Press Release-00-121, NRC Schedules Meetings in Nevada and Maryland on Safety of Spent Fuel Shipping Casks

Press Release-00-121: NRC Schedules Meetings in Nevada and Maryland on Safety of Spent Fuel Shipping Casks

ML003738324
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Issue date:	08/07/2000
From:	Office of Public Affairs
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Press Release-00-121
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NRCNEWSU.S.NUCLEARREGULATORYCOMMISSIONOfficeofPublicAffairsTelephone:301/415-8200Washington,DC20555-001E-mail:opa@nrc.govWebSite:http://www.nrc.gov/OPANo.00-121August7,2000NRCSCHEDULESMEETINGSINNEVADAANDMARYLANDONSAFETYOFSPENTFUELSHIPPINGCASKSTheNuclearRegulatoryCommissionhasscheduledmeetingstoobtainfurtherpublicinputintoitsproposedupdateofa1987studythatexaminedtheadequacyofspentnuclearfueltransportation caskstowithstandsevereaccidents.ThemeetingswillbeheldAugust15-16inLasVegasand Pahrump,Nevada,andonSeptember13atNRC'sheadquartersinRockville,Maryland.TheNRCisreexaminingthesafetyofspentfuelshippingcontainersbecauseofseveralfactors,includingthepossibleincreaseinshipmentsinafewyearsifahigh-levelradioactivewasterepository atYuccaMountainbeginsoperating.Thereassessmentwillalsoenablethestafftofocusmoreclosely onthoselicensingissuesmostimportanttosafety.Atmeetingsheldlastyear,thestaffobtainedpublicinputonthetypesofissuestobeconsideredinaspentfuelpackageperformancestudy.Thestaffisnowpreparedtopresentanissues paperonsuchastudyincorporatingcommentsreceivedatthosemeetings.Thestaffwillalsodiscussa technicalreportandbrochureonriskassessmententitled,"ReexaminationofSpentFuelShipment RiskEstimates"(NUREG/CR-6672).Interestedpersonsareinvitedtocommentontheissuespaper andadraftversionofthebrochure,copiesofwhichareavailableontheweb at:http://ttd.sandia.gov/nrc/modal.htmCommentsonbothdocumentsshouldbesubmittedbySeptember29toRobertLewis,SpentFuelProjectOffice,U.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission,Washington,DC,20555-0001,orby telephoneat301-415-8527.Themeetingswillbeheldintwodifferingformats:workshopsandgeneralpublicmeetings.AttheworkshopsduringthedayonAugust15andSeptember13,invitedpersonswithabroad spectrumofviewsrepresentingcitizenandenvironmentalgroups,nuclearandtransportationindustry, state,tribalandlocalgovernments,andothers,willconvenetodiscusstheirviewsontheissues.

Membersofthepublicarewelcometoattendandcommentattheseworkshops.Thegeneralpublic meetingswillbeheldintheeveningsonAugust15-16,atwhichNRCstaffwillbrieflydescribethe agency'sroleinensuringtransportationsafetyanddiscussthestudiesandrelatedconcerns.Thetimeandlocationoftheworkshopsandmeetingsareasfollows:

ÿAugust15workshopinLasVegas,intheHawaiianRoomoftheTropicanaHotel,at3801LasVegasBoulevard,from9:30a.m.-3:30p.m;

ÿAugust15meetinginLasVegas,samelocation,from7:00-9:00p.m;

ÿAugust16meetinginPahrump,attheMountainViewCasino&Bowl,at1750PahrumpValleyBlvd,from7:00-9:00p.m;

ÿSeptember13workshopinRockville,Maryland,intheauditoriumatNRC'sTwoWhiteFlintNorthBuilding,at11545RockvillePike,from9:30a.m.-3:00p.m.