NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200

Washington, DC 20555-001 E-mail: opa@nrc.gov

Web Site: http://www.nrc.gov/OPA

No. 00-096 June 14, 2000

NRC LICENSING BOARD REVISES SCHEDULE FOR HEARING IN UTAH

ON PROPOSED NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE FACILITY

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Atomic Safety and Licensing Board has revised the

schedule for its hearing this month in Salt Lake City on the application of Private Fuel Storage, L.L.C.

(PFS) for a license to construct and operate a spent nuclear reactor fuel storage facility. The facility is

proposed to be located on the reservation of the Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians in Skull Valley,

Utah, about 85 miles southwest of Salt Lake City.

As previously announced, the formal hearing will begin Monday, June 19, in Salt Lake City at

9:30 a.m. In addition, the Board is providing an opportunity for members of the public to make brief

oral statements on June 23 and 24 in Salt Lake City. All sessions will be held at the Sheraton City

Centre Hotel Salt Lake City (formerly the Hilton Salt Lake City), Wasatch Room, Mezzanine Level,

150 West 500 South, Salt Lake City.

A session scheduled for public oral statements on June 30 and potentially July 1 in Tooele,

Utah, has been postponed and will be announced later.

Beginning on Monday, June 19, the Board will receive testimony and exhibits and allow crossexamination of witnesses by the parties who have been admitted to the hearing: the Skull Valley Band

of Goshute Indians, Ohngo Gaudadeh Devia, Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation,

Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, the State of Utah, Private Fuel Storage and the NRC staff.

Three issues that will be considered during this phase of the hearing are emergency planning,

financial assurance, and decommissioning costs. The hearing will be open to members of the public

for observation during presentation of the emergency planning issue, which will be considered first.

All or part of the sessions on the other two issues may be closed to the public because they may involve

the discussion of confidential proprietary information.

The sessions at which members of the public may make brief oral presentations (known as “oral

limited appearance statements”) are as follows:

--Friday, June 23 - - 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. (MDT) and 7:00 to 9:30 p.m

--Saturday, June 24 - - 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Each statement normally will be no more then five minutes, but may be further limited,

depending on the number of requests to make an oral statement. The Board may terminate a session

early if all presentations are completed.

Any person not a party to the proceeding will be able to express their concern relating to this

proceeding. Although these statements do not constitute testimony or evidence, they may help in the

Board’s deliberations.

Persons who submit written requests to make an oral statement will be given priority. The

Board will continue to accept such written requests until close of business June 19. The request should

specify the date (June 23 or 24) and, for the June 23 session, the time on that day (afternoon or

evening) when the requester wishes to speak. Later requests may be registered on-site at the session on

a first-come, first-served basis as time allows.

Written requests should be submitted by mail to the Office of the Secretary, Rulemakings and

Adjudications Staff, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001; by e-mail

to hearingdocket@nrc.gov ; or by fax to 301/415-1101.

In addition, a copy should be sent by mail to Administrative Judge G. Paul Bollwerk, III,

Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, Mail Stop T-3F23, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,

Washington, D.C. 20555-0001; by e-mail to gpb@nrc.gov ; or by fax to 301/415-5599.

The Licensing Board also will accept written statements submitted at any time. Such

statements should be sent to the Office of the Secretary, with a copy to Judge Bollwerk, as stated

above.

Documents relating to this proceeding currently are on file at the Commission’s Public

Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20003-1527, and at

the University of Utah, Marriott Library, Documents Division, 295 S. 1500 East, Salt Lake City, Utah

84112-0860. Additionally, documents submitted in this proceeding after November 1, 1999, are

available electronically through the NRC’s Agencywide Documents Access and Management System

(ADAMS), with access to the public through the NRC’s Internet web site Public Electronic Reading

Room Link at http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/ADAMS/index.html . Assistance in using this system is

available by calling 202/634-3273.

Licensing Board members are G. Paul Bollwerk, III, Chairman; Dr. Jerry R. Kline; and Dr.

Peter S. Lam.

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