ML24113A170

Tribal Letters for Dea Hermes 2-Bunch, J

ML24113A170
Person / Time
Site:	Hermes  File:Kairos Power icon.png
Issue date:	04/22/2024
From:	John Moses NRC/NMSS/DREFS
To:	Bunch J United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians
References
Download: ML24113A170 (1)

Text

J. Johnso UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 Honorable Joe Bunch, Chief United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians P.O. Box 746 Tahlequah, OK 74464

SUBJECT:

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DRAFT FINDING OF NO SIGNFICANT IMPACT FOR KAIROS POWER PROPOSED NON-POWER TEST REACTORS (HERMES 2) CONSTRUCTION PERMIT REVIEW IN ROANE COUNTY, TENNESSEE (DOCKET NUMBERS:

50-611 AND 50-612)

Dear Chief Joe Bunch:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is conducting an environmental review for a construction permit (CP) application submitted by Kairos Power, LLC (Kairos) for two proposed non-power test reactors referred to collectively as Hermes 2. The application was submitted by Kairos in a letter dated July 14, 2023 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) ML23195A121), pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50. The Hermes 2 reactors, if licensed, would be constructed on a site within the East Tennessee Technology Park in Oak Ridge, Roane County, Tennessee. The NRC staff initiated consultation with you regarding this project in February 2024. In accordance with Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR) 800.8(c), the NRC staff has elected to use the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, process to comply with its obligations under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended.

The purpose of this letter is to invite you to review and comment on the staffs draft environmental assessment (EA), draft finding of no significant impact (FONSI), and preliminary determination of no adverse effect to historic properties.

The NRC is issuing for comment a draft EA and draft FONSI for proposed issuance of CPs to Kairos. The CPs would authorize the construction of the Hermes 2 reactors, adjacent to the Hermes reactor, on a 185-acre site located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Kairos was issued a CP for Hermes, CP No. CPTR-6, on December 14, 2023 ( ML23338A258). The Hermes 2 reactors would demonstrate additional key elements of the Kairos Power Fluoride Salt-Cooled, High Temperature Reactor technology for possible future commercial deployment. The technology is an advanced nuclear reactor technology that leverages TRI-structural ISOtropic particle fuel in pebble form combined with a low-pressure fluoride salt coolant.

You may access the draft EA and draft FONSI (ML24103A002) in the ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select Begin Web-based ADAMS Search. For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRCs Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, at 301-415-4737, or by email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov. You may also directly access the draft EA and draft FONSI at the following link ML24103A002.April 22, 2024 J. Bunch2 Pursuant to 36 CFR 800.8(c)(1)(iii) and 36 CFR 800.8(c)(2)(i), the NRC invites you to submit comments on the draft EA, draft FONSI, and the staffs preliminary determination of no adverse effect to historic properties within 30 days. Chapter 3.5 of the draft EA discusses historic and cultural resources and historic properties identified in the direct and indirect area of potential effects as well as the NRC staffs preliminary determination of no adverse effect to historic properties. You may submit comments using any of the following methods:

• Email: Comments may be submitted to the NRC electronically using the email address:

Kairos-Hermes2Environmental@nrc.gov.

• Mail comments to: Office of Administration, Mail Stop: TWFN-7-A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, ATTN: Program Management, Announcements and Editing Staff.

Based on this draft EA and draft FONSI, including any comments received on these drafts, the NRC will decide whether to issue a final FONSI for this proposed action or to prepare an environmental impact statement.

For further information you may contact:

• Peyton Doub, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-6703; by email at Peyton.Doub@nrc.gov.

OR

• Beau Goldstein, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-1765; by email at Beau.Goldstein@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, John M. Moses, Deputy Director Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket Nos. 50-611 and 50-612 cc:

Jason Dalton, Section 106 Coordinator jdalton@ukb-nsn.gov Acee Watt, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer awatt@ukb-nsn.gov Signed by Moses, John on 04/22/24

ML24101A067; Ltr ML24113A170 OFFICE NMSS/REFS/ERMB NMSS/REFS NMSS/REFS/ERMB NMSS/REFS/ERMB

/ERNRB NAME BGoldstein BG JDoub JD AWalker-SmithAW MRome JTrefethen for JT DATE Apr 11, 2024 Apr 12, 2024 Apr 16, 2024 Apr 17, 2024 OFFICE NMSS/REFS NAME JMoses JM DATE Apr 22, 2024