Draft Environmental Impact Statement for an Early Site Permit (ESP) at the North Anna ESP Site (NUREG-1811, Draft Report for Comment)

This NUREG-series publication was issued for public comment, and the comment period is now closed.

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Publication Information

Manuscript Completed: November 2004
Manuscript Published: November 2004

Division of Regulatory Improvement Programs
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, DC 20555-0001

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Abstract

This draft environmental impact statement (EIS) has been prepared in response to an application submitted to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) by Dominion Nuclear North Anna, LLC (Dominion), for an early site permit (ESP). The proposed action requested in Dominion's application is for the NRC to (1) approve a site within the existing North Anna Power Station (NAPS) boundaries as suitable for the construction, and operation, of new nuclear power generating facilities, and (2) issue an ESP for the proposed site located at NAPS. The proposed action does not include any decision or approval to construct or operate one or more units; these are matters that would be considered only upon the filing of applications for a construction permit and an operating license, or an application for a combined license. The application does propose a plan for redressing the environmental effects of certain site preparation and preliminary construction activities (i.e., those activities allowed by 10 CFR 50.10(e)(1)) performed by an ESP holder under 10 CFR 52.25. In accordance with the plan, the site would be redressed if the NRC issues the requested ESP (containing the site redress plan), the ESP holder performs these site preparation and preliminary construction activities, the ESP is not referenced in an application for a construction permit or combined license, and no alternative use is found for the site. This draft EIS includes the NRC staff's analysis that considers and weighs the environmental impacts of constructing and operating two nuclear units at the North Anna ESP site, or at alternative sites, and mitigation measures available for reducing or avoiding adverse impacts. It also includes the staff's preliminary recommendation to the Commission regarding the proposed action.

The staff's preliminary recommendation is that the ESP should be issued. This preliminary recommendation is based on (1) the Environmental Report submitted by Dominion, as revised; (2) consultation with Federal, State, Tribal and local agencies; (3) the staff's independent review; (4) the staff's consideration of comments received during the public scoping process and; (5) the assessments summarized in this draft EIS, including the potential mitigation measures identified in the ER and in the EIS. In addition, in making its preliminary recommendation, the staff has concluded that there are no environmentally preferable or obviously superior sites. Finally, the staff has preliminarily concluded that the site preparation and preliminary construction activities allowed by 10 CFR 50.10(e)(1) will not result in any significant adverse environmental impact that cannot be redressed.