NRC TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETING OCT. 19 ON ENVIRONMENTAL
SCOPING PROCESS FOR VOGTLE EARLY SITE PERMIT
Printable Version

Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will hold a public meeting Oct. 19 in Waynesboro, Ga., to discuss the agency’s review of Southern Nuclear Co.’s Early Site Permit (ESP) application for the Vogtle site, and the environmental issues the NRC should consider in reviewing the application.

The meeting will be held in the auditorium of the Augusta Technical College, 216 Highway 24 South in Waynesboro, from 7 - 10 p.m. The meeting’s proceedings, including any follow-up answers the staff provides later, will be transcribed and made available on the NRC Web. NRC staff will be available before the meeting for informal discussions with members of the public during an “open house” session from 5 - 7 p.m. No formal comments on the environmental review will be accepted during the open house.

The ESP process allows an applicant to resolve site-related issues, such as environmental impacts, before possible future construction and operation of a nuclear power plant. Southern’s application for the site, approximately 26 miles southeast of Augusta, Ga., was filed Aug. 15. If approved, the ESP would give Southern up to 20 years to decide whether to build one or more nuclear plants on the site, and to file an application with the NRC for approval to begin construction. The full technical review of the application will address site suitability, environmental protection, and plans for coping with emergencies. Following that review and issuance of a safety evaluation and environmental impact statement, a hearing will be held on the matter.

Those wishing to register in advance to present their comments at the meeting should contact Cristina Guerrero at 800-368-5642 x2981 or via e-mail at Vogtle_EIS.Resource@nrc.gov (the address is Vogtle_EIS), by Oct. 12. Members of the public should request special equipment or accommodations for attending or presenting information by that date so the staff can consider the request. Those wishing to speak may also register at the meeting no later than 6:45 p.m. Individual comments could be limited by the time available, depending on how many people wish to speak.

Written comments on the scoping process will also be considered by NRC staff. Comments should be submitted no later than Dec. 4, either by mail to the Chief, Rules and Directives Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Office of Administration, Mailstop T-6D59, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, by e-mail to Vogtle_EIS.Resource@nrc.gov, or hand-delivered to the NRC at 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Md., between 7:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. on Federal workdays.

The meeting’s agenda will be available electronically on the NRC Web at: http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/public-meetings/index.cfm. For more information or to inquire about schedule changes, contact Ms. Guerrero via the methods described above.

NRC news releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address: http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC Home Page at www.nrc.gov also offers a Subscribe to News link in the News & Information menu. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's Web Site.

Privacy Policy | Site Disclaimer
Friday, November 28, 2008