ML25162A244
| ML25162A244 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/17/2025 |
| From: | Rowley J NRC/NMSS/DFM/FFLB |
| To: | Shana Helton Division of Fuel Management |
| Shared Package | |
| ML25162A243 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML25162A244 (1) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 MEMORANDUM TO: Shana Helton, Director Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards THRU:
Samantha C. Lav, Chief Fuel Facility Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards FROM:
Jonathan G. Rowley, Project Manager Fuel Facility Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF MAY 14, 2025, FUEL FACILITY STAKEHOLDER PUBLIC MEETING The staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) conducted a hybrid meeting (in-person and virtual via Microsoft Teams) with representatives of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), the fuel facility industry, and members of the public on May 14, 2025. The purpose of this observation meeting was to discuss the status of several regulatory issues involving the fuel facility industry. Topics discussed during the meeting included: the resolution of action items from the November 13, 2024, fuel facility stakeholder meeting; updates to the integrated schedule and its supplement; modernizing environmental reviews, environmental report pre-application guidance; endangered species act (ESA) non-federal representative process; defining likelihood definitions for fuel cycle facilities; budget and fee update; transition to SharePoint external sharing; fuel facilities construction inspection program updates; and Incorporation by Reference as a tool for developing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents.
The public meeting notice with the agenda topics and the meeting presentations are available in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System under Accession Nos.,
ML25128A118, ML25127A313, and ML25149A256 respectively. No regulatory decisions or commitments were made during the meeting.
CONTACT: Jonathan Rowley, NMSS/DFM 301-415-4053 June 17, 2025 Signed by Lav, Samantha on 06/17/25 Signed by Rowley, Jonathan on 06/17/25
S. Helton 2
The activities started with the NRC staff providing an overview of the meetings category, purpose and logistics. Opening remarks were provided by Shana Helton, Director of the Division of Fuel Management (DFM), and Greg Core, Fuel Cycle Facilities and Transportation Director, NEI.
Next, the NRC staff provided an update on the resolution of the action items from the Spring 2024 Fuel Facility Stakeholders Public Meeting. The action items included the following:
Action Item 1:
The NRC and NEI/Industry shall exchange any meeting presentation materials at least 1 week prior to the scheduled meeting date.
DFM and NEI/Industry will continue to make the presentation materials available to the public at least 1 week prior to the meeting date.
This action item is an ongoing periodic action.
Action Item 2:
The NRC staff will maintain a current Integrated Schedule of Regulatory Activities chart on the NRC public website for the fuel facility stakeholders meeting.
The NRC website (https://www.nrc.gov/materials/fuel-cycle-fac/regs-guides-comm.html#cumeffects) is updated at least twice a year prior to each stakeholder meeting and as needed when new items are added.
This action item is an ongoing periodic action.
Action Item 3:
A discussion on what happens to unutilized Part 170 fees is to be include in the Spring 2025 stakeholder meeting.
A discussion was included in the NRC presentation for the May 14, 2025, fuel facility stakeholders meeting.
This action item is closed.
Action Item 4:
The industry and the NRC should develop separate lists of areas for targeted guidance updates and then meet to compare the lists before the NRC begins revising NUREG-1520, Standard Review Plan for Fuel Cycle Facilities License Applications.
The NRC provided a list of areas for targeted guidance updates during the November 2024 stakeholders meeting. The industry continues to develop their list. A meeting date has not been established; however, there is a possibility for a discussion during the fall 2025 stakeholders meeting.
This action item is ongoing.
S. Helton 3
Action Item 5:
The NRC will schedule a meeting or workshop on licensing best-practices and areas of improvement in conjunction with the spring 2025 fuel facility stakeholders meeting A public meeting on potential improvements for licensing fuel facilities was held on April 10, 2025. A licensing best-practices workshop was held on May 14, 2025.
This action item is closed.
Modernizing Environmental Reviews The NRC staff informed the public of numerous changes to streamline environmental reviews for fuel cycle facility licensing actions resulting from the anticipated increased workload, Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, and the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act of 2024. The NRC staff spoke of continuing to apply a risk-informed approach to NEPA decision-making, the increased focus on pre-application activities, and non-federal designees for ESA consultations. The NRC staff presentation showed a decrease in the average time to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) and average number of pages of an EIS. The industry inquired if the reduction in time and pages is the only metric used to indicate efficiency or if there are other metrics being used. The industry also asked if there are plans to update NUREG-1748, Environmental Review Guidance for Licensing Actions Associated with NMSS Programs, to incorporate the efficiency changes.
