Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Response to 08/04/2015 Letter from the Legislature of Rockland County Requesting for Accessible Public Hearing Venues for All Hearings on Indian Point License AmendmentsML15231A809 |
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Indian Point |
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Issue date: |
08/19/2015 |
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From: |
Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel |
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Download: ML15231A809 (2) |
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Category:Legal-Limited Appearance Statement
MONTHYEARML16337A4042016-11-21021 November 2016 Rock the Earth Petitions with 590 Signatures Requesting Shutdown of Indian Point Facility ML16237A2762016-08-16016 August 2016 Limited Appearance Statement - Ulster County Legislature Resolution 365 - Opposing the Re-License of Certain Nuclear Generating Units ML16222A9012016-08-0101 August 2016 Rock the Earth Petitions with 1,029 Signatures Requesting Shutdown of Indian Point Facility ML15231A8092015-08-19019 August 2015 Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Response to 08/04/2015 Letter from the Legislature of Rockland County Requesting for Accessible Public Hearing Venues for All Hearings on Indian Point License Amendments ML15208A5832015-07-22022 July 2015 Limited Appearance Statement - 37622 Care2 Signatures to Shut Down Indian Point ML15208A5842015-07-0707 July 2015 Limited Appearance Statement - Rockland County Legislature Resolution No. 316 Opposing Indian Point'S License Renewal ML15176A5892015-06-24024 June 2015 Limited Appearance Statement - Chairman Burns Reply Letter to Initial April 30, 2015 Letter from Congresswoman Nita M. 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Lowey Regarding the May 9, 2015 Transformer Fire at Indian Point, Unit 3 ML15106A8792015-03-30030 March 2015 Letter from Kristin Welch, Environmental Studies Student at Stony Brook University, Requesting the NRC to Deny Indian Point License Renewal ML14287A7862014-09-15015 September 2014 Citizen Form Letters from 30 Individuals Regarding Indian Point License Renewal ML14273A5812014-09-0808 September 2014 Citizen Form Letters from 93 Individuals Regarding Indian Point License Renewal ML14258B2152014-08-29029 August 2014 Citizen Form Letters from 23 Individuals Regarding Indian Point License Renewal ML14254A4312014-08-28028 August 2014 Citizen Form Letters from 21 Individuals Regarding Indian Point License Renewal ML14253A3882014-08-23023 August 2014 Citizen Form Letters from 58 Individuals Regarding Indian Point License Renewal ML14238A5562014-08-0909 August 2014 Citizen Form Letters from 62 Individuals Regarding Indian Point License Renewal ML14156A3152014-05-27027 May 2014 Limited Appearance Statement - Letter from J. Capozzelli Regarding Denying Relicensing of Indian Point ML14038A4232014-02-0707 February 2014 Notice of Appearance - Andrew B. Reid ML14027A5332014-01-14014 January 2014 Limited Appearance Statement of Patrick Turner in Support of Indian Point License Renewal ML13273A4712013-09-16016 September 2013 Limited Appearance Statement of Sandra R. Galef, Albany, Ny Assembly, Regarding Emergency Response Property Development in Phillipstown, Ny ML13248A3602013-09-0404 September 2013 Limited Appearance Statement of Russell Faller, Member of Riverkeeper, Regarding Earthquake Risk to Indian Point ML13240A3442013-08-27027 August 2013 Limited Appearance Statement of Richard Vultaggio, Riverkeeper, Inc., Regarding Earthquake Risk to Indian Point ML13238A2552013-08-22022 August 2013 Limited Appearance Statements from Multiple Members of Riverkeeper (S. Etherton, Fern Stearney, Catherine Miller, Annmarie Parmenter, Maria Deangelis, Doreen Tignanelli, Kevin Hughes) ML13231A2412013-08-19019 August 2013 Limited Appearance Statement of Nita M. Lowey, U.S. Congress, Opposing Indian Point License Renewal ML13233A3512013-08-13013 August 2013 Limited Appearance Statement of Steven Laifer, Putnam County Legislature, Regarding Approval/Resolution for Public Health & Safety Regarding Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant ML13294A4932013-07-26026 July 2013 Limited Appearance Statement of Susan Lerner, Common Cause New York, Regarding