ML15040A629

Letter from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4 to NRC Dated January 12, 2015, Providing Comments on Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Supplement 50) for License Renewal of Grand Gulf Nuclear Station

ML15040A629
Person / Time
Site:	Grand Gulf
Issue date:	01/12/2015
From:	Mueller H Environmental Protection Agency
To:	Brian Wittick License Renewal Projects Branch 2
References
Download: ML15040A629 (2)

Text

S,* sUNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ATLANTAREGION 4 ATLANTA FEDERAL CENTER 61 FORSYTH STREET PRo*

ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303-8960 January 12, 2015 Mr. Brian D. Wittick, Chief U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Projects Branch 2 Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 SUBJ:

EPA Review and Comments Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement For License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, Supplement 50 regarding Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1 (GGNS)

CEQ No. 20140353

Dear Mr. Wittick:

Pursuant to Section 309 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 reviewed the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, Supplement 50, (FGSEIS), regarding the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Unit 1, (GGNS)

NUREG-1437, November 2014. We appreciate your coordination with us.

This FGSEIS is the result of Entergy Operations, Inc. (Entergy) submitting a request to the U.S.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to renew the operating license for an additional 20 years for the GGNS in Claibome County, Mississippi. GGNS was granted an extended power uprate (EPU) by the NRC on July 18, 2012, making it the largest single-unit nuclear power plant in the U.S., and fifth largest in the world. An Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) were published in 2012, related to the license amendment request for an EPU. The Draft Generic Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DGSEIS) for the license renewal was published in November 2013. EPA Region 4 reviewed and commented on this document via comment letter dated February 26, 2014. We appreciate your responses to our comments on the DGSEIS, which are included in Appendix A of this FGSEIS. The FGSEIS contains an updated discussion of the Commission's rulemaking action, and evaluation of the environmental impacts associated with the continued storage of spent nuclear fuel.

The GGNS Unit 1 is a single-cycle, forced-circulation, General Electric Mark III boiling water reactor (BWR). The proposed action is to issue a renewed power reactor operating license, since the existing license for the GGNS will expire on November 1, 2024. The NRC's Federal action is the decision whether or not to renew the license for an additional 20 years. The NRC staff Internet Address (URL)

• http://www.epa.gov Recyled/Recyclable

• Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on Recycled Paper (Minimum 30% Postconsumer)

concluded that the environmental impacts of the renewal of the operating license would be smaller than those of feasible and commercially viable alternatives for energy production, and that the continued operation of GGNS is the environmentally preferred alternative.

For the renewal of a license, Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR 51.95(c))

states that the NRC shall prepare a Supplemental EIS which is a supplement to previously conducted Environmental Impact Statements (EISs). The DGSEIS and the current FGSEIS serve to meet this requirement, and include an analysis that evaluates the environmental impacts of the proposed action of relicensing GGNS Unit 1.

Based on EPA's review, there are some remaining environmental concerns. In particular, spent nuclear fuel storage, transportation and disposition, and radionuclides in groundwater are issues that will require continued monitoring as the project progresses. The FGSEIS also notes that the reported tritium concentrations significantly decreased in many onsite monitoring wells by the end of 2013, and that all were below the EPA drinking water standard for tritium, and that monitoring is ongoing. Regarding facility aging, we note that the NRC staff's safety evaluation is continuing, and that a final report is pending.

In conclusion, the FGSEIS provides useful information for assessment of the proposal to relicense GGNS Unit 1, and we appreciate your responses to our comments regarding the DGSEIS. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this project. Please send us a copy of the Record of Decision (ROD) when it becomes available. If you have any questions, contact Ramona McConney of my staff at 404-562-9615.

Sincerely, Heinz J. Mueller, Chief NEPA Program Office Resource Conservation and Restoration Division Cc:

David Drucker, NRC, Senior Project Manager 2