The public has until Sept. 14 to request an adjudicatory hearing before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel on a proposed facility for interim storage of spent nuclear reactor fuel in southeastern New Mexico.
The NRC is reviewing Holtec International’s license application for storage of 8,680 metric tons of used nuclear fuel in 500 canisters, the first tranche of what could ultimately be 10,000 canisters holding over 100,000 metric tons of radioactive waste. Interim storage would help the Department of Energy meet its legal mandate to remove used fuel from U.S. nuclear reactors until a permanent repository is ready.
An adjudicatory hearing of three Atomic Safety and Licensing Board administrative judges would provide parties the opportunity to argue legal or factual matters regarding the license application, according to a July 20 NRC press release.
A hearing can be requested by “any person (petitioner) whose interest may be affected by this action,” the nuclear industry regulator said in a July 16 notice in the Federal Register. Per federal regulations, the request should address the party’s standing in the matter, including name, address, and telephone number; “the nature of the petitioner’s right … to be made a party to the proceeding; details of the petitioner’s interests in the license application review, including property and financial; and how those interests could be affected by a decision on the matter.
The commission or a presiding officer will approve or reject hearing requests.
“Those permitted to intervene become parties to the proceeding, subject to any limitations in the order granting leave to intervene,” the Federal Register notice says. “Parties have the opportunity to participate fully in the conduct of the hearing with respect to resolution of that party’s admitted contentions, including the opportunity to present
evidence, consistent with the NRC’s regulations, policies, and procedures.”
Meanwhile, July 30 is the deadline for public comments on the scope of the NRC’s environmental review of the Holtec application.
