[See the NRC press release, below. Note that NRC is defying the united New Mexican U.S. Congressional Delegation, which has demanded five in-person public comment meetings, once safe to hold post-pandemic, across the state.
Note that in early April, 2020, letters from 14 U.S. House Democrats (all committee chairs), as well as 25 U.S. Senate Democrats (five of them had just been running for president not long before), to OMB (White House Office of Management and Budget), demanded that the Trump administration executive branch agencies, including NRC, cease and desist with any public participation (including public comment) deadlines, till the pandemic emergency is over.
Also, environmental coalition requests to NRC, for suspension of this public comment proceeding, and a significant extension of its deadline, has been violated by this agency decision. NRC is slamming through this public comment proceeding, amidst a highly infectious, deadly, viral pandemic emergency.]
Nuclear Regulatory Commission - News Release
No: 20-041 August 10, 2020
CONTACT: David McIntyre, 301-415-8200
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold four webinars in late August and early September to present its draft environmental findings and receive comments on Holtec International’s proposed consolidated spent nuclear fuel storage facility in New Mexico. Webinars were previously held on June 23 and July 9.
The NRC remains committed to opportunities for the public to inform the agency’s decisions related to its draft Environmental Impact Statement on Holtec’s proposal. In 2018, the NRC staff held one webinar and five in-person meetings in New Mexico. This fall, the agency planned similar public meetings in New Mexico; however, in-person meetings during the comment period will not be possible because of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
The series of additional webinars will allow the NRC staff to continue its public outreach under the current circumstances, and to make a well-informed and timely regulatory decision. The public also will be able to submit comments through U.S. mail, email or online.
Information for the additional webinars will be posted on the NRC’s Public Meetings webpage. They will be held at different times of the day to maximize opportunities for the public to participate. The webinars are tentatively scheduled for Aug. 20 from 6–9 p.m., Aug. 25 from 2–5 p.m., Aug. 26 from 6–9 p.m., and Sept. 2 from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. All times are Eastern.
Holtec submitted its application for a consolidated interim storage facility for commercial spent nuclear fuel on March 30, 2017. The draft EIS was published in March for a 60-day public comment period, which has been extended twice because of the COVID-19 public health emergency, for a total comment period of 180 days.
Comments will be accepted through Sept. 22, including by mail to the Office of Administration, Mail Stop: TWFN-7-A60M, ATTN: Program Management, Announcements and Editing Staff, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; email at Holtec-CISFEIS@nrc.gov; and online at the federal government’s rulemaking website, www.regulations.gov, using Docket ID NRC-2018-0052. Information about the NRC’s review of the Holtec application is available on the NRC website, including the draft EIS, reader’s guides in English and Spanish, and a detailed explanation of how to submit comments.