Nuclear Fuel Services takes step toward license renewal
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By Allie Word
posted Dec. 16, 2011
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has filed a final environmental assessment and concluded that the license renewal for Nuclear Fuel Services in Erwin, Tennessee, would not have any significant effect on the quality of the human environment.
The assessment was done after NFS applied to renew its license for 40 years. If the license renewal is approved, NFS can continue the production of nuclear fuel for the U.S. Navy.
The assessment, which was published in the Federal Register on October 26, was part of the commission’s license renewal process. The next step in the renewal process is a safety review organized by the commission.
“So far, NFS has done everything that has needed to be done for the license renewal."
-Lauri Turpin, NFS spokeswoman
Lauri Turpin, communications manager of NFS, said the company has done its part in the license renewal process.
“So far, NFS has done everything that has needed to be done for the license renewal,” said Turpin. “Everything else is a matter that is handled by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.”
Before organizing the safety review, there are still pieces of information the commission needs in part of the review, said Roger Hannah, the senior public affairs officer for the commission’s Region II office in Atlanta.
“The current schedule has the agency (NRC) making a decision probably in the next six to 12 months on whether that license will be renewed,” said Hannah.
Most of the documents from the safety review will be available to the public. However, there are some documents, Hannah said, that would not be made public because of security reasons.
“Because of some of the things they do with radioactive material some of it is security-related information,” said Hannah. “It wouldn’t be a good thing if it fell into the wrong hands.”
Linda Modica, of Jonesborough, Tenn., is a member of Sierra Club National Nuclear Issues Activist Team. Modica said she was less concerned with a safety review than an environmental impact statement.
“I am still pushing for an EIS (environmental impact statement) to be done,” said Modica.
However, since the assessment found no significant environmental impacts, the conclusion of the assessment was that an environmental impact statement did not need to be issued.
In 2010, members of the public were allowed to comment on a draft of the environmental assessment. The comments and the commission’s responses are made public through the Agency-wide Documents Access and Management System. Comments and responses are also included at the end of the assessment.
Of the 375 comments, only 12 supported a draft of the environmental assessment. The three individuals who commented in support of the assessment were Lee Brown of Erwin Utilities, and Susan Hobbs and James Long, who were not listed with any affiliation.
Barbara O’Neal, of Erwin Citizens Awareness Network, petitioned against the approval of the 40-year license. O’Neal wrote in an email that she could not make any public comments “due to on-going litigation.”
“A 40-year license renewal on a 54-year-old plant is a major federal action,” said Modica. “And the scope of the environmental assessment is limited.”
Contact Allie Word at [email protected]
By Allie Word
posted Dec. 16, 2011
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has filed a final environmental assessment and concluded that the license renewal for Nuclear Fuel Services in Erwin, Tennessee, would not have any significant effect on the quality of the human environment.
The assessment was done after NFS applied to renew its license for 40 years. If the license renewal is approved, NFS can continue the production of nuclear fuel for the U.S. Navy.
The assessment, which was published in the Federal Register on October 26, was part of the commission’s license renewal process. The next step in the renewal process is a safety review organized by the commission.
“So far, NFS has done everything that has needed to be done for the license renewal."
-Lauri Turpin, NFS spokeswoman
Lauri Turpin, communications manager of NFS, said the company has done its part in the license renewal process.
“So far, NFS has done everything that has needed to be done for the license renewal,” said Turpin. “Everything else is a matter that is handled by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.”
Before organizing the safety review, there are still pieces of information the commission needs in part of the review, said Roger Hannah, the senior public affairs officer for the commission’s Region II office in Atlanta.
“The current schedule has the agency (NRC) making a decision probably in the next six to 12 months on whether that license will be renewed,” said Hannah.
Most of the documents from the safety review will be available to the public. However, there are some documents, Hannah said, that would not be made public because of security reasons.
“Because of some of the things they do with radioactive material some of it is security-related information,” said Hannah. “It wouldn’t be a good thing if it fell into the wrong hands.”
Linda Modica, of Jonesborough, Tenn., is a member of Sierra Club National Nuclear Issues Activist Team. Modica said she was less concerned with a safety review than an environmental impact statement.
“I am still pushing for an EIS (environmental impact statement) to be done,” said Modica.
However, since the assessment found no significant environmental impacts, the conclusion of the assessment was that an environmental impact statement did not need to be issued.
In 2010, members of the public were allowed to comment on a draft of the environmental assessment. The comments and the commission’s responses are made public through the Agency-wide Documents Access and Management System. Comments and responses are also included at the end of the assessment.
Of the 375 comments, only 12 supported a draft of the environmental assessment. The three individuals who commented in support of the assessment were Lee Brown of Erwin Utilities, and Susan Hobbs and James Long, who were not listed with any affiliation.
Barbara O’Neal, of Erwin Citizens Awareness Network, petitioned against the approval of the 40-year license. O’Neal wrote in an email that she could not make any public comments “due to on-going litigation.”
“A 40-year license renewal on a 54-year-old plant is a major federal action,” said Modica. “And the scope of the environmental assessment is limited.”
Contact Allie Word at [email protected]