ML25217A016
| ML25217A016 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Kemmerer File:TerraPower icon.png |
| Issue date: | 08/05/2025 |
| From: | Public Commenter Public Commenter |
| To: | NRC/NMSS/DREFS |
| NRC/NMSS/DREFS | |
| References | |
| 90FR26333 | |
| Download: ML25217A016 (5) | |
Text
From:
Danielle R. Bettencourt <DBettencourt@fwlaw.com>
Sent:
Tuesday, August 5, 2025 12:05 AM To:
TerraPowerEnvironmental Resource
Subject:
[External_Sender] Comments on Docket ID NRC-2024-0078 Attachments:
CLG Comments re Kemmerer Power Station NRC Construction Permit Draft EIS 2.pdf Good evening, Attached please find the Coalition of Local Governments comments on the draft environmental impact statement for TerraPower LLCs construction permit application for the Kemmerer Unit 1 Facility. The Coalition appreciates your consideration of these comments and for the work that has been completed thus far on the project and environmental analysis.
- Regards, Danielle Danielle R. Bettencourt Director 303-894-4431 DBettencourt@fwlaw.com l fwlaw.com 1801 California Street, Suite 2600 Denver, CO 80202 Member of MERITAS Law Firms Worldwide CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message and any attachments are confidential and may be privileged. If you received this email in error, please notify the sender and delete this email and its attachments.
Federal Register Notice:
90FR26333 Comment Number:
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Subject:
[External_Sender] Comments on Docket ID NRC-2024-0078 Sent Date:
8/5/2025 12:04:33 AM Received Date:
8/5/2025 12:04:59 AM From:
Danielle R. Bettencourt Created By:
DBettencourt@fwlaw.com Recipients:
"TerraPowerEnvironmental Resource" <TerraPowerEnvironmental.Resource@nrc.gov>
Tracking Status: None Post Office:
DS5PPFC26CA45EC.namprd16.prod.outlook.com Files Size Date & Time MESSAGE 928 8/5/2025 12:04:59 AM image001.png 5724 CLG Comments re Kemmerer Power Station NRC Construction Permit Draft EIS 2.pdf 142742 Options Priority:
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COALITION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS 1689 COUNTY ROAD 263 FORT BRIDGER, WY 82933 COUNTY COMMISSIONS FOR LINCOLN, SWEETWATER, AND UINTA - WYOMING, AND DAGGETT-UTAH; AND CONSERVATION DISTRICTS FOR LINCOLN, LITTLE SNAKE, STAR VALLEY, SUBLETTE, SWEETWATER, AND UINTA - WYOMING August 4, 2025 VIA EMAIL: TerraPowerEnvironmental@nrc.gov Patricia Vokoun William Burris Office of Administration Mail Stop TWFN-7-A60M U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-001 Re:
Coalition of Local Governments Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Construction Permit for the Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1 Facility Dear Ms. Vokoun and Mr. Burris The Coalition of Local Governments (Coalition) submits these comments on U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions (NRC) draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for TerraPower, LLCs application for a construction permit for Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1 facility. The Coalition continues to support the advancement of nuclear energy in the State of Wyoming, including specifically the Test and Fill Facility (TFF)
Project and Kemmerer Unit 1. As coal-plant facilities are being shut-down or converted to natural gas, it is imperative that additional reliable sources of energy are added to the system. The TFF Project and Kemmerer Unit 1 will help support the local economies in Lincoln County, Uinta County, and Sweetwater County, and provide much needed jobs as the Naughton Plant is converted to natural gas and associated coal mines face closure.
The Coalition is a voluntary association of local governments organized under the laws of their respective States to educate, guide, and develop public land policy in the affected counties and to protect the natural resources within the respected counties. Wyo.
Stat. Ann. §§ 11-16-103, 11-16-122, 18-5-201; Utah Code § 17-27a-102(1)(a). Coalition members include Lincoln County, Sweetwater County, Uinta County, Daggett County, Lincoln Conservation District, Sweetwater County Conservation District, Uinta County Conservation District, Sublette County Conservation District, Little Snake River Conservation District, and Star Valley Conservation District. The Coalition serves many purposes for its members, including helping to develop local government plans and policies, the protection of vested rights of individuals and industries dependent on
August 4, 2025 Page 2 utilizing and conserving existing resources and public lands, the promotion and support of fish and wildlife habitat improvement, the support and funding of scientific studies addressing federal land use plans and projects, and providing comments on behalf of members for the educational benefit of those proposing federal land use plans and land use projects. Both Counties and Conservation Districts have authority to protect the public health and welfare of Wyoming citizens while promoting and protecting public lands and water resources. Wyo. Stat. §§ 11-16-122, 18-5-208; Utah Code § 17-27a-102(1)(a).
The Coalition appreciates that the EIS incorporated the discussion of preconstruction impacts for Kemmerer Unit 1 from the environmental assessment that was completed in February 2025 and assessed the cumulative impacts from construction of the TFF project. It is helpful and provides a complete analysis of the impacts this entire project may have on resources, and further ties together all stages of development that has or is occurring. See EIS at 1 1-7, 3-1. The Coalition would only request that the NRC and project proponent check the information and mapping regarding pronghorn, mule deer, moose, and elk crucial range and crucial winter range. See id. at 3 3-53.
The BLM may have more recent information available in the Kemmerer Field Office regarding locations of big game crucial range and specifically those areas that have restrictions to public access during a portion of the year. In addition, Wyoming Game and Fish Department has recent data used in the Sublette Antelope Biological Risk and Opportunity Assessment (March 2025) regarding the location of antelope and big game crucial range.
In addition, the NRC and project proponent identified the work the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WDOT) will conduct on Highway 189 between Evanston and Kemmerer in the next couple years for transportation safety and to protect wildlife.
FEIS at 3-57. WDOT will construct five underpasses, one overpass, and fencing improvements to protect wildlife and a migration corridor. While the FEIS notes that the Kemmerer Unit 1 project would not interfere with this Highway project or vice versa, the FEIS should also recognize the mitigating effect this will have on any concerns for increased traffic and wildlife collisions during development and operation of the Kemmerer Unit 1. See FEIS at 6-7.
The Coalition appreciates the NRCs consideration of these comments and its members look forward to continued collaboration with NRC and TerraPower in the development of the proposed Kemmerer Unit 1.
Sincerely, Eric South, Chairman Coalition of Local Governments