Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: e5306f4f-dc8c-4f60-a71c-af7ad4080384
Document Type: regulatory_guide
Title: Aquatic Environmental Studies for Nuclear Power Stations + HISTORY - HISTORY 12/2014 – DG-4023 -Proposed New Guide
Source: NRC Regulatory Guide Division 4
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1318/ML13186A085.pdf
Revision Date: 2023-06
Chapter: 
Section ID: RG-4.24
CFR Part: 
CFR Title: 

Content:
eening) process required to license (or issue an authorization or permit for) a new nuclear power plant (under 10 CFR Part 50 or 10 CFR Part 52). The discussion of site selection procedures in this RG is limited to aquatic ecological issues. The presence or absence of aquatic ecological resources contributes to screening an initial region of interest (ROI) to identify candidate areas, candidate areas to identify potential sites, potential sites to identify candidate sites, and candidate sites to identify alternative sites and a proposed site. Analysts can find information relevant to the site-selection process in the Electric Power Research Institute’s (EPRI) “Siting Guide: Site Selection and Evaluation Criteria for an Early Site DG-4023, Page 4 Permit Application” (Ref. 9), and RGs 4.2 and 4.7. Aquatic ecology is also a factor in evaluating alternative energy sources and alternative heat dissipation systems. Site Selection Support As mentioned above, NRC guidance for the site selection process, including aquatic ecology considerations, is available in RGs 4.2 and 4.7. Analysts primarily use reconnaissance-level information and published data to identify aquatic ecology resources for site selection. Reconnaissance-level information consists of information that is available from the applicant, governmental, tribal, commercial, and/or public sources. The depth of a reconnaissance investigation varies by site and should include collection of data from literature and contacting local experts, including other federal, state, and local agencies, to the appropriate extent to sufficiently determine the degree to which aquatic resources could be adversely affected. Each step in the site selection process increases the level of detail used to identify sensitive aquatic ecology resources (e.g., freshwater mussels) and special aquatic sites, further narrows the field of possible sites, and increases confidence in how well the resulting field of sites avoids sensitive