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| number = ML11235A485
| number = ML11235A485
| issue date = 11/10/2010
| issue date = 11/10/2010
| title = 2010/11/10 Davis-Besse Lr - FW: WO 524 - Afternoon Session - Correct Cover
| title = Lr - FW: WO 524 - Afternoon Session - Correct Cover
| author name =  
| author name =  
| author affiliation = NRC/NRR
| author affiliation = NRC/NRR
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=Text=
=Text=
{{#Wiki_filter:1 Davis-BesseNPEm Resource From: King, Ikeda Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 10:32 AM To: Cooper, Paula
{{#Wiki_filter:Davis-BesseNPEm Resource From:                   King, Ikeda Sent:                   Wednesday, November 10, 2010 10:32 AM To:                     Cooper, Paula


==Subject:==
==Subject:==
FW: WO 524 - Afternoon Session - Correct Cover Attachments:
FW: WO 524 - Afternoon Session - Correct Cover Attachments:             1104nrca524.doc From: Solomakos, Matina Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 8:31 AM To: King, Ikeda
1104nrca524.doc From: Solomakos, Matina Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 8:31 AM To: King, Ikeda  


==Subject:==
==Subject:==
WO 524 - Afternoon Session - Correct Cover  
WO 524 - Afternoon Session - Correct Cover 1
.
 
Hearing Identifier: Davis_BesseLicenseRenewal_Saf_NonPublic Email Number: 692   Mail Envelope Properties   (94A2A4408AC65F42AC084527534CF4161A38557718)
Hearing Identifier:   Davis_BesseLicenseRenewal_Saf_NonPublic Email Number:         692 Mail Envelope Properties     (94A2A4408AC65F42AC084527534CF4161A38557718)


==Subject:==
==Subject:==
FW: WO 524 - Afternoon Session - Correct Cover Sent Date:   11/10/2010 10:31:38 AM Received Date: 11/10/2010 10:31:40 AM From:   King, Ikeda Created By:   Ikeda.King@nrc.gov Recipients:     "Cooper, Paula" <Paula.Cooper@nrc.gov>
FW: WO 524 - Afternoon Session - Correct Cover Sent Date:             11/10/2010 10:31:38 AM Received Date:         11/10/2010 10:31:40 AM From:                 King, Ikeda Created By:           Ikeda.King@nrc.gov Recipients:
Tracking Status: None  
"Cooper, Paula" <Paula.Cooper@nrc.gov>
 
Tracking Status: None Post Office:           HQCLSTR01.nrc.gov Files                         Size                   Date & Time MESSAGE                       160                   11/10/2010 10:31:40 AM 1104nrca524.doc                       175682 Options Priority:                     Standard Return Notification:           No Reply Requested:               Yes Sensitivity:                   Normal Expiration Date:
Post Office:   HQCLSTR01.nrc.gov Files     Size     Date & Time MESSAGE   160     11/10/2010 10:31:40 AM 1104nrca524.doc   175682 Options Priority:     Standard   Return Notification:   No   Reply Requested:   Yes   Sensitivity:     Normal Expiration Date:     Recipients Received:
Recipients Received:
Official Transcript of Proceedings
 
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
 
Title:  Davis-Besse License Renewal    Public Meeting - Afternoon Session
 
Docket Number: (n/a)
 
Location:  Port Clinton, Ohio
 
Date:  Thursday, November 4, 2010


Work Order No.: NRC-524 Pages 1-46
Official Transcript of Proceedings NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


NEAL R. GROSS AND CO., INC. Court Reporters and Transcribers 1323 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W.
==Title:==
Davis-Besse License Renewal Public Meeting - Afternoon Session Docket Number:    (n/a)
Location:          Port Clinton, Ohio Date:              Thursday, November 4, 2010 Work Order No.:    NRC-524                            Pages 1-46 NEAL R. GROSS AND CO., INC.
Court Reporters and Transcribers 1323 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005 (202) 234-4433
Washington, D.C. 20005 (202) 234-4433


NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
1 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 1                                 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION  
                                                + + + + +
 
PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS ENVIRONMENTAL SCOPING PROCESS FOR DAVIS-BESSE NUCLEAR STATION LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION
                                        + + + + +  
                                                + + + + +
 
THURSDAY AFTERNOON SESSION NOVEMBER 4, 2010
PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS ENVIRONMENTAL SCOPING  
                                                + + + + +
 
PORT CLINTON, OHIO The Public Meeting convened at Camp Perry Lodging and Conference Center, Camp Perry Military Reservation, 1000 Lawrence Road, Port Clinton, Ohio.
PROCESS FOR DAVIS-BESSE NUCLEAR STATION  
Present on behalf of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission:
 
RICHARD BARKLEY DAVID WRONA BRIAN HARRIS PAULA COOPER SCOTT BURNELL ALLAN BAKER APRIL BEHAULT JOHN RUTKOWSKI DAN KIMBLE ADAM WILSON NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION  
(202) 234-4433                     WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701         www.nealrgross.com
 
                                        + + + + +  
 
THURSDAY AFTERNOON SESSION  
 
NOVEMBER 4, 2010  
 
                                        + + + + +  
 
PORT CLINTON, OHIO  
 
The Public Meeting convened at Camp Perry Lodging  
 
and Conference Center, Camp Perry Military Reservation, 1000 Lawrence Road, Port Clinton, Ohio.  
 
Present on behalf of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission:  
 
RICHARD BARKLEY  
 
DAVID WRONA  
 
BRIAN HARRIS  
 
PAULA COOPER  
 
SCOTT BURNELL  
 
ALLAN BAKER  
 
APRIL BEHAULT  
 
JOHN RUTKOWSKI  
 
DAN KIMBLE  
 
ADAM WILSON NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 2                                      I N D E X Welcome and Introductions, Richard Barkley. . . 3
 
Overview of License Renewal Process, Brian Harris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
 
Overview of Environmental Review Process, Paula Cooper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
 
Closing Comments, Davis Wrona . . . . . . . . . 45
 
Adjourn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
 
NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 3
NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 1                              P R O C E E D I N G S Afternoon Session
 
1:30 p.m.
 
MR. BARKLEY:    My name is Richard Barkley.
 
I'm the meeting facilitator for the meeting this
 
afternoon, and I'm very pleased to see we have a good
 
turnout this afternoon. We'll probably have a larger
 
turnout this evening for this meeting. This is on the
 
Environmental Impact Statement for Davis-Besse's license
 
renewal request.
 
And, what I'm going to do is go over to few
 
ground rules of how we conduct this public meeting. We
 
want to get your comments in and everyone gets a fair
 
share of time and the Court Reporter can actually
 
clearly hear your remarks.
 
First of all, if you would like to speak, please sign up on the yellow card up at the front. We
 
have at least ten people who want to speak at this point
 
in time. So, I will call you in the specific order to
 
go through and make sure we cover all the groups that
 
are interested in speaking.
 
To be fair to everyone, please limit your
 
remarks to a reasonable period of time. I normally ask
 
people to keep their remarks to five minutes. Since we
 
only have about ten speakers, we can give you a little NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 2                more latitude than that, and we'll work through and make sure you get a fair share of time but not too much time
 
as we go through.
 
In the interest of efficiency, I will call
 
three people to come up and speak. That seems to be the
 
most efficient, so the first one will come to the
 
microphone, whichever one you feel comfortable at. You
 
can speak from this microphone or you can speak from the
 
podium. And, after we go through three, I will call
 
another three, so you have some time to prepare and are
 
ready to make your remarks.
 
I alternate typically between elected
 
officials and members of the public. That gives the
 
elected officials a chance to speak early but also
 
allows the public a chance to speak earlier as well.
 
So, we'll alternate back and forth.
 
Next item, please silence your cell phones
 
if you have one with you. Thank you very much. Again, please speak clearly into the microphone when you're
 
speaking because we do have a Court Reporter to record
 
these remarks, so we want to make sure we accurately
 
recover all your remarks. If you have it in a written
 
format, you can also turn those in to us as well.
 
I would ask in the interest of courtesy that
 
you do not interrupt the speaker when you're talking and NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 3                speak only when at the microphone.
Again, written comments are welcome. If you
 
don't want to come to the microphone, you can turn in
 
written comments, and then the presenters here today
 
will talk to you about how you can formally turn in
 
written comments by mail between now and the latter part
 
of the month.
 
And, finally, if you have any questions or
 
concerns regarding how this meeting is being conducted, please come and see me. I will be glad to work through
 
any issues you may have.
 
I would like to introduce the NRC staff in
 
attendance at this meeting.
 
First, Dave Wrona is a Branch Chief from the
 
License Renewal Branch.
 
Secondly, Brian Harris, who is the Safety
 
Project Manager from NLR who will be making a
 
presentation coming up.
 
Paula Cooper, who is the Environmental
 
Project Manager from NLR, and she will also be making a
 
presentation this afternoon.
 
Scott Burnell, the Public Affairs Officer
 
from our headquarters office.
 
Allan Barker, the Region III State Liaison
 
Officer.
NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 4                            April Behault. She's a biologist with our Division of License Renewal.
 
John Rutkowski, he's the Senior Resident
 
Inspector at Davis-Besse, and Dave Kimble who I believe
 
will be replacing him in the near term.
 
And, finally, Adam Wilson, who is the
 
resident inspector.
 
At this point in time, I would like to turn
 
the meeting over to Brian Harris to make his
 
presentation.
 
MR. HARRIS:    Good afternoon. My name is
 
Brian Harris, and I would like to thank you all for
 
coming out to this public information session today.
 
I'm NRC's Project Manager in charge of the Davis-Besse
 
license renewal application for Davis-Besse.
 
This meeting serves two purposes:  To explain
 
the license renewal process and to gather your comments
 
on the environmental scoping. This slide points out two
 
parts of the meeting where you can get involved. We'll
 
have a question and answer session on the license
 
renewal process, and later we'll officially record your
 
environmental scoping comments.
 
Next slide, please. So, our first topic on
 
the agenda is the license renewal process overview. As
 
I said earlier, we're here to help you understand the NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 5                license renewal process. I'll describe the safety review, and Ms. Paula Cooper will do the environmental
 
review.
 
So, before I get into the discussion of the
 
license renewal process, I would like to take a minute
 
to tell you about NRC, what we do and what our mission
 
is. We protect the public health and safety, promote
 
common defense and security and protect the environment
 
from radioactive materials that are used for civilian
 
purposes.
 
We accomplish this mission by establishing
 
rules and regulations, conducting inspections, issuing
 
enforcement actions, assessing licensing performance, and evaluating operating experience for nuclear plants
 
across the country and around the globe.
 
So, one of the ways that we protect public
 
health and safety is through our ongoing oversight of
 
nuclear power plants. The NRC's power plant oversight
 
covers topics such as emergency planning, security and
 
current safety performance every day through our
 
resident inspectors and additional staff at our Regional
 
Headquarters Offices.
 
For example, the NRC continues to evaluate
 
how First Energy is addressing the emergency
 
preparedness issue at Davis-Besse. The Agency issues a NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 6                report on Monday of our inspection activity to this point. And, because we address security emergency
 
planning and current performance every day, we do not
 
reevaluate these issues in license renewal.
 
Another example of ongoing oversight is the
 
recent NRC mandated inspection of Davis-Besse's reactor
 
vessel head which reveal cracks in nozzles on the head.
 
While the cracks do not affect safe plant operation, the
 
NRC oversaw First Energy's repairs of the head and
 
ensured that the plant did everything necessary to keep
 
the plant operating safely before Davis-Besse started
 
this summer.
 
The NRC will continue to oversee these sorts
 
of inspection, maintenance and repair activities for
 
every operating plant regardless of whether the plant
 
has entered a new license period.
 
So, the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station was
 
originally licensed on April 22, 1977. The Atomic
 
Energy Act authorizes the NRC to grant a 40-year
 
operating license to nuclear power reactors. The plant
 
has been operating for 32 years under its 40-year
 
license, and Congress decided on the 40-year term for
 
economic considerations and antitrust factors, not on
 
safety or technical limitations. If the license is
 
renewed, it will then be valid until April 2037.
NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 7                          License renewal involves two parallel reviews:  A safety review and an environmental review.
 
These reviews evaluate separate aspects of the license
 
renewal application. The safety review focuses on the
 
aging of components and structures that the NRC deems
 
important to plant safety.
 
The staff's main objective is to ensure the
 
applicant can adequately manage the effects of aging on
 
the plant and will document results of our safety review
 
in our safety evaluation report, or SER.
 
For the environmental review, the staff
 
considers, evaluates and describes the environmental
 
impacts of operating the plant for an additional
 
20 years. The objective of the review is to determine
 
if the environmental impacts of the license renewal are
 
so great that license renewal would not become a
 
reasonable option. The staff prepares an Environmental
 
Impact Statement, or EIS, to document its environmental
 
review.
 
So, this diagram lays out the two review
 
paths as well as three other inputs to the Commission's
 
decision on whether or not to renew an operating
 
license, and one of their considerations is an
 
independent review of the staff's safety report by the
 
Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, or ACRS.
NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 8                          The ACRS is a group of scientists and nuclear safety experts who provide professional advice to the
 
Commission. Now, after reviewing the application, the
 
safety evaluation report and inspection findings, the
 
ACRS reports their findings and recommendations directly
 
to the Commission.
 
Hearings may also be conducted if interested
 
stakeholders submit concerns or contentions, and their
 
request for a hearing is granted. The Commission
 
considers the outcome of the hearing process in its
 
decision on whether or not to issue a new operating
 
license.
 
As part of the environmental review, the
 
staff consults with local, state, federal and travel
 
officials.
 
Now, I'm going to describe the license
 
renewal process in a little more detail with the safety
 
review, and Ms. Cooper will describe the environmental
 
review later.
 
So, the regulations governing a license
 
renewal are based on two principles:  The first
 
principle is that the current regulations ensure that
 
the current licensing basis for all operating plants
 
provide and maintain an acceptable level of safety.
 
The second principle is that the plant's NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 9                current licensing basis must be maintained during the renewal term. In other words, the same rule that
 
applies under the current license will apply to a
 
renewed license. In addition, a renewed license will
 
include conditions that must be met to ensure aging is
 
adequately managed so that the plant's current licensing
 
basis is maintained during the extended period of
 
operation.
 
The staff performs rigorous reviews of the
 
applicant's application and supporting documents, and
 
this review includes evaluating new and existing
 
programs and surveillance activities to determine
 
whether the effects of aging concerning plant structures
 
and components will be adequately monitored and managed.
 
The safety review also includes on site
 
audits to verify the applicant's technical basis and to
 
verify and confirm that the application accurately
 
describes the applicant's aging management programs and
 
activities. The staff documents the basis and
 
conclusions of its review in a public safety evaluation
 
report.
 
In addition, a team of specialized inspectors
 
travel to the site to verify that aging management
 
programs are being implemented, modified or planned
 
consistent with the license renewal application.
NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 10                          The Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards independently reviews the license renewal application
 
and the staff's safety evaluation report before making a
 
recommendation to the Commission regarding a proposed
 
action to a renewed operating license.
 
So, that concludes the safety review, and
 
I'll now hand it over to Ms. Paula Cooper.
 
MS. COOPER:    Good afternoon. My name is
 
Paula Cooper. I'm the NRC's Environmental Project
 
Manager for Davis-Besse, and as Brian Harris described
 
previously in the safety review, I'm going to do the
 
bottom leg of the diagram and do the environmental
 
review.
 
The environmental review follows guidelines
 
set by the National Environmental Policy Act, also
 
referred to as NEPA. NEPA provides the basic
 
architectural review format for federal environmental
 
reviews requiring a systematic approach and advising the
 
potential impact of major federal action.
 
At the NRC, the license renewal application
 
is classified as a major federal action. The
 
environmental review considers the impact of the
 
proposed action and any mitigation for those impacts be
 
considered to be significant. We consider alternatives
 
to proposed action, even the impacts associated with not NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 11                issuing a renewed license, referred to as a no action alternative.
 
