Story Category: Public Works And Energy »

The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) will hold a hearing Jan. 26 in Prince Frederick, Md., regarding a challenge to the Combