ML18255A191

Letter to California Department of Health

ML18255A191
Person / Time
Site:	Humboldt Bay
Issue date:	10/19/2018
From:	Roman C Environmental Review Branch
To:	Smith K State of CA, Dept of Public Health
Coflin M
Shared Package
ML18255A189	List: ML18255A190 ML18255A191
References
Download: ML18255A191 (3)

Text

K. Smi UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 October 19, 2018 Dr. Karen L. Smith, MD, MPH, Director California Department of Public Health Radiologic Health Branch P.O. Box 997414, MS 7610 Sacramento, CA 95899-7414

SUBJECT:

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REQUEST FOR INFORMATION REGARDING THE HUMBOLDT BAY INDEPENDENT SPENT FUEL STORAGE INSTALLATION LICENSE RENEWAL REQUEST (DOCKET NUMBER: 72-27)

Dear Dr. Smith:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) received by letter dated July 11, 2018, an application from the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to renew Materials License SNM-2514 for the Humboldt Bay (HB) onsite independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI).

If this renewal is approved, PG&E will be allowed to continue interim storage of spent nuclear fuel (spent fuel) at the ISFSI for a 40-year period that would begin upon expiration of the current 20-year license on November 17, 2025. The HB ISFSI is located on the northern California coast in Humboldt County (figure enclosed). Specifically, the ISFSI is located on a small peninsula known as Buhne Point near the coastal community of Fields Landing on the eastern shore of HB. The ISFSI occupies less than one acre of land within the PG&E owner-controlled area at the HB Power Plant, which is undergoing decommissioning currently scheduled to be completed in 2019.

As established in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 51, Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions,1 the NRC staff is preparing an environmental assessment (EA). For the original issuance of the HB ISFSI license, the NRC staff analyzed the potential environmental impacts associated with construction and operation of the ISFSI. The NRC staffs assessment was documented in an EA dated October 2005 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)

Accession Number ML052430106), in which the NRC staff determined that the construction and operation of the ISFSI would not significantly affect the quality of the environment. In support of the environmental review, the NRC respectfully requests any information you may have regarding environmental resources that may be affected by the proposed HB ISFSI license renewal.

NRC staff is conducting a safety review of the HB license renewal application in accordance with 10 CFR Part 72, Licensing Requirements for the Independent Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level Radioactive Waste, and Reactor-Related Greater than Class C Waste, the 1

The NRC regulations in 10 CFR Part 51 implement the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended.

K. Smith 2 regulations that govern the storage of spent fuel generated at commercial nuclear power reactors licensed by the NRC.

Materials License SNM-2514 currently allows PG&E to receive, possess, store, and transfer spent fuel and associated radioactive materials from Humboldt Bay Power Plant, Unit 3.

Specifically, PG&E can store up to five (5) HI-STAR 100 HB casks containing spent fuel and one (1) HI-STAR 100 HB cask containing greater than Class C Waste within the HB ISFSI. No major construction or refurbishment projects are currently planned for the HB ISFSI during the license renewal term. The ISFSI is a passive storage system that does not require water for operation or generate any liquid radioactive waste. Additional information can be found in the HB ISFSI renewal application, which is publicly available in the NRC Public Document Room located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852, or from the NRCs ADAMS. The ADAMS Public Electronic Reading Room is accessible at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. The ADAMS accession number for the application package is ML18215A213.

Please provide any comments and/or information you may have regarding this matter within 30 days of receipt of this letter to: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ATTN: Ms. Cinthya I.

Román, Chief, 11555 Rockville Pike, Mail Stop: T-4B16, Rockville, Maryland 20852. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Monika Coflin of my staff by telephone at (301) 415-5932 or via e-mail at Monika.Coflin@nrc.gov.

Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Cinthya I. Román, Chief Environmental Review Branch Division of Fuel Cycle Safety, Safeguards, and Environmental Review Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket No. 72-27 License No. SNM-2514

Enclosure:

Humboldt Bay Site Layout

K. Smith 3

SUBJECT:

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REQUEST FOR INFORMATION REGARDING THE HUMBOLDT BAY INDEPENDENT SPENT FUEL STORAGE INSTALLATION LICENSE RENEWAL REQUEST (DOCKET NUMBER: 72-27)

DATE: October 19, 2018 DISTRIBUTION: FCSE r/f CMarkley ADAMS Package Accession Number: ML18255A189

• via e-mail OFC FCSE/ERB FCSE/ERB OGC FCSE/ERB NAME *MCoflin *AWalker-Smith *MWoods CRomán DATE 9/10/2018 9/12/2018 9/28/2018 10/18/2018 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY