NRC SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT ON ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF DUANE ARNOLD NUCLEAR PLANT LICENSE RENEWAL; MEETINGS APRIL 22
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Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will hold two public meetings on Wednesday, April 22, in Hiawatha, Iowa, to discuss the agency’s environmental review of the Duane Arnold Energy Center license renewal application.

The Duane Arnold nuclear plant’s single boiling-water reactor is located in Palo, Iowa, approximately eight miles northwest of Cedar Rapids. The current operating license expires Feb. 21, 2014. The plant’s owner, FPL Energy Duane Arnold, submitted the license renewal application Oct. 1, 2008.

“This is the first of several opportunities for the Duane Arnold community to let us know what issues the NRC should look at while we review the potential environmental impacts of renewing the license,” said David Pelton, a branch chief in the NRC’s Division of License Renewal. “We’ll consider all the comments and publish them in a ‘scoping summary’ as we move forward with our review.”

The staff will start the first session at 1:30 p.m., and the second session at 7 p.m., at Hiawatha City Hall, 101 Emmons St., Hiawatha, Iowa. The staff will briefly describe the agency’s process for reviewing license renewal applications. Members of the audience will then have the opportunity to comment on issues they feel the agency should consider as the Duane Arnold review continues. NRC staff will be available for informal discussions during an “open house” session an hour before each meeting. However, formal comments on the renewal will be accepted only during the meetings.

            Members of the public may register to present oral comments at this meeting by April 16 by contacting Maurice Heath at (800) 368-5642 x3137 or by email at Maurice.Heath@nrc.gov or Charles Eccelston, at (800) 368-5642, x8537 or by email at Charles.Eccelston@nrc.gov. Those who wish to make comments may also register at the meeting within 15 minutes of the start of each session. Individual oral comments may be limited by the time available, depending on the number of persons who register. Those with special needs should contact Mr. Heath at the telephone or email address above no later than April 16.

The application is available on the NRC Web site at:  http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/applications/duane-arnold-energy-center.html and a copy is also available at the Hiawatha Public Library, 150 W. William St. in Hiawatha.

Members of the public may send written comments on issues to be considered in the Duane Arnold renewal environmental review by May 26 to: Chief, Rulemaking and Directives Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Office of Administration, Mailstop TWB 5B–01M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001, or via e-mail to duanearnoldEIS@nrc.gov.

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Wednesday, April 15, 2009