Environmental Impact Statement - radioactive monticello

Environmental Impacts of Operation
corresponding percentage of minorities in thestate of which it is a part by 20 percentage points,
or the corresponding percentage of minorities within the census block group is at least
50 percent. A low-income population exists if the percentage of low-income population within a
census block group exceeds the corresponding-percentage of low-income population in the
state of which it is a part by 20 percent, or if the corresponding percentage of low-income
population within a census block group is at least 50 percent.
For the NMC review, the staff examined the geographical distribution of minority and
low-income populations within 50 mi of the site, employing the 2000 census for low-income and
minority populations. NMC conducted its analysis for minority and low-income populations
using the convention of including a census tract or block group if any part of its area lay within
50 mi of Monticello. The 50-mi radius includes 2166 census block groups. NMC used USCB
2000 census data to determine the minority and low-income characteristics on a block-group
level. NMC included in its analysis census block groups that were 50 percent or more within the
50-mi radius of Monticello. The criterion of more than 20 percentage points was used to
determine whether a census tract or block group should be counted as containing a minority or
low-income population. Figures 4-1 and 4-2 show the distribution of census blocks for the
minority and low-income populations, respectively.
Based on the NRC criterion, the staff determined that Black minority populations exist in
149 block groups. American Indian or Native American minority populations exist in 3 census
block groups. Asian minority populations exist in 46 census block groups. Hispanic or Latino
minority populations exist in 52 census block groups. "Other" minority populations exist in
11 census block groups. Figure 4-1 shows the location of census block groups with minority
populations. By the NRC criteria, 91 census blocks contained areas of low-income populations,
as shown in Figure 4-2.
With the locations of minority and low-income populations identified, the staff evaluated whether
any of the environmental impacts of the proposed action could affect these populations in a
disproportionately high or adverse manner. Based on staff guidance (NRC 2004a), air, land
and water resources within 50 mi of the Monticello site were examined. Within that area, a few
potential environmental impacts could affect human populations; all of these were considered
SMALL for the general population.
The pathways through which the environmental impacts associated with Monticello license
renewal can affect human populations are discussed in each associated section. The staff
evaluated whether minority or low-income populations could be disproportionately affected by
these impacts. The staff found that a specific ethnic group, the Hmong, identified within the
Asian minority population, depends on fishing and consuming fish from local rivers at a
disproportionately higher level than other populations. However, the staff did not identify any
significant effects from the plant on local fish. In addition, the staffdid not identify any
location-dependent disproportionate impacts affecting these minority and low-income
populations. The staff concludes that offsite impacts from Monticello to minority and
low-income populations are SMALL, and no mitigation actions are warranted.
August 2006 4-37 NUREG-1437, Supplement 26 1