NRC NEWS

 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 

 Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200

 Washington, DC 20555-0001 E-mail: opa@nrc.gov 

 Web Site: www.nrc.gov

No. 02-035 March 26, 2002

NRC LICENSING BOARD TO HOLD HEARINGS IN APRIL IN UTAH

ON PRIVATE FUEL STORAGE PROPOSAL

A Nuclear Regulatory Commission Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will hold formal

evidentiary hearings in Salt Lake City beginning Monday, April 8, and continuing for over a month on

the application of Private Fuel Storage, L.L.C. (PFS) to build and operate an independent spent fuel

storage installation on the reservation of the Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians, about 60 miles

southwest of Salt Lake City. In addition, the Board is providing an opportunity for members of the

public to make brief oral statements on April 8 in Salt Lake City and on April 26 in Tooele, Utah.

During the formal sessions of the hearings, the Licensing Board will receive testimony and

exhibits from the parties and allow them to cross-examine witnesses. A schedule of the locations, times

and issues to be covered for each hearing session is attached and is on the NRC web site at

http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/public-meetings/meeting-schedule.html#ASLB . The times are

subject to change. These sessions are open to public observation, but participation will be limited to

those organizations that have been admitted as formal parties to the proceeding. Those parties are the

applicant, Private Fuel Storage; the NRC staff; the State of Utah; the Skull Valley Band; Ohngo

Gaudadeh Devia; Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation; and Southern Utah Wilderness

Alliance.

The formal hearings will cover four issues: 

1. A contention that hazards from military aircraft and other operations near the area have not

been adequately considered. 

2. Questions about the ability of the facility to withstand possible earthquakes.

3. Potential contamination of groundwater from non-radiological waste.

4. Questions about whether the Environmental Impact Statement adequately addresses

alternatives to the placement of the proposed connection railway to the facility.

The April 8 sessions at which members of the public may make brief oral statements, called

ìlimited appearances,î will be at the Salt Palace Convention Center, 100 South West Temple, Room

251, from 2 to 5 p.m. and again from 7 to 9:30 p.m. The April 26 limited appearances sessions will be

at the Tooele High School Auditorium, 240 West 100 South, Tooele, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and again

from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Anyone wishing to make such a statement on matters related to the hearing should submit a

request to make an ìOral Limited Appearance Statement.î The requests must be submitted so as to

arrive at NRC Headquarters by 4:30 p.m. EST on Monday, April 1, 2002. Requests should be mailed

to: Office of the Secretary, Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001; faxed to (301) 415-1101 (verification 301-415-1966); or

sent by electronic mail to: hearingdocket@nrc.gov.

In addition, a copy of the request must be sent to the Licensing Board by mail to: PFS Limited

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

Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001; by fax to: (301) 415-5599 (verification 301-

415-7550); or by E-mail to: mrm@nrc.gov.

Speakers who submit written requests will be given priority at the meetings. If time permits,

those who have not submitted requests in writing will be allowed to speak. In order to accommodate as

many speakers as possible, time for each statement will be limited to three minutes.

A recorded message providing instructions for making a limited appearance is available at

301/415-5036. This phone line will contain an updated hearing schedule after the hearings begin.

Members of the Licensing Board who will preside over both the formal hearing and the limited

appearance sessions are Michael C. Farrar, Chairman; Jerry R. Kline; and Peter S. Lam. Judge G. Paul

Bollwerk, III, whose Board has retained jurisdiction over part of the proceeding, will be in attendance

on the opening day to hear the limited appearance statements.

Security screening at all hearings and limited appearance sessions will be strict. Attendees are

advised to arrive early so that all may pass through a security screening checkpoint before the hearings

get underway.

###
PFS HEARING SCHEDULE

1. DATE: Monday, April 8, 2002

 

LOCATION: Salt Palace Convention Center 

Room 251 

100 South West Temple 

Salt Lake City, Utah 84101

TIME: 9:00 a.m. to Noon*

TOPIC: Opening Statements 

* Afternoon and evening sessions will be devoted to limited appearance

statements. 

2. DATE: Tuesday, April 9, 2002

LOCATION: Little America Hotel

Ballroom C 

500 South Main Street 

Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 

TIME: 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

TOPIC: Safety Contention Utah K/Confederated Tribes B (ìCredible Accidentsî)

3. DATES: Wednesday, April 10, through Saturday, April 13, 2002

LOCATION: Utah State Capitol 

Room 129 

350 North Main

Salt Lake City, Utah 84114

 TIMES: 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday

 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday

 TOPIC: Continuation of Utah K/Confederated Tribes B 

4. DATES: Monday, April 22 through Thursday, April 25, 2002 

LOCATION: Sheraton City Centre Hotel 

Wasatch Room 

150 West 500 South 

Salt Lake City, Utah 84101

TIME: 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

TOPICS: Environmental Contentions

5. DATE: Friday, April 26, 2002

* Limited appearance statements in Tooele.

6. DATES: Monday, April 29 through Friday, May 3, 2002 

 (and Saturday, May 4, 2002, if needed)
 Monday, May 6 through Friday, May 10, 2002 

 (and Saturday, May 11, 2002, if needed)

LOCATION: Sheraton City Centre 

Wasatch Room 

150 West 500 South

Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 

TIME: 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

TOPICS: Safety Contentions Utah L and Utah QQ 

( `Geotechnical and Seismic Stability)

7. DATES: Monday, May 13 through Friday, May 17, 2002

LOCATION: Sheraton City Centre Hotel 

Wasatch Room 

150 West 500 South 

Salt Lake City, Utah 84101

TIME: 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

TOPIC: If needed to complete other issues