Opinion ID: 216911
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: A. The NRC's Denial of Citizens' Embedded Region, Interior Corrosion, Acceptance Criteria, and Spatial Scope Contentions

Text: Citizens argue that the NRC abused its discretion in ruling that the Embedded Region, the Interior Corrosion, the Acceptance Criteria, and the Spatial Scope Contentions were untimely and inadmissible. The standard for contention admissibility provides that [a] request for hearing or petition for leave to intervene must set forth with particularity the contentions sought to be raised and establishes several threshold requirements. 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(1). The regulations direct a party to: (i) Provide a specific statement of the issue of law or fact to be raised ... (ii) Provide a brief explanation of the basis for the contention; (iii) Demonstrate that the issue raised is within the scope of the proceeding; (iv) Demonstrate that the issue raised is material to the findings the NRC must make to support the action that is involved in the proceeding; (v) Provide a concise statement of the alleged facts or expert opinions which support the requestor's/petitioner's position on the issue and on which the petitioner intends to rely at hearing, together with references to the specific sources and documents on which the requestor/petitioner intends to rely to support its position on the issue; (vi) Provide sufficient information to show that a genuine dispute exists with the applicant on a material issue of law or fact.... 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(1)(i)-(vi). The standard for filing new and amended contentions after the filing deadline is set forth at 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(2). Pursuant to these regulations, contentions may be amended or new contentions filed after the initial filing only with leave of the presiding officer and the party must make a showing that: (i) The information upon which the amended or new contention is based was not previously available; (ii) The information upon which the amended or new contention is based is materially different than information previously available; and (iii) The amended or new contention has been submitted in a timely fashion based on the availability of the subsequent information. 10 C.F.R. § 2.309(f)(2)(i)-(iii). Because Citizens sought to add these contentions after the initial contention deadline, they needed to satisfy the standards for late-filed contentions, as well as the general contention admissibility requirements.