Generating Influence Study of Entergy Political Spending and Public Relations Campaign for Indian Point License Renewal ML13212A3142013-07-23023 July 2013 Limited Appearance Statement of Manna Jo Greene, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc., Regarding Attached Petitions Calling for the Closure of Indian Point and for Improved Health and Safety Measures ML13164A2712013-05-23023 May 2013 Limited Appearance Statement of Putnam County Legislature Enclosing Resolution # 73 to Extend the Emergency Evacuation Zone, Transfer Spent Fuel Rods to Hardened Dry Cask Storage, and Consider New Seismological Data ML13140A4092013-05-0101 May 2013 Limited Appearance Statement of Eliza Gercke and Adam Brunell, Co-Presidents - Vassar Greens Environmental Group of Vassar College, Opposing the Indian Point License Renewal Application ML13140A4072013-04-22022 April 2013 Limited Appearance Statement of Elena Fregoso and Guillermo Valdez, Co-Presidents - Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano/A De Aztlan, Vassar College, Opposing the Indian Point License Renewal Application ML13140A4032013-04-21021 April 2013 Limited Appearance Statement of Jason Rubin, President of the Vassar Student Association, Opposing the Indian Point License Renewal Application ML13011A2972012-12-31031 December 2012 Limited Appearance Statement of Dagan Lacorte Re Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc to Renew Operating Licenses for Indian Point, Units 2 & 3 ML12325A7502012-11-0505 November 2012 Limited Appearance Statement of Tammy L Nosek Supporting Extension of Licenses for Indian Point Units 2 & 3 ML12305A0042012-10-22022 October 2012 Limited Appearance Statement of Maureen Murphy Opposing Renewal of Licensing for Indian Point Units 2 & 3 ML12286A0562012-10-0505 October 2012 Limited Appearance Statement of Salvatore Bongiorno in Support of Indian Point, Units 2 and 3 License Renewal Application ML12277A1752012-10-0202 October 2012 Limited Appearance Statement of Anthony T. Spaziani in Support of Indian Point, Units 2 and 3 License Renewal Applications ML12276A2102012-10-0101 October 2012 Limited Appearance Statement of Vincent J. Ammirato Supporting the Indian Point 2 and 3 License Renewal Application ML12275A5432012-10-0101 October 2012 Limited Appearance Statement of Durossert D. Clerval Supporting Indian Point, Units 2 and 3 License Renewal Application ML12286A0532012-09-29029 September 2012 Limited Appearance Statement of Francis D. Peplees Indian Point Units 2 and 3 License Renewal Application ML12286A0542012-09-28028 September 2012 Limited Appearance Statement of Jerzy Oginski in Support of Indian Point, Units 2 and 3 License Renewal Application ML12286A0522012-09-28028 September 2012 Limited Appearance Statement of Robert Nichols Supporting Indian Point, Units 2 and 3 License Renewal Application ML12275A5442012-09-28028 September 2012 Limited Appearance Statement of Tom Noonan Supporting Indian Point, Units 2 and 3 License Renewal Application ML12275A5422012-09-28028 September 2012 Limited Appearance Statement of William G. 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Basile Supporting Indian Point, Units 2 and 3 License Renewal Application ML12264A1022012-09-18018 September 2012 Limited Appearance Statement of Barbara Deronde Opposing Indian Point, Units 2 and 3 License Renewal Application ML12272A3412012-09-18018 September 2012 Limited Appearance Statement of Jane Brown Opposing Indian Point, Units 2 and 3 License Renewal Application ML1226302422012-09-17017 September 2012 Limited Appearance Statement of Gabriella Stern Opposing Indian Point, Units 2 and 3 License Renewal Application ML12264A5472012-09-17017 September 2012 Limited Appearance Statement of Major R. Owens Supporting Indian Point, Units 2 and 3 License Renewal Application 2016-08-16
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ATOMIC SAFETY AND LICENSING BOARD PANEL WASHINGTON
, D.C. 20555-0001 August 19, 2015 Alden H. Wolfe, Chairman of the Legislature and Fellow Members of the Rockland County Legislature Rockland County Legislature 11 New Hempstead Road New City, NY 10956 Dear Mr. Wolfe and Fellow Members of the Rockland County Legislature
