLANCASTER@quad.com>
Subject:
[External_Sender] Final Avenue for Public Engagement: Follow-Up Request for NRC Public Meeting on Palisades Restart Licensing Process
Subject:
Final Avenue for Public Engagement: Follow-Up Request for NRC Public Meeting on Palisades Restart Licensing Process To: NRC Palisades Restart Team Cc: Homeowners and fellow signatoriesto this request, Near Palisades Nuclear Plant (previous signatories)
Dear NRC Palisades Restart Panel,
We are writing to follow uponce againon ourFebruary 3, 2025, requestfor a dedicated public meeting to explain the NRCs licensing and oversight process for Holtecs proposed restart of the Palisades Nuclear Plant. We also reiterate the follow-up sent onMarch 31, following the Atomic Safety and Licensing Boards (ASLB) formal decision.
As of today, more than60 dayshave passed without any response. That silence stands in stark contrast to the NRCs own assurances of public engagement. I want to begin by recalling what was said publicly at theAugust 1, 2024 NRC meeting, when concerned home owner next to the Palisades Plant, Jody Flynn addressed the NRC Restart Panel:
Jody Flynn:
This is a total and complete nightmare for us. Why are you (NRC Restart Panel) rushing to do this? You have no roadmap, you have no set of rules you are working from. You need to slow down and do this right.you are about to do something that has never been done before. You should be taking your timeyou should be making this perfect. This is a precedent, so it needs to be the best. We are relying on you.
The NRC Restart Panel responded:
NRC Staff:
Our number one priority is safety. Our mission is safety. We are about efficiency, but if additional questions come up in our reviews, we will ask Holtec to respond and publish it on our website. We will take the time it takes to make sure the plant is safe. We have high standards for safety and will use resources from all areas of the NRC as necessary. If you think we are missing anything, reach out and ask us. We will engage.We are being very deliberate. While we have metrics to measure our performance, we will take as much time as it takes to ensure Holtecs submittals are correct.
We took the NRC at its word. We submitted a formal public hearing request petition. We filed 2.206 enforcement petitions. We submitted a petition for rulemaking. Each time, we were told that our concernsthough validbelonged somewhere else or there was no time table for any further review.
Since the first two processes are nowconcluded, there is no longer any valid reason to delay or avoid answering public questions.
On March31, 2025, theASLB dismissed our hearing petition, stating that our concerns about NRC staffs review of the restart were outside the scope of the adjudicatory process and recommending instead public meetings, 2.206 enforcement petitions, and rulemaking.
On April7, 2025, theNRC denied our 2.206 petitions, stating that there was no violation to enforce because Holtec is still operating under itsdecommissioning licensing basis, and that the issues we raised were better suited for licensing or rulemaking.
The rulemaking process will take yearsoffering no immediate avenue for engagement.
This leads to a regulatory paradox:
There areno existing rulesgoverning the restart of a decommissioned nuclear plant; Therefore, there areno violationsto enforce; Therefore, there isno enforcementpath under 2.206; And because no final license amendments have been granted, there isno opportunity to challenge them. We add that we are unawareof any NRC processes that would allow for public involvement at this final stage.
Meanwhile:
Holtec is technically following its existing decommissioning licensing basis, which the NRC cites as evidence that there is no current violation. However, this fact rings hollow: Holtec is actively pursuing the restart of a permanently shut-down reactor using a path for whichno clear regulatory framework exists. The public is left without meaningful understanding of how NRC staff is evaluating this untested and precedent-setting transition.
With both theadjudicatory and 2.206 processes now closed, there areno longer any grounds to withhold public information on the basis that it is "pre-decisional."NRC staff is now free and, we believe, obligatedto explain how it is reviewing Holtecs restart plans, what standards are being applied, and how safety is being assured.
Therefore, we respectfully reiterate our request:
Pleaseschedule and conduct a dedicated public meetingin person or virtual focused specifically on the NRCs review of Holtecs restart proposal. We request that this meeting include:
Plain-language presentationsfrom NRC technical staff; A full explanation of how the NRC is evaluating Holtecslicense amendment and exemption requests; Clarification on how oversight is being applied to Holtecsat-risk activitiesunder a decommissioning license; Details on how the NRC will ensure compliance and safetyin the absence of clear restart regulations; And transparency about how thepublic will be kept informed and involved.
This is not a request for confidential or protected information. It is a good-faith appeal to restore transparency in a process that is shaping the future of nuclear regulation in this country. This plant is thefirstof its kind to attempt restarting after decommissioning. The public deserves a full explanationnot just general assurancesand a forum in which to engage.
We again request awritten response from NRC staffoutlining your intent to hold this meeting and a proposed timeframe.
Sincerely, Alan Blind On behalf of the Joint Petitioners and Homeowners Near Palisades Nuclear Plant PS.....I have included all the local residentsignatories as cc to this email, so you may address your response to everyone.