As you can see, you have several
 
opportunities to participate in the license renewal
 
process. A Federal Register notice and press release
 
will be issued for most of these opportunities. The
 
environmental review begins today with the scoping
 
activities that reveal important issues that need to be
 
analyzed. During the scoping, we want your comments on
 
the scope of the environmental review.
 
The public input is the second half of our
 
meeting today and will be discussed later in this
 
session.
 
After studying the range of environmental
 
impact, we will publish a draft Environmental Impact
 
Statement for public comment. At that time, we will
 
come back and have another public meeting and issue and
 
request your comments on that draft. Once we collect
 
your comments on that draft, we will then issue our
 
final Environmental Impact Statement.
 
The opportunity for a hearing permits those
 
who are directly affected by the licensing
 
qualification. A hearing will be conducted by the panel
 
of administrative law judges who are called the Atomic
 
Safety and Licensing Board, also referred to as the NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 12                ASLB.
This is the important milestone to the
 
license renewal application process. The notice of
 
opportunity for hearing was published on October 25th, followed by the notice of intent for hearing, the EIS, and conduct scoping on October 29th.
 
The period for making comments or contentions
 
for a hearing closes on December 27th. If you have
 
comments regarding the environmental review, if you
 
would like to see a copy of today's meeting, you will
 
have the opportunity to do so until December 27th as
 
well.
 
In summary, before deciding to issue a
 
renewed operating license, the Commission considers the
 
following factors:
 
The staff safety review which is documented
 
in the safety evaluation report, the staff environmental
 
review which is documented in the Environmental Impact
 
Statement, NRC's findings and conclusions from the
 
sections, and the recommendation by the committee on
 
reactor safeguards, these hearings.
 
If a hearing is conducted, the absence of
 
that process is also taken into consideration. The
 
typical time frame for renewing a renewed license is
 
22 months for review, provided that no hearing is NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 13                involved. If a hearing is involved, it could take 30 months or more.
 
We have made available hard copies of the
 
license renewal application at the (indiscernible)
 
public library and the Toledo Lucas County Public
 
Library. When the draft Environmental Impact Statement
 
is available, it will also be available at those
 
libraries as well.
 
Several documents have been previously
 
gathered and can be found on the CD located on the table
 
here to my right. They include the generic
 
Environmental Impact Statement, the license renewal
 
application, the three Federal Registers that have been
 
published to date and a copy of the frequently-asked
 
questions for license renewal. You can also access all
 
these documents on the NRC website. The LRA can be
 
found on the website as well.
 
For information relating to the scoping
 
comments, you can review the regulations on site and
 
additionally to keep informed on aspects related to the
 
NRC at the website.
 
This concludes this presentation, and I'll
 
turn it back over to the facilitator.
 
Thank you.
 
MR. BARKLEY:    Thank you. At this point in NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 14                time, we would like to ask the audience if there are any questions regarding the license renewal process. This
 
is not an opportunity for you to provide comments on the
 
Environmental Impact Statement but, rather, an
 
opportunity for you to ask questions regarding this
 
process of the staff. If you have any questions, please
 
go ahead and move to the center microphone and staff
 
will answer them; and if not, we'll move into the
 
comment period.
 
(No Response)
 
MR. BARKLEY:      No questions?  Okay, how
 
about we move right into the comment period then.
 
MS. COOPER:      All right, previously, we
 
had presented the license renewal process, and now we're
 
going on to the second stage of the presentation and
 
that's the environmental scoping.
 
This completes the previous presentation, and
 
I would like to highlight that we're on the second step
 
followed by the public scoping meeting.
 
Scoping meetings started on October 29th with
 
the notice of intent to prepare an EIS and to conduct
 
scoping was published.
 
In general, we were looking for sources of
 
information about the environmental impact of continued
 
operations at Davis-Besse that we should consider when NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 15                we prepare our EIS.
You can assist us in that process by telling
 
us, for example, what aspect of your local community we
 
should focus on, what local environment and economic
 
aspect that the NRC should examine during our
 
environmental review and what reasonable alternatives
 
are most appropriate for the area.
 
These are just some examples of the input
 
we're look for, and they represent the kind of
 
information we are seeking through the environmental
 
scoping process. Your comments today should be helpful
 
in providing insight of this nature.
 
Through the environmental review, the NRC has
 
established a team of staff and contractors who are
 
experts in various fields and disciplines. This slide
 
gives you an idea of the various areas we're looking at
 
during the environmental review. They include
 
terrestrial and aquatic policies, environmental justice, hydrology and radiation.
 
For license renewal review, NRC's
 
environmental staff looks at a wide range of impact. We
 
consult with various federal, state and local officials
 
as well as leaders in Indian nations, gathering
 
pertinent information from these sources ensuring that
 
it is considered in our analysis. Examples include the NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 16                Environmental Protection Agency, US Fish and Wildlife and State Historic Preservation Offices.
 
This slide represents the different methods
 
for the public's scoping comments. It shows how to
 
mail, fax and submit through the internet on
 
regulations. The scoping comments are reviewed by
 
December 27, 2010. In general, we are looking for
 
information about the environmental impact from
 
continued operation of Davis-Besse.
 
We know you are the experts in your community
 
so your comments today will ensure a thorough review of
 
the environmental, social and economic issues the NRC
 
should examine during our environmental review and what
 
reasonable alternatives are most appropriate for this
 
region.
 
You are the primacy contacts for the NRC for
 
the license renewals for Davis-Besse, the Project
 
Manager, Brian Harris, and myself. If you have any
 
questions about today's meeting, we will be around to
 
answer questions following the meeting. If you have
 
questions after you leave today, you're more than
 
welcome to contact any one of us.
 
This concludes my presentation. Thank you.
 
MR. BARKLEY:    Okay, thank you.
 
The first three people I would like to call NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 17                are Mark Stahl of the Ottawa City Commission, and then Jere Witt of Ottawa County, and Fred Petersen of the
 
Ottawa County EMA.
 
If you would like to speak from this
 
microphone, that would be fine. Go ahead and lead
 
off.
 
MR. STAHL:    Thanks, Mark.
 
Good afternoon. My name is Mark Stahl, and
 
I'm the President of Ottawa County Commissioners.
 
Ottawa County is successful because we surround
 
ourselves with successful community partners, and
 
Davis-Besse is one of those community partners, who we
 
look very favorably upon.
 
You will hear from some the other agencies, the nonprofits, the contributions that you make back to
 
our community helps us tremendously, and we greatly
 
appreciate that.
 
We also as Commissioners appreciate our NRC
 
partnership. We have had conversations with you, I
 
know, through the years, and we appreciate those
 
unbiased conversations that we've had in regard to
 
Davis-Besse.
 
So, I will let these two gentlemen fill you
 
in, but as President of the the Ottawa County
 
Commissioners, I'm here to offer our support to you, NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 18                Davis-Besse, in your application process.
Thank you.
 
MR. WITT:    Thanks, Mark. I appreciate you
 
putting Mark before Fred and I because he's our boss.
 
I'm Jere Witt. Many of you know me. I'm County
 
Administrator for Ottawa County. I've been with the
 
County for 32 years, and ironically when I looked at the
 
dates on there, I started with the County on July 20, 1978, and I believe the plant began operating in on July
 
31, 1978. So, we're pretty close on our birth dates
 
there.
 
I've been involved, as I said earlier, many
 
years with Davis-Besse and especially within the last
 
five to ten years. I was part of the restart overview
 
panel that worked for two years on the head issues. I
 
got my nuclear degree during that two years. I much
 
appreciated, and I really got a better feeling for
 
Davis-Besse and the nuclear industry.
 
I currently serve on the Company Nuclear
 
Review Board to ensure that Davis-Besse continues to
 
operate safely, and there's a bunch of nuclear experts
 
on there and then there's me, but it's easy for me a use
 
their expertise to see if Davis-Besse operates safely, and I'm happy to say that every time we've met, we have
 
concluded that Davis-Besse does continue to operate NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 19                safely.
I attend and participate in the NRC quarterly
 
exit meetings of Davis-Besse, and those have been
 
another way for Ottawa County to keep informed on what's
 
going on with Davis-Besse.
 
I receive many, many, many more than I really
 
want to see daily e-mails from the plant, but the most
 
important one is the morning e-mail that I get every
 
morning that tells the current status of the plant and
 
the issues that are going on, and it's an easy way for
 
me to keep up daily. I'm kept informed by plant
 
management. I think I get calls in the middle of the
 
night any time there is an issue, and we appreciate that
 
because it's showing their concern that Ottawa County is
 
able to keep inform.
 
As Mark mentioned, we work closely with the
 
NRC. We've been meeting with them quarterly just to
 
bring us up to speed, hear what's going on at
 
Davis-Besse, and get the NRC's side of that.
 
I actually have a vested interest in the
 
plant. I own property that abuts the plant, and it's
 
very important to me that they keep that plant operating
 
safely. I have a cottage there that my -- when the head
 
incident happened, my grandchildren and their mother and
 
dad were living there, and my wife kept asking me if I NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 20                knew what I was talking about, that it was safe, and I was assuring her that I did.
 
We continue to watch closely to see that the
 
plant does operate safely. I have personally witnessed
 
the transformation of the site personnel in the new
 
safety culture, and they continue to maintain that
 
culture, and I think that is one of the most important
 
things that any nuclear power plant has to do.
 
I believe that the people who work at
 
Davis-Besse and have witnessed how they challenge each
 
other for safe plant operation. I don't think that was
 
necessarily always true years ago, but today they do, in
 
fact, and at many of my visits out there, I have
 
witnessed how they challenge each other.
 
Many of the Davis-Besse employees live in the
 
community and are important assets to Ottawa County. I
 
think it's very important that the corporate structure
 
that's been put in place to oversee the operations of
 
Davis-Besse continue, and I think it's a good structure.
 
Davis-Besse has been a great asset to the
 
community and are very involved in Ottawa County. We in
 
Ottawa County will continue to watch and make sure the
 
plant operates safely, but through my past involvement, I have no concerns for the safety of Davis-Besse.
 
We look forward to a license renewal. Ottawa NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 21                County wants Davis-Besse to stay, and welcome them in the future and urge the NRC to move forward with this
 
license renewal.
 
Thank you very much.
 
MR. BARKLEY:    Thank you Jere.
 
Fred?
 
MR. PETERSEN:    Thank you. My name is Fred
 
Petersen. I'm the Director of the Ottawa County
 
Emergency Management Agency. I've been involved in the
 
EMA for 16 years and ten months.
 
I want to talk specifically about the Ottawa
 
County EMA's good working relationship with Davis-Besse
 
Power Station. Largely because of that relationship we
 
provide a lot of benefits.
 
All of our plans and procedures are thorough
 
and well maintained and are regularly exercised. Those
 
exercises are conducted specifically on the radiological
 
side biannually. So, every two years, FEMA comes in and
 
evaluates our performance plan to keep us in compliance.
 
Over the years that I have been associated
 
with the agency and even prior to that, we have had no
 
significant issue on our exercises, and they perform
 
very well.
 
Our emergency operation center and our risk
 
management agency are generally better equipped, more NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 22                well maintained and larger and larger staffed than most counties of our size throughout the State of Ohio. And, that is because of our partner.
 
We feel like we're very well prepared for
 
anything that happens here in the county, specifically
 
radiological rescue emergency preparedness. But, some
 
of the things that we do on the radiological side that
 
really benefit us are lot of spill-over benefits on
 
preparedness work review at Davis-Besse. Those would
 
include, we have a great relationship with our fire, EMS, law enforcement, private response orientation in
 
the county, and that's because we regularly exercise
 
training and work with them.
 
So, all the events that have happened in the
 
county, we have been very successful with our response, and a lot of that is because of everything we do with
 
Davis-Besse, and how it helps with our relationship.
 
An example of that would be the tornado this
 
past June. Everyone that was involved had some sort of
 
role in the radiological response program. A lot of the
 
response procedures that we use for Davis-Besse are very
 
applicable to some of the things that we had to do like
 
HAZMAT.
 
The tangible things that we have is because
 
of Davis-Besse. One of the things that is very NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 23                noticeable in the county is we have county-wide siren system. A large part of that is at the Davis-Besse
 
plant, and is available to us for any number of outdoor
 
notifications that need to be relayed; specifically, weather, very, very important to the community.
 
We also do a brochure calendar for our
 
particular State of Ohio, Lucas County, that goes to all
 
of our residents and provides them a plethora of
 
information about all types of emergency response and
 
what they can do in response to tornadoes, floods, HAZMAT and radiological emergency.
 
So, really, all this adds up to the fact that
 
our relationship in Ottawa County with Davis-Besse is a
 
benefit to the residents of Ottawa County.
 
Thank you.
 
MR. BARKLEY:  Thank you.
 
The next three people I would like to call
 
are:  Chris Galvin of the United Way; followed by Jackie
 
VanTress of OPEIU, Local 19; and following, Kimberly
 
Kaufman of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory.
 
Thank you.
 
MS. GALVIN:    I'm Chris Galvin, Director of
 
the United Way in Ottawa County. The Davis-Besse
 
Nuclear Power Station and on a larger scale the First
 
Energy Corporation are a tremendous community partner to NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 24                the local United Way. Since 1993, First Energy has contributed more than 13.5 Million Dollars to United Way
 
of Greater Toledo which serves Ottawa, Wood and Lucas
 
Counties. 3.1 Million came from corporate gifts, 10.4
 
Million from its incredibly generous employees.
 
First Energy has also earned United Way's
 
Pillar Award each year since at least 1992. Our data
 
doesn't go back any further than that. It seems they
 
consistently give more than a hundred thousand dollars
 
each year to the Greater Toledo campaign.
 
Not only does this community consistently get
 
solid financial support from First Energy and its
 
employees, but executive leadership has also
 
demonstrated exceptional personal commitment to our
 
work.
 
In 1993, Don Saunders chaired the local
 
United Way campaign, raising 12.5 Million Dollars.
 
In 2005, Jim Murray, now retired, but
 
formerly First Energy President of Ohio Operations, chaired the local United Way campaign. Under Mr.
 
Murray's leadership, the campaign raised 13.3 Million
 
Dollars. We also presented Mr. Murray with our
 
Prestigious Caring Award in 2006 for demonstrating value
 
and concern for our community through vision, leadership, service and commitment to the people of our NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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In 2009, Trent Smith, Regional President of
 
Toledo Edison First Energy, became chairman of the
 
United Way of Greater Toledo's Board of Trustees and has
 
drawn to a close on his second year of service. Mr.
 
Smith has gone above and beyond the level of service, dedication and commitment we typically see from board
 
chairs. He has become involved in virtually ever level
 
of our work, digging in and helping find real solutions.
 
In addition to these executive leaders, numerous upper-level management have supported United
 
Way by using their voice and relationships to help
 
secure financial and volunteer support as well as
 
advocating on behalf of the United Way and the Northwest
 
Ohio Region.
 
In addition to Don Saunders, Jim Murray and
 
Trent Smith, some of the stand-out employees include
 
Debbie Paul, Mike Adams, and Mel Lomack. Additionally, in the 1990's Jennifer Schreiber served five years as
 
the chair of our community impact cabinet, the highest
 
level of community impact volunteers who decide how
 
money is allocated in this community. Also joining her
 
on the cabinet was Jenny Ammadon. Both are now retired.
 
First Energy also demonstrates incredible
 
commitment to the communities through sponsorships and/
NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 26                or participation in programs and events.
In 1993 and 1994, Davis-Besse sponsored our
 
loaned executive program. Jim Ferris, now retired from
 
Davis-Besse, was the loaned executive in those
 
two years. First Energy has also sponsored loaned
 
executives over the years, from 1996 continuing for
 
11 years.
 
Employees consistently contribute to and
 
participate in Stamp Out Hunger and/or Scouting for Food
 
efforts each year. They were a major sponsor of our
 
Family Food Fund in 2008.
 
First Energy was the sponsor of our Community
 
Building event in 2005, and was the initiator and
 
sponsor of the Veterans Appreciation Event in 2006, which continued until 2009.
 
Davis-Besse and First Energy are a valued
 
community partner, both philanthropically and
 
economically. They have been incredible contributors to
 
our community over the past 20 years, and we only hope
 
that this will continue for at least another 20 years.
 
Thank you.
 
MR. BARKLEY:    Thank you, Chris.
 
Jackie?
 
MS. VANTRESS:    Good afternoon. My name is
 
Jackie VanTress, and I am representing OPEIU, Local 19.
NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 27                "OPEIU" stands for Office and Professional Employees International Union, and we represent the clerical
 
support staff at Davis-Besse.
 
On behalf of the Union, I would like to voice
 
our support in this public meeting. A renewal of this
 
license will not only promote and maintain employment
 
for our members who live and shop and send their
 
children to school in that area, but it will also assure
 
the delivery of reliable electric service to our
 
customers.
 
Research has shown that nuclear power is
 
clean, is efficient and produces more energy at a lower
 
cost than any other means of generation. So, it is
 
important that we keep this plant in operation.
 
Local 19 is proud of the safety record and
 
operations at Davis-Besse as well as the work we do here
 
and the service we provide to the public. OPEIU, Local
 
19, would like to continue to be a part of the team for
 
at least the next 20 years.
 
Thank you.
 
MR. BARKLEY:  Thank you, Jackie.
 
MS. KAUFMAN:  Good afternoon everybody. My
 
name is Kimberly Kaufman, and I'm the Executive Director
 
of Black Swamp Bird Observatory, and while I understand
 
the seriousness nature of this hearing, I'm actually NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 28                really pleased to have this opportunity to address this group.
 
My organization represents a somewhat unique
 
marriage, if you will, between a conservation
 
organization and a nuclear power plant. The general
 
public and, of course, all of you in the room are
 
certainly familiar with the fact that the nuclear power
 
plant resides in this part of Ottawa County, but very
 
few are actually aware that the power plant co-exists
 
with the thriving marsh that just sort of forms a hub
 
around the power plant.
 
Our organization has been conducting
 
migratory bird regions in this area for more than
 
20 years, and we really take pride in this marriage, and
 
we work hard like a good spouse to maintain it.


The marsh represents a critical stop-over
2 I N D E X Welcome and Introductions, Richard Barkley. . . 3 Overview of License Renewal Process, Brian Harris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Overview of Environmental Review Process, Paula Cooper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Closing Comments, Davis Wrona . . . . . . . . . 45 Adjourn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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habitat for millions of migratory birds. And, in fact, many the world's leading bird experts consider this
3 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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marsh to be one of the most critical areas of stop-over
1 P R O C E E D I N G S Afternoon Session 1:30 p.m.
MR. BARKLEY:              My name is Richard Barkley.
I'm the meeting facilitator for the meeting this afternoon, and I'm very pleased to see we have a good turnout this afternoon.          We'll probably have a larger turnout this evening for this meeting.                This is on the Environmental Impact Statement for Davis-Besse's license renewal request.
And, what I'm going to do is go over to few ground rules of how we conduct this public meeting.                We want to get your comments in and everyone gets a fair share of time and the Court Reporter can actually clearly hear your remarks.
First of all, if you would like to speak, please sign up on the yellow card up at the front.                We have at least ten people who want to speak at this point in time. So, I will call you in the specific order to go through and make sure we cover all the groups that are interested in speaking.
To be fair to everyone, please limit your remarks to a reasonable period of time.                I normally ask people to keep their remarks to five minutes.                Since we only have about ten speakers, we can give you a little NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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habitat in the entire western hemisphere.  
2 more latitude than that, and we'll work through and make sure you get a fair share of time but not too much time as we go through.
In the interest of efficiency, I will call three people to come up and speak.                That seems to be the most efficient, so the first one will come to the microphone, whichever one you feel comfortable at.                You can speak from this microphone or you can speak from the podium. And, after we go through three, I will call another three, so you have some time to prepare and are ready to make your remarks.
I alternate typically between elected officials and members of the public.                That gives the elected officials a chance to speak early but also allows the public a chance to speak earlier as well.
So, we'll alternate back and forth.
Next item, please silence your cell phones if you have one with you.            Thank you very much.      Again, please speak clearly into the microphone when you're speaking because we do have a Court Reporter to record these remarks, so we want to make sure we accurately recover all your remarks.            If you have it in a written format, you can also turn those in to us as well.
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The observatory in these 20 years have had
3 speak only when at the microphone.
Again, written comments are welcome.          If you don't want to come to the microphone, you can turn in written comments, and then the presenters here today will talk to you about how you can formally turn in written comments by mail between now and the latter part of the month.
And, finally, if you have any questions or concerns regarding how this meeting is being conducted, please come and see me.          I will be glad to work through any issues you may have.
I would like to introduce the NRC staff in attendance at this meeting.
First, Dave Wrona is a Branch Chief from the License Renewal Branch.
Secondly, Brian Harris, who is the Safety Project Manager from NLR who will be making a presentation coming up.
Paula Cooper, who is the Environmental Project Manager from NLR, and she will also be making a presentation this afternoon.
Scott Burnell, the Public Affairs Officer from our headquarters office.
Allan Barker, the Region III State Liaison Officer.
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the full support of First Energy and Davis-Besse to  
4 April Behault.            She's a biologist with our Division of License Renewal.
John Rutkowski, he's the Senior Resident Inspector at Davis-Besse, and Dave Kimble who I believe will be replacing him in the near term.
And, finally, Adam Wilson, who is the resident inspector.
At this point in time, I would like to turn the meeting over to Brian Harris to make his presentation.
MR. HARRIS:              Good afternoon.      My name is Brian Harris, and I would like to thank you all for coming out to this public information session today.
I'm NRC's Project Manager in charge of the Davis-Besse license renewal application for Davis-Besse.
This meeting serves two purposes:                To explain the license renewal process and to gather your comments on the environmental scoping.                This slide points out two parts of the meeting where you can get involved.                We'll have a question and answer session on the license renewal process, and later we'll officially record your environmental scoping comments.
Next slide, please.                So, our first topic on the agenda is the license renewal process overview.                As I said earlier, we're here to help you understand the NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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conduct this critical research and, in fact, during a  
5 license renewal process.          I'll describe the safety review, and Ms. Paula Cooper will do the environmental review.
So, before I get into the discussion of the license renewal process, I would like to take a minute to tell you about NRC, what we do and what our mission is. We protect the public health and safety, promote common defense and security and protect the environment from radioactive materials that are used for civilian purposes.
We accomplish this mission by establishing rules and regulations, conducting inspections, issuing enforcement actions, assessing licensing performance, and evaluating operating experience for nuclear plants across the country and around the globe.
So, one of the ways that we protect public health and safety is through our ongoing oversight of nuclear power plants.        The NRC's power plant oversight covers topics such as emergency planning, security and current safety performance every day through our resident inspectors and additional staff at our Regional Headquarters Offices.
For example, the NRC continues to evaluate how First Energy is addressing the emergency preparedness issue at Davis-Besse.                The Agency issues a NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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very exciting tumultus time in this country's history, we were very afraid that our consistent effort meaning NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
6 report on Monday of our inspection activity to this point. And, because we address security emergency planning and current performance every day, we do not reevaluate these issues in license renewal.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 29                that seven days a week, spring and fall, during song bird migration, our research staff was out at that marsh
Another example of ongoing oversight is the recent NRC mandated inspection of Davis-Besse's reactor vessel head which reveal cracks in nozzles on the head.
While the cracks do not affect safe plant operation, the NRC oversaw First Energy's repairs of the head and ensured that the plant did everything necessary to keep the plant operating safely before Davis-Besse started this summer.
The NRC will continue to oversee these sorts of inspection, maintenance and repair activities for every operating plant regardless of whether the plant has entered a new license period.
So, the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station was originally licensed on April 22, 1977.                  The Atomic Energy Act authorizes the NRC to grant a 40-year operating license to nuclear power reactors.                  The plant has been operating for 32 years under its 40-year license, and Congress decided on the 40-year term for economic considerations and antitrust factors, not on safety or technical limitations.                  If the license is renewed, it will then be valid until April 2037.
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in front of the power tank conducting this research
7 License renewal involves two parallel reviews:  A safety review and an environmental review.
These reviews evaluate separate aspects of the license renewal application.      The safety review focuses on the aging of components and structures that the NRC deems important to plant safety.
The staff's main objective is to ensure the applicant can adequately manage the effects of aging on the plant and will document results of our safety review in our safety evaluation report, or SER.
For the environmental review, the staff considers, evaluates and describes the environmental impacts of operating the plant for an additional 20 years. The objective of the review is to determine if the environmental impacts of the license renewal are so great that license renewal would not become a reasonable option. The staff prepares an Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS, to document its environmental review.
So, this diagram lays out the two review paths as well as three other inputs to the Commission's decision on whether or not to renew an operating license, and one of their considerations is an independent review of the staff's safety report by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, or ACRS.
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seven days a week for more than 20 years.  
8 The ACRS is a group of scientists and nuclear safety experts who provide professional advice to the Commission. Now, after reviewing the application, the safety evaluation report and inspection findings, the ACRS reports their findings and recommendations directly to the Commission.
Hearings may also be conducted if interested stakeholders submit concerns or contentions, and their request for a hearing is granted.                The Commission considers the outcome of the hearing process in its decision on whether or not to issue a new operating license.
As part of the environmental review, the staff consults with local, state, federal and travel officials.
Now, I'm going to describe the license renewal process in a little more detail with the safety review, and Ms. Cooper will describe the environmental review later.
So, the regulations governing a license renewal are based on two principles:                The first principle is that the current regulations ensure that the current licensing basis for all operating plants provide and maintain an acceptable level of safety.
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When the tragedy occurred on 9/11, we were
9 current licensing basis must be maintained during the renewal term. In other words, the same rule that applies under the current license will apply to a renewed license. In addition, a renewed license will include conditions that must be met to ensure aging is adequately managed so that the plant's current licensing basis is maintained during the extended period of operation.
The staff performs rigorous reviews of the applicant's application and supporting documents, and this review includes evaluating new and existing programs and surveillance activities to determine whether the effects of aging concerning plant structures and components will be adequately monitored and managed.
The safety review also includes on site audits to verify the applicant's technical basis and to verify and confirm that the application accurately describes the applicant's aging management programs and activities. The staff documents the basis and conclusions of its review in a public safety evaluation report.
In addition, a team of specialized inspectors travel to the site to verify that aging management programs are being implemented, modified or planned consistent with the license renewal application.
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very concerned for, of course, the human tragedy, but
10 The Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards independently reviews the license renewal application and the staff's safety evaluation report before making a recommendation to the Commission regarding a proposed action to a renewed operating license.
So, that concludes the safety review, and I'll now hand it over to Ms. Paula Cooper.
MS. COOPER:              Good afternoon.      My name is Paula Cooper. I'm the NRC's Environmental Project Manager for Davis-Besse, and as Brian Harris described previously in the safety review, I'm going to do the bottom leg of the diagram and do the environmental review.
The environmental review follows guidelines set by the National Environmental Policy Act, also referred to as NEPA.      NEPA provides the basic architectural review format for federal environmental reviews requiring a systematic approach and advising the potential impact of major federal action.
At the NRC, the license renewal application is classified as a major federal action.                The environmental review considers the impact of the proposed action and any mitigation for those impacts be considered to be significant.                We consider alternatives to proposed action, even the impacts associated with not NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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also concerned that our research would be interrupted.  
11 issuing a renewed license, referred to as a no action alternative.
As you can see, you have several opportunities to participate in the license renewal process. A Federal Register notice and press release will be issued for most of these opportunities.                The environmental review begins today with the scoping activities that reveal important issues that need to be analyzed. During the scoping, we want your comments on the scope of the environmental review.
The public input is the second half of our meeting today and will be discussed later in this session.
After studying the range of environmental impact, we will publish a draft Environmental Impact Statement for public comment.                At that time, we will come back and have another public meeting and issue and request your comments on that draft.                Once we collect your comments on that draft, we will then issue our final Environmental Impact Statement.
The opportunity for a hearing permits those who are directly affected by the licensing qualification. A hearing will be conducted by the panel of administrative law judges who are called the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, also referred to as the NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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And, in fact, Davis-Besse really fully understood the
12 ASLB.
This is the important milestone to the license renewal application process.              The notice of opportunity for hearing was published on October 25th, followed by the notice of intent for hearing, the EIS, and conduct scoping on October 29th.
The period for making comments or contentions for a hearing closes on December 27th.              If you have comments regarding the environmental review, if you would like to see a copy of today's meeting, you will have the opportunity to do so until December 27th as well.
In summary, before deciding to issue a renewed operating license, the Commission considers the following factors:
The staff safety review which is documented in the safety evaluation report, the staff environmental review which is documented in the Environmental Impact Statement, NRC's findings and conclusions from the sections, and the recommendation by the committee on reactor safeguards, these hearings.
If a hearing is conducted, the absence of that process is also taken into consideration.              The typical time frame for renewing a renewed license is 22 months for review, provided that no hearing is NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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importance of this research, and the importance of
13 involved. If a hearing is involved, it could take 30 months or more.
We have made available hard copies of the license renewal application at the (indiscernible) public library and the Toledo Lucas County Public Library. When the draft Environmental Impact Statement is available, it will also be available at those libraries as well.
Several documents have been previously gathered and can be found on the CD located on the table here to my right. They include the generic Environmental Impact Statement, the license renewal application, the three Federal Registers that have been published to date and a copy of the frequently-asked questions for license renewal.                You can also access all these documents on the NRC website.                The LRA can be found on the website as well.
For information relating to the scoping comments, you can review the regulations on site and additionally to keep informed on aspects related to the NRC at the website.
This concludes this presentation, and I'll turn it back over to the facilitator.
Thank you.
MR. BARKLEY:              Thank you.      At this point in NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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conserving the integrity of the data set, and we didn't
14 time, we would like to ask the audience if there are any questions regarding the license renewal process.            This is not an opportunity for you to provide comments on the Environmental Impact Statement but, rather, an opportunity for you to ask questions regarding this process of the staff.        If you have any questions, please go ahead and move to the center microphone and staff will answer them; and if not, we'll move into the comment period.
(No Response)
MR. BARKLEY:                No questions? Okay, how about we move right into the comment period then.
MS. COOPER:                All right, previously, we had presented the license renewal process, and now we're going on to the second stage of the presentation and that's the environmental scoping.
This completes the previous presentation, and I would like to highlight that we're on the second step followed by the public scoping meeting.
Scoping meetings started on October 29th with the notice of intent to prepare an EIS and to conduct scoping was published.
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miss a single day.  
15 we prepare our EIS.
You can assist us in that process by telling us, for example, what aspect of your local community we should focus on, what local environment and economic aspect that the NRC should examine during our environmental review and what reasonable alternatives are most appropriate for the area.
These are just some examples of the input we're look for, and they represent the kind of information we are seeking through the environmental scoping process. Your comments today should be helpful in providing insight of this nature.
Through the environmental review, the NRC has established a team of staff and contractors who are experts in various fields and disciplines.                  This slide gives you an idea of the various areas we're looking at during the environmental review.                  They include terrestrial and aquatic policies, environmental justice, hydrology and radiation.
For license renewal review, NRC's environmental staff looks at a wide range of impact.                  We consult with various federal, state and local officials as well as leaders in Indian nations, gathering pertinent information from these sources ensuring that it is considered in our analysis.                  Examples include the NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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And, perhaps nothing else, no other event in  
16 Environmental Protection Agency, US Fish and Wildlife and State Historic Preservation Offices.
This slide represents the different methods for the public's scoping comments.                It shows how to mail, fax and submit through the internet on regulations. The scoping comments are reviewed by December 27, 2010. In general, we are looking for information about the environmental impact from continued operation of Davis-Besse.
We know you are the experts in your community so your comments today will ensure a thorough review of the environmental, social and economic issues the NRC should examine during our environmental review and what reasonable alternatives are most appropriate for this region.
You are the primacy contacts for the NRC for the license renewals for Davis-Besse, the Project Manager, Brian Harris, and myself.                If you have any questions about today's meeting, we will be around to answer questions following the meeting.                If you have questions after you leave today, you're more than welcome to contact any one of us.
This concludes my presentation.                Thank you.
MR. BARKLEY:              Okay, thank you.
The first three people I would like to call NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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our history or recent history speaks more to how much
17 are Mark Stahl of the Ottawa City Commission, and then Jere Witt of Ottawa County, and Fred Petersen of the Ottawa County EMA.
If you would like to speak from this microphone, that would be fine.                  Go ahead and lead off.
MR. STAHL:            Thanks, Mark.
Good afternoon.            My name is Mark Stahl, and I'm the President of Ottawa County Commissioners.
Ottawa County is successful because we surround ourselves with successful community partners, and Davis-Besse is one of those community partners, who we look very favorably upon.
You will hear from some the other agencies, the nonprofits, the contributions that you make back to our community helps us tremendously, and we greatly appreciate that.
We also as Commissioners appreciate our NRC partnership. We have had conversations with you, I know, through the years, and we appreciate those unbiased conversations that we've had in regard to Davis-Besse.
So, I will let these two gentlemen fill you in, but as President of the the Ottawa County Commissioners, I'm here to offer our support to you, NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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they have said they understand the critical role that  
18 Davis-Besse, in your application process.
Thank you.
MR. WITT:          Thanks, Mark.            I appreciate you putting Mark before Fred and I because he's our boss.
I'm Jere Witt. Many of you know me.                  I'm County Administrator for Ottawa County.                  I've been with the County for 32 years, and ironically when I looked at the dates on there, I started with the County on July 20, 1978, and I believe the plant began operating in on July 31, 1978. So, we're pretty close on our birth dates there.
I've been involved, as I said earlier, many years with Davis-Besse and especially within the last five to ten years. I was part of the restart overview panel that worked for two years on the head issues.                  I got my nuclear degree during that two years.                  I much appreciated, and I really got a better feeling for Davis-Besse and the nuclear industry.
I currently serve on the Company Nuclear Review Board to ensure that Davis-Besse continues to operate safely, and there's a bunch of nuclear experts on there and then there's me, but it's easy for me a use their expertise to see if Davis-Besse operates safely, and I'm happy to say that every time we've met, we have concluded that Davis-Besse does continue to operate NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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they play in local environmental and conservation issues  
19 safely.
I attend and participate in the NRC quarterly exit meetings of Davis-Besse, and those have been another way for Ottawa County to keep informed on what's going on with Davis-Besse.
I receive many, many, many more than I really want to see daily e-mails from the plant, but the most important one is the morning e-mail that I get every morning that tells the current status of the plant and the issues that are going on, and it's an easy way for me to keep up daily.      I'm kept informed by plant management. I think I get calls in the middle of the night any time there is an issue, and we appreciate that because it's showing their concern that Ottawa County is able to keep inform.
As Mark mentioned, we work closely with the NRC. We've been meeting with them quarterly just to bring us up to speed, hear what's going on at Davis-Besse, and get the NRC's side of that.
I actually have a vested interest in the plant. I own property that abuts the plant, and it's very important to me that they keep that plant operating safely. I have a cottage there that my -- when the head incident happened, my grandchildren and their mother and dad were living there, and my wife kept asking me if I NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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than that event.  
20 knew what I was talking about, that it was safe, and I was assuring her that I did.
We continue to watch closely to see that the plant does operate safely.            I have personally witnessed the transformation of the site personnel in the new safety culture, and they continue to maintain that culture, and I think that is one of the most important things that any nuclear power plant has to do.
I believe that the people who work at Davis-Besse and have witnessed how they challenge each other for safe plant operation.                  I don't think that was necessarily always true years ago, but today they do, in fact, and at many of my visits out there, I have witnessed how they challenge each other.
Many of the Davis-Besse employees live in the community and are important assets to Ottawa County.                  I think it's very important that the corporate structure that's been put in place to oversee the operations of Davis-Besse continue, and I think it's a good structure.
Davis-Besse has been a great asset to the community and are very involved in Ottawa County.                  We in Ottawa County will continue to watch and make sure the plant operates safely, but through my past involvement, I have no concerns for the safety of Davis-Besse.
We look forward to a license renewal.                  Ottawa NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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So, based on our long-standing relationship, it is our opinion the Davis-Besse and First Energy have  
21 County wants Davis-Besse to stay, and welcome them in the future and urge the NRC to move forward with this license renewal.
Thank you very much.
MR. BARKLEY:              Thank you Jere.
Fred?
MR. PETERSEN:              Thank you. My name is Fred Petersen. I'm the Director of the Ottawa County Emergency Management Agency.              I've been involved in the EMA for 16 years and ten months.
I want to talk specifically about the Ottawa County EMA's good working relationship with Davis-Besse Power Station. Largely because of that relationship we provide a lot of benefits.
All of our plans and procedures are thorough and well maintained and are regularly exercised.              Those exercises are conducted specifically on the radiological side biannually. So, every two years, FEMA comes in and evaluates our performance plan to keep us in compliance.
Over the years that I have been associated with the agency and even prior to that, we have had no significant issue on our exercises, and they perform very well.
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not only worked to fully understand and fully support
22 well maintained and larger and larger staffed than most counties of our size throughout the State of Ohio.          And, that is because of our partner.
We feel like we're very well prepared for anything that happens here in the county, specifically radiological rescue emergency preparedness.          But, some of the things that we do on the radiological side that really benefit us are lot of spill-over benefits on preparedness work review at Davis-Besse.          Those would include, we have a great relationship with our fire, EMS, law enforcement, private response orientation in the county, and that's because we regularly exercise training and work with them.
So, all the events that have happened in the county, we have been very successful with our response, and a lot of that is because of everything we do with Davis-Besse, and how it helps with our relationship.
An example of that would be the tornado this past June. Everyone that was involved had some sort of role in the radiological response program.          A lot of the response procedures that we use for Davis-Besse are very applicable to some of the things that we had to do like HAZMAT.
The tangible things that we have is because of Davis-Besse. One of the things that is very NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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the environmental issues for this local community, but
23 noticeable in the county is we have county-wide siren system. A large part of that is at the Davis-Besse plant, and is available to us for any number of outdoor notifications that need to be relayed; specifically, weather, very, very important to the community.
We also do a brochure calendar for our particular State of Ohio, Lucas County, that goes to all of our residents and provides them a plethora of information about all types of emergency response and what they can do in response to tornadoes, floods, HAZMAT and radiological emergency.
So, really, all this adds up to the fact that our relationship in Ottawa County with Davis-Besse is a benefit to the residents of Ottawa County.
Thank you.
MR. BARKLEY:            Thank you.
The next three people I would like to call are:  Chris Galvin of the United Way; followed by Jackie VanTress of OPEIU, Local 19; and following, Kimberly Kaufman of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory.
Thank you.
MS. GALVIN:            I'm Chris Galvin, Director of the United Way in Ottawa County.                  The Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station and on a larger scale the First Energy Corporation are a tremendous community partner to NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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have also fully embraced the role that they play in all
24 the local United Way.        Since 1993, First Energy has contributed more than 13.5 Million Dollars to United Way of Greater Toledo which serves Ottawa, Wood and Lucas Counties. 3.1 Million came from corporate gifts, 10.4 Million from its incredibly generous employees.
First Energy has also earned United Way's Pillar Award each year since at least 1992.            Our data doesn't go back any further than that.            It seems they consistently give more than a hundred thousand dollars each year to the Greater Toledo campaign.
Not only does this community consistently get solid financial support from First Energy and its employees, but executive leadership has also demonstrated exceptional personal commitment to our work.
In 1993, Don Saunders chaired the local United Way campaign, raising 12.5 Million Dollars.
In 2005, Jim Murray, now retired, but formerly First Energy President of Ohio Operations, chaired the local United Way campaign.            Under Mr.
Murray's leadership, the campaign raised 13.3 Million Dollars. We also presented Mr. Murray with our Prestigious Caring Award in 2006 for demonstrating value and concern for our community through vision, leadership, service and commitment to the people of our NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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of these issues.  
25 community.
In 2009, Trent Smith, Regional President of Toledo Edison First Energy, became chairman of the United Way of Greater Toledo's Board of Trustees and has drawn to a close on his second year of service.                Mr.
Smith has gone above and beyond the level of service, dedication and commitment we typically see from board chairs. He has become involved in virtually ever level of our work, digging in and helping find real solutions.
In addition to these executive leaders, numerous upper-level management have supported United Way by using their voice and relationships to help secure financial and volunteer support as well as advocating on behalf of the United Way and the Northwest Ohio Region.
In addition to Don Saunders, Jim Murray and Trent Smith, some of the stand-out employees include Debbie Paul, Mike Adams, and Mel Lomack.                Additionally, in the 1990's Jennifer Schreiber served five years as the chair of our community impact cabinet, the highest level of community impact volunteers who decide how money is allocated in this community.                Also joining her on the cabinet was Jenny Ammadon.                Both are now retired.
First Energy also demonstrates incredible commitment to the communities through sponsorships and/
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So, it is opinion of the Black Swamp Bird
26 or participation in programs and events.
In 1993 and 1994, Davis-Besse sponsored our loaned executive program.            Jim Ferris, now retired from Davis-Besse, was the loaned executive in those two years. First Energy has also sponsored loaned executives over the years, from 1996 continuing for 11 years.
Employees consistently contribute to and participate in Stamp Out Hunger and/or Scouting for Food efforts each year. They were a major sponsor of our Family Food Fund in 2008.
First Energy was the sponsor of our Community Building event in 2005, and was the initiator and sponsor of the Veterans Appreciation Event in 2006, which continued until 2009.
Davis-Besse and First Energy are a valued community partner, both philanthropically and economically. They have been incredible contributors to our community over the past 20 years, and we only hope that this will continue for at least another 20 years.
Thank you.
MR. BARKLEY:              Thank you, Chris.
Jackie?
MS. VANTRESS:              Good afternoon. My name is Jackie VanTress, and I am representing OPEIU, Local 19.
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Observatory that the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant is  
27 "OPEIU" stands for Office and Professional Employees International Union, and we represent the clerical support staff at Davis-Besse.
On behalf of the Union, I would like to voice our support in this public meeting.              A renewal of this license will not only promote and maintain employment for our members who live and shop and send their children to school in that area, but it will also assure the delivery of reliable electric service to our customers.
Research has shown that nuclear power is clean, is efficient and produces more energy at a lower cost than any other means of generation.              So, it is important that we keep this plant in operation.
Local 19 is proud of the safety record and operations at Davis-Besse as well as the work we do here and the service we provide to the public.              OPEIU, Local 19, would like to continue to be a part of the team for at least the next 20 years.
Thank you.
MR. BARKLEY:            Thank you, Jackie.
MS. KAUFMAN:            Good afternoon everybody.      My name is Kimberly Kaufman, and I'm the Executive Director of Black Swamp Bird Observatory, and while I understand the seriousness nature of this hearing, I'm actually NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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a critical player in bird conservation in the entire NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
28 really pleased to have this opportunity to address this group.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 30                region of the western hemisphere.
My organization represents a somewhat unique marriage, if you will, between a conservation organization and a nuclear power plant.          The general public and, of course, all of you in the room are certainly familiar with the fact that the nuclear power plant resides in this part of Ottawa County, but very few are actually aware that the power plant co-exists with the thriving marsh that just sort of forms a hub around the power plant.
Thank you.
Our organization has been conducting migratory bird regions in this area for more than 20 years, and we really take pride in this marriage, and we work hard like a good spouse to maintain it.
The marsh represents a critical stop-over habitat for millions of migratory birds.          And, in fact, many the world's leading bird experts consider this marsh to be one of the most critical areas of stop-over habitat in the entire western hemisphere.
The observatory in these 20 years have had the full support of First Energy and Davis-Besse to conduct this critical research and, in fact, during a very exciting tumultus time in this country's history, we were very afraid that our consistent effort meaning NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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MR. BARKLEY:    Thank you, Kimberly.  
29 that seven days a week, spring and fall, during song bird migration, our research staff was out at that marsh in front of the power tank conducting this research seven days a week for more than 20 years.
When the tragedy occurred on 9/11, we were very concerned for, of course, the human tragedy, but also concerned that our research would be interrupted.
And, in fact, Davis-Besse really fully understood the importance of this research, and the importance of conserving the integrity of the data set, and we didn't miss a single day.
And, perhaps nothing else, no other event in our history or recent history speaks more to how much they have said they understand the critical role that they play in local environmental and conservation issues than that event.
So, based on our long-standing relationship, it is our opinion the Davis-Besse and First Energy have not only worked to fully understand and fully support the environmental issues for this local community, but have also fully embraced the role that they play in all of these issues.
So, it is opinion of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory that the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant is a critical player in bird conservation in the entire NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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The next three people I would like to call  
30 region of the western hemisphere.
 
