NRC holding public meetings on proposed GEIS revisions
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold four hybrid meetings around the United States as it seeks comment on a proposed rule to update its license renewal generic environmental impact statement (GEIS).
The meetings will be in person but also will be accessible via Microsoft Teams. The following meetings have been scheduled:
- March 28, 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. (CDT), at the Marriott Chicago Naperville, 1801 N. Naperville Blvd., Naperville, Ill.
- March 30, 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. (CDT), at the Marriott Dallas/Fort Worth Westlake, 1301 Solana Blvd., Building 3, Westlake, Texas
- April 4, 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. (EDT), at the Alloy King of Prussia, 301 West DeKalb Pike, King of Prussia, Pa.
- April 6, 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. (EDT), at the Courtyard by Marriott Atlanta Decatur Downtown/Emory, 130 Clairemont Ave., Decatur, Ga.
Why? The proposed rule is in response to a 2022 NRC order that concluded the license renewal GEIS did not analyze the environmental impacts of a subsequent license renewal term (from 60 to 80 years of operation). The proposed rule amends the relevant rule language to account for initial license renewal and one term of subsequent license renewal, redefines the number and scope of the environmental issues that must be addressed during the review of each application for license renewal, and updates related guidance to fully address subsequent renewal.
What’s covered? The GEIS covers environmental topics relevant to all nuclear power plant operators seeking renewed licenses. The document accounts for new or revised environmental impacts as well as changes in regulations or guidance and applies what the NRC has learned during previous license renewals.
Meeting details: The NRC will accept comments up to the May 2 deadline. The agency’s staff will consider the comments before finalizing the rule and the GEIS for NRC consideration. Comments can also be submitted via regulations.gov under Docket ID NRC-2018-0296, by email to Rulemaking.Comments@nrc.gov, or by U.S. post to Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C., 20555-0001, ATTN: Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff.
Those interested in attending online should register ahead of time by clicking on the date links in the bulleted section above. NRC staff will host a 30-minute open house prior to each meeting.
