ML25259A321
| ML25259A321 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Kemmerer File:TerraPower icon.png |
| Issue date: | 09/02/2025 |
| From: | Sarah Lopas NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ETRB1 |
| To: | NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ETRB1 |
| References | |
| Download: ML25259A321 (1) | |
Text
From:
Sarah Lopas To:
Subject:
Summary of August 2025 NRC Tribal Information Meetings - Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1 Date:
Tuesday, September 2, 2025 5:22:02 PM Good afternoon,
This is an email being sent to all consulting Tribes for the Kemmer Power Station Unit 1 construction permit application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
Please find below a summary of the NRCs Tribal information meetings held on August 6 and 12, 2025, regarding the proposed Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1 project. These meetings addressed the NRCs updated determination of no adverse effects under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)letters communicating this updated determination were issued to Tribes and other consulting parties on July 16, 2025 (see ML25184A039).
The purpose of the closed, government-to-government meetings was to review TerraPowers archaeological testing results and the NRCs updated finding of no adverse effects.
Introductory slides provided background on TerraPowers application for a permit to construct the Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1 in Lincoln County, Wyoming. As the meeting lead, I briefly reviewed the NRCs application review process (safety + environmental reviews), the Section 106 consultation timeline, and emphasized the NRCs commitment to Tribal engagement throughout the environmental and Section 106 review processes for the Kemmerer project.
Cyler Conrad, an NRC contractor and archaeologist with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, presented findings from recent archaeological testing conducted by TerraPower (see ML25073A117). The goals of TerraPowers additional archaeological testing were to:
- 1. Identify the elements of sites 48LN740 and 48LN8940 that contribute to their eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places;
- 2. Assess whether the proposed construction would adversely affect those elements; and
- 3. If adverse effects were identified, either modify the construction plans to avoid them or develop appropriate mitigation strategies.
The archaeological testing included geophysical remote sensing and auger test probes to define the horizontal and vertical extent of subsurface cultural resources at both sites. At site 48LN740, additional cultural materials were discovered. In response, TerraPower modified its plans for a temporary parking lot to avoid and buffer the contributing portions of the site using physical barriers. At site 48LN8940, updated testing led to a rerouting of a utility corridor to prevent impacts. These changes to the project to avoid contributing portions of sites 48LN740 and 48LN8940 supported the NRCs updated determination of no adverse effects, which was concurred on by the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office on August 6, 2025 (see
During the August 6 meeting, Tribal representatives requested that a Tribal Monitor be present during installation of the protective barriers and construction of the temporary parking lot at site 48LN740. I acknowledged this request and committed to discussing it with TerraPower.
Additional feedback included requests for one-on-one meetings, clarification on how to access password-protected documents, and confirmation that cultural materials at site 48LN8940 would be avoided under the revised utility corridor plan.
Looking ahead, the NRC plans to finalize from draft to final the environmental impact statement for the Kemmerer Power Station project by December 2025. The final environmental impact statement will include the final, updated Section 106 review documentation, and the NRC will continue to incorporate Tribal input into that as we move toward closure of the consultation. I committed to sharing this meeting summary, following up on the Tribal Monitor request, and remaining available for continued consultation. Update: On August 20, 2025, TerraPower informed the NRC that they will work with the Northern Arapaho Tribe of Wyoming to arrange for a Tribal Monitor to be present during installation of the protective barriers and construction of the temporary parking lot at site 48LN740.
Please let me know if you have any questions, or you would like a copy of the presentation slides or for me to resend the July 16, 2025, emails containing the NRCs updated consultation letter and the password-protected archaeological testing results report. As always, please reach out if you were unable to attend the August meetings and would like to schedule a one-on-one discussion.
Thank you,
Sarah L. Lopas NHPA Section 106/Senior Environmental Project Manager Environmental Technical Review Branch 1 Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Sarah.Lopas@nrc.gov 301-415-6360 (office) 646-275-4597 (cell)