Thank you.
are Steven Inchak, who is representing Congressman  
MR. BARKLEY:              Thank you, Kimberly.
 
The next three people I would like to call are Steven Inchak, who is representing Congressman Dennis Kucinich; Beth Leggett with the American Red Cross; and Brad Goetz of the IBEW, Local 1413.
Dennis Kucinich; Beth Leggett with the American Red  
Welcome, Steve.
 
MR. INCHAK:             Good afternoon.
Cross; and Brad Goetz of the IBEW, Local 1413.  
Thank you for the opportunity to speak.                   My name is Steve Inchak, and I work for Congressman Kucinich, and what I'm going to do is simply read a letter that the Congressman sent to the NRC chairman today, and it reads as follows.                   And, I would also like to ask that you consent to include the article referenced in the official record, which I will provide after I read the letter.           It reads as follows:
 
Welcome, Steve.  
 
MR. INCHAK:   Good afternoon.  
 
Thank you for the opportunity to speak. My  
 
name is Steve Inchak, and I work for Congressman  
 
Kucinich, and what I'm going to do is simply read a  
 
letter that the Congressman sent to the NRC chairman  
 
today, and it reads as follows. And, I would also like  
 
to ask that you consent to include the article  
 
referenced in the official record, which I will provide  
 
after I read the letter. It reads as follows:  
 
                          "


==Dear Chairman Jackstow:==
==Dear Chairman Jackstow:==
First energy should  
First energy should not be allowed to continue to operate Davis-Besse after 2017. The people of Northeast Ohio are familiar with First Energy's pathetic record in protecting the safety of people who live in this region. In a series of recent articles in the Toledo Blade, which I am enclosing, the people of our Region are reminded about the 12-minute NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
 
(202) 234-4433                     WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701                         www.nealrgross.com
not be allowed to continue to operate Davis-Besse  
 
after 2017. The people of Northeast Ohio are  
 
familiar with First Energy's pathetic record in  
 
protecting the safety of people who live in this  
 
region. In a series of recent articles in the  
 
Toledo Blade, which I am enclosing, the people of  
 
our Region are reminded about the 12-minute NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 31                      interruption to the feed water flow to the steam generators on June 9, 1985, which was cited as a
 
                      'potential catastrophe.'
 
                          "The people of our region are reminded of
 
Davis-Besse's reactor head 'weakened by years of
 
neglect' which nearly burst in 2002. The people
 
of our region are reminded that your predecessor, Harold Denton, stated in 2004 that these two
 
incidents represent 'the nuclear industry's
 
second and third lowest points after three-mile
 
Island.'
 
