Document: NUREG-1555
Document ID: ff0641d9-a372-423d-a595-0b1ffbb956d1
Document Type: esrp
Title: ALTERNATIVE SITES
Source: NUREG-1555
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr1555/initial/
Revision Date: 2007-10
Chapter: 9
Section ID: 9.3
CFR Part: 
CFR Title: 

Content:
though there can be no specific criteria for determining that an adequate number of candidate sites have been identified, the reviewer should make such a determination, based on the ROI, the number of candidate areas, and the number and type of alternative sites evaluated by the applicant. In general, however, the identification of two or more different areas and three to five alternative sites in addition to the proposed site could be viewed as adequate. (e) Alternative-Site Evaluation—The objective of this phase of the evaluation procedure is (1) to determine if the applicant has reasonably identified alternative sites, predicted the environmental impacts of construction and operation at these sites, and developed and used a logical, reproducible means of comparing sites that has led to the applicant’s selection of the proposed site, to determine if it is environmentally preferable, and (2) to determine if any alternative site can be shown to be obviously superior to the applicant’s proposed site. This analysis may be documented in a table such as Table 9.3.2, which records summary environmental information on each alternative site; the conclusion of environmental preferability for any sites; consideration of cost, institutional, and other factors; and any identification of an obviously superior site. Many of the following evaluation steps must be based on the reviewer’s judgment. For these evaluations, the principal criterion will be that of reasonableness of the applicant’s data and procedures. The reviewer should make the following determinations: ` Site Identification—The reviewer should determine that the alternative sites have been identified with sufficient precision to permit field inspections to determine specific environmental parameters. If the applicant is unable to provide precise candidate site boundaries, and if the reviewer determines that the reasons for this are valid, the reviewer should evaluate the general site area instead. `