NRC NEWS

 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 

 Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200

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

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

 

No. 06-121 October 4, 2006

NRC TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETING OCT. 19 ON ENVIRONMENTAL

SCOPING PROCESS FOR VOGTLE EARLY SITE PERMIT

Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will hold a public meeting Oct. 19 in Waynesboro, Ga.,

to discuss the agency’s review of Southern Nuclear Co.’s Early Site Permit (ESP) application for the

Vogtle site, and the environmental issues the NRC should consider in reviewing the application.

The meeting will be held in the auditorium of the Augusta Technical College, 216 Highway 24

South in Waynesboro, from 7 - 10 p.m. The meeting’s proceedings, including any follow-up answers

the staff provides later, will be transcribed and made available on the NRC Web. NRC staff will be

available before the meeting for informal discussions with members of the public during an “open

house” session from 5 - 7 p.m. No formal comments on the environmental review will be accepted

during the open house.

The ESP process allows an applicant to resolve site-related issues, such as environmental

impacts, before possible future construction and operation of a nuclear power plant. Southern’s

application for the site, approximately 26 miles southeast of Augusta, Ga., was filed Aug. 15. If

approved, the ESP would give Southern up to 20 years to decide whether to build one or more nuclear

plants on the site, and to file an application with the NRC for approval to begin construction. The full

technical review of the application will address site suitability, environmental protection, and plans for

coping with emergencies. Following that review and issuance of a safety evaluation and environmental

impact statement, a hearing will be held on the matter.

Those wishing to register in advance to present their comments at the meeting should contact

Cristina Guerrero at 800-368-5642 x2981 or via e-mail at Vogtle_EIS@nrc.gov (the address is

Vogtle_EIS), by Oct. 12. Members of the public should request special equipment or accommodations

for attending or presenting information by that date so the staff can consider the request. Those wishing

to speak may also register at the meeting no later than 6:45 p.m. Individual comments could be limited

by the time available, depending on how many people wish to speak.

Written comments on the scoping process will also be considered by NRC staff. Comments

should be submitted no later than Dec. 4, either by mail to the Chief, Rules and Directives Branch,

Division of Administrative Services, Office of Administration, Mailstop T-6D59, U.S. Nuclear

Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, by e-mail to Vogtle_EIS@nrc.gov , or handdelivered to the NRC at 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Md., between 7:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. on

Federal workdays.
The meeting’s agenda will be available electronically on the NRC Web at:

http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/public-meetings/index.cfm . For more information or to inquire

about schedule changes, contact Ms. Guerrero via the methods described above.

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