ML25237A144
| ML25237A144 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Browns Ferry, Palo Verde  |
| Issue date: | 08/21/2025 |
| From: | Desiree Davis NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ETRB1 |
| To: | Pierite M Tunica Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana |
| References | |
| Download: ML25237A144 (1) | |
Text
Marshall Pierite,Chairman Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana 150 Melacon Road P.O. Box 1589 Marksville, LA 71351
SUBJECT:
CONCLUSION OF SECTION 106 CONSULTATION AND NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3, SUBSEQUENT LICENSE RENEWAL (ALABAMA HISTORICAL COMMISSION PROJECT NUMBER: 24-1578) (DOCKET NUMBERS: 50-529, 50-260, AND 50-296)
Dear Chairman Marshall Pierite:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has completed the environmental impact statement NUREG-1437, Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, Supplement 21, Second Renewal, Regarding Subsequent License Renewal of Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant, Units 1, 2, and 3. The Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant (BFN) is operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority and is located in Limestone County, Alabama. Tennessee Valley Authority initiated the proposed Federal action by submitting a subsequent license renewal application to the NRC in January 2024 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML24019A009). The initial renewed BFN operating licenses are set to expire in 2033, 2034, and 2036, for Units 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The NRCs Federal action is to decide whether to renew the licenses, authorizing each for an additional 20 years of operation. The NRC expects to make this licensing decision by October 15, 2025.
In April 2024, the NRC staff initiated consultation on the proposed Federal action with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) (ML24102A040), the Alabama Historical Commission (ACH) (ML24102A041), and 21 Indian Tribes (ML24102A034). These letters also provided notification of the NRC staffs decision to use the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, process to comply with its obligations under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA), as amended, in accordance with Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR) Section 800.8(c).
In May 2025, the NRC staff sent a second letter to the ACHP (ML25128A165), ACH, (ML25143A062), and the 21 Indian Tribes (ML25142A407), to announce availability of the BFN draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) and the NRCs preliminary determination of no adverse effect to historic properties. The ACHP provided a response to the NRC on May 30, 2025, stating that it had no comments on the draft SEIS and to notify the ACHP if the NRC should receive an objection to the no adverse effect finding or a notification August 21, 2025
M. Pierite 2
that the preparation of the EIS has not met the standards under 36 CFR 800.8(c)(1)
(ML25182A161). The ACH provided a response to the NRC on June 16, 2025, stating that it concurred that project activities will have no effect on cultural resources eligible or listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and that if archaeological materials are encountered during construction, the procedures codified at 36 CFR 800.13(b) will apply (ML25204A109). The NRC received a response from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma on June 3, 2025, noting that the project is outside of the Tribes area of interest and they defer to other Tribes (ML25182A159);
and a response from the Chickasaw Nation on June 23, 2025, concurring with the no adverse effect determination (ML25182A163).
The purpose of this third letter is to provide publication information for the final SEIS and to document the NRCs completion of the NHPA Section 106 process as outlined in 36 CFR 800.
The NRC staff have concluded that the proposed actionsubsequent license renewal of BFN would not adversely affect known historic properties or historic and cultural resources. Section 3.9 of the final SEIS documents the staffs findings regarding historic and cultural resources at the BFN site.
The final SEIS is available via the following link: BFN SEIS (ML25230A077). The final SEIS may also be obtained in the NRCs ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://adams-search.nrc.gov/home under Accession No. ML25230A077. You may also find general information concerning the BFN subsequent license renewal application at the following link:
https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/applications/browns-ferry-subsequent.html.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Sarah Lopas, Cultural Resources Subject Matter Lead, by phone at (301) 415-6360 or via email at Sarah.Lopas@nrc.gov, or Jessica Umana, Project Manager, via email at Jessica.Umana@nrc.gov.
Sincerely, Desiree Davis, Acting Chief Environmental Technical Review Branch 1 Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket Nos. 50-529, 50-260, 50-296 Cc:
Earl J. Barbry, Jr., Tribal Historic Preservation Officer earlii@tunica.org Signed by Davis, Desiree on 08/21/25
M. Pierite 3
SUBJECT:
CONCLUSION OF SECTION 106 CONSULTATION AND NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UNITS 1, 2, AND 3, SUBSEQUENT LICENSE RENEWAL (ALABAMA HISTORICAL COMMISSION PROJECT NUMBER: 24-1578) (DOCKET NUMBERS: 50-529, 50-260, AND 50-296)
DATED:
DISTRIBUTION:
Public SLopas, NMSS JUmana, NMSS RidsOPAMail RidsOCAMailCenter RidsNMSSRefs RidsNMSSRefsEPMB1 RidsNMSSRefsETRB1 IDENTICAL LETTERS SENT TO:
Shawnee Tribe Chickasaw Nation Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Muscogee (Creek) Nation Jena Band of Choctaw Indians Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians Cherokee Nation Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Seminole Nation of Oklahoma Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma Seminole Tribe of Florida Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Thlopthlocco Tribal Town Poarch Band of Creek Indians Kialegee Tribal Town Miccosukee Tribe Tamiami Station Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town Alabama Historical Commission ADAMS Package Accession Number: ML25232A146 OFFICE NMSS/REFS NMSS/REFS NMSS/REFS NMSS/REFS NAME SLopas AWalker-Smith JUmana DDavis DATE 8/20/2025 8/20/2025 8/21/2025 8/21/2025 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY August 21, 2025