ML25167A093
| ML25167A093 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Kemmerer File:TerraPower icon.png |
| Issue date: | 06/20/2025 |
| From: | Rome M NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ETRB1 |
| To: | Alex D Northwestern Band of Shoshone Nation |
| References | |
| Download: ML25167A093 (1) | |
Text
Honorable Dennis Alex, Chairman Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation 2575 Commerce Way Ogden, UT 84401
SUBJECT:
SECTION 106 CONSULTATION AND NOTIFICATION OF THE ISSUANCE OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PERMIT APPLICATION FOR KEMMERER POWER STATION UNIT 1 IN LINCOLN COUNTY, WYOMING (DOCKET NUMBER: 50-613)
Dear Chairman Dennis Alex:
The purpose of this letter is to notify you of the issuance and availability of a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the construction permit (CP) application for Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1 (Kemmerer Unit 1) in Lincoln County, Wyoming, and to request your review of and comment on the draft EIS.
By letter dated June 12, 2024 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML24114A079), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) notified you that it was conducting an environmental review of a CP application submitted by TerraPower, LLC (TerraPower), on behalf of US SFR Owner, LLC (USO), a wholly owned subsidiary of TerraPower, for Kemmerer Unit 1. The CP application was submitted by letter dated March 28, 2024 (ML24088A059), pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities. The facility, if licensed, would be constructed within the Kemmerer Unit 1 site in Lincoln County, Wyoming.
As part of its review of the CP application, the NRC staff prepared a draft EIS as required by 10 CFR 51, Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions, the NRCs regulations that implement the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA). In accordance with 36 CFR 800.8(c) of the regulations implementing the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA), the NRC is using the NEPA process to comply with NHPA Section 106 in lieu of the procedures set forth in 36 CFR 800.3 through 800.6.
June 20, 2025
D. Alex The draft EIS is available at the following link: Kemmerer Unit 1 draft EIS. The draft EIS may also be obtained online in the NRCs ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html under Accession No. ML25154A651. To begin the search, select Begin Web-based ADAMS Search. For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRCs Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov.
Section 3.7 of the draft EIS contains a description of historic and cultural resources and historic properties identified in the direct and indirect area of potential effects and discusses potential impacts to these resources from activities associated with the proposed construction of Kemmerer Unit 1. Appendices B and C of the draft EIS provide an overview of consulting parties and a record of consultation correspondence for the draft EIS.
The NRCs preliminary determination is that while there is potential to cause adverse effects to two historic properties (48LN740 and 48LN8940) at the Kemmerer Unit 1 site (ML24358A177),
a formal declaration of adverse effects and resolution of those effects awaits further investigation and evaluation as part of ongoing archaeological surveys (ML25064A005 and ML25073A117). Between April 28 and 29, 2025, the NRC organized and participated in an on-site field visit at the Kemmerer Unit 1 site with members of the Northern Arapaho Tribe, Comanche Nation, Northern Cheyenne Tribe, TerraPower, and supporting contractors to begin additional archaeological testing at both historic properties. The NRC consultation is therefore ongoing with the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office and Federally recognized Indian Tribes regarding those archaeological testing results and the potential adverse effects to both sites. Final NEPA and NHPA determinations are not provided in the draft EIS due to ongoing testing. The NRC anticipates reviewing and providing updated determinations on the potential impacts to sites 48LN740 and 48LN8940 no later than September 2025. The final EIS will be updated to reflect the NRCs findings.
Pursuant to 36 CFR 800.8(c), the NRC invites you to submit any comments on the draft EIS during the 45-day public comment period, which ends on August 4, 2025. Comments can be submitted by email to TerraPowerEnvironmental@nrc.gov. After consideration of public comments received, as well as information received through consultation, the NRC will prepare a final EIS. Additionally, the NRC will hold a public comment meeting on the draft EIS. Public meeting details will be available by July 10, 2025, at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/advanced/who-were-working-with/applicant-projects/terrapower.html or at the NRCs Public Meeting Schedule website at https://www.nrc.gov/pmns/mtg.
D. Alex If you have any questions concerning the NRCs NHPA Section 106 or NEPA environmental reviews, please contact Sarah Lopas, Cultural Resources Subject Matter Lead, by phone at (301) 415-6360 or via email at Sarah.Lopas@nrc.gov, or Pat Vokoun, Environmental Project Manager, by phone at (301) 415-3470 or via email at Patricia.Vokoun@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. 50-613 cc:
Patty Timbimboo-Madsen, History and Culture Specialist ptimbimboo@nwbshoshone.com Gretchen Applegate gretchen.applegate@ee.doe.gov TerraPower Environmental Unit 1 via GovDelivery Doub, Joseph signing on behalf of Rome, Michelle on 06/20/25
ML25167A093 OFFICE SME:REFS PM:REFS LA:REFS OGC:NLO BC:REFS NAME SLopas PVokoun MCampestrin JWachutka DBarnhurst DATE 5/30/2025 6/3/2025 6/3/2025 6/5/2025 6/9/2025 OFFICE BC:DANU BC:REFS NAME JBorromeo MRome DATE 6/9/2025 6/20/2025