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Environmental Impact Statement - radioactive monticello

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aging management aspects of the license renewal process. As we move forward, we will<br />

continue to upgrade and improve the equipment, the technology, and the training to the<br />

employees of the station. (C-3)<br />

Appendix A<br />

Response: Comments regarding aging management issues are outside the scope of license<br />

renewal and provide no new information; therefore, no changes were made to the SEIS.<br />

Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI)<br />

Comment: Are you folks crazy, or do you think storing nuclear waste next to one of the largest<br />

freshwater rivers in the world is a good idea. (D-1)<br />

Comment: We are aware that there was a proposal before the Minnesota <strong>Environmental</strong><br />

Quality Board for dry cask storage facility for spent nuclear fuel at Monticello. We note that the<br />

<strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Impact</strong>s section of the Draft SEIS does not discuss the potential impacts<br />

associated with adding this type of spent fuel storage facility to the existing operation. We<br />

suggest that a new dry cask storage facility constitutes a new set of circumstances for this site<br />

and should be evaluated in greater detail for additional impacts to the environment. (H-3)<br />

Comment: The Federal Government's failure to site a nuclear waste repository should not be<br />

cause to close a functional, and large capital cost, generation plant before its' time. (E-2)<br />

Response: Onsite storage facilities are licensed separately from the reactor license renewal<br />

process. The NRC authorizes storage of spent nuclear fuel at an independent spent fuel<br />

storage installation (ISFSI) under two licensing options: a site-specific license or a general<br />

license.<br />

A general license authorizes a nuclear power plant licensee to store spent fuel in NRCapproved<br />

casks at an existing site that is licensed for operating of a power reactor under 10<br />

CFR Part 50. An NRC-approved cask is one that has undergone a technical review of its safety<br />

aspects and been found to meet all of the NRC's requirements in 10 CFR Part 72. The NRC<br />

issues a Certificate of Compliance for a cask design to a cask vendor after a rulemaking<br />

determines its adequacy. Licensees are required to perform evaluations of their sites to<br />

demonstrate that the site is adequate for storing spent fuel in dry casks. These evaluations<br />

must show that the cask Certificate of Compliance conditions and technical specifications can<br />

be met. The licensee must also review its security program, emergency plan, quality assurance<br />

program, training program, and radiation protection program, and make any necessary changes<br />

to incorporate the ISFSl at its reactor site.<br />

The safety and environmental effects of long-term storage of spent fuel onsite have been<br />

evaluated by the NRC and, as set forth in the Waste Confidence Rule at 10 CFR 51.23<br />

(available at http://www.nrc.qov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/partO51/artO5. -0023.html), the<br />

NRC generically determined that "J..if necessary, spent fuel generated in any reactor can be<br />

stored safely and without significant environmental impacts for at least 30 years beyond the<br />

August 2006 A-59 NUREG-1437, Supplement 26 1

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