LICENSING BOARD TO HOLD HEARING IN GEORGIA MARCH 16-25, 

TAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON VOGTLE SITE PERMIT APPLICATION 

 The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB), an independent judicial arm of the 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission, will conduct a hearing from March 16 - 25 in Augusta and 

Waynesboro, Ga., concerning an Early Site Permit (ESP) application for the Vogtle site near 

Waynesboro. 

The Board will also hold oral limited appearance sessions March 22 – 23 in Waynesboro 

for the public to comment on both the ESP application and a related Combined License (COL) 

application for a new nuclear power plant. 

 The Board will hear presentations, starting at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, March 16, and 

continuing through Thursday, March 19, as necessary, from NRC staff, the applicant, Southern 

Nuclear Operating Co., and several groups opposing the ESP application. This portion of the 

hearing will cover the groups’ objections to portions of the application describing potential 

methods for cooling additional reactors that could be built at the Vogtle site, as well as potential 

dredging of the Savannah River that would support any construction at Vogtle. These sessions 

will be held at the Doubletree Hotel and Convention Center, 2651 Perimeter Parkway in 

Augusta. 

 The Board will conduct separate sessions on the uncontested portions of the ESP 

application, starting at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, March 23, and continuing through Wednesday, 

March 25, as necessary. This portion of the hearing will cover whether the remainder of the 

application and the NRC staff’s review meet the requirements of the Atomic Energy Act and the 

National Environmental Policy Act. These sessions will be held in the auditorium of the Augusta 

Technical College’s Waynesboro/Burke campus, 216 Highway 24 South in Waynesboro. 

 The Board is also in the early stages of conducting a proceeding on Southern Nuclear’s 

related COL application for permission to build and operate two AP1000 reactors at the Vogtle 

site. The Board will hold oral limited appearance statement sessions March 22 and 23 at the 

Augusta Technical College’s Waynesboro/Burke campus for members of the public to comment 

on both the ESP and COL proceedings. 

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 

Site: http://www.nrc.gov

No. 09-028 February 13, 2009
Members of the public have until 5 p.m. on March 13 to pre-register for these comment 

sessions. The first session will run from 3 – 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 22; the second will run 

from 7 – 9 p.m. on Monday, March 23. Updates to the sessions’ scheduling information will 

appear on the NRC Web site at www.nrc.gov/public-involve/public-meetings/index.cfm , and 

will be available by phone at (800) 368-5642 x5036. 

Members of the public who pre-register will receive priority to speak at the meetings. 

Written pre-registration requests must be e-mailed to the ASLB by March 13, and each request 

must specify the session (Sunday or Monday) at which the requester wishes to make an oral 

statement. The Board reserves the right to cancel a session if there is a lack of public interest, and 

conclude a session ahead of the scheduled ending time if all speakers present have made a 

presentation. 

Anyone wishing to submit a written request to make an oral statement may e-mail 

wen.bu@nrc.gov , emily.krause@nrc.gov and paul.bollwerk@nrc.gov ; or send mail to: 

Administrative Judge G. Paul Bollwerk, III, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, Mail 

Stop: T-3F23, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. 

Written limited appearance statements on the Vogtle ESP and COL proceedings may be 

submitted at any time via e-mail to hearingdocket@nrc.gov or by mail to: Office of the 

Secretary, Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 

Washington, DC 20555-0001. 

The ASLB strongly advises those attending the prehearing conference or comment 

sessions to arrive early to allow time for security screening. The Board also requests attendees 

avoid bringing unnecessary hand-carried items, such as packages, briefcases, backpacks, or other 

items that might need individual examination. Attendees will not be able to store such items 

outside the rooms, and items requiring inspection could delay a person’s admission to a session. 

Items that could readily be used as weapons are banned from the room where these sessions will 

be held. The ASLB’s rules for the public comment sessions limit signs to 18 square inches, and 

signs may not be attached to sticks, held above one’s head, or moved about in the room. Signs 

are prohibited during the hearing sessions. Anyone attempting to disrupt the hearing or comment 

sessions will be removed. 

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