NRC NEWS

 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

 2443 Warrenville Road

 Lisle IL 60532

 Web Site: http://www.nrc.gov E-mail: opa3@nrc.gov

No. III-05-006 February 24, 2005

CONTACT: Jan Strasma (630) 829-9663 

Viktoria Mitlyng (630) 829-9662 

NRC SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

FOR PROPOSED POINT BEACH NUCLEAR PLANT LICENSE RENEWAL

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will conduct two public meetings on Thursday, Mar.

3, in Mishicot, Wis., to receive public input on the environmental review related to an application to

extend the operating licenses for the Point Beach 1 and 2 nuclear power plants. The plants, which are

operated by Nuclear Management Co., are located near Two Rivers, Wis.

Members of the public are invited to attend and comment on the NRC’s draft document on the

environmental impact of the proposed license renewal. The meetings will be held in the Fox Hills

Convention Center, 250 W. Church St., Mishicot.

In its draft Environmental Impact Statement, the NRC staff reaches the preliminary conclusion

that there are no environmental impacts that would preclude the renewal of the operating licenses for

the two units.

The first session will begin at 1:30 p.m. and continue until 4:30 p.m. The second session, which

will offer the same presentations as the first session, will be at 7 p.m. and continue until 10 p.m. The

NRC staff will also host an open house beginning one hour before the start of each meeting to provide

members of the public with an opportunity to talk informally with agency staff. However, formal

comments must be expressed during the transcribed meetings.

Both sessions will begin with an overview and a summary by the NRC staff of the preliminary

results of the environmental review. After the NRC presentation, members of the public will be given

the opportunity to present their comments on the draft supplement to the Generic Environmental

Impact Statement on license renewal. The draft supplement includes information specific to the Point

Beach facility.

Under NRC regulations, the original operating license for a nuclear power plant has a term of

40 years. The license may be renewed for up to an additional 20 years if NRC requirements are met.

The current operating license for Point Beach 1 is due to expire on Oct. 5, 2010, while the current

operating license for Point Beach 2 is scheduled to terminate on Mar. 8, 2013.

Nuclear Management Co. submitted its license renewal application on February 26, 2004. As

part of its application, the company submitted an environmental report. A copy of the application is

available via the NRC’s web site at:
http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/applications/point-beach.html. A copy of the

draft supplement to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement is available at the same location.

In addition, the Point Beach license renewal documents are available for review at the Lester

Public Library, 1001 Adams St., Two Rivers.

For planning purposes, individuals wishing to speak at the meetings are encouraged to preregister by contacting Ms. Stacey Imboden at 1-800- 368-5642, extension 2462, or by e-mail at

PointBeachEIS@nrc.gov no later than Mar. 1. Interested parties may also register to speak before the

start of the meeting. Time for comments may be limited to accommodate all speakers.

Written comments on the draft supplement to the GEIS will also be considered by the NRC

staff. Comments should be submitted either by mail to the Chief, Rules and Directives Branch,

Division of Administrative Services, Mail Stop T-6 D 59, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,

Washington, DC 20555-0001, or by e-mail to PointBeachEIS@nrc.gov.

At the conclusion of the public comment period on April 13, 2005, the NRC staff will consider

and address the comments submitted and issue a final supplement to the GEIS. That supplement will

contain a recommendation regarding the environmental acceptability of the proposed license renewal.

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