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-04-048 October 28, 2004

CONTACT: Jan Strasma (630) 829-9663 

Viktoria Mitlyng (630) 829-9662 

NRC SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

FOR PROPOSED D. C. COOK NUCLEAR PLANT LICENSE RENEWAL

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will conduct two public meetings on November 9 in

Bridgman, Michigan, to receive public input on the environmental review related to an application to

extend the operating licenses for the D. C. Cook 1 and 2 nuclear power plants. The plants, which are

operated by American Electric Power Co., are located near Bridgman.

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 Lake Charter

Township Hall, 3220 Shawnee Road, Bridgman. 

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 an NRC staff presentation on the environmental

review process for license renewal applications. 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 D. C. Cook 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 D. C. Cook 1 is due to expire on Oct. 25, 2014, while the current

operating license for D. C. Cook 2 is scheduled to terminate on Dec. 23, 2017.

American Electric Power submitted its license renewal application on November 3, 2003. 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/cook.html. A copy of the draft

supplement to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement is available at the same location.
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In addition, the D. C. Cook license renewal documents are available for review at the Bridgman

Public Library, 4460 Lake St., Bridgman, and the Maud Preston Palenske Memorial Library, 500

Market St., St. Joseph, Mich.

For planning purposes, individuals wishing to speak at the meetings are encouraged to preregister by contacting Robert Schaaf at 1-800- 368-5642, extension 1312, or by e-mail at

CookEIS@nrc.gov no later than Nov. 3. 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 CookEIS@nrc.gov.

At the conclusion of the public comment period on December 8, 2004, 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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