Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: f0baf50b-5bb7-4783-b2f9-9586e09c97e1
Document Type: regulatory_guide
Title: Preparation of Environmental Reports for Nuclear Power Stations + HISTORY - HISTORY 02/2017 – DG-4026 , Proposed Revision 3 09/2014 – Periodic Review of Revision 2 – Revise (Rev. 3)
Source: NRC Regulatory Guide Division 4
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1611/ML16116A068.pdf
Revision Date: 2023-06
Chapter: 
Section ID: RG-4.2
CFR Part: 
CFR Title: 

Content:
.1 The ROI The ROI is typically selected based on geographic boundaries (e.g., the state in which the proposed site is located), or the relevant service area for the proposed plant. In cases where the proposed plant would not have a service area, the applicant should define a reasonable ROI and provide a justification. The ROI should be more extensive if the diversity of environmental conditions captured by the ROI would be substantially improved or if candidate sites do not meet initial threshold criteria (including the site criteria in 10 CFR Part 100, “Reactor Site Criteria” (Ref. 97)), and added geographic areas likely would not increase project costs substantially. The ER should describe how the ROI was selected, the extent of and basis for restrictions to the ROI because of siting constraints, and the extent to which the ROI is constrained based on the major load centers to be supplied by the proposed plant. 9.3.2 Candidate Areas The ER should describe the process used to identify the candidate areas within the ROI. Reasons that areas may be unsuitable include the following: • 10 CFR Part 100 (e.g., seismic, proximity to major centers of population density) • lack of existing infrastructure (e.g., roads and railroads) • lack of a suitable cooling-water source • distance to transmission lines, substations, or load centers • unsuitable topographic features • potential to impact valuable agricultural, residential, or industrial areas • potential to impact dedicated land-use areas (e.g., parks, historic sites, and wilderness areas) • conflicts with land-use planning programs or other restrictions established by State, county, or local governments The applicant’s process to identify candidate areas should consider these and other reasonable attributes to identify areas potentially suitable or unsuitable for siting a new nuclear power plant. The ER should present the determining characteristics of the identified areas and need not present other