, Thank you for taking the time to write to the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel (ASLBP) regarding license amendment requests involving the Indian Point nuclear power plant. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission understands your significant interest in Indian Point given your county's proximity to the plant. Before I discuss the ASLBP's approach to making pre-hearings and hearings accessible to the public, I first want to clarify some important information
. Your letter states that there are currently three Indian Point license amendment requests under consideration by the ASLBP. The requests cited are a deferral of reactor vessel head inspections
, a postponement of control rod "problems," and a delay in the frequency of steam generator tube inspections
. In fact, the NRC Staff has already issued decisions on those three requests. Specifically
, the license amendments for the reactor vessel head inspections issue were issued for Unit 2 on Jan. 14, 2014, and for Unit 3 on March 4, 2015; for the control rod change on April 2, 2015; and for the Units 2 and 3 steam generator tube inspections on May 26, 2015. No requests for hearings on those license amendments were submitted during the appropriate windows of time and, therefore
, no ASLBP proceedings concerning those amendments are pending. The ASLBP currently is adjudicating two proceedings regarding the Indian Point facility. The first is a proceeding related to the renewal of the licenses for Units 1 and 2, which has been ongoing since 2008. The second is a hearing request regarding a proposed license amendment to change the frequency of a leak test for Unit 2's containment building integrity.
For the latter proceeding
, a three-judge licensing board heard oral arguments on July 30, 2015 to consider the hearing request filed by the New York State Attorney General's Office. A transcript of the oral argument may be accessed athttp://ehd1.nrc.gov
.ehd. The licensing board anticipates issuing a decision in September that resolves whether New York's request satisfies the regulatory requirements for an evidentiary hearing during which expert witnesses would testify on the matter. This brings me to your concerns about public accessibility when it comes to ASLBP proceedings
. The ASLBP's policy is, when practicable, to hold evidentiary hearings near the facility in question.
Consistent with that policy, the licensing board conducting the Indian Point license renewal proceeding (which is a different board from the one considering New York's Letter to A. Wolfe, et. al challenge to the proposed license amendment) conducted an evidentiary hearing in Tarrytown
, New York, in the fall of 2012. That licensing board is planning to hold another evidentiary hearing on different contentions in Tarrytown during the week of Nov. 16, 2015. All other hearing-related matters prior to the evidentiary hearing are characterized as "hearings.
" This would include oral arguments
, scheduling conferences
, teleconferences
, etc. Such sessions are conducted in a manner that promotes convenience and efficiency for the parties and the licensing board and, as such, are often held by telephone or in the ASLBP's Rockville Hearing Room. That said, I would stress that all pre-hearings are open to the public and are recorded by a court reporter, with the transcript available to the public not long after the session.
Also, the ASLBP routinely makes it possible for members of the public to hear a hearing session via a listen-only teleconference line. Licensing board orders provide the information for interested members of the public to access those lines. Such listening capabilities were made available for the July 30th oral argument session pertaining to the Indian Point 2 containment testing hearing request.
The NRG and the ASLBP understand the need for transparency and accessibility and seek to achieve both to the greatest degree possible consistent with the important goal of adjudicatory efficiency
. We believe the current approach works to achieve those ends. cc: NRC/OPA NRC/OCA Sincerely
, Chief Counsel Identical copies sent to Rockland County Legislators
- Christopher P. Carey Harriet D. Cornell Richard C. Diaz Toney L. Earl Michael M. Grant Lon M. Hofstein Jay Hood, Jr. Douglas J. Jobson Nancy Low-Hogan Joseph L. Meyers Patrick J. Moroney John A. Murphy Aney Paul llan S. Sdhoenberger Philip Soskin