ML26030A121
| ML26030A121 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 02/02/2026 |
| From: | Tanya Smith Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards |
| To: | Halftown C Cayuga Nation |
| References | |
| EPID L-2025-LNE-0008 | |
| Download: ML26030A121 (0) | |
Text
February 2, 2026 Clint Halftown, Federal Representative Cayuga Nation P.O Box 803 Seneca Falls, NY 13148
SUBJECT:
INITIATION OF SECTION 106 CONSULTATION FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF CONSTELLATION ENERGY GENERATION, LLCS LICENSING AND REGULATORY REQUESTS FOR REAUTHORIZATION OF POWER OPERATIONS AT CHRISTOPHER M. CRANE CLEAN ENERGY CENTER (EPID NUMBER: L-2025-LNE-0008) (DOCKET NUMBER: 50-289)
Dear Federal Representative Clint Halftown:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is conducting an environmental review for a series of licensing and regulatory requests submitted by Constellation Energy Generation, LLC (CEG) that seek NRC approvals to reauthorize power operations at the Christopher M.
Crane Clean Energy Center (CCEC) (formerly Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1). These requests include an exemption request and a series of license amendment requests.
Information regarding these submittals is located on the NRCs website at https://www.nrc.gov/info-finder/reactors/ccec. Concurrently, the U.S. Department of Energys (DOE) Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF)s proposed action, pursuant to its authority under Title 17 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, as amended, is providing Federal financial assistance (a conditional loan guarantee) to support the reauthorization of power operations at CCEC. Accordingly, the DOE EDF will serve as a cooperating agency on the environmental review while the NRC will be the lead Federal agency under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) and the Section 106 consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA). The purpose of this letter is to notify you about the NRCs environmental review activities and consultation activities under Section 106 of the NHPA.
The CCEC is located on Three Mile island within the Susquehanna River in Londonderry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania (Enclosures 1 and 2). The facility is located approximately 10 miles southeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. CCEC Unit 1 permanently ceased operations on September 26, 2019, after more than 40 years of commercial operation.
In late 2024, CEG, the licensee for the CCEC, expressed an interest in returning the plant to an operational status. As mentioned, CEG is pursuing several licensing and regulatory actions to restore the operational licensing basis for the plant. The NRC will review CEGs submittals to ensure that CEGs proposal to restore the licensing basis of the plant to an operational status will comply with NRC safety, security, and environmental requirements. The licensing and regulatory requests, if approved, would allow for the placement of fuel into the reactor vessel and restart of power operations in Unit 1 for the duration of the renewed facility operating license term, which expires on April 19, 2034.
C. Halftown 2
As referenced by \
letter dated January 7, 2026 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML25345A027), the NRC accepted the last submittal associated with the licensing and regulatory requests to potentially reauthorize power operations at CCEC. As part of the review of these requests, the NRC staff is preparing an environmental assessment (EA) as required by Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 51, the NRCs regulations that implement NEPA. In February 2026, the NRC staff plans to issue a notice in the Federal Register that will include the opportunity to file a hearing request or petition for leave to intervene. This notice will also announce its intent to prepare a draft environmental assessment for public comment, thereby formally initiating the NRCs environmental review under NEPA for the Federal actions that collectively would authorize the resumption of power operations at CCEC. The notice will also inform the public that the NRC has elected to use the NEPA process to comply with Section 106 of the NHPA.
In accordance with Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR) Part 800, Protection of Historic Properties, Section 800.8(c), the NRC is using the NEPA process to comply with Section 106 of the NHPA, in lieu of the procedures set forth in 36 CFR 800.3 through 800.6.
Pursuant to 36 CFR 800.2(a)(2), NRC will serve as the lead federal agency for NRCs undertaking and DOE EDFs undertaking. The EA will include identification of historic and cultural resources and historic properties, an analysis of potential effects of the proposed actions, including potential effects on historic and cultural resources and historic properties as well as the NRC staffs preliminary determinations.
Specifically, the NRC has defined the direct Area of Potential Effects (APE) for this undertaking as the entire CCEC site (Three Mile Island) and the affiliated training center, and the indirect APE as a one-mile buffer surrounding the CCEC site boundary (see Enclosure 3).
Pursuant to 36 CFR 800.8(c)(1)(iii), the NRC wishes to ensure that Indian Tribes who might attach religious and cultural significance to historic properties in the APE are afforded the opportunity to identify their concerns, provide advice on the identification and evaluation of historic properties, including those of traditional religious and cultural importance, and, if necessary, participate in the resolution of any adverse effects to such properties.
The NRC is considering holding an informational meeting with Federally recognized Tribal governments to provide an overview of the NRC's environmental review. If your Tribe is interested in having the NRC conduct a meeting, please email the points of contact listed in this letter. This meeting would not be open to the public and is intended to afford Tribal representatives an opportunity to discuss with NRC staff the submitted licensing and regulatory requests, the NRCs associated review, and ask questions. If held, the meeting will not be recorded or transcribed, and additional information, including an agenda, will be provided in a separate communication.
The NRC invites you to submit any comments or concerns that you may have regarding the environmental review and NRCs NHPA Section 106 consultation by March 4, 2026. Comments may be submitted to the points of contact listed below.
The NRC plans to issue the draft EA for consulting party and public review and comment in June 2026. A copy of the draft EA will be made available for your review and comment.
C. Halftown 3
Please note that future correspondence will be sent via electronic format. If you would prefer to receive hard copy correspondence, please contact the points of contact listed below.
If you have any questions regarding the NRCs Section 106 consultation or environmental review, please contact Jennifer Davis, Archaeologist at 301-415-3835 or via email at Jennifer.Davis@nrc.gov; or the Environmental Project Manager, Kevin Folk, at 301-415-6944 or via email at Kevin.Folk@nrc.gov.
Sincerely, Signed by Smith, Theodore on 02/02/26 Theodore Smith, Acting Chief Environmental Technical Review Branch 1 Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket No. 50-289
Enclosures:
As stated cc: GovDelivery
C. Halftown 4
SUBJECT:
INITIATION OF SECTION 106 CONSULTATION FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF CONSTELLATION ENERGY GENERATION, LLCS LICENSING AND REGULATORY REQUESTS FOR REAUTHORIZATION OF POWER OPERATIONS AT CHRISTOPHER M. CRANE CLEAN ENERGY CENTER (EPID NUMBER: L-2025-LNE-0008) (DOCKET NUMBER: 50-0289)
DATED:
January 30, 2026 DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC RidsNrrDorl Resource RidsNrrDorlLpl3Resource RidsNrrPMCraneCleanEnergyCenter Resource RidsNmssRefs Resource RidsNmssDuwpRdb Resource RidsRgn1MailCenter Resource RidsOgcMailCenter Resource S. Burnell, HQ/OPA C. Wolf, OCA S. Makor, OEDO C. Conrad, PNNL (Cyler.N.Conrad@pnnl.gov)
A. Williamson, DOE (Alicia.Williamson@hq.doe.gov)
ADAMS Package Accession No: ML26023A133
- via email OFFICE PM:REFS/ETR1 LA:REFS/EPM2 PM:REFS/EPM1 BC:REFS/ETR2 NAME JDavis AWalker-Smith KFolk TSmith DATE 1/23/2026 1/27/2026 1/28/2026 1/30/2026 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY