ML23052A087
| ML23052A087 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000610 |
| Issue date: | 03/09/2023 |
| From: | Joseph Giacinto NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ENRB |
| To: | |
| References | |
| EPID L-2022-NFW-0002, EPID L-2022-NFW-0003 | |
| Download: ML23052A087 (1) | |
Text
March 9, 2023 ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY - ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT PLAN FOR THE MOLTEN SALT RESEARCH REACTOR CONSTRUCTION PERMIT APPLICATION TECHNICAL TOPICS (EPID: L-2022-NFW-0002 AND L-2022-NFW-0003)
APPLICANT INFORMATION Applicant: Abilene Christian University (ACU)
Applicant Address: NEXT Lab, Abilene Christian University, ACU Box 28208 Abilene, TX 79699-8208 Plant Name: ACU Molten Salt Research Reactor Docket No.: 05000610
Background:
By letter dated August 12, 2022 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) ML22227A202), as supplemented by letter dated October 14, 2022 (ML22293B816),
Abilene Christian University (ACU) submitted to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC),
an application for a construction permit (CP) for a molten salt research reactor (MSRR),
pursuant to title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities, and Section 104c of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended. By letter dated November 18, 2022 (ML22313A097), the NRC issued a letter accepting ACUs MSRR CP application for docketing. The staff is reviewing the information in the Environmental Report (ER) (ML22227A201) per 10 CFR 51. In accordance with 10 CFR 51.21 the staff is preparing an Environmental Assessment to evaluate the environmental impacts from the proposed action.
Purpose:
In its initial review of data and information within the corresponding context of the ER, the staff has identified initial information needs (Attachment 1) that would promote a better understanding of the detailed analysis and bases underlying the CP application. This environmental audit will provide the NRC staff an opportunity to discuss these items with the applicant subject matter experts, staff and contractors. During the audit, the staff will discuss a wide range of environmental matters related to land use, ground and surface water, terrestrial and aquatic ecology, human health, radiological and non-radiological waste, cultural resources, alternatives to the proposed action, air quality and noise. The audit will allow the staff to better understand the site, environmental interfaces of the project, and modeling results, in order to draw appropriate conclusions. If the NRC staff identifies information that is needed to support a finding, ACU will need to submit that information on the application docket.
2 Regulatory Audit Basis Requirements for ERs supporting CPs are specified in 10 CFR 51.50, Environmental Reports
- CP, early site permit or combined license stage. The ER for the ACU construction permit application follows the guidance in chapter 19 of the final Interim Staff Guidance (ISG)
Augmenting NUREG-1537, part 1, Guidelines for Preparing and Reviewing Applications for the Licensing of Non-Power Reactors, Format and Content (ML12156A069).
Regulatory Audit Scope Audit team members will review documents and other requested information outlined in the information needs list (Attachment 1). For continuity with the safety audit topics, the environmental audit will commence with topic five in the acceptance letter, Management and disposal of transuranic-contaminated low-level waste generated by the MSRR. This list covers those environmental review areas outlined in the Background section of this audit plan. Although additional information needs will be developed, the staff has included the attached in the interest of an expedient review and discussions with ACU.
Environmental Review Team The table below includes a list of the NRCs environmental review team assigned to the ACU CP review and their role or review area coverage. Additional NRC staff may participate in some audit discussions based on coordination with related reviews.
Technical Areas Subject Matter Expert Branch Chief Kenneth Erwin Environmental Project Manager Pat Vokoun Deputy Project Manager Joe Giacinto Alternatives Pat Vokoun, Peyton Doub Accidents / Transportation Don Palmrose, Brian Glowackib Air Quality / Meteorology / Noise Laura Willingham, Saikat Ghosha, Madelyn Nagelb Cultural Resources Lindsey Renauda, Brian Glowackib Decommissioning Caitlin Condona Ecology Peyton Doub Environmental Justice Dave Andersona, Madelyn Nagelb Fuel Cycle / Health Physics Don Palmrose, Brian Glowackib Hydrogeology Phil Meyera, Joe Giacinto Climate Change Phil Meyera, Madelyn Nagelb Land Use & Visual Peyton Doub Non-Rad Human Health Peyton Doub Non-Rad Waste Kim Leigha Production Mike Parkera a Pacific Northwest National Laboratory staff b NRC Trainee
3 Technical Areas Subject Matter Expert Radiological Waste Don Palmrose Socioeconomics Michelle Niemeyera, Madelyn Nagelb Surface Water Hydrology Joe Giacinto, Rajiv Prasada Additional audit team members may be added as needed.
Information and Other Material Necessary for the Regulatory Audit Entrance Meeting March 2023 Exit Meeting Approximately September 2023, a precise date and time TBD The NRC staff requests that all the documents and other requested information identified in be provided by ACU on the online reference portal.
Logistics Audit meetings will take place in a virtual format, using Microsoft Teams, or via other, similar platform. The NRC and ACU audit managers will schedule an initial kickoff meeting and follow up meetings as needed upon ACUs review of this audit plan. The audit duration is anticipated to be approximately six months with activities occurring regularly throughout the first week and intermittently thereafter. For each topical area, follow up sessions will be scheduled, if needed, until audit closure.
Special Requests The NRC staff requests that ACU ensure that their technical staff are available to answer questions during the audit.
Deliverables At the completion of the audit, a publicly noticed exit meeting will be held at which time a summary of audit activities and discussions will be presented along with the status of staff information needs identified as part of the audit. In addition, the audit team will issue an audit summary within ninety days after the exit meeting. The audit summary will be declared and entered as an official agency record in ADAMS and be made available for public viewing through the publicly available records component of ADAMS.
References ISG Augmenting NUREG-1537, part 1, Guidelines for Preparing and Reviewing Applications for the Licensing of Non-Power Reactors: Format and Content, for Licensing Radioisotope Production Facilities and Aqueous Homogeneous Reactors (ML12156A069)
ISG Augmenting NUREG-1537, part 2, Guidelines for Preparing and Reviewing Applications for the Licensing of Non-Power Reactors: Standard Review Plan and Acceptance Criteria, for Licensing Radioisotope Production Facilities and Aqueous Homogeneous Reactors (ML12156A075)
4 Contacts Please contact Patricia Vokoun at 301-415-3470 or via email at Patricia.Vokoun@nrc.gov or Joseph Giacinto at 301-415-0714 or via email at Joseph.Giacinto@nrc.gov concerning any issues related to the conduct of the audit.
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SUBJECT:
ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY - ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT PLAN FOR THE MOLTEN SALT RESEARCH REACTOR CONSTRUCTION PERMIT APPLICATION TECHNICAL TOPICS (EPID: L-2022-NFW-0002 AND L-2022-NFW-0003)
DATED: March 9, 2023 DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC ENRB R/F KErwin NMSS JGiacinto, NMSS JEzel, OGC RTowell, ACU THead, ACU AAdams, ACU NMSS_REFS_ENRB Distribution REFS Division ADAMS Accession No. ML23052A087 OFFICE NMSS/REFS/ENRB/PM NMSS/REFS/ENRB/BC NMSS/REFS/LA NAME JGiacinto KErwin AWalker-Smith DATE 02/21/23 02/22/23 02/23/23 OFFICE NMSS/REFS/ENRB/PM NAME PVokuon DATE 03/9/23