[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 206 (Friday, October 23, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67572-67574]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-23463]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-338 and 50-339; NRC-2020-0234]


Notice of Intent To Conduct Scoping Process and Prepare 
Environmental Impact Statement; Virginia Electric and Power Company; 
North Anna Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Intent to conduct scoping process and prepare environmental 
impact statement; public scoping meeting and request for comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will conduct a 
scoping process to gather information necessary to prepare an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) to evaluate the environmental 
impacts for the subsequent license renewal of the operating licenses 
for North Anna Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 (North Anna). The NRC 
is seeking stakeholder input on this action and has scheduled a public 
scoping meeting that will take place as an online webinar.

DATES: The NRC will hold a public scoping meeting as an online webinar 
on November 4, 2020, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time 
(EST). Submit comments on the scope of the EIS by November 23, 2020. 
Comments received after November 23, 2020 will be considered if it is 
practical to do so, but assurance of consideration cannot be given to 
comments received after this date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods 
(unless this document describes a different method for submitting 
comments on a specific subject):
     Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.nrc.gov and 
search for Docket ID NRC-2020-0234. Address questions about Docket IDs 
in Regulations.gov to Jennifer Borges; telephone: 301-287-9127; email: 
[email protected]. For technical questions, contact the 
individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this document.
     Mail comments to: Office of Administration, Mail Stop 
TWFN7A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-
0001. For additional direction on obtaining information and submitting 
comments, see ``Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments'' in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tam Tran, Office of Nuclear Material 
Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, 
DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-3617, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments

A. Obtaining Information

    Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2020-0234 when contacting the NRC 
about the availability of information regarding this document. You may 
obtain publicly available information related to this document by any 
of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://regulations.gov 
and search for Docket ID NRC-2020-0234.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly available documents online in the NRC 
Library at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the 
search, select ``Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.'' For problems with 
ADAMS, please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference 
staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to 
[email protected]. The ADAMS accession number for each document 
referenced in this document (if that document is available in ADAMS) is 
provided the first time that a document is referenced. Virginia 
Electric and Power Co.'s (Dominion) application for subsequent renewal 
of the North Anna licenses can be found in (ADAMS Package Accession No. 
ML20246G703).
     Attention: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies 
of public documents is currently closed. You may submit your request to 
the PDR via email at [email protected] or call 1-800-397-4209 
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (EST), Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

B. Submitting Comments

    The NRC encourages electronic comment submission through the 
Federal Rulemaking website (https://www.regulations.gov). Please 
include Docket ID NRC-2020-0234 in your comment submission in order to 
ensure that the NRC is able to make your comment submission available 
to the public in this docket.
    The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact 
information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your 
comment submission. The NRC will post all comment submissions at 
https://www.regulations.gov as well as enter the comment submissions 
into ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to 
remove identifying or contact information.
    If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons 
for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to 
include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be 
publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should 
state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to 
remove such information before making the comment submissions available 
to the public or entering the comment submissions into ADAMS.

[[Page 67573]]

II. Discussion

    On August 24, 2020 Dominion submitted to the NRC an application for 
subsequent license renewal (SLR) of Renewed Facility Operating License 
Nos. NPF-4 and NPF-7 for an additional 20 years of operation at North 
Anna Power Station, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 (ADAMS Package Accession No. 
ML20246G703). Dominion's submission initiated the NRC's proposed 
action: To grant or deny Dominion's SLR application for renewed power 
reactor operating licenses, which, if granted, would authorize North 
Anna to operate for an additional 20 years. The North Anna units are 
pressurized water reactors designed by Westinghouse Electric 
Corporation and are located in Louisa County, Virginia. The current 
renewed operating license for Unit No. 1 expires at midnight on April 
1, 2038, and the current renewed operating license for Unit No. 2 
expires at midnight on August 21, 2040. The SLR application was 
submitted pursuant to part 54 of title 10 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (10 CFR) and included an environmental report (ER). A 
notice of receipt and availability of the application was published in 
the Federal Register on September 21, 2020 (85 FR 59334). A notice of 
acceptance for docketing of the application and opportunity for hearing 
regarding subsequent license renewal of the North Anna operating 
licenses was published in the Federal Register on October 15, 2020 (85 
FR 65438) and is available in Regulations.gov by searching for Docket 
ID NRC-2020-0201.

III. Request for Comments

    This notice informs the public of the NRC's intention to conduct 
environmental scoping and prepare an EIS related to Dominion's SLR 
application, and to provide the public an opportunity to participate in 
the environmental scoping process, as defined in 10 CFR 51.29.
    The regulations in 36 CFR 800.8, ``Coordination with the National 
Environmental Policy Act,'' allow agencies to use their National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) process to fulfill the 
requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act 
(NHPA). Therefore, pursuant to 36 CFR 800.8(c), the NRC intends to use 
its process and documentation for the preparation of the EIS on the 
proposed action to comply with Section 106 of the NHPA in lieu of the 
procedures set forth at 36 CFR 800.3 through 800.6.
    In accordance with 10 CFR 51.53(c) and 10 CFR 54.23, Dominion 
submitted an ER as part of the SLR application. The ER was prepared 
pursuant to 10 CFR part 51 and is publicly available (ADAMS Accession 
No. ML20246G698). The ER may also be viewed on the internet at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/subsequent-license-renewal.html. In addition, the SLR application including the ER are 
available for public review on the website of the Louisa County Library 
at https://jmrl.org/br-louisa.htm.
    The NRC intends to gather the information necessary to prepare a 
plant-specific supplement to the NRC's NUREG-1437, ``Generic 
Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants'' 
(GEIS), related to the application for subsequent license renewal of 
the North Anna operating licenses for an additional 20 years beyond the 
period specified in each of the current renewed licenses. The NRC is 
required by 10 CFR 51.95 to prepare a plant-specific supplement to the 
GEIS in connection with the renewal of an operating license. This 
notice is being published in accordance with NEPA and the NRC's 
regulations found at 10 CFR part 51.
    The supplement to the GEIS will evaluate the environmental impacts 
of subsequent license renewal for North Anna Unit Nos. 1 and 2, and 
reasonable alternatives thereto. Possible alternatives to the proposed 
action include the no action alternative and reasonable alternative 
energy sources.
    As part of its environmental review process, the NRC will first 
conduct scoping for the supplement to the GEIS and, as soon as 
practicable thereafter, will prepare a draft supplement to the GEIS for 
public comment. Participation in the scoping process by members of the 
public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal government agencies is 
encouraged. The scoping process for the supplement to the GEIS will be 
used to accomplish the following:
    a. Define the proposed action, which is to be the subject of the 
supplement to the GEIS;
    b. Determine the scope of the supplement to the GEIS and identify 
the significant issues to be analyzed in depth;
    c. Identify and eliminate from detailed study those issues that are 
peripheral or are not significant; or were covered by a prior 
environmental review;
    d. Identify any environmental assessments and other ElSs that are 
being or will be prepared that are related to, but are not part of, the 
scope of the supplement to the GEIS being considered;
    e. Identify other environmental review and consultation 
requirements related to the proposed action;
    f. Indicate the relationship between the timing of the preparation 
of the environmental analyses and the Commission's tentative planning 
and decision-making schedule;
    g. Identify any cooperating agencies and, as appropriate, allocate 
assignments for preparation and schedules for completing the supplement 
to the GEIS to the NRC and any cooperating agencies; and
    h. Describe how the supplement to the GEIS will be prepared, 
including any contractor assistance to be used.
    The NRC invites the following entities to participate in scoping:
    a. The applicant, Dominion;
    b. Any Federal agency that has jurisdiction by law or special 
expertise with respect to any environmental impact involved or that is 
authorized to develop and enforce relevant environmental standards;
    c. Affected State and local government agencies, including those 
authorized to develop and enforce relevant environmental standards;
    d. Any affected Indian Tribe;
    e. Any person who requests or has requested an opportunity to 
participate in the scoping process; and
    f. Any person who has petitioned or intends to petition for leave 
to intervene under 10 CFR 2.309.

IV. Public Scoping Meeting

    In accordance with 10 CFR 51.26(b), the scoping process for an EIS 
may include a public scoping meeting to help identify significant 
issues related to a proposed activity and to determine the scope of 
issues to be addressed in an EIS.
    The NRC is announcing that it will hold a public scoping meeting as 
an online webinar, for the North Anna subsequent license renewal 
supplement to the GEIS. The webinar will offer a telephone line for 
members of the public to provide comments. A court reporter will record 
and transcribe all comments received during the webinar. To be 
considered, comments must be provided either at the transcribed public 
meeting or in writing, as discussed in the ADDRESSES section of this 
document. The date and time for the public scoping webinar are as 
follows:

[[Page 67574]]



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Meeting                       Date                  Time                      Location
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Public Scoping Webinar..................       11/4/2020  1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.      Webinar Information:
                                                           (EST).                      https://usnrc.webex.com.
                                                                                      Event number: 199 753
                                                                                       7173.
                                                                                      Telephone Bridge Line: 1-
                                                                                       800-369-2157.
                                                                                      Participant Passcode:
                                                                                       525781#.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The public scoping meeting will include: (1) An overview by the NRC 
staff of the environmental and safety review processes, the proposed 
scope of the supplement to the GEIS, and the proposed review schedule; 
and (2) the opportunity for interested government agencies, 
organizations, and individuals to submit comments or suggestions on 
environmental issues or the proposed scope of the North Anna subsequent 
license renewal supplement to the GEIS.
    Persons interested in attending this online webinar should monitor 
the NRC's Public Meeting Schedule at https://www.nrc.gov/pmns/mtg for 
additional information, agendas for the meeting, and access information 
for the webinar. Participants should register in advance of the meeting 
by visiting the website https://usnrc.webex.com and using the event 
number provided in this notice. A confirmation email will be generated 
providing additional details and a link to the webinar. Please contact 
Tam Tran no later than November 2, 2020, if accommodations or special 
equipment is needed to attend or to provide comments, so that the NRC 
staff can determine whether the request can be accommodated.
    Participation in the scoping process for the North Anna subsequent 
license renewal supplement to the GEIS does not entitle participants to 
become parties to the proceeding to which the supplement to the GEIS 
relates. Matters related to participation in any hearing are outside 
the scope of matters to be discussed at this public meeting.

    Dated: October 19, 2020.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert B. Elliott,
Chief, Environmental Review License Renewal Branch, Division of 
Rulemaking, Environment, and Financial Support, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2020-23463 Filed 10-22-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P