ML25353A579
| ML25353A579 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07007033 |
| Issue date: | 12/23/2025 |
| From: | Robert Sun Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards |
| To: | Potts C State of KY, State Historic Preservation Office |
| References | |
| Download: ML25353A579 (0) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 Craig Potts State Historic Preservation Officer Kentucky Heritage Council 410 High Street Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
SUBJECT:
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION INITIATION OF SECTION 106 CONSULTATION AND NEPA ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF THE GLOBAL LASER ENRICHMENT LLC LICENSE APPLICATION FOR THE PADUCAH LASER ENRICHMENT FACILITY IN MCCRACKEN COUNTY, KENTUCKY (DOCKET NUMBER: 70-7033)
Dear Craig Potts:
The purpose of this letter is to initiate the Section 106 consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA), for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) environmental review of the Global Laser Enrichment, LLC (GLE) application for a license to construct and operate a uranium enrichment facility near Paducah in McCracken County, Kentucky for a 40 year license term, pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 70, Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material.
On December 30, 2024, GLE submitted an environmental report (ER) in advance of the safety and safeguards analysis report (SAR), pursuant to the exemption approved by the NRC on August 19, 2024 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System [ADAMS]
Accession No. ML24184B970). GLE subsequently updated the ER on June 13, 2025 (ML25164A077) and submitted the SAR on June 27, 2025 (ML25179A000). On August 4, 2025, the NRC accepted for detailed technical review GLEs license application to construct and operate the proposed Paducah laser enrichment facility (PLEF) in McCracken County, Kentucky (ML25202A201). The NRCs ADAMS can be accessed at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.
Consistent with section 800.3(a) of Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR) Part 800, Protection of Historic Properties, the NRCs federal action is an undertaking that has the potential to cause effects on historic properties. The NRC staff is also preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) in accordance with the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended and 10 CFR 51, Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions, (the NRCs regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended [NEPA]). In addition, on October 31, 2025, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District (USACE-Louisville District), agreed to be a cooperating agency in the preparation of the NRCs EIS in light of USACE-Louisville Districts regulatory authority over the discharge of dredged or fill material (e.g., soil, rock, debris) at the GLE PLEF, including aquatic resources under section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
December 23, 2025
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In accordance with 36 CFR 800.8(c), the NRC intends to comply with Section 106 of the NHPA through the NEPA process in lieu of the procedures set forth in 36 CFR 800.3 through 800.6.
Therefore, the EIS will include the identification of historic properties and historic and cultural resources, an assessment of impacts, and determination. During preparation of the EIS, the NRC will follow the procedural requirements and standards set out in 36 CFR 800.8(c). Further, the NRC is contacting consulting parties regarding consideration of the proposed undertakings potential effect on historic properties including Indian Tribes that might attach religious and cultural significance to historic properties.
Undertakings Proposed Activities and Proposed Location If licensed by the NRC, GLE plans to construct and operate the PLEF adjacent to the existing U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) site near Paducah, Kentucky. The license would authorize GLE to possess and use special nuclear, source, and by-product material in the PLEF. The proposed PLEF would enrich uranium hexafluoride (UF6) up to 8 weight percent uranium-235 (U-235) utilizing a laser-based isotope separation technology. GLEs initial planned maximum target annual production capacity is 2,000 metric tons per year of equivalent-natural uranium hexafluoride (ENUF6) and 6 million separative work units per year of low enriched uranium. The feed material would consist of both natural UF6 and depleted UF6 from the adjacent PGDP. GLEs enrichment process would separate U-235 from uranium-238 in the UF6 feed material to produce a UF6 enriched in U-235 and a waste stream of depleted in U-235 (UF6 tails). The PLEF would produce both enriched UF6 and ENUF6.
The PLEF would be located on land formerly within the West Kentucky Wildlife Management Area. The approximate 238-hectare (ha) (700-acre [ac]) tract of land, zoned for heavy industrial land use, is located about 8 kilometers (km) (5 miles [mi]) west of Paducah, Kentucky. The PLEF site, however, would occupy 130 ha (322 ac) within the western half of this land parcel.
The PLEF site is bordered by Woodville Road to the south, Hobbs Road to the west, and Dyke Road to the north. There are no structures currently developed within the land parcel, which is mostly undeveloped with agriculture fields and forested land. Properties to the north and west of the proposed PLEF site are zoned for heavy industrial use, the PGDP is located directly to the north, and properties to the south and east of the PLEF site are zoned rural residential. The location and layout of the GLEs proposed PLEF is shown in Enclosure 1, figure 1 and figure 2.
Undertakings Area of Potential Effects In the context of the NHPA, the NRC has determined that the area of potential effects (APE) for GLEs proposed PLEF includes the area that may be directly or indirectly affected by land-disturbing or other operational activities associated with PLEF construction and operation. This determination is made irrespective of land ownership or control. The APE for the proposed PLEF covers 130.1-ha (321.6-ac) and is shown in Enclosure 1, figure 3. The indirect APE (e.g.,
visual, auditory impacts) extends 400 meters (0.25 mi) around the direct APE. The Kentucky Heritage Council (KHC) that serves as the Kentucky State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) concurred with this definition of APE via letters dated August 13 and December 5, 2024, and April 22, 2025 (see appendix M of ML25164A083).
Identification Efforts In May 2024, the applicants contractor, Burns & McDonnell, reviewed information from the Kentucky Office of the State Archeology and the KHC within the PLEF project area and a 2-km (1.2-mi) radius. The contractor found no previously recorded archaeological sites within the direct APE and three previously recorded archaeological sites. One of these three sites is not
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eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), and the two other sites have not been evaluated. The DOE PDGP is listed in the NRHP as a district. The PDGP is currently being decommissioned. These sites are not anticipated to be directly or indirectly (visually) affected by the construction and operation of the PLEF.
