NRC: News Release - 2001-078 - NRC Extends Comment Period to September 6 for Turkey Point License Renewal Draft Environmental Impact Statement

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NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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No. 01-078

July 3, 2001

NRC EXTENDS COMMENT PERIOD TO SEPTEMBER 6 FOR TURKEY POINT LICENSE RENEWAL DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

Seeking to increase stakeholder input, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is extending the public comment period to 75 days on the draft environmental impact statement for the Turkey Point Nuclear Plant license renewal application. Earlier, the agency had announced the comment period would be 45 days. The statement is now open for public comment until September 6, and, as previously announced, will be the subject of public meetings July 17 in Homestead, Florida, near where the facility is located.

The NRC has been reviewing the application for extension of the Turkey Point operating licenses since Florida Power & Light Company, which operates the plants, filed it in September 2000. Under NRC regulations, the original operating license for a nuclear power plant is issued for up to 40 years. The license may be renewed for up to an additional 20 years if NRC requirements are met. The current operating licenses for Turkey Point will expire July 19, 2012, for the facility's Unit 3, and April 10, 2013, for Unit 4.

On Tuesday, July 17, the NRC staff will hold two meetings to obtain comments on the draft environmental statement. The meetings will be held at the Harris Field Complex, Homestead YMCA, 1034 Northeast 8^th Street in Homestead, from 1:30 to 4:30 in the afternoon, and from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., or until all interested people have an opportunity to speak. An open house is scheduled to begin one hour before the start of each meeting.

Written comments on the draft statement will also be considered by NRC staff. Comments should be submitted either by mail to the Chief, Rules and Directives Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Mail stop T-6 D 59, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001, or by Internet to TurkeyPointEIS@nrc.gov . At the conclusion of the extended public comment period on September 6, the NRC staff will consider and address the comments provided and issue a final supplement to the agency's Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Power Plants, (NUREG-1437). That supplement will contain a recommendation regarding the environmental acceptability for license renewal.