The people of our region are reminded that


First Energy employees tried to conceal the truth  
31 interruption to the feed water flow to the steam generators on June 9, 1985, which was cited as a
              'potential catastrophe.'
                    "The people of our region are reminded of Davis-Besse's reactor head 'weakened by years of neglect' which nearly burst in 2002.        The people of our region are reminded that your predecessor, Harold Denton, stated in 2004 that these two incidents represent 'the nuclear industry's second and third lowest points after three-mile Island.'
The people of our region are reminded that First Energy employees tried to conceal the truth of the 2002 incident from the Nuclear Regulatory Agency, using tricks, 'schemes or devices' to deliberately mislead your Agency.
                    "The people of our region are reminded that David Pullman, Chief of the Justice Department's Environmental Crime Section, said that First Energy showed 'brazen arrogance' and 'breached the public trust by withholding information about the reactor head incident.
                    "The people are reminded that federal prosecutors described the reactor head incident as
              'one of the biggest coverups in US nuclear NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433                WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701            www.nealrgross.com


of the 2002 incident from the Nuclear Regulatory
32 history.'
                    "The people of our region are reminded that First Energy paid a record fine of $33.45 Million as a result of its actions.                Of that amount, a record $28 Million was a fine that First Energy paid to 'avoid being criminally prosecuted for lying to the government about the dangerous condition of Davis-Besse's reactor head' according to then US Attorney Greg White in 2006.
                    "While these fines were record fines at the time they were imposed, I pointed out then that the total fine was merely one percent of First Energy's profit in 2004.                While these fines may have been record fines, they were a mere slap on the wrist for First Energy and did nothing near to what would have been necessary to change its corporate culture.
                    "The corrosion of the reactor head started because the Davis-Besse reactor head was made of an alloy that would not withstand this kind of corrosion. All of the other operators and nuclear reactors with similar heads confronted the situation by replacing their reactor heads with new heads of a different alloy that would not be subject to this kind of corrosion.
NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433                WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701                    www.nealrgross.com


Agency, using tricks, 'schemes or devices' to  
33 "In 2004 First Energy chose cost over safety, and it replaced the corroded reactor head with another reactor head made of exactly the same material.
                    "Six years later First Energy made us shocked to discover that the corrosion was forming on that inferior reactor head as well.              Still, First Energy had not learned its lesson.              They wanted to postpone the final replacement of the reactor head with a new head made with a noncorroding alloy until 2014.
                    "First Energy did not abandon that 2014 replacement date until the NRC threatened to require Davis-Besse to shut down for an inspection of the old reactor head every year until it was replaced.
                    "Only as a result of that threat is First Energy finally going to install a noncorroding reactor head in 2011.
                    "Recent events suggest that First Energy still has a corporate culture that is more focused on costs and profits than on its safety.
                    "In 2009 Davis-Besse suffered an explosion and fire in the power switching gear located outside of the reactor building which First Energy NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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deliberately mislead your Agency.  
34 failed to report and did not declare an alert.
                    "The evidence shows that this culture exists in First Energy beyond its operation of Davis-Besse. The NRC has been keeping a 'close watch' on First Energy's operation at its Perry reactor in Northeast Ohio as well. The NRC remains concerned that Perry's safety culture is not up to industry standards and has maintained a close watch there for the last two years.
                    "Davis-Besse has been operating for 33 years. It has experienced two of the industry's most serious nuclear incidents during those years. This is not just bad luck. The problems at Davis-Besse are a direct result of First Energy's mismanagement and disregard for the safety of people who live and work in the area and who would be affected by any nuclear incident.
                    "The NRC should not grant a license to a company that only operates safely while a
              'special' inspection team is monitoring its day-to-day activities and when a 'close watch' is being kept on it.
                    "The NRC must continue to keep a close watch on Davis-Besse between now and 2017 and then to ensure that, first, this aging reactor with a NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433                WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701          www.nealrgross.com


                          "The people of our region are reminded that
35 deplorable history of operations and maintenance be safely shut down and decommissioned at the end of its current license.
                          "Sincerely, Dennis J. Kucinich, member of congress."
Thank you.
MR. BARKLEY:              Thank you, Steven. We will receive that letter into the record.
Beth?
MS. LEGGETT:              My name is Beth Leggett.
I'm the Director of the American Red Cross in Ottawa County, part of the greater Toledo area chapter which is a regional chapter for all of Northwest Ohio.
Through my position with the Red Cross, I have seen cooperation that is envied between the Emergency Management Agency and First Energy Davis-Besse amongst the agency's first responders because of the emergency preparedness that we do, we have been educated to do over my 22 years in this position.
In Northwest Ohio, we're envied because of the readiness that we have from the Red Cross standpoint as well as from the whole county and the agencies that are involved.
We have a congressional mandate to prepare, prevent and respond to emergencies through the Red NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433                      WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701                www.nealrgross.com


David Pullman, Chief of the Justice Department's
36 Cross. I think the Emergency Management Agency, Fred Petersen, spoke to the cooperation with all things that we do to help us be ready and to protect the citizens of Ottawa County.
We also because we have the mandate but we do not receive government funds, I can speak to what Chris Galvin of United Way said with regards to the money that comes into the United Way.            We are a United Way Agency, but even besides that, we have profited, the Red Cross organization, from financial support on many levels from First Energy and Davis-Besse as well as from the volunteer aspect of the employees that respond through the involvement of their families.
We have three or four blood drives that we conduct at Davis-Besse that are very successful.            We have had a lot of leadership that has come out of the Davis-Besse plant. Chuck Witt was a six-year chairman for our local advisory board.
Currently, Terry Mortis, who is the Regional Manager also of the Ottawa County District with First Energy that provides a lot of leadership, a lot of guidance to the Red Cross.
And, I'm going to take my Red Cross hat off, and I want to say that May 15, 1979, I became a new mom for the very first time, and when my daughter was NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433                      WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701                  www.nealrgross.com


Environmental Crime Section, said that First
37 two years old, had not the rain storm come the afternoon of the protest march in front of Davis-Besse, I would have been in it.
 
And, I sat here today and thought how far I've come and how grateful I am to have had the exposure, educationally through the community, through my friends to see the Davis-Besse plant in a whole different light. I was young in the Nineties.         I'm a little bit smarter now about how those things work, and I ask hard questions and I sometimes like the answers, sometimes I'm not so sure about the answers, but I am confident in the safety of the Davis-Besse plant and the good that it does in the community for the people that are involved.
Energy showed 'brazen arrogance' and 'breached the
Thank you.
 
MR. BARKLEY:           Thank you, Beth.
public trust by withholding information about the
Brad?
 
MR. GOETZ:             Good afternoon. My name is Brad Goetz, and I'm the Business Manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1413. We represent security at Davis-Besse.
reactor head incident.
I just want to say that I'm a 26-year employee at Davis-Besse, and over the years, the safety culture has improved greatly and continues to improve every day. The plant is well protected, not only for NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
 
(202) 234-4433                     WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701               www.nealrgross.com
                          "The people are reminded that federal
 
prosecutors described the reactor head incident as
 
                      'one of the biggest coverups in US nuclear NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 32                      history.'
                          "The people of our region are reminded that
 
First Energy paid a record fine of $33.45 Million
 
as a result of its actions. Of that amount, a
 
record $28 Million was a fine that First Energy
 
paid to 'avoid being criminally prosecuted for
 
lying to the government about the dangerous
 
condition of Davis-Besse's reactor head'
 
according to then US Attorney Greg White in 2006.
 
                          "While these fines were record fines at the
 
time they were imposed, I pointed out then that
 
the total fine was merely one percent of First
 
Energy's profit in 2004. While these fines may
 
have been record fines, they were a mere slap
 
on the wrist for First Energy and did nothing near
 
to what would have been necessary to change its
 
corporate culture.
 
                          "The corrosion of the reactor head started
 
because the Davis-Besse reactor head was made of
 
an alloy that would not withstand this kind of
 
corrosion. All of the other operators and nuclear
 
reactors with similar heads confronted the
 
situation by replacing their reactor heads with
 
new heads of a different alloy that would not be
 
subject to this kind of corrosion.
NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 33                          "In 2004 First Energy chose cost over safety,                      and it replaced the corroded reactor head with
 
another reactor head made of exactly the same
 
material.
 
                          "Six years later First Energy made us shocked
 
to discover that the corrosion was forming on that
 
inferior reactor head as well. Still, First
 
Energy had not learned its lesson. They wanted
 
to postpone the final replacement of the reactor
 
head with a new head made with a noncorroding
 
alloy until 2014.
 
                          "First Energy did not abandon that 2014
 
replacement date until the NRC threatened to
 
require Davis-Besse to shut down for an inspection
 
of the old reactor head every year until it was
 
replaced.
 
                          "Only as a result of that threat is First
 
Energy finally going to install a noncorroding
 
reactor head in 2011.
 
                          "Recent events suggest that First Energy
 
still has a corporate culture that is more focused
 
on costs and profits than on its safety.
 
                          "In 2009 Davis-Besse suffered an explosion
 
and fire in the power switching gear located
 
outside of the reactor building which First Energy NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 34                      failed to report and did not declare an alert.
                          "The evidence shows that this culture exists
 
in First Energy beyond its operation of
 
Davis-Besse. The NRC has been keeping a 'close
 
watch' on First Energy's operation at its
 
Perry reactor in Northeast Ohio as well. The NRC
 
remains concerned that Perry's safety culture is
 
not up to industry standards and has maintained a
 
close watch there for the last two years.
 
                          "Davis-Besse has been operating for
 
33 years. It has experienced two of the
 
industry's most serious nuclear incidents during
 
those years. This is not just bad luck. The
 
problems at Davis-Besse are a direct result of
 
First Energy's mismanagement and disregard for the
 
safety of people who live and work in the area and
 
who would be affected by any nuclear incident.
 
                          "The NRC should not grant a license to a
 
company that only operates safely while a
 
                      'special' inspection team is monitoring its
 
day-to-day activities and when a 'close watch' is
 
being kept on it.
 
                          "The NRC must continue to keep a close watch
 
on Davis-Besse between now and 2017 and then to
 
ensure that, first, this aging reactor with a NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 35                      deplorable history of operations and maintenance be safely shut down and decommissioned at the end
 
of its current license.
 
                          "Sincerely, Dennis J. Kucinich, member of
 
congress."
Thank you.
 
MR. BARKLEY:    Thank you, Steven. We will
 
receive that letter into the record.
 
Beth?
 
MS. LEGGETT:    My name is Beth Leggett.
 
I'm the Director of the American Red Cross in Ottawa
 
County, part of the greater Toledo area chapter which is
 
a regional chapter for all of Northwest Ohio.
 
Through my position with the Red Cross, I
 
have seen cooperation that is envied between the
 
Emergency Management Agency and First Energy Davis-Besse
 
amongst the agency's first responders because of the
 
emergency preparedness that we do, we have been educated
 
to do over my 22 years in this position.
 
In Northwest Ohio, we're envied because of
 
the readiness that we have from the Red Cross standpoint
 
as well as from the whole county and the agencies that
 
are involved.
 
We have a congressional mandate to prepare, prevent and respond to emergencies through the Red NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 36                Cross. I think the Emergency Management Agency, Fred Petersen, spoke to the cooperation with all things that
 
we do to help us be ready and to protect the citizens of
 
Ottawa County.
 
We also because we have the mandate but we do
 
not receive government funds, I can speak to what Chris
 
Galvin of United Way said with regards to the money that
 
comes into the United Way. We are a United Way Agency, but even besides that, we have profited, the Red Cross
 
organization, from financial support on many levels from
 
First Energy and Davis-Besse as well as from the
 
volunteer aspect of the employees that respond through
 
the involvement of their families.
 
We have three or four blood drives that we
 
conduct at Davis-Besse that are very successful. We
 
have had a lot of leadership that has come out of the
 
Davis-Besse plant. Chuck Witt was a six-year chairman
 
for our local advisory board.
 
Currently, Terry Mortis, who is the Regional
 
Manager also of the Ottawa County District with First
 
Energy that provides a lot of leadership, a lot of
 
guidance to the Red Cross.
 
And, I'm going to take my Red Cross hat off, and I want to say that May 15, 1979, I became a new mom
 
for the very first time, and when my daughter was NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 37               two years old, had not the rain storm come the afternoon of the protest march in front of Davis-Besse, I would  
 
have been in it.  
 
And, I sat here today and thought how far  
 
I've come and how grateful I am to have had the  
 
exposure, educationally through the community, through  
 
my friends to see the Davis-Besse plant in a whole  
 
different light. I was young in the Nineties. I'm a  
 
little bit smarter now about how those things work, and  
 
I ask hard questions and I sometimes like the answers, sometimes I'm not so sure about the answers, but I am  
 
confident in the safety of the Davis-Besse plant and the  
 
good that it does in the community for the people that  
 
are involved.  
 
Thank you.  
 
MR. BARKLEY:   Thank you, Beth.  
 
Brad?  
 
MR. GOETZ:     Good afternoon. My name is  
 
Brad Goetz, and I'm the Business Manager of the  
 
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local  
 
1413. We represent security at Davis-Besse.  
 
I just want to say that I'm a 26-year  
 
employee at Davis-Besse, and over the years, the safety  
 
culture has improved greatly and continues to improve  
 
every day. The plant is well protected, not only for NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 38                the safety inside the plant but also for the members of 1413.
 
Davis-Besse over the years has provided a
 
good living, a good income for many residents of Ottawa
 
County and surrounding counties and especially now in a
 
time when unemployment is high.
 
We support the license renewal, and we ask
 
the NRC to support it as well.
 
MR. BARKLEY:    Thank you, Brad.
 
There are three people who are still signed
 
up to speak. If there are any other people who would
 
like a speak, please come and see me.
 
The last three people I would like to call up
 
are Ann Heckerd of the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, Brian Boles of FENOC, and Larry Tscherne of IBEW, Local
 
245.
 
MS. HECKERD:    I am Ann Heckerd, the Food
 
Coordinator for the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, and
 
I'm going to talk more on the economic aspect.
 
Davis-Besse has been very generous with their
 
donations to the Food Pantry in the past years. I also
 
would like to say that if it were to close, they may be
 
coming to our Food Pantry, and I would hate to see that.
 
MR. BARKLEY:    Thank you, Ann.


38 the safety inside the plant but also for the members of 1413.
Davis-Besse over the years has provided a good living, a good income for many residents of Ottawa County and surrounding counties and especially now in a time when unemployment is high.
We support the license renewal, and we ask the NRC to support it as well.
MR. BARKLEY:              Thank you, Brad.
There are three people who are still signed up to speak. If there are any other people who would like a speak, please come and see me.
The last three people I would like to call up are Ann Heckerd of the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, Brian Boles of FENOC, and Larry Tscherne of IBEW, Local 245.
MS. HECKERD:              I am Ann Heckerd, the Food Coordinator for the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, and I'm going to talk more on the economic aspect.
Davis-Besse has been very generous with their donations to the Food Pantry in the past years.            I also would like to say that if it were to close, they may be coming to our Food Pantry, and I would hate to see that.
MR. BARKLEY:              Thank you, Ann.
Brian?
Brian?
NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 39                          MR. BOLES:    Good afternoon. My name is Brian Boles. I'm the Plant Manager of Davis-Besse.
(202) 234-4433                     WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701                 www.nealrgross.com
 
Our license renewal is a high priority item
 
for the state and for the county. We have had a number
 
of people working on this project now for well over a
 
year -- I see a number of those members are here -- to
 
put together a good product which we have submitted to
 
the NRC for their review.
 
It's a priority for us as a company because
 
Davis-Besse is a significant asset to our company. It
 
provides a large source of safe, reliable, environmental
 
friendly electricity to the surrounding area.
 
It is also important from a license renewal
 
aspect, 20 additional years of this asset to provide for
 
the employment opportunities for the local community, and many of our young engineers are graduating from
 
college today who wonder if nuclear power is a viable
 
future and a career path. It's important to know that
 
plants such as Davis-Besse and others are undergoing
 
renewal process have a future that they can depend on.
 
At Davis-Besse we do commit to ensuring the
 
public safety and protecting the environment. I'm sure
 
the review as we go through this license renewal process
 
will bear that out, and as evidenced by a number of the
 
speakers here, we do enjoy a very good relationship with NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 40                the surrounding community. We look forward to extending that relationship for another 20 years.
 
Thank you.
 
MR. BARKLEY:  Thank you, Brian.
 
Finally, Larry?
 
MR. TSCHERNE:    Thank you and good
 
afternoon. My name is Larry Tscherne. I'm the Business
 
Manager for IBEW, Local 245, the International
 
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
 
We represent 22 counties here in the
 
Northwest Ohio, including Ottawa County here. But, in
 
addition to that, we also represent over 200 physical
 
workers at Davis-Besse that provide operations, maintenance, chemistry, radiation and protection of the
 
plant.
 