During September through December 2024, Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc. (CRA), the applicants contractor, conducted an archaeological survey of the 130.1-ha (321.6-acre) direct APE. Methods CRA used included pedestrian survey and shovel testing. Three new archaeological sites (15McN253, 15McN254, and 15McN255) and one isolated find (IF 1) were documented. All three sites contain the remains of historic era resources. Sites 15McN253 and 15McN255 appear to be the remains of historic outbuildings, while 15McN254 is the remains of a residence. The isolated find is a single chert flake recovered from a plow zone context. None of the resources appear to have any potential for deeply buried or unlocated sub-plow zone archaeological deposits (ML25174A235, ML25164A083).
In a December 2024 letter to the KHC, CRA submitted the cultural resource report, three survey forms, and the archaeology report, Phase I Archaeological Reconnaissance for the Proposed Paducah Global Laser Enrichment Facility, McCracken County, Kentucky (Enclosure 2). CRA recommended that the three new archaeological sites indicated above are not eligible for listing in the NHRP. Enclosure 2 is not publicly available.
The non-direct APE was examined by Bacon Farmer Workman Engineering and Testing, Inc. in 2024 on behalf of the applicant. The study of standing structures identified one previously identified resource (MCN443) and five unevaluated resources (MCN 444, MCN 444.001, MCN 444.002, MCN 445 and MCN 445.001) in the indirect APE. Only MCN 445, the Spring Bayou Church built in 1968, and MCN 445.001, its associated cemetery (1895-2006), have potential for local significance. The resources are located southwest of the project area (see Enclosure 1, figure 3). CRA recommended these two resources as eligible for listing on the NRHP as a district under National Register Criterion A for their association in the local contexts of Social History, Early Settlement, and Architecture. However, the applicants assessment found that due to the local topography, neither resource is visible from the PLEF project area and therefore would not be affected by the construction and operation of the facility. During NRC staffs site visit on April 29 and 30, 2025, staff also visited the two resources eligible for listing on the NRHP and confirmed that neither resource is visible from the PLEF project area.
By letter dated April 22, 2025, the Kentucky SHPO concurred with the CRA recommendations and accepted the archaeology report without revisions (see appendix M of ML25164A083). On September 19, 2025, the KHC clarified and confirmed the area of the APE referenced in its April 22, 2025, letter is 131.1 ha (321.6 ac) (ML25289A264).
Initiation of the Section 106 Process for the Undertaking In accordance with 36 CFR 800.2(c)(1), the NRC staff is initiating the Section 106 consultation with the Kentucky SHPO for the NRC staffs review of GLEs license application for the PLEF.
Pursuant to 36 CFR 800.8, the NRC invites you to submit any comments or concerns that you may have regarding NHPA Section 106 consultation or the scope of the NRCs environmental review of GLEs license application for the PLEF, within 30 days. Comments may be submitted to NRC electronically, either by email at GLE-PLEF-EIS@nrc.gov or by accessing https://www.regulations.gov and searching for Docket No. 70-7033.
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Alternatively, written comments may be submitted to NRC by mail at:
ATTN: Robert Sun Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Mail Stop: TWFN-4-B72 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 The NRC plans to publish the draft EIS in spring 2026. The NRC will forward the draft EIS to you for your review and comment. After consideration of public comments and comments received from consulting parties, the NRC plans to issue the final EIS in summer 2026. The NRC staff is also reaching out to Tribes to initiate Section 106 consultation to obtain input and comments they may have regarding the NHPA Section 106 consultation or the scope of the NRCs environmental review of GLEs license application for the PLEF.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs Rules of Practice for Domestic Licensing Proceedings and Issuance of Orders, a copy of this letter will be available for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRCs ADAMS.
If you have any questions regarding NHPA Section 106 consultation or the NRCs environmental review, please contact Amy Minor, Environmental Project Manager, by phone at 817-200-1454 or via email at amy.hesterminor@nrc.gov.
Sincerely, Robert Sun, Chief Environmental Project Management Branch 2 Division of Rulemaking, Environment, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket No. 70-7033
Enclosures:
As stated cc:
Patti Hutchins Archaeology Review Coordinator Kentucky Heritage Council patricia.hutchins@ky.gov Megan Knuckles USACE-Louisville District meagan.l.knuckles@usace.army.mil Leiellen Atz USACE-Louisville District leiellen.m.atz@usace.army.mil Signed by Sun, Robert on 12/23/25
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SUBJECT:
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION INITIATION OF SECTION 106 CONSULTATION AND NEPA ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF THE GLOBAL LASER ENRICHMENT LLC LICENSE APPLICATION FOR THE PADUCAH LASER ENRICHMENT FACILITY IN MCCRACKEN COUNTY, KENTUCKY (DOCKET NUMBER: 70-7033)
DATED:
DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC MBartlett, NMSS DWoodyatt, NMSS RSun, NMSS December 23, 2025
Ltr ML25353A579 OFFICE NMSS/REFS
/EPMB2 NMSS/REFS/EPMB2 NMSS/REFS
/EPMB2 OGC/LRAA/RASFP NAME AMinor AWalker-Smith RSun BVaisey DATE Dec 8, 2025 Dec 9, 2025 Dec 10, 2025 Dec 19, 2025 OFFICE NMSS/REFS
/EPMB2 NAME RSun DATE Dec 23, 2025