Environmental Report Pre-Application Guidance The NRC staff informed the fuel cycle industry of forthcoming NRC guidance on environmental report pre-application engagement that is intended to improve the efficiency of the environmental review process. The NRC staff shared anticipated advantages of having pre-application engagement for prospective applicants and the NRC. Examples of information that should be discussed during pre-application engagement were given. The draft guidance document will be shared with the public for comment prior to issuing the final guidance. The guidance will be incorporated into a revision of NUREG-1748, Environmental Review Guidance for Licensing Actions Associated with NMSS Programs.
Endangered Species Act Non-Federal Representative Process The NRC staff provided an overview of section 7 of the ESA Non-Federal Representative (NFR)
Process. ESA section 7 requires the Federal action agencies to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to ensure their actions do not affect federally listed species or modify critical habitat. ESA section 7 regulations allow consultation to conducted by either the Federal action agency or by an NFR designated by the action agency. The NFR will analyze the impacts of the proposed action on federally listed species and critical habitats, prepare a biological assessment, and communicate directly with FWS and NMFS. The process streamlines consultations, reduce NRC staff resources, and supports efficiency initiatives. The NRC staff explained the process an licensee or applicant would use to request to become the NFR.
S. Helton 4
Defining Likelihood Definitions for Fuel Cycle Facilities The NRC staff informed the fuel cycle industry of its intent to develop additional guidance that will outline an alternative approach than what is currently documented in NUREG-1520 that can be used by an applicant to demonstrate compliance with the performance requirements for limiting facility risk by identifying specific approaches for likelihood determinations for the major areas within its safety program. The alternative approach will provide applicants flexibility while ensuring safety, utilize risk-informed decision-making, and focus on facility design and operation aspects that have the highest safety significance. The NRC staff reinforced its openness to alternative approaches for demonstrating compliance with applicable regulations.
Budget and Fee Update The NRC staff provide some background on the differences between the business line budget and fee class, how changes in budget assumptions impact fees and how the NRC can control that. The NRC staff informed the attendees that the business line budget and the fee class budget are not the same and that the fee class includes additional mission-indirect program support and agency support resources that are a large contribution to the hourly rate and annual fees. The NRC staff indicated that there are limited opportunities for the NRC to adjust budgeted resources within the budget cycle to account for changes in estimated workload. The NRC has the most flexibility to make appropriate adjustments during budget formulation before the Presidents budget is issued, and there is a lesser degree of flexibility for appropriate adjustments after the Presidents budget is issued and before a full-year appropriation is enacted for the fiscal year. The NRC staff also explained the impact on annual fees when the amount of estimated 10 CFR Part 170 work (i.e. licensing and inspection) is different in the budget execution year than during budget formulation. The attendees were also informed of the updates to the fuel facility cost estimates for 2025. Additional categories of licensing actions were added for granularity and to enhance the planning and budgeting of applications.
SharePoint External Sharing The NRC staff informed the fuel cycle industry of the upcoming change of the platform used to share files with external parties. In the fall of 2025, the NRC will replace Box.com with SharePoint Online as the external file sharing and collaboration platform. The industry was informed to be on the lookout for an email containing a link to the NRC guest user registration form. External parties will need to complete the registration form to be able to access the new SharePoint Online platform and share files with the NRC.
Fuel Facilities Construction Inspection Program Updates The NRC staff provided an update on the fuel facilities construction inspection program revisions. The NRC staff informed the fuel cycle industry of the updates to Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2600, Fuel Cycle Facility Operation Safety and Safeguards Inspection Program, IMC 2694, Fuel Cycle Facility Construction and Pre-Operational Readiness Review Inspection Program, draft Inspection Procedure (IP) 88200, Inspections of Safety significant Items and Services During Construction of Fuel Cycle Facilities, and draft IP 88021, Inspections of Management Measures During Construction of Fuel Cycle Facilities, that resulted from stakeholder feedback received during the April 9, 2024, meeting on the construction inspection program. The NRC staff discussed the near-term goal to publish IMC 2694, IP 88200, and IP 88201. The NRC staff also indicated that draft IP 88202, Inspections of Operational Readiness During Construction of Fuel Cycle Facilities is currently in development.
S. Helton 5
Incorporation by Reference Tool for NEPA Documents The NRC staff provided a presentation on the use of Incorporation by Reference (IBR) as a tool for streamlining NEPA documents. IBR is a tool to reduce page length, preparation time, and redundant analysis for both applicant environmental reports and NRC environmental documents (e.g. environmental impact statements and environmental assessments) by incorporating environmental planning studies, analyses, or other relevant information by reference. The NRC staff provided examples for when, where, and how to use IBR.
Summary of Meetings Discussions Following the completion of the discussions of the agenda items, the NRC staff provided a summary of the discussions held during the day. The NRC staff concluded the meeting with closing remarks by Shana Helton, Director, DFM, and Greg Core, Fuel Cycle Facilities and Transportation Director, NEI.