Now, what I'm going to talk about here
 
briefly isn't an opinion. It's a fact. I know that
 
from our members and the involvement that I have with
 
the plant, and not only with the plant but with senior
 
management. I'll go as far as the President of FENOC, Jim Lynch, who includes all the other business managers, the leadership of the local unions from the entire
 
FENOC. We meet on a regular basis a couple times a year
 
with the President. We share and open up any type of
 
discussion that we have. Nothing is held back, open NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 41                communication all the way through.
We do the same thing with the Plant Manager
 
at Davis-Besse, with the Maintenance Manager at
 
Davis-Besse.
 
We have worked over a number of issues, going
 
into outages, we have heard testimony here about the
 
head incident. Let me tell you the type of relationship
 
that we have been able to develop in the goal of working
 
together in a good labor-management relationship which
 
is important and critical, especially in this type of
 
industry.
 
During that incident, the plant, as you know, was down for, what, two years, maybe a little less.
 
Over that period of time and the hundreds of man hours
 
that were involved, multiple shift changes. You can't
 
imagine what we had to go through to get that plant back
 
up and running. We had four grievances filed; four out
 
of the entire period of time.
 
I only use that as an example because when we
 
meet, we continue to talk about the safety culture and
 
good maintenance practices which leads me to my next
 
point.
 
The safety culture, the dedication of the
 
employees, training and the craftsmanship are second to
 
none. Again, that's not an opinion. That's a fact. We NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 42                had the opportunity to review all of that and we participate not only in the training but in the
 
development of the training.
 
So, with that said, I would have to say that
 
First Energy has been open and honest in all of their
 
discussions with us. There's never been a time where I
 
haven't been able to call either Akron or the plant and
 
get an answer. It's just been terrific.
 
In addition to that, we not only work out
 
local issues but something more important or just as
 
important. We work together on issues in Washington
 
also through our labor management committee. A lot of
 
people probably aren't aware of that, but we do that
 
through our Land Pact Committee.
 
By extending the license here at Davis-Besse, it would continue to provide good clean power that's
 
critical. In addition to that also supporting the
 
much-needed tax base, not only to this area but to the
 
state, and I'm confident along with our members, that
 
IBEW, Local 245, that Davis-Besse will continue to be
 
safe, not only for the employees but also for the area.
 
Thank you.
 
MR. BARKLEY:    Thank you.
 
I'll make one last call for anyone who would
 
like to make a statement.
NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 43                                    (No Response)
MR. BARKLEY:    Hearing none, what I will do
 
is invite Mr. Wrona to come up and make some last-
 
minute remarks, and I very much appreciate your
 
cooperation in running this meeting very, very smoothly.
 
Thank you.
 
MR. WRONA:    Thank you, Rich.
 
I'm David Wrona. I'm the Branch Chief in the
 
NRC who is responsible for the Davis-Besse license
 
renewal. I have three or four sentences here at 2:20.
 
First of all, thank you for allowing us to
 
come out and briefly explain our process which we'll do
 
a detailed review of the application to ensure that it
 
meets all of our requirements.
 
Secondly, I would like to thank you for
 
participating in our environmental scoping process.
 
This meeting is not the only way for you to provide us
 
comments. As was shown on one of the slides, you can
 
mail in comments to us, you can provide them to us on
 
the website. We will take these through December 27th.
 
So, if you go home tonight and what somebody said
 
sparked some comments in your head, feel free to use
 
either one of those methods, all three of those methods
 
on that slide will get those comments to us.
 
And, lastly, every comment that we receive, NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS  1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
(202) 234-4433 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005-3701 www.nealrgross.com 44                whether it was spoken tonight or you handed it in a written format to us tonight comes in through any of
 
those fashions, we're going to address and make
 
publically available scope and summary report which we
 
will issue sometime in the future, but it will be on our
 
website. If you signed up through our list serve, you
 
will receive a copy of that scoping summary report.


So, with that, I would like a thank you for
39 MR. BOLES:            Good afternoon.        My name is Brian Boles. I'm the Plant Manager of Davis-Besse.
Our license renewal is a high priority item for the state and for the county.                We have had a number of people working on this project now for well over a year -- I see a number of those members are here -- to put together a good product which we have submitted to the NRC for their review.
It's a priority for us as a company because Davis-Besse is a significant asset to our company.                It provides a large source of safe, reliable, environmental friendly electricity to the surrounding area.
It is also important from a license renewal aspect, 20 additional years of this asset to provide for the employment opportunities for the local community, and many of our young engineers are graduating from college today who wonder if nuclear power is a viable future and a career path.            It's important to know that plants such as Davis-Besse and others are undergoing renewal process have a future that they can depend on.
At Davis-Besse we do commit to ensuring the public safety and protecting the environment.                I'm sure the review as we go through this license renewal process will bear that out, and as evidenced by a number of the speakers here, we do enjoy a very good relationship with NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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coming in again.  
40 the surrounding community.            We look forward to extending that relationship for another 20 years.
Thank you.
MR. BARKLEY:            Thank you, Brian.
Finally, Larry?
MR. TSCHERNE:              Thank you and good afternoon. My name is Larry Tscherne.            I'm the Business Manager for IBEW, Local 245, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
We represent 22 counties here in the Northwest Ohio, including Ottawa County here.            But, in addition to that, we also represent over 200 physical workers at Davis-Besse that provide operations, maintenance, chemistry, radiation and protection of the plant.
Now, what I'm going to talk about here briefly isn't an opinion.            It's a fact. I know that from our members and the involvement that I have with the plant, and not only with the plant but with senior management. I'll go as far as the President of FENOC, Jim Lynch, who includes all the other business managers, the leadership of the local unions from the entire FENOC. We meet on a regular basis a couple times a year with the President.      We share and open up any type of discussion that we have.          Nothing is held back, open NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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MR. BARKLEY:    Thanks, Dave. This meeting
41 communication all the way through.
We do the same thing with the Plant Manager at Davis-Besse, with the Maintenance Manager at Davis-Besse.
We have worked over a number of issues, going into outages, we have heard testimony here about the head incident. Let me tell you the type of relationship that we have been able to develop in the goal of working together in a good labor-management relationship which is important and critical, especially in this type of industry.
During that incident, the plant, as you know, was down for, what, two years, maybe a little less.
Over that period of time and the hundreds of man hours that were involved, multiple shift changes.              You can't imagine what we had to go through to get that plant back up and running. We had four grievances filed; four out of the entire period of time.
I only use that as an example because when we meet, we continue to talk about the safety culture and good maintenance practices which leads me to my next point.
The safety culture, the dedication of the employees, training and the craftsmanship are second to none. Again, that's not an opinion.              That's a fact. We NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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the adjourned. Thank you.  
42 had the opportunity to review all of that and we participate not only in the training but in the development of the training.
So, with that said, I would have to say that First Energy has been open and honest in all of their discussions with us.      There's never been a time where I haven't been able to call either Akron or the plant and get an answer. It's just been terrific.
In addition to that, we not only work out local issues but something more important or just as important. We work together on issues in Washington also through our labor management committee.      A lot of people probably aren't aware of that, but we do that through our Land Pact Committee.
By extending the license here at Davis-Besse, it would continue to provide good clean power that's critical. In addition to that also supporting the much-needed tax base, not only to this area but to the state, and I'm confident along with our members, that IBEW, Local 245, that Davis-Besse will continue to be safe, not only for the employees but also for the area.
Thank you.
MR. BARKLEY:              Thank you.
I'll make one last call for anyone who would like to make a statement.
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(Whereupon, the proceedings were concluded at  
43 (No Response)
MR. BARKLEY:              Hearing none, what I will do is invite Mr. Wrona to come up and make some last-minute remarks, and I very much appreciate your cooperation in running this meeting very, very smoothly.
Thank you.
MR. WRONA:            Thank you, Rich.
I'm David Wrona.            I'm the Branch Chief in the NRC who is responsible for the Davis-Besse license renewal. I have three or four sentences here at 2:20.
First of all, thank you for allowing us to come out and briefly explain our process which we'll do a detailed review of the application to ensure that it meets all of our requirements.
Secondly, I would like to thank you for participating in our environmental scoping process.
This meeting is not the only way for you to provide us comments. As was shown on one of the slides, you can mail in comments to us, you can provide them to us on the website. We will take these through December 27th.
So, if you go home tonight and what somebody said sparked some comments in your head, feel free to use either one of those methods, all three of those methods on that slide will get those comments to us.
And, lastly, every comment that we receive, NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.
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2:30 p.m.)}}
44 whether it was spoken tonight or you handed it in a written format to us tonight comes in through any of those fashions, we're going to address and make publically available scope and summary report which we will issue sometime in the future, but it will be on our website. If you signed up through our list serve, you will receive a copy of that scoping summary report.
So, with that, I would like a thank you for coming in again.
MR. BARKLEY:              Thanks, Dave. This meeting the adjourned. Thank you.
(Whereupon, the proceedings were concluded at 2:30 p.m.)
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Latest revision as of 16:46, 10 March 2020

Lr - FW: WO 524 - Afternoon Session - Correct Cover
ML11235A485
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Site: Davis Besse Cleveland Electric icon.png
Issue date: 11/10/2010
From:
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
Division of License Renewal
References
Download: ML11235A485 (50)


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WO 524 - Afternoon Session - Correct Cover 1

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Recipients Received:

Official Transcript of Proceedings NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Title:

Davis-Besse License Renewal Public Meeting - Afternoon Session Docket Number: (n/a)

Location: Port Clinton, Ohio Date: Thursday, November 4, 2010 Work Order No.: NRC-524 Pages 1-46 NEAL R. GROSS AND CO., INC.

Court Reporters and Transcribers 1323 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20005 (202) 234-4433

1 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

+ + + + +

PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS ENVIRONMENTAL SCOPING PROCESS FOR DAVIS-BESSE NUCLEAR STATION LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION

+ + + + +

THURSDAY AFTERNOON SESSION NOVEMBER 4, 2010

+ + + + +

PORT CLINTON, OHIO The Public Meeting convened at Camp Perry Lodging and Conference Center, Camp Perry Military Reservation, 1000 Lawrence Road, Port Clinton, Ohio.

Present on behalf of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission:

RICHARD BARKLEY DAVID WRONA BRIAN HARRIS PAULA COOPER SCOTT BURNELL ALLAN BAKER APRIL BEHAULT JOHN RUTKOWSKI DAN KIMBLE ADAM WILSON NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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2 I N D E X Welcome and Introductions, Richard Barkley. . . 3 Overview of License Renewal Process, Brian Harris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Overview of Environmental Review Process, Paula Cooper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Closing Comments, Davis Wrona . . . . . . . . . 45 Adjourn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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3 NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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1 P R O C E E D I N G S Afternoon Session 1:30 p.m.

MR. BARKLEY: My name is Richard Barkley.

I'm the meeting facilitator for the meeting this afternoon, and I'm very pleased to see we have a good turnout this afternoon. We'll probably have a larger turnout this evening for this meeting. This is on the Environmental Impact Statement for Davis-Besse's license renewal request.

And, what I'm going to do is go over to few ground rules of how we conduct this public meeting. We want to get your comments in and everyone gets a fair share of time and the Court Reporter can actually clearly hear your remarks.

First of all, if you would like to speak, please sign up on the yellow card up at the front. We have at least ten people who want to speak at this point in time. So, I will call you in the specific order to go through and make sure we cover all the groups that are interested in speaking.

To be fair to everyone, please limit your remarks to a reasonable period of time. I normally ask people to keep their remarks to five minutes. Since we only have about ten speakers, we can give you a little NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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2 more latitude than that, and we'll work through and make sure you get a fair share of time but not too much time as we go through.

In the interest of efficiency, I will call three people to come up and speak. That seems to be the most efficient, so the first one will come to the microphone, whichever one you feel comfortable at. You can speak from this microphone or you can speak from the podium. And, after we go through three, I will call another three, so you have some time to prepare and are ready to make your remarks.

I alternate typically between elected officials and members of the public. That gives the elected officials a chance to speak early but also allows the public a chance to speak earlier as well.

So, we'll alternate back and forth.

Next item, please silence your cell phones if you have one with you. Thank you very much. Again, please speak clearly into the microphone when you're speaking because we do have a Court Reporter to record these remarks, so we want to make sure we accurately recover all your remarks. If you have it in a written format, you can also turn those in to us as well.

I would ask in the interest of courtesy that you do not interrupt the speaker when you're talking and NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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3 speak only when at the microphone.

Again, written comments are welcome. If you don't want to come to the microphone, you can turn in written comments, and then the presenters here today will talk to you about how you can formally turn in written comments by mail between now and the latter part of the month.

And, finally, if you have any questions or concerns regarding how this meeting is being conducted, please come and see me. I will be glad to work through any issues you may have.

I would like to introduce the NRC staff in attendance at this meeting.

First, Dave Wrona is a Branch Chief from the License Renewal Branch.

Secondly, Brian Harris, who is the Safety Project Manager from NLR who will be making a presentation coming up.

Paula Cooper, who is the Environmental Project Manager from NLR, and she will also be making a presentation this afternoon.

Scott Burnell, the Public Affairs Officer from our headquarters office.

Allan Barker, the Region III State Liaison Officer.

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4 April Behault. She's a biologist with our Division of License Renewal.

John Rutkowski, he's the Senior Resident Inspector at Davis-Besse, and Dave Kimble who I believe will be replacing him in the near term.

And, finally, Adam Wilson, who is the resident inspector.

At this point in time, I would like to turn the meeting over to Brian Harris to make his presentation.

MR. HARRIS: Good afternoon. My name is Brian Harris, and I would like to thank you all for coming out to this public information session today.

I'm NRC's Project Manager in charge of the Davis-Besse license renewal application for Davis-Besse.

This meeting serves two purposes: To explain the license renewal process and to gather your comments on the environmental scoping. This slide points out two parts of the meeting where you can get involved. We'll have a question and answer session on the license renewal process, and later we'll officially record your environmental scoping comments.

Next slide, please. So, our first topic on the agenda is the license renewal process overview. As I said earlier, we're here to help you understand the NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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5 license renewal process. I'll describe the safety review, and Ms. Paula Cooper will do the environmental review.

So, before I get into the discussion of the license renewal process, I would like to take a minute to tell you about NRC, what we do and what our mission is. We protect the public health and safety, promote common defense and security and protect the environment from radioactive materials that are used for civilian purposes.

We accomplish this mission by establishing rules and regulations, conducting inspections, issuing enforcement actions, assessing licensing performance, and evaluating operating experience for nuclear plants across the country and around the globe.

So, one of the ways that we protect public health and safety is through our ongoing oversight of nuclear power plants. The NRC's power plant oversight covers topics such as emergency planning, security and current safety performance every day through our resident inspectors and additional staff at our Regional Headquarters Offices.

For example, the NRC continues to evaluate how First Energy is addressing the emergency preparedness issue at Davis-Besse. The Agency issues a NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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6 report on Monday of our inspection activity to this point. And, because we address security emergency planning and current performance every day, we do not reevaluate these issues in license renewal.

Another example of ongoing oversight is the recent NRC mandated inspection of Davis-Besse's reactor vessel head which reveal cracks in nozzles on the head.

While the cracks do not affect safe plant operation, the NRC oversaw First Energy's repairs of the head and ensured that the plant did everything necessary to keep the plant operating safely before Davis-Besse started this summer.

The NRC will continue to oversee these sorts of inspection, maintenance and repair activities for every operating plant regardless of whether the plant has entered a new license period.

So, the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station was originally licensed on April 22, 1977. The Atomic Energy Act authorizes the NRC to grant a 40-year operating license to nuclear power reactors. The plant has been operating for 32 years under its 40-year license, and Congress decided on the 40-year term for economic considerations and antitrust factors, not on safety or technical limitations. If the license is renewed, it will then be valid until April 2037.

