[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 12, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49917-49919]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-12810]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-0613; NRC-2024-0078


US SFR Owner, LLC.; Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1; Notice of 
Intent To Conduct Scoping Process and Prepare Environmental Impact 
Statement

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION:  Notice; public scoping meeting and request for comment.

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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 a construction permit (CP) requested by US SFR Owner, LLC. 
The NRC is seeking public comment on this action and has scheduled a 
public scoping meeting.

DATES: The NRC will hold a public scoping meeting on July 16, 2024. 
Meeting details will be available by June 25, 2024, at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/advanced/who-were-working-with/applicant-projects/terrapower.html or at the NRC's Public Meeting 
Schedule website at https://www.nrc.gov/pmns/mtg. Members of the public 
are invited to submit comments on the scope of the EIS by August 12, 
2024. Comments received after this date will be considered if it is 
practical to do so, but the NRC is able to ensure consideration only 
for comments received on or before this date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods; 
however, the NRC encourages electronic comment submission through the 
Federal rulemaking website:
     Email: Comments may be submitted to the NRC electronically 
using the email address [email protected].
     Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2024-0078. Address 
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann; 
telephone: 301-415-0624; 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: 
TWFN-7-A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-
0001, ATTN: Program Management, Announcements and Editing Staff.
    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:  Patricia Vokoun, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-3470; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments

A. Obtaining Information

    Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2024-0078 when contacting the NRC 
about the availability of information regarding this document. You may 
obtain publicly available information related to this document using 
any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2024-0078.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly available documents online in the 
ADAMS Public Documents collection 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, at 301-415-4737, 
or by email to [email protected]. The ADAMS accession number for 
each document referenced in this document (if it is available in ADAMS) 
is provided the first time that it is referenced.
     NRC's PDR: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies 
of publicly available documents, is open by appointment. To make an 
appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to 
[email protected] or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8 
a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time (ET), Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.
     Public Library: A copy of the CP application, including 
the environmental report (ER) for Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1, is 
available for public review at the Lincoln County Library, 519 Emerald 
Street, Kemmerer, WY 83101.

B. Submitting Comments

    The NRC encourages electronic comment submission through the 
Federal rulemaking website (https://www.regulations.gov). Please 
include Docket ID NRC-2024-0078 in the subject line of your comment 
submission.
    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 into ADAMS.

II. Discussion

    By letter dated March 28, 2024 (ADAMS Package Accession No. 
ML24088A059), TerraPower, LLC (TerraPower) on behalf of US SFR Owner, 
LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of TerraPower, submitted to the NRC 
pursuant to Section 103 of the Atomic Energy Act and part 50 of title 
10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), ``Domestic Licensing of 
Production and Utilization Facilities,'' an application for a CP to 
construct a Natrium Reactor Plant, Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1, in 
Lincoln County, Wyoming as part of participation in the U.S. Department 
of Energy's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. The Natrium

[[Page 49918]]

Reactor Plant is an 840 megawatts thermal, pool type, sodium-cooled 
fast reactor that contains a compact and simple safety envelope and a 
molten salt energy storage system. This submission initiated the NRC's 
proposed action of determining whether to grant the CP. The application 
was supplemented on May 2, 2024 (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML24123A242, 
ML24123A243) and May 9, 2024 (ADAMS Accession No. ML24130A181). A 
notice of receipt and availability of the application, was published in 
the Federal Register (FR) on May 14, 2024 (89 FR 42004).
    The NRC staff determined that TerraPower submitted an application 
in accordance with 10 CFR part 50, and that the application is 
acceptable for docketing under Docket No. 50-0613. The NRC sent a 
letter of acceptance and docketing to TerraPower on May 21, 2024 (ADAMS 
Accession No. ML24135A109). A notice of acceptance for docketing of the 
application and notice of hearing were published in the FR on June 4, 
2024 (89 FR 47997). These notices are available on the Federal 
rulemaking website (https://www.regulations.gov) by searching for 
Docket ID NRC-2024-0078.

III. Request for Comment

    This notice informs the public of the NRC's intent to conduct 
environmental scoping and prepare an EIS related to the CP application 
for Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1 and to provide the public an 
opportunity to participate in the environmental scoping process, in 
accordance with 10 CFR 51.29 ``Scoping-environmental impact statement 
and supplement to environmental impact statement,'' and 10 CFR 51.116 
``Notice of intent.''
    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 (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.) (NEPA) 
process to fulfill the requirements of Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (54 U.S.C. 300101, et seq.) (NHPA). 
Therefore, pursuant to 36 CFR 800.8(c), the NRC intends to use its 
process and documentation required 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 51.50(a), TerraPower submitted an ER as 
part of the CP application. The ER was prepared pursuant to 10 CFR part 
51 and is publicly available at ADAMS Accession No. ML24088A072. The ER 
will also be available for viewing at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/advanced/who-were-working-with/applicant-projects/terrapower.html. In addition, the ER is available for public review at 
the Lincoln County Library, 519 Emerald Street, Kemmerer, WY 83101.
    The NRC intends to gather the information necessary to prepare an 
EIS related to the CP application for the Kemmerer Power Station Unit 
1. The NRC is required by 10 CFR 51.20(b) to prepare an EIS in 
connection with the issuance of a CP for a power reactor. This notice 
is being published in accordance with NEPA and the NRC's regulations at 
10 CFR part 51.
    The EIS will evaluate the environmental impacts of construction, 
operation, and decommissioning of the Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1, 
and reasonable alternatives thereto. Possible alternatives to the 
proposed action include the no action alternative and alternative 
sites.
    As part of its environmental review, the NRC will first conduct a 
scoping process and, as soon as practicable thereafter, will prepare a 
draft EIS for public comment. Participation in this scoping process by 
members of the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal government 
agencies is encouraged. The scoping process for the draft EIS will be 
used to accomplish the following:
    a. Define the proposed action that is to be the subject of the EIS;
    b. Determine the scope of the EIS 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 that have been covered by 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 EIS under consideration;
    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 NRC's tentative planning and 
decision-making schedule;
    g. Identify any cooperating agencies and, as appropriate, allocate 
assignments for preparation and schedules for completing the EIS to the 
NRC and any cooperating agencies; and
    h. Describe how the EIS will be prepared, including any contractor 
assistance to be used.
    The NRC invites the following entities to participate in scoping:
    a. The applicant, US SFR Owner, LLC.;
    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 the proposed action and to determine the scope of 
issues to be addressed in the EIS.
    The NRC is planning to conduct a public scoping meeting for the 
Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1 EIS. The meeting is currently expected to 
be held on July 16, 2024. Meeting details will be available by June 25, 
2024, at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/advanced/who-were-working-with/applicant-projects/terrapower.html or at the NRC's Public 
Meeting Schedule website at https://www.nrc.gov/pmns/mtg. A court 
reporter will transcribe all comments received during the public 
meeting. 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. Please contact Patricia Vokoun no later than 
July 6, 2024, if accommodations or special equipment is needed to 
participate or to provide comments, so that the NRC staff can determine 
whether the request can be accommodated.
    The public scoping meeting will include: (1) an overview by the NRC 
staff of the safety and environmental review processes, the proposed 
scope of the EIS, 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 Kemmerer Power Station Unit 1 EIS.
    Participation in the scoping process for the Kemmerer Power Station 
Unit 1 EIS does not entitle participants to become parties to the 
proceeding to which the EIS relates. Matters related to

[[Page 49919]]

participation in any hearing are outside the scope of matters to be 
discussed at this public meeting.

    Dated: June 6, 2024.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John Moses,
Deputy Director, Division of Rulemaking, Environment, and Financial 
Support, Office of Nuclear Material Safety, and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2024-12810 Filed 6-11-24; 8:45 am]
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