Adjourn Neither the NRC staff, the NEI, industry, nor members of the public raised further questions or comments, and the meeting was adjourned at 12:00 p.m. The NRC staff plans to conduct its next fuel facility stakeholder meeting during the fall of 2025.
Action Items The following action items resulted from the discussions during the meeting:
1.
The NRC will continue making meeting materials available to the public at least 7 days in advance of the meeting.
2.
The NRC will continue to maintain an up-to-date Integrated Schedule of Regulatory Activities chart on its public webpage.
There were no new actions items resulting from the meeting.
Enclosure:
- 1. List of Attendees
- ML25162A243(pkg), ML25162A244(memo & encl)
OFFICE NMSS/DFM/FFLB NMSS/DFM/FFLB NMSS/DFM/FFLB NAME JRowley JGoodridge SLav DATE 6/12/2025 6/13/2025 6/16/2025 OFFICE NMSS/DFM/FFLB NMSS/DFM/FFLB NAME JRowley SLav DATE 6/17/2025 6/17/2025
Enclosure LIST OF ATTENDEES MAY 14, 2025, FUEL FACILITY STAKEHOLDERS PUBLIC MEETING Name Affiliation Alexis Sotomayor-Rivera The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Amy McKenna NRC Amy Minor NRC Andrea Jennetta International Nuclear Associates, Inc. - Fuel Cycle Week Andrea Johnson NRC Ashby Bridges General Matter, Inc. (General Matter)
Ashley Morris Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS)
Benjamin Karmiol NRC Bob Sanders Honeywell International, Inc. (Honeywell)
Brandon Bout NRC Brandon Hanson Framatome Inc. (Framatome)
Brian Wagner NRC Brittany Lutz Nuclear Innovation Alliance Bryson Roberson ClearPath Camille T. Zozula Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC)
Carolyn Fairbanks NRC Caylee Kenny NRC Celimar Valentin Rodriguez NRC Chad Oelstrom NRC Chandi Davidson Global Nuclear Fuel - Americas Christine Saah Nazer NRC Cinthya Roman NRC Clinton McGill NRC Cynthia Taylor NRC Dallas M. Gardner NFS Dan Watts Centrus / America Centrifuge Operating, LLC Daniel Ashworth BWXT Nuclear Operations Group Daniel Forsyth NRC Dante Johnson NRC Dave Gasperson NRC David Tiktinsky LIST Deric Tilson The Breakthrough Institute Diana Diaz Toro NRC Diana Woodyatt NRC Doug Weaver General Matter Douglas Diethrich NRC Eben Allen NRC Eliezer Goldfeiz NRC Eric C. Michel NRC Faris Badwan Orano USA Gerond George NRC
2 Name Affiliation Grace Pennington NRC Greg Core Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)
Gregg Goff NRC Greta Knowles NRC Haimanot Yilma NRC Hector Rodriguez NRC Isaac Johnston NRC James Downs NRC James Drabble NRC James Hammelman NRC Jana Bergman Curtiss-Wright Jannette Worosilo NRC Jason Piotter NRC Jeanette Arce NRC Jennfier Wheeler TRISO-X, LLC Jesse Carlson NRC Jill Shepherd NRC Jimmy Chang NRC John Russell NRC Jonathan Marcano Lozada NRC Jonathan Rowley NRC Joseph Goodridge NRC Joy Jiang The Breakthrough Institute Juan Lopez NRC Justin Raudabaugh NRC Kelly Sullivan NRC Kimyata Morgan-Butler NRC LaDonna Suggs NRC Langston Lewis NRC Lindsey Cooke NRC Lisa Dimmick NRC Lou McKown NRC Martin M Ortiz Gonzalez NRC Matt Bartlett NRC Matthew Doyle NRC Meg Day NRC Mike Call NRC Mitchell Dehmer NRC Nicole Cortes NRC Noel Pitoniak NRC Norma Garcia Santos NRC Osiris Siurano-Perez NRC Patrick Donohue NRC Peter Vescovi Orano USA Peyton Doub NRC
3 Name Affiliation Ravi Penmetsa NRC Richard Skokowski NRC Robert Mathis NRC Robert Sun NRC Samantha Lav NRC Scott Murray NEI Sean Patterson Honeywell Shana Helton NRC Stacey Imboden NRC Stephen G. Subosits WEC Stephen Poy NRC Steven Pope Information Systems Laboratories Tekia Govan NRC Thomas Vukovinsky NRC Tim Knowles Global Laser Enrichment, LLC Tim Tate Framatome William Deric Tilson The Breakthrough Institute Wyatt Padgett Urenco USA Yawar Faraz NRC Yilia Vega Claudio NRC Zee St Hilaire NRC