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7 License renewal involves two parallel reviews: A safety review and an environmental review.

These reviews evaluate separate aspects of the license renewal application. The safety review focuses on the aging of components and structures that the NRC deems important to plant safety.

The staff's main objective is to ensure the applicant can adequately manage the effects of aging on the plant and will document results of our safety review in our safety evaluation report, or SER.

For the environmental review, the staff considers, evaluates and describes the environmental impacts of operating the plant for an additional 20 years. The objective of the review is to determine if the environmental impacts of the license renewal are so great that license renewal would not become a reasonable option. The staff prepares an Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS, to document its environmental review.

So, this diagram lays out the two review paths as well as three other inputs to the Commission's decision on whether or not to renew an operating license, and one of their considerations is an independent review of the staff's safety report by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, or ACRS.

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8 The ACRS is a group of scientists and nuclear safety experts who provide professional advice to the Commission. Now, after reviewing the application, the safety evaluation report and inspection findings, the ACRS reports their findings and recommendations directly to the Commission.

Hearings may also be conducted if interested stakeholders submit concerns or contentions, and their request for a hearing is granted. The Commission considers the outcome of the hearing process in its decision on whether or not to issue a new operating license.

As part of the environmental review, the staff consults with local, state, federal and travel officials.

Now, I'm going to describe the license renewal process in a little more detail with the safety review, and Ms. Cooper will describe the environmental review later.

So, the regulations governing a license renewal are based on two principles: The first principle is that the current regulations ensure that the current licensing basis for all operating plants provide and maintain an acceptable level of safety.

The second principle is that the plant's NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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9 current licensing basis must be maintained during the renewal term. In other words, the same rule that applies under the current license will apply to a renewed license. In addition, a renewed license will include conditions that must be met to ensure aging is adequately managed so that the plant's current licensing basis is maintained during the extended period of operation.

The staff performs rigorous reviews of the applicant's application and supporting documents, and this review includes evaluating new and existing programs and surveillance activities to determine whether the effects of aging concerning plant structures and components will be adequately monitored and managed.

The safety review also includes on site audits to verify the applicant's technical basis and to verify and confirm that the application accurately describes the applicant's aging management programs and activities. The staff documents the basis and conclusions of its review in a public safety evaluation report.

In addition, a team of specialized inspectors travel to the site to verify that aging management programs are being implemented, modified or planned consistent with the license renewal application.

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10 The Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards independently reviews the license renewal application and the staff's safety evaluation report before making a recommendation to the Commission regarding a proposed action to a renewed operating license.

So, that concludes the safety review, and I'll now hand it over to Ms. Paula Cooper.

MS. COOPER: Good afternoon. My name is Paula Cooper. I'm the NRC's Environmental Project Manager for Davis-Besse, and as Brian Harris described previously in the safety review, I'm going to do the bottom leg of the diagram and do the environmental review.

The environmental review follows guidelines set by the National Environmental Policy Act, also referred to as NEPA. NEPA provides the basic architectural review format for federal environmental reviews requiring a systematic approach and advising the potential impact of major federal action.

At the NRC, the license renewal application is classified as a major federal action. The environmental review considers the impact of the proposed action and any mitigation for those impacts be considered to be significant. We consider alternatives to proposed action, even the impacts associated with not NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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11 issuing a renewed license, referred to as a no action alternative.

As you can see, you have several opportunities to participate in the license renewal process. A Federal Register notice and press release will be issued for most of these opportunities. The environmental review begins today with the scoping activities that reveal important issues that need to be analyzed. During the scoping, we want your comments on the scope of the environmental review.

The public input is the second half of our meeting today and will be discussed later in this session.

After studying the range of environmental impact, we will publish a draft Environmental Impact Statement for public comment. At that time, we will come back and have another public meeting and issue and request your comments on that draft. Once we collect your comments on that draft, we will then issue our final Environmental Impact Statement.

The opportunity for a hearing permits those who are directly affected by the licensing qualification. A hearing will be conducted by the panel of administrative law judges who are called the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, also referred to as the NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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12 ASLB.

This is the important milestone to the license renewal application process. The notice of opportunity for hearing was published on October 25th, followed by the notice of intent for hearing, the EIS, and conduct scoping on October 29th.

The period for making comments or contentions for a hearing closes on December 27th. If you have comments regarding the environmental review, if you would like to see a copy of today's meeting, you will have the opportunity to do so until December 27th as well.

In summary, before deciding to issue a renewed operating license, the Commission considers the following factors:

The staff safety review which is documented in the safety evaluation report, the staff environmental review which is documented in the Environmental Impact Statement, NRC's findings and conclusions from the sections, and the recommendation by the committee on reactor safeguards, these hearings.

If a hearing is conducted, the absence of that process is also taken into consideration. The typical time frame for renewing a renewed license is 22 months for review, provided that no hearing is NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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13 involved. If a hearing is involved, it could take 30 months or more.

We have made available hard copies of the license renewal application at the (indiscernible) public library and the Toledo Lucas County Public Library. When the draft Environmental Impact Statement is available, it will also be available at those libraries as well.

Several documents have been previously gathered and can be found on the CD located on the table here to my right. They include the generic Environmental Impact Statement, the license renewal application, the three Federal Registers that have been published to date and a copy of the frequently-asked questions for license renewal. You can also access all these documents on the NRC website. The LRA can be found on the website as well.

For information relating to the scoping comments, you can review the regulations on site and additionally to keep informed on aspects related to the NRC at the website.

This concludes this presentation, and I'll turn it back over to the facilitator.

Thank you.

MR. BARKLEY: Thank you. At this point in NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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14 time, we would like to ask the audience if there are any questions regarding the license renewal process. This is not an opportunity for you to provide comments on the Environmental Impact Statement but, rather, an opportunity for you to ask questions regarding this process of the staff. If you have any questions, please go ahead and move to the center microphone and staff will answer them; and if not, we'll move into the comment period.

(No Response)

MR. BARKLEY: No questions? Okay, how about we move right into the comment period then.

MS. COOPER: All right, previously, we had presented the license renewal process, and now we're going on to the second stage of the presentation and that's the environmental scoping.

This completes the previous presentation, and I would like to highlight that we're on the second step followed by the public scoping meeting.

Scoping meetings started on October 29th with the notice of intent to prepare an EIS and to conduct scoping was published.

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15 we prepare our EIS.

You can assist us in that process by telling us, for example, what aspect of your local community we should focus on, what local environment and economic aspect that the NRC should examine during our environmental review and what reasonable alternatives are most appropriate for the area.

These are just some examples of the input we're look for, and they represent the kind of information we are seeking through the environmental scoping process. Your comments today should be helpful in providing insight of this nature.

Through the environmental review, the NRC has established a team of staff and contractors who are experts in various fields and disciplines. This slide gives you an idea of the various areas we're looking at during the environmental review. They include terrestrial and aquatic policies, environmental justice, hydrology and radiation.

For license renewal review, NRC's environmental staff looks at a wide range of impact. We consult with various federal, state and local officials as well as leaders in Indian nations, gathering pertinent information from these sources ensuring that it is considered in our analysis. Examples include the NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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16 Environmental Protection Agency, US Fish and Wildlife and State Historic Preservation Offices.

This slide represents the different methods for the public's scoping comments. It shows how to mail, fax and submit through the internet on regulations. The scoping comments are reviewed by December 27, 2010. In general, we are looking for information about the environmental impact from continued operation of Davis-Besse.

We know you are the experts in your community so your comments today will ensure a thorough review of the environmental, social and economic issues the NRC should examine during our environmental review and what reasonable alternatives are most appropriate for this region.

You are the primacy contacts for the NRC for the license renewals for Davis-Besse, the Project Manager, Brian Harris, and myself. If you have any questions about today's meeting, we will be around to answer questions following the meeting. If you have questions after you leave today, you're more than welcome to contact any one of us.

This concludes my presentation. Thank you.

MR. BARKLEY: Okay, thank you.

The first three people I would like to call NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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17 are Mark Stahl of the Ottawa City Commission, and then Jere Witt of Ottawa County, and Fred Petersen of the Ottawa County EMA.

If you would like to speak from this microphone, that would be fine. Go ahead and lead off.

MR. STAHL: Thanks, Mark.

Good afternoon. My name is Mark Stahl, and I'm the President of Ottawa County Commissioners.

Ottawa County is successful because we surround ourselves with successful community partners, and Davis-Besse is one of those community partners, who we look very favorably upon.

You will hear from some the other agencies, the nonprofits, the contributions that you make back to our community helps us tremendously, and we greatly appreciate that.

We also as Commissioners appreciate our NRC partnership. We have had conversations with you, I know, through the years, and we appreciate those unbiased conversations that we've had in regard to Davis-Besse.

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18 Davis-Besse, in your application process.

Thank you.

MR. WITT: Thanks, Mark. I appreciate you putting Mark before Fred and I because he's our boss.

I'm Jere Witt. Many of you know me. I'm County Administrator for Ottawa County. I've been with the County for 32 years, and ironically when I looked at the dates on there, I started with the County on July 20, 1978, and I believe the plant began operating in on July 31, 1978. So, we're pretty close on our birth dates there.

I've been involved, as I said earlier, many years with Davis-Besse and especially within the last five to ten years. I was part of the restart overview panel that worked for two years on the head issues. I got my nuclear degree during that two years. I much appreciated, and I really got a better feeling for Davis-Besse and the nuclear industry.

I currently serve on the Company Nuclear Review Board to ensure that Davis-Besse continues to operate safely, and there's a bunch of nuclear experts on there and then there's me, but it's easy for me a use their expertise to see if Davis-Besse operates safely, and I'm happy to say that every time we've met, we have concluded that Davis-Besse does continue to operate NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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19 safely.

I attend and participate in the NRC quarterly exit meetings of Davis-Besse, and those have been another way for Ottawa County to keep informed on what's going on with Davis-Besse.

I receive many, many, many more than I really want to see daily e-mails from the plant, but the most important one is the morning e-mail that I get every morning that tells the current status of the plant and the issues that are going on, and it's an easy way for me to keep up daily. I'm kept informed by plant management. I think I get calls in the middle of the night any time there is an issue, and we appreciate that because it's showing their concern that Ottawa County is able to keep inform.

As Mark mentioned, we work closely with the NRC. We've been meeting with them quarterly just to bring us up to speed, hear what's going on at Davis-Besse, and get the NRC's side of that.

I actually have a vested interest in the plant. I own property that abuts the plant, and it's very important to me that they keep that plant operating safely. I have a cottage there that my -- when the head incident happened, my grandchildren and their mother and dad were living there, and my wife kept asking me if I NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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20 knew what I was talking about, that it was safe, and I was assuring her that I did.

We continue to watch closely to see that the plant does operate safely. I have personally witnessed the transformation of the site personnel in the new safety culture, and they continue to maintain that culture, and I think that is one of the most important things that any nuclear power plant has to do.

I believe that the people who work at Davis-Besse and have witnessed how they challenge each other for safe plant operation. I don't think that was necessarily always true years ago, but today they do, in fact, and at many of my visits out there, I have witnessed how they challenge each other.

Many of the Davis-Besse employees live in the community and are important assets to Ottawa County. I think it's very important that the corporate structure that's been put in place to oversee the operations of Davis-Besse continue, and I think it's a good structure.

Davis-Besse has been a great asset to the community and are very involved in Ottawa County. We in Ottawa County will continue to watch and make sure the plant operates safely, but through my past involvement, I have no concerns for the safety of Davis-Besse.

We look forward to a license renewal. Ottawa NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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21 County wants Davis-Besse to stay, and welcome them in the future and urge the NRC to move forward with this license renewal.

Thank you very much.

MR. BARKLEY: Thank you Jere.

Fred?

MR. PETERSEN: Thank you. My name is Fred Petersen. I'm the Director of the Ottawa County Emergency Management Agency. I've been involved in the EMA for 16 years and ten months.

I want to talk specifically about the Ottawa County EMA's good working relationship with Davis-Besse Power Station. Largely because of that relationship we provide a lot of benefits.

All of our plans and procedures are thorough and well maintained and are regularly exercised. Those exercises are conducted specifically on the radiological side biannually. So, every two years, FEMA comes in and evaluates our performance plan to keep us in compliance.

Over the years that I have been associated with the agency and even prior to that, we have had no significant issue on our exercises, and they perform very well.

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22 well maintained and larger and larger staffed than most counties of our size throughout the State of Ohio. And, that is because of our partner.

We feel like we're very well prepared for anything that happens here in the county, specifically radiological rescue emergency preparedness. But, some of the things that we do on the radiological side that really benefit us are lot of spill-over benefits on preparedness work review at Davis-Besse. Those would include, we have a great relationship with our fire, EMS, law enforcement, private response orientation in the county, and that's because we regularly exercise training and work with them.

So, all the events that have happened in the county, we have been very successful with our response, and a lot of that is because of everything we do with Davis-Besse, and how it helps with our relationship.

An example of that would be the tornado this past June. Everyone that was involved had some sort of role in the radiological response program. A lot of the response procedures that we use for Davis-Besse are very applicable to some of the things that we had to do like HAZMAT.

The tangible things that we have is because of Davis-Besse. One of the things that is very NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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23 noticeable in the county is we have county-wide siren system. A large part of that is at the Davis-Besse plant, and is available to us for any number of outdoor notifications that need to be relayed; specifically, weather, very, very important to the community.

We also do a brochure calendar for our particular State of Ohio, Lucas County, that goes to all of our residents and provides them a plethora of information about all types of emergency response and what they can do in response to tornadoes, floods, HAZMAT and radiological emergency.

So, really, all this adds up to the fact that our relationship in Ottawa County with Davis-Besse is a benefit to the residents of Ottawa County.

Thank you.

MR. BARKLEY: Thank you.

The next three people I would like to call are: Chris Galvin of the United Way; followed by Jackie VanTress of OPEIU, Local 19; and following, Kimberly Kaufman of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory.

Thank you.

MS. GALVIN: I'm Chris Galvin, Director of the United Way in Ottawa County. The Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station and on a larger scale the First Energy Corporation are a tremendous community partner to NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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24 the local United Way. Since 1993, First Energy has contributed more than 13.5 Million Dollars to United Way of Greater Toledo which serves Ottawa, Wood and Lucas Counties. 3.1 Million came from corporate gifts, 10.4 Million from its incredibly generous employees.

First Energy has also earned United Way's Pillar Award each year since at least 1992. Our data doesn't go back any further than that. It seems they consistently give more than a hundred thousand dollars each year to the Greater Toledo campaign.

Not only does this community consistently get solid financial support from First Energy and its employees, but executive leadership has also demonstrated exceptional personal commitment to our work.

In 1993, Don Saunders chaired the local United Way campaign, raising 12.5 Million Dollars.

In 2005, Jim Murray, now retired, but formerly First Energy President of Ohio Operations, chaired the local United Way campaign. Under Mr.

Murray's leadership, the campaign raised 13.3 Million Dollars. We also presented Mr. Murray with our Prestigious Caring Award in 2006 for demonstrating value and concern for our community through vision, leadership, service and commitment to the people of our NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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25 community.

In 2009, Trent Smith, Regional President of Toledo Edison First Energy, became chairman of the United Way of Greater Toledo's Board of Trustees and has drawn to a close on his second year of service. Mr.

Smith has gone above and beyond the level of service, dedication and commitment we typically see from board chairs. He has become involved in virtually ever level of our work, digging in and helping find real solutions.

In addition to these executive leaders, numerous upper-level management have supported United Way by using their voice and relationships to help secure financial and volunteer support as well as advocating on behalf of the United Way and the Northwest Ohio Region.

In addition to Don Saunders, Jim Murray and Trent Smith, some of the stand-out employees include Debbie Paul, Mike Adams, and Mel Lomack. Additionally, in the 1990's Jennifer Schreiber served five years as the chair of our community impact cabinet, the highest level of community impact volunteers who decide how money is allocated in this community. Also joining her on the cabinet was Jenny Ammadon. Both are now retired.

First Energy also demonstrates incredible commitment to the communities through sponsorships and/

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26 or participation in programs and events.

In 1993 and 1994, Davis-Besse sponsored our loaned executive program. Jim Ferris, now retired from Davis-Besse, was the loaned executive in those two years. First Energy has also sponsored loaned executives over the years, from 1996 continuing for 11 years.

Employees consistently contribute to and participate in Stamp Out Hunger and/or Scouting for Food efforts each year. They were a major sponsor of our Family Food Fund in 2008.

First Energy was the sponsor of our Community Building event in 2005, and was the initiator and sponsor of the Veterans Appreciation Event in 2006, which continued until 2009.

Davis-Besse and First Energy are a valued community partner, both philanthropically and economically. They have been incredible contributors to our community over the past 20 years, and we only hope that this will continue for at least another 20 years.

Thank you.

MR. BARKLEY: Thank you, Chris.

Jackie?

MS. VANTRESS: Good afternoon. My name is Jackie VanTress, and I am representing OPEIU, Local 19.

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27 "OPEIU" stands for Office and Professional Employees International Union, and we represent the clerical support staff at Davis-Besse.

On behalf of the Union, I would like to voice our support in this public meeting. A renewal of this license will not only promote and maintain employment for our members who live and shop and send their children to school in that area, but it will also assure the delivery of reliable electric service to our customers.

Research has shown that nuclear power is clean, is efficient and produces more energy at a lower cost than any other means of generation. So, it is important that we keep this plant in operation.

Local 19 is proud of the safety record and operations at Davis-Besse as well as the work we do here and the service we provide to the public. OPEIU, Local 19, would like to continue to be a part of the team for at least the next 20 years.

Thank you.

MR. BARKLEY: Thank you, Jackie.

MS. KAUFMAN: Good afternoon everybody. My name is Kimberly Kaufman, and I'm the Executive Director of Black Swamp Bird Observatory, and while I understand the seriousness nature of this hearing, I'm actually NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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28 really pleased to have this opportunity to address this group.

My organization represents a somewhat unique marriage, if you will, between a conservation organization and a nuclear power plant. The general public and, of course, all of you in the room are certainly familiar with the fact that the nuclear power plant resides in this part of Ottawa County, but very few are actually aware that the power plant co-exists with the thriving marsh that just sort of forms a hub around the power plant.

Our organization has been conducting migratory bird regions in this area for more than 20 years, and we really take pride in this marriage, and we work hard like a good spouse to maintain it.

The marsh represents a critical stop-over habitat for millions of migratory birds. And, in fact, many the world's leading bird experts consider this marsh to be one of the most critical areas of stop-over habitat in the entire western hemisphere.

The observatory in these 20 years have had the full support of First Energy and Davis-Besse to conduct this critical research and, in fact, during a very exciting tumultus time in this country's history, we were very afraid that our consistent effort meaning NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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29 that seven days a week, spring and fall, during song bird migration, our research staff was out at that marsh in front of the power tank conducting this research seven days a week for more than 20 years.

When the tragedy occurred on 9/11, we were very concerned for, of course, the human tragedy, but also concerned that our research would be interrupted.

And, in fact, Davis-Besse really fully understood the importance of this research, and the importance of conserving the integrity of the data set, and we didn't miss a single day.

And, perhaps nothing else, no other event in our history or recent history speaks more to how much they have said they understand the critical role that they play in local environmental and conservation issues than that event.

So, based on our long-standing relationship, it is our opinion the Davis-Besse and First Energy have not only worked to fully understand and fully support the environmental issues for this local community, but have also fully embraced the role that they play in all of these issues.

So, it is opinion of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory that the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant is a critical player in bird conservation in the entire NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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30 region of the western hemisphere.

Thank you.

MR. BARKLEY: Thank you, Kimberly.

The next three people I would like to call are Steven Inchak, who is representing Congressman Dennis Kucinich; Beth Leggett with the American Red Cross; and Brad Goetz of the IBEW, Local 1413.

Welcome, Steve.

MR. INCHAK: Good afternoon.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is Steve Inchak, and I work for Congressman Kucinich, and what I'm going to do is simply read a letter that the Congressman sent to the NRC chairman today, and it reads as follows. And, I would also like to ask that you consent to include the article referenced in the official record, which I will provide after I read the letter. It reads as follows:

Dear Chairman Jackstow:

First energy should not be allowed to continue to operate Davis-Besse after 2017. The people of Northeast Ohio are familiar with First Energy's pathetic record in protecting the safety of people who live in this region. In a series of recent articles in the Toledo Blade, which I am enclosing, the people of our Region are reminded about the 12-minute NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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31 interruption to the feed water flow to the steam generators on June 9, 1985, which was cited as a

'potential catastrophe.'

"The people of our region are reminded of Davis-Besse's reactor head 'weakened by years of neglect' which nearly burst in 2002. The people of our region are reminded that your predecessor, Harold Denton, stated in 2004 that these two incidents represent 'the nuclear industry's second and third lowest points after three-mile Island.'

The people of our region are reminded that First Energy employees tried to conceal the truth of the 2002 incident from the Nuclear Regulatory Agency, using tricks, 'schemes or devices' to deliberately mislead your Agency.

"The people of our region are reminded that David Pullman, Chief of the Justice Department's Environmental Crime Section, said that First Energy showed 'brazen arrogance' and 'breached the public trust by withholding information about the reactor head incident.

"The people are reminded that federal prosecutors described the reactor head incident as

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32 history.'

"The people of our region are reminded that First Energy paid a record fine of $33.45 Million as a result of its actions. Of that amount, a record $28 Million was a fine that First Energy paid to 'avoid being criminally prosecuted for lying to the government about the dangerous condition of Davis-Besse's reactor head' according to then US Attorney Greg White in 2006.

"While these fines were record fines at the time they were imposed, I pointed out then that the total fine was merely one percent of First Energy's profit in 2004. While these fines may have been record fines, they were a mere slap on the wrist for First Energy and did nothing near to what would have been necessary to change its corporate culture.

"The corrosion of the reactor head started because the Davis-Besse reactor head was made of an alloy that would not withstand this kind of corrosion. All of the other operators and nuclear reactors with similar heads confronted the situation by replacing their reactor heads with new heads of a different alloy that would not be subject to this kind of corrosion.

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33 "In 2004 First Energy chose cost over safety, and it replaced the corroded reactor head with another reactor head made of exactly the same material.

"Six years later First Energy made us shocked to discover that the corrosion was forming on that inferior reactor head as well. Still, First Energy had not learned its lesson. They wanted to postpone the final replacement of the reactor head with a new head made with a noncorroding alloy until 2014.

"First Energy did not abandon that 2014 replacement date until the NRC threatened to require Davis-Besse to shut down for an inspection of the old reactor head every year until it was replaced.

"Only as a result of that threat is First Energy finally going to install a noncorroding reactor head in 2011.

"Recent events suggest that First Energy still has a corporate culture that is more focused on costs and profits than on its safety.

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34 failed to report and did not declare an alert.

"The evidence shows that this culture exists in First Energy beyond its operation of Davis-Besse. The NRC has been keeping a 'close watch' on First Energy's operation at its Perry reactor in Northeast Ohio as well. The NRC remains concerned that Perry's safety culture is not up to industry standards and has maintained a close watch there for the last two years.

"Davis-Besse has been operating for 33 years. It has experienced two of the industry's most serious nuclear incidents during those years. This is not just bad luck. The problems at Davis-Besse are a direct result of First Energy's mismanagement and disregard for the safety of people who live and work in the area and who would be affected by any nuclear incident.

"The NRC should not grant a license to a company that only operates safely while a

'special' inspection team is monitoring its day-to-day activities and when a 'close watch' is being kept on it.

"The NRC must continue to keep a close watch on Davis-Besse between now and 2017 and then to ensure that, first, this aging reactor with a NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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35 deplorable history of operations and maintenance be safely shut down and decommissioned at the end of its current license.

"Sincerely, Dennis J. Kucinich, member of congress."

Thank you.

MR. BARKLEY: Thank you, Steven. We will receive that letter into the record.

Beth?

MS. LEGGETT: My name is Beth Leggett.

I'm the Director of the American Red Cross in Ottawa County, part of the greater Toledo area chapter which is a regional chapter for all of Northwest Ohio.

Through my position with the Red Cross, I have seen cooperation that is envied between the Emergency Management Agency and First Energy Davis-Besse amongst the agency's first responders because of the emergency preparedness that we do, we have been educated to do over my 22 years in this position.

In Northwest Ohio, we're envied because of the readiness that we have from the Red Cross standpoint as well as from the whole county and the agencies that are involved.

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36 Cross. I think the Emergency Management Agency, Fred Petersen, spoke to the cooperation with all things that we do to help us be ready and to protect the citizens of Ottawa County.

We also because we have the mandate but we do not receive government funds, I can speak to what Chris Galvin of United Way said with regards to the money that comes into the United Way. We are a United Way Agency, but even besides that, we have profited, the Red Cross organization, from financial support on many levels from First Energy and Davis-Besse as well as from the volunteer aspect of the employees that respond through the involvement of their families.

We have three or four blood drives that we conduct at Davis-Besse that are very successful. We have had a lot of leadership that has come out of the Davis-Besse plant. Chuck Witt was a six-year chairman for our local advisory board.

Currently, Terry Mortis, who is the Regional Manager also of the Ottawa County District with First Energy that provides a lot of leadership, a lot of guidance to the Red Cross.

And, I'm going to take my Red Cross hat off, and I want to say that May 15, 1979, I became a new mom for the very first time, and when my daughter was NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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37 two years old, had not the rain storm come the afternoon of the protest march in front of Davis-Besse, I would have been in it.

And, I sat here today and thought how far I've come and how grateful I am to have had the exposure, educationally through the community, through my friends to see the Davis-Besse plant in a whole different light. I was young in the Nineties. I'm a little bit smarter now about how those things work, and I ask hard questions and I sometimes like the answers, sometimes I'm not so sure about the answers, but I am confident in the safety of the Davis-Besse plant and the good that it does in the community for the people that are involved.

Thank you.

MR. BARKLEY: Thank you, Beth.

Brad?

MR. GOETZ: Good afternoon. My name is Brad Goetz, and I'm the Business Manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1413. We represent security at Davis-Besse.

I just want to say that I'm a 26-year employee at Davis-Besse, and over the years, the safety culture has improved greatly and continues to improve every day. The plant is well protected, not only for NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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38 the safety inside the plant but also for the members of 1413.

Davis-Besse over the years has provided a good living, a good income for many residents of Ottawa County and surrounding counties and especially now in a time when unemployment is high.

We support the license renewal, and we ask the NRC to support it as well.

MR. BARKLEY: Thank you, Brad.

There are three people who are still signed up to speak. If there are any other people who would like a speak, please come and see me.

The last three people I would like to call up are Ann Heckerd of the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, Brian Boles of FENOC, and Larry Tscherne of IBEW, Local 245.

MS. HECKERD: I am Ann Heckerd, the Food Coordinator for the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, and I'm going to talk more on the economic aspect.

Davis-Besse has been very generous with their donations to the Food Pantry in the past years. I also would like to say that if it were to close, they may be coming to our Food Pantry, and I would hate to see that.

MR. BARKLEY: Thank you, Ann.

Brian?

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39 MR. BOLES: Good afternoon. My name is Brian Boles. I'm the Plant Manager of Davis-Besse.

Our license renewal is a high priority item for the state and for the county. We have had a number of people working on this project now for well over a year -- I see a number of those members are here -- to put together a good product which we have submitted to the NRC for their review.

It's a priority for us as a company because Davis-Besse is a significant asset to our company. It provides a large source of safe, reliable, environmental friendly electricity to the surrounding area.

It is also important from a license renewal aspect, 20 additional years of this asset to provide for the employment opportunities for the local community, and many of our young engineers are graduating from college today who wonder if nuclear power is a viable future and a career path. It's important to know that plants such as Davis-Besse and others are undergoing renewal process have a future that they can depend on.

At Davis-Besse we do commit to ensuring the public safety and protecting the environment. I'm sure the review as we go through this license renewal process will bear that out, and as evidenced by a number of the speakers here, we do enjoy a very good relationship with NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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40 the surrounding community. We look forward to extending that relationship for another 20 years.

Thank you.

MR. BARKLEY: Thank you, Brian.

Finally, Larry?

MR. TSCHERNE: Thank you and good afternoon. My name is Larry Tscherne. I'm the Business Manager for IBEW, Local 245, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

We represent 22 counties here in the Northwest Ohio, including Ottawa County here. But, in addition to that, we also represent over 200 physical workers at Davis-Besse that provide operations, maintenance, chemistry, radiation and protection of the plant.

Now, what I'm going to talk about here briefly isn't an opinion. It's a fact. I know that from our members and the involvement that I have with the plant, and not only with the plant but with senior management. I'll go as far as the President of FENOC, Jim Lynch, who includes all the other business managers, the leadership of the local unions from the entire FENOC. We meet on a regular basis a couple times a year with the President. We share and open up any type of discussion that we have. Nothing is held back, open NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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41 communication all the way through.

We do the same thing with the Plant Manager at Davis-Besse, with the Maintenance Manager at Davis-Besse.

We have worked over a number of issues, going into outages, we have heard testimony here about the head incident. Let me tell you the type of relationship that we have been able to develop in the goal of working together in a good labor-management relationship which is important and critical, especially in this type of industry.

During that incident, the plant, as you know, was down for, what, two years, maybe a little less.

Over that period of time and the hundreds of man hours that were involved, multiple shift changes. You can't imagine what we had to go through to get that plant back up and running. We had four grievances filed; four out of the entire period of time.

I only use that as an example because when we meet, we continue to talk about the safety culture and good maintenance practices which leads me to my next point.

The safety culture, the dedication of the employees, training and the craftsmanship are second to none. Again, that's not an opinion. That's a fact. We NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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42 had the opportunity to review all of that and we participate not only in the training but in the development of the training.

So, with that said, I would have to say that First Energy has been open and honest in all of their discussions with us. There's never been a time where I haven't been able to call either Akron or the plant and get an answer. It's just been terrific.

In addition to that, we not only work out local issues but something more important or just as important. We work together on issues in Washington also through our labor management committee. A lot of people probably aren't aware of that, but we do that through our Land Pact Committee.

By extending the license here at Davis-Besse, it would continue to provide good clean power that's critical. In addition to that also supporting the much-needed tax base, not only to this area but to the state, and I'm confident along with our members, that IBEW, Local 245, that Davis-Besse will continue to be safe, not only for the employees but also for the area.

Thank you.

MR. BARKLEY: Thank you.

I'll make one last call for anyone who would like to make a statement.

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43 (No Response)

MR. BARKLEY: Hearing none, what I will do is invite Mr. Wrona to come up and make some last-minute remarks, and I very much appreciate your cooperation in running this meeting very, very smoothly.

Thank you.

MR. WRONA: Thank you, Rich.

I'm David Wrona. I'm the Branch Chief in the NRC who is responsible for the Davis-Besse license renewal. I have three or four sentences here at 2:20.

First of all, thank you for allowing us to come out and briefly explain our process which we'll do a detailed review of the application to ensure that it meets all of our requirements.

Secondly, I would like to thank you for participating in our environmental scoping process.

This meeting is not the only way for you to provide us comments. As was shown on one of the slides, you can mail in comments to us, you can provide them to us on the website. We will take these through December 27th.

So, if you go home tonight and what somebody said sparked some comments in your head, feel free to use either one of those methods, all three of those methods on that slide will get those comments to us.

And, lastly, every comment that we receive, NEAL R. GROSS COURT REPORTERS AND TRANSCRIBERS 1323 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N.W.

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44 whether it was spoken tonight or you handed it in a written format to us tonight comes in through any of those fashions, we're going to address and make publically available scope and summary report which we will issue sometime in the future, but it will be on our website. If you signed up through our list serve, you will receive a copy of that scoping summary report.

So, with that, I would like a thank you for coming in again.

MR. BARKLEY: Thanks, Dave. This meeting the adjourned. Thank you.

(Whereupon, the proceedings were concluded at 2:30 p.m.)

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