August 21, 2013 

MEMORANDUM TO: Andy Imboden, Chief 

Communications, Planning 

 and Rulemaking Branch 

Waste Confidence Directorate 

Office of Nuclear Material Safety 

 and Safeguards 

FROM: Sarah Lopas, NEPA Communications Project Manager /RA/ 

 Communications, Planning 

 and Rulemaking Branch 

 Waste Confidence Directorate 

 Office of Nuclear Material Safety 

 and Safeguards 

SUBJECT: SUMMARY OF AUGUST PUBLIC TELECONFERENCE TO DISCUSS 

STATUS OF WASTE CONFIDENCE GENERIC ENVIRONMENTAL 

IMPACT STATEMENT AND RULEMAKING 

On Wednesday, August 14, 2013, members of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) 

staff held a Category 3 public teleconference at the NRC headquarters in Rockville, Maryland. 

The purpose of the teleconference was to maintain an open line of communication with the 

public by providing a status update on NRC staff’s progress in developing the Waste 

Confidence draft generic environmental impact statement (GEIS) and proposed rule. 

Participants had an opportunity to ask questions about the NRC’s process and activities. 

The meeting began at 1:30 p.m. and concluded at approximately 2:30 p.m. EDT. The NRC staff 

began with an introduction to the meeting and a message of appreciation to callers for their 

involvement and input. The NRC presentation continued with an overview of what occurred 

since June’s monthly status teleconference: Commission review draft documents were made 

publicly available on June 24, 2013, and on August 5, 2013, the Commission completed their 

review, and pending certain modifications to the documents, unanimously approved the Waste 

Confidence proposed rule and draft GEIS for publication and public comment. NRC staff 

discussed the upcoming availability of the draft GEIS and proposed rule, and availability of 

versions of the documents that will identify the changes the NRC staff made in response to the 

Commission’s directions. 

The presentation continued with a discussion of the upcoming 75-day public comment period, 

the addition of Orlando, Florida, to the list of regional public meetings that the NRC will hold this 

fall to receive public comments, and how the NRC plans to announce the public meeting details 

when they are finalized. The NRC presentation closed with an announcement for the 

September monthly status teleconference, which will occur on Thursday, September 12, from 

1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EDT. 

CONTACT: Sarah Lopas, WCD/CPRB 

 (301) 287-0675 
A. Imboden - 2 - 

There were 92 participants in the teleconference representing members of the public, tribal and 

state governments, industry, public advocacy and environmental interest groups, and the NRC 

and its contractors. A list of meeting attendees is attached. 

Questions and issues discussed during the teleconference primarily concerned the upcoming 

public meetings, including: the schedule and locations of the regional meetings; requests for a 

meeting in Chicago, Illinois; the ability to access the regional meetings remotely by phone and 

webcast; the duration, format, and agenda of the meetings; time limits on individual public 

comments and whether members of the public can use presentation materials; when the NRC 

will be announcing additional meeting details; and how to register for the public meetings. Other 

questions included whether the NRC made Waste Confidence participants’ contact information 

publicly available and how interested citizens could network with each other; the relation of the 

Spent Fuel Pool Study to Waste Confidence; whether the recent D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals 

decision on the Yucca Mountain application impacts the Waste Confidence rulemaking; and 

concerns about storing high-burn-up fuel. 

The transcript for this meeting is available in ADAMS under Accession No. ML13231A172. 

Persons who do not have access to ADAMS, or who encounter problems in accessing 

documents located in ADAMS, should contact the NRC’s Public Document Room reference 

staff at 1-800-397-4209, or via email at pdr.resource@nrc.gov. A direct link to the transcript is 

also available on the Waste Confidence Directorate’s website at 

http://www.nrc.gov/waste/spent-fuel-storage/wcd/pub-involve.html. 

The next public teleconference to discuss the status of the Waste Confidence draft GEIS and 

proposed rule is scheduled for Thursday, September 12, 2013, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. EDT. To 

participate, call 1-800-857-2553 and provide the operator with passcode 3682386. Meeting 

details will be available at least 10 days in advance on the NRC Public Meeting website at 

http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/public-meetings/index.cfm and on the Waste Confidence 

Directorate’s website at http://www.nrc.gov/waste/spent-fuel-storage/wcd/pub-involve.html. 

Enclosure: Meeting Attendees List 

cc: See next page 
A. Imboden - 2 - 

There were 92 participants in the teleconference representing members of the public, tribal and 

state governments, industry, public advocacy and environmental interest groups, and the NRC 

and its contractors. A list of meeting attendees is attached. 

Questions and issues discussed during the teleconference primarily concerned the upcoming 

public meetings, including: the schedule and locations of the regional meetings; requests for a 

meeting in Chicago, Illinois; the ability to access the regional meetings remotely by phone and 

webcast; the duration, format, and agenda of the meetings; time limits on individual public 

comments and whether members of the public can use presentation materials; when the NRC 

will be announcing additional meeting details; and how to register for the public meetings. Other 

questions included whether the NRC made Waste Confidence participants’ contact information 

publicly available and how interested citizens could network with each other; the relation of the 

Spent Fuel Pool Study to Waste Confidence; whether the recent D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals 

decision on the Yucca Mountain application impacts the Waste Confidence rulemaking; and 

concerns about storing high-burn-up fuel. 

The transcript for this meeting is available in ADAMS under Accession No. ML13231A172. 

Persons who do not have access to ADAMS, or who encounter problems in accessing 

documents located in ADAMS, should contact the NRC’s Public Document Room reference 

staff at 1-800-397-4209, or via email at pdr.resource@nrc.gov. A direct link to the transcript is 

also available on the Waste Confidence Directorate’s website at 

http://www.nrc.gov/waste/spent-fuel-storage/wcd/pub-involve.html. 

The next public teleconference to discuss the status of the Waste Confidence draft GEIS and 

proposed rule is scheduled for Thursday, September 12, 2013, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. EDT. To 

participate, call 1-800-857-2553 and provide the operator with passcode 3682386. Meeting 

details will be available at least 10 days in advance on the NRC Public Meeting website at 

http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/public-meetings/index.cfm and on the Waste Confidence 

Directorate’s website at http://www.nrc.gov/waste/spent-fuel-storage/wcd/pub-involve.html. 

Enclosure: Meeting Attendees List 

DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC 

NMSS_WCD_Distribution 

TCampbell (OGC) 

LLondon (OGC) 

Miriam Juckett (mjuckett@swri.org) 

 

ADAMS Accession No.: ML13234A111 

OFFICE PM: NMSS/WCD/CPRB OGC BC: NMSS/WCD/CPRB 

NAME SLopas LLondon(NLO) MHorn for AImboden 

DATE 8/20/13 8/20/13 8/21/13 

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
 Enclosure 

NRC Teleconference Attendees 

Status of Waste Confidence Draft GEIS and Proposed Rule 

August 14, 2013 1:30 – 2:30 PM EDT

 First Name Last Name Organization 

1 Julius Aubrey Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League 

2 Dean Baker TN Valley Authority 

3 Jerry Bonanno Nuclear Energy Institute 

4 Matt Brock MA Attorney General's Office 

5 Jeffrey Brown Private Citizen 

6 Andrew Burgess Ameren Missouri 

7 Mike Carberry Sierra Club 

8 Tom Clements Friends of the Earth 

9 Janice Dean State of NY 

10 Darius Dixon Politico 

11 Bettina Fest Union of Concerned Scientists 

12 Geoff Fettus Natural Resources Defense Council 

13 Steve Frishman NV Nuclear Waste Task Force 

14 Lloyd Generette Environmental Protection Agency 

15 Daniel Gibbons Pacific Gas & Electric 

16 Donna Gilmore San Onofre Safety 

17 Paula Gotsch GRAMMES 

18 Erica Gray Private Citizen 

19 Douglas Guarino National Journal Group 

20 Steven Hamrick NextEra 

21 Thomas Harlan City of Red Wing MN 

22 Gary Headrick San Clemente Green 

23 Matthew Higdon TN Valley Authority 

24 Elaine Hiruo Platts 

25 Ace Hoffman Nuke Free North County 

26 Rose M Horton TN Valley Authority 

27 Tom Iaccarino Spectrum Environmental 

28 Rich Janati Pennsylvania DEP 

29 Janet Jodlowski Private Citizen 

30 Miriam Juckett SW Research Institute 

31 Kevin Kamps Beyond Nuclear 

32 Beverly Kerr Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League 

33 Phil Klevorick Clark County Nuclear Waste Division 

34 Kathy Lewis Florida Public Service Commission 

35 Marvin Lewis Private Citizen 

36 Ray Lutz Citizens Oversight 

37 Rod McCullum Nuclear Energy Institute 

38 Katrina McMurrian The Nuclear Waste Strategy Coalition 

39 Divya Moolchandani Court Reporter 
2

 First Name Last Name Organization 

40 Richard Orthen FL Power and Light Company 

41 Matt Pacenza Heal Utah 

42 Brian Paddock Sierra Club 

43 James Ramsay National Assoc. of Regulatory Utility Commissioners 

44 Darani Reddick Winston and Strawn LLC 

45 Tom Rielly Vista 360 

46 David Robillard PSEG 

47 Rhonda Roff Private Citizen 

48 Tony Roisman VT Department of Public Service 

49 Millie Ronnlund Balch & Bingham 

50 Jonathan Rund Morgan Lewis 

51 Don Safer TN Environmental Council 

52 Dan Schuliheisz Environmental Protection Agency 

53 Beverly Silverberg Vantage 

54 John Sipos NY State 

55 Carlos Sisco Winston & Strawn LLC 

56 Andrew Smith Private Citizen 

57 David Snellings AR Department of Health 

58 Steven Sondheim Sierra Club 

59 Laura Sorensen Safe Carolinas 

60 Gene Stone Residents Organized for a Safe Environment 

61 Martha Sullivan Coalition to Decommission San Onofre 

62 Jane Swanson San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace 

63 Ken Taplett STP Nuclear Operating Company 

64 Wally Taylor IA Sierra Club 

65 Tom Tramm Centrec 

66 Nikohl Vandel Private Citizen 

67 Joan Walter California Energy Commission 

68 Heather Westra Prairie Island Indian Community 

69 Duke Wheeler Private Citizen 

70 Dale Wuokko Toshiba America Nuclear Energy 

71 Ken Yale Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality 

72 Ron Zak NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection 

73 Tamara Bloomer NRC/COMM 

74 David Brown NRC/WCD 

75 Tison Campbell NRC/OGC 

76 Sheldon Clark NRC/OGC 

77 Merri Horn NRC/WCD 

78 Andy Imboden NRC/WCD 

79 Harral Logaras NRC/RIII 

80 Lisa London NRC/OGC 

81 Sarah Lopas NRC/WCD 
3

 First Name Last Name Organization 

82 Timothy McCartin NRC/WCD 

83 Keith McConnell NRC/WCD 

84 Alicia Mullins NRC/WCD 

85 Kevin O'Sullivan NRC/FSME 

86 Christine Pineda NRC/WCD 

87 Sarah Price NRC/OGC 

88 TR Rowe NRC/WCD 

89 Carrie Safford NRC/WCD 

90 Andrew Stuyvenberg NRC/WCD 

91 Jean Trefethen NRC/FSME 

92 Susan Wittick NRC/WCD