Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: c6e74560-1a25-41d8-9057-caba5fbd5237
Document Type: regulatory_guide
Title: Terrestrial Environmental Studies for Nuclear Power Stations + HISTORY - HISTORY 06/2017 – Periodic Review of Revision 2 – Issues identified for future consideration 08/2011 – DG-4016 , Proposed Revision 2
Source: NRC Regulatory Guide Division 4
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1716/ML17163A227.pdf
Revision Date: 2023-06
Chapter: 
Section ID: RG-4.11
CFR Part: 
CFR Title: 

Content:
Regulatory Guide Periodic Review Regulatory Guide Number: 4.11, Rev. 2 Title: Terrestrial Environmental Studies for Nuclear Power Stations Office/division/branch: NRO/DSEA/RENV Technical Lead: J. Peyton Doub, PWS, CEP Staff Action Decided: Reviewed with issues identified for future consideration 1. What are the known technical or regulatory issues with the current version of the Regulatory Guide (RG)? The staff believes that RG 4.11, which was last updated in March 2012, remains up to date with current scientific knowledge and professional practice in the field of terrestrial ecology. However, the staff recognizes that multiple NRC guidance documents whose scopes overlap with RG 4.11 are undergoing substantial revisions. These include RG 4.2 “Preparation of Environmental Reports for Nuclear Power Stations” (issued for public comment in February 2017) and the Environmental Standard Review Plans (ESRPs; NUREG 1555). The former provides reactor licensing applicants with guidance on how to prepare Environmental Reports required as part of licensing applications. The latter establishes a standard technical approach for NRC staff when performing environmental reviews of applications once received from applicants. Both RG 4.2 and the ESRPs address terrestrial ecology as one of multiple environmental issues included in a licensing review. But the scope of RG 4.11 differs in that it addresses supporting technical analyses related to terrestrial ecology but not the Environmental Report or application review directly. However, information provided by the analyses covered in RG 4.11 still forms a substantial component of the technical data provided by applicants in response to RG 4.2 and reviewed by NRC staff using the ESRPs. It is therefore important that the three documents be reviewed for mutual consistency. Failure to ensure consistency among RG 4.11, RG 4.2, and the ESRPs may lead to some confusion among future applicants when collecting and presenting information