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Environmental Impact Statement - radioactive monticello

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<strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Impact</strong>s of Alternatives<br />

plant would have slightly larger capacity in MW(e) than the existing Monticello plant. However,<br />

the staff has determined that the differences in impacts between 680 MW(e) and 600 MW(e) of<br />

coal gasification would not be significant and would not change the standard of significance<br />

(SMALL, MODERATE, or'LARGE) of any impacts.<br />

Delivery of coal and/or petroleum coke to an alternate greenfield site would be needed.<br />

Approximately 3698 tons would be shipped in daily, probably via barge (TVA 2003).<br />

Approximately 38 tons of limestone per day would likely be required for air pollution control.<br />

Trucking would be used for limestone delivery. Fuel oil would be required for startup activities,<br />

but would not be used as a backup fuel (TVA 2003).<br />

The overall impacts of constructing a coal gasification plant using closed-cycle cooling at an<br />

alternate greenfield site are discussed in the following sections and summarized in Table 8-4.<br />

The impact categorizations in Table 8-4 are based on 680 MW(e) of coal gasification<br />

generating capacity.<br />

Land Use<br />

NRC staff assumes siting of the coal gasification plant at an alternate greenfield site.<br />

Approximately 1700 ac would be impacted for the power block; fuel handling, storage and<br />

transportation facilities; infrastructure facilities; and waste disposal. There would be additional<br />

land impacts for coal and limestone mining, electric power transmission lines, and cooling water<br />

intake and discharge pipelines.<br />

In the GELS, the staff estimated that approximately 21,745 ac would be affected for mining the<br />

coal and disposing of the waste to support a 1000-MW(e) coal plant during its operational life<br />

(NRC 1996). A replacement coal gasification plant to replace the 600-MW(e) capacity of<br />

Monticello would affect proportionately less land.<br />

Overall, land use impacts can be characterized as MODERATE to LARGE.<br />

* Ecology<br />

At an alternate site, the coal gasification alternative would introduce construction impacts and<br />

operational impacts. Even assuming siting at a previously disturbed area, the impacts would<br />

alter the ecology. <strong>Impact</strong>s could include wildlife habitat loss, reduced productivity, habitat<br />

August 2006 8-27 NUREG-1437, Supplement 26 I

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