ML25241A194
| ML25241A194 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 99902049 |
| Issue date: | 09/08/2025 |
| From: | Raymond Hoffman NRC/NMSS/DREFS/EPMB3 |
| To: | Daniel Barnhurst NRC/NMSS/DREFS/EPMB3 |
| References | |
| Download: ML25241A194 (1) | |
Text
MEMORANDUM TO: Daniel Barnhurst, Chief Environmental Project Management Branch 3 Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards FROM:
Robert Hoffman, Environmental Project Manager Environmental Project Management Branch 3 Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF THE APRIL 28, 2025, PUBLIC MEETING WITH SMR, LLC (A HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL COMPANY) TO DISCUSS UPDATES TO SITE CHARACTERIZATION WORK CONDUCTED AT PALISADES (DOCKET NUMBER: 99902049)
Meeting Information:
Vendor: SMR, LLC (A Holtec International Company)
Meeting
Title:
Holtec SMR-300 Site Characterization Update Meeting Meeting Date: April 28, 2025 Meeting Type: Open Observation Docket No.: 99902049 Public Meeting Notice Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)
Accession No.: ML25108A067 Meeting Attendees: See Enclosure for a list of the meeting attendees CONTACT: Robert Hoffman, NMSS/REFS (301) 415-1107 September 8, 2025 Signed by Hoffman, Robert on 09/08/25
D. Barnhurst 2
Meeting Summary:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff held a virtual observation public meeting on April 28, 2025, with SMR, LLC (SMR), a Holtec International Company (Holtec), to discuss preapplication information related to the environmental review of the SMR-300 project for the Palisades Construction Permit Application. This meeting had been originally scheduled for April 23, 2025, but was rescheduled due to technical issues. Specifically, SMR (Holtec) requested the meeting to discuss and receive NRC staff feedback related to the environmental site characterization update found in the public meeting details located in ADAMS (ML25108A067). This meeting summary satisfies the SMR (Holtec) request for review and feedback on its preapplication meeting materials. Preapplication engagements, including this meeting, provide an opportunity for the NRC staff to engage in early discussions with a prospective applicant to offer guidance and to identify potential issues early in the licensing process. No decisions or commitments were made during the preapplication meeting.
The following summarizes the discussion during the public preapplication meeting:
SMR (Holtec) provided a summary of the agenda and described the purpose of the meeting as giving an overview of the progress on the site characterization activities ongoing at the Palisades site. This meeting provided an update to the site characterization public meeting conducted in April 2024 (ML24312A207).
SMR (Holtec) discussed the site characterization activities provided in the slide presentation, focusing on the status of:
o Cultural Resource Field Surveys (complete) o Offshore Bathymetry (complete) o Critical Dune Delineation (complete) o Terrestrial Ecological Resource Activities (complete onsite, ongoing offsite) o Wetlands Delineations (complete) o Surface Hydrology Reconnaissance (complete) o Groundwater Monitoring (ongoing) o Meteorology (ongoing) o Baseline Ambient Noise Surveys (ongoing) o Transient Population Survey (complete)
NRC question and answer:
The NRC staff asked whether the route for intake and discharge pipelines had been determined.
SMR (Holtec) response: There is no established route, and the design is under development.
The NRC staff asked whether the presence/absence surveys identified piping plover or rufus red knot (bird species).
SMR (Holtec) response: The presence of those species were not found.
D. Barnhurst 3
The NRC staff inquired whether an overlay of the project over the habitat map had been developed.
SMR (Holtec) response: The overlay map has been prepared and will be part of the correspondence with State agencies and the Fish and Wildlife Service.
The NRC staff asked if there will be noise studies conducted offsite.
SMR (Holtec) response: Noise studies will include both onsite and offsite receptors.
The NRC staff asked whether the offsite parcel has been identified and has it been subject to the same types of surveys.
SMR (Holtec) response: The offsite parcel is still under consideration and is being studied for similar considerations as the main site.
The NRC staff asked whether groundwater sampling which began in December 2024, would be correlated with long-term records.
SMR (Holtec) response: Groundwater studies will use both the existing and new data.
Following the NRC staff question and answer, the following members of the public made comments or asked questions of NRC staff:
Kathy Barnes asked about the inclusion of shoreline bird species of concern and the timing of bat surveys.
NRC staff response: The piping plover and rufus red knot were not observed during this survey but could be present at other times; the survey methods for bats include different day/night times of observation.
Kathy Barnes asked how existing tritium plumes at the site would be addressed and suggested that NRCs environmental review should consider input from residents who live in Palisades Park as well as transient populations.
NRC staff response: The NRCs environmental review will consider existing groundwater quality conditions in determining potential impacts from the proposed action. NRC also plans to conduct a scoping meeting where the public would have an opportunity to express their views.
Kevin Kamps expressed concern relative to the proximity of the proposed site to Van Buren State Park, and the potential use of eminent domain.
NRC staff response: The NRC staff will consider these issues during its review of the application.
Kevin Kamps indicated that he personally has observed piping plover and sandhill cranes near the site. He also asked whether artificial seeps and radioactive leaks into Lake Michigan will be evaluated.
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NRC staff response: The NRC staff will consider known baseline conditions to paint an accurate picture of the affected environment.
Kathy Barnes suggested that the current site be cleaned up and that safer non-nuclear forms of energy systems be developed.
NRC staff response: The NRC encouraged stakeholders to participate in scoping and express their concerns regarding the proposed action and alternatives.
Michael Keegan asked about coordination with future exemption requests regarding the Palisades Plant, why portions of the archeological report were redacted, and whether the unique sand dunes near the site will be taken into consideration.
NRC staff response: The NRC cannot discuss specifics of possible future exemption requests because those exemptions have yet to been docketed. The NRC staff also explained that the public version of archeological surveys are often redacted to protect archeological resources from disturbance and theft, and that the dunes and the blowout areas would be key areas considered in NRCs review.
Deric Tilson asked whether the proposed SMR-300 project would continue to use the Palisades name.
SMR (Holtec) response: This will be resolved during the application process.
Kevin Kamps indicated that many tribes beyond those NRC has historically contacted may have burial sites in the area and should be included in consultations.
NRC staff response: The NRC staff explained that the Agency would follow the consultation process outlined in The National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 process in identifying the appropriate list of Tribes that should be contacted.
Kevin Kamps suggested that the plant intake and discharge structures could change, the current seismic analysis is outdated, there may be contradictions in proposed emergency planning zones, and that aesthetics are already impacted by the existing plant.
NRC staff response: The NRC staff indicated that they wont be able to comment further on these topics until after an application is received.
Michael Keegan expressed concern that the environmental review appears fragmented and may constitute a segmentation violation under the National Environmental Policy Act.
NRC staff response: The NRC staff explained that the full breadth of the proposed action would be considered and would follow regulatory guidelines for reviewing a Limited Work Authorization and Construction Permit application.
- Via email OFFICE NMSS/REFS/EPMB3 NMSS/REFS/EPMB3 NMSS/REFS/EPMB3 NMSS/REFS/EPMB3 NAME RHoffman MCampestrin DBarnhurst RHoffman DATE 9/3/2025 9/4/2025 9/5/2025 9/8/205
Enclosure PUBLIC MEETING WITH SMR, LLC (A HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL COMPANY)
TO DISCUSS UPDATES TO SITE CHARACTERIZATION WORK CONDUCTED AT PALISADES MEETING ATTENDEES APRIL 28, 2025 Name Organization Victoria Huckabay NRC Mary Richmond NRC Robert Hoffman NRC Daniel Barnhurst NRC Madelyn Nagel NRC Peyton Doub NRC Nancy Martinez NRC Julie Winslow NRC Clark Shurtleff SMR (Holtec)
Benjamin Reynolds SMR (Holtec)
Steven Mitchell SMR (Holtec)
Sarah Horacek SMR (Holtec)
Justin Hawkins SMR (Holtec)
Jean-Philippe Ohanessian SMR (Holtec)
Tim Basham Enercon Gloria Guerra Enercon Mary Hoganson Enercon Kraig Schultz MSEF Deric Tilson The Breakthrough Institute Jenny Weil U.S. Senate Staff Kevin Kamps Beyond Nuclear Michael Keegan Dont Waste Michigan Conrad Newell Dane Watson Jan Mazza Jan OConnell Kathy Barnes Kenneth Lee Fossum Tom Palmisano Raynor Buckley Jana Bergman Arthur Wilson Paul Oullette Steven Pope Dillon Reed