ML20196L775
| ML20196L775 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 07/14/2020 |
| From: | Robert Beall NRC/NMSS/DREFS/RRPB |
| To: | |
| Beall, Robert | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20196L773 | List: |
| References | |
| 20200667, NRC-2015-0225, RIN 3150-AJ68 | |
| Download: ML20196L775 (2) | |
Text
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Public Meeting Summary July 14, 2020
Title:
Category 3 Public Meeting to Discuss the Proposed Emergency Preparedness for Small Modular Reactors and Other New Technologies Rule Meeting Identifier: 20200667 Date of Meeting: Wednesday, June 24, 2020 Location: Webinar Type of Meeting: Category 3 Purpose of the Meeting(s):
To provide an opportunity for external stakeholders and the NRC staff to exchange information on the proposed Emergency Preparedness (EP) for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Other New Technologies (ONTs) rulemaking to facilitate the development of public comments.
General Details:
On May 12, 2020, the NRC issued for public comment a proposed EP for SMR and ONT rule (85 FR 28436). The proposed rule has four major provisions: 1) a new alternative performance-based EP framework; 2) a hazard analysis of any NRC-licensed or non-licensed facility contiguous or nearby to an SMR or ONT; 3) a scalable approach for determining the size of the plume exposure pathway Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ); and
- 4) a requirement to describe ingestion response planning in the emergency plan. In addition, the NRC also issued draft regulatory guidance, DG-1350, Performance-Based Emergency Preparedness for Small Modular Reactors, Non-Light-Water Reactors, and Non-power Production or Utilization Facilities, for public comment.
The meeting was attended by 222 people participating through webinar and audio teleconferencing.
Summary of Presentations:
Kathryn Brock, the NRCs Director of the Division of Preparedness and Response in the Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR), provided opening remarks. Ms.
Brock briefly discussed the purpose and background of the proposed rule.
After Ms. Brocks remarks, Robert Beall, a Rulemaking Project Manager in the NRCs Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS), explained that the proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on May 12, 2020, with a correction issued on May 29, 2020, addressing an error in the definition of the term non-power production or utilization facility. Mr. Beall stated that the comment period for the proposed rule is 75 days and closes on July 27, 2020.
Following Mr. Beall, Arlon Costa, a Senior Project Manager in the NRCs Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, reviewed the four major provisions of the proposed rule: (1) new alternative performance-based EP framework, (2) hazard analysis requirements, (3) scalable approach to determining the size of the plume exposure pathway EPZ, and (4)
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Public Meeting Summary July 14, 2020 requirements to describe ingestion response planning. In addition, Mr. Costa discussed the draft regulatory guidance, DG-1350.
After Mr. Costas remarks, Chris Howells, a Cost Analyst in NMSS, reviewed the results of the proposed rules regulatory analysis. After Mr. Howells, Mr. Beall noted that, because the proposed rule contains alternative requirements that the NRC would not impose on applicants and licensees, the proposed rule and guidance would not be subject to the NRCs backfitting or issue finality regulations. In addition, Mr. Beall discussed the proposed rules environmental assessment, in which the NRC determined that the proposed rule would have no significant impact on the quality of the human environment. Finally, Mr. Beall reviewed the proposed rules information collection burden statements and the request for public comment on the proposed changes to the EP recordkeeping and reporting requirements.
Following Mr. Bealls remarks, Eric Schrader, an EP Specialist in NSIR, reviewed the section of the proposed rule Federal Register notice that contains the NRCs specific requests for comments. In this section, the NRC posed questions on eight topics related to the proposed rule.
After the public had an opportunity to ask the NRC staff questions about the proposed rule, Mr. Beall encouraged the public to submit formal comments on the proposed rule and provided instructions on how to do so. Mr. Beall also reviewed the NRCs rulemaking process and pointed out that the EP for SMRs and ONTs proposed rulemaking is in the Publish Proposed Rule for Comment stage of the rulemaking process. Mr. Beall added that, following resolution of public comments, the NRC staff would hold public meetings with the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards before submitting the draft final rule to the Commission.
Public Participation Themes:
During the public question and answer portion of the meeting, six meeting participants raised questions. These questions involved the definition of spectrum of credible accidents, the lack of operating history for SMRs and ONTs, the Price-Anderson Act Report to Congress, sites with multiple reactors, a parallel NRC effort related to source term guidance, and the basis of the 1,000 megawatt-thermal limit in the definition of small modular reactor. In addition, a number of participants requested a six-month extension to the public comment period.
Action Items/Next Steps:
Members of the public should submit their comments for rulemaking docket ID NRC-2015-0225 via www.regulations.gov (preferred method), email, or mail as described by Mr. Beall and in the proposed rule Federal Register notice.
Attachments:
o Meeting agenda - ADAMS Accession No. ML20163A700 o NRC staff presentation - ADAMS Accession No. ML20154K432 o Meeting transcript - ADAMS Accession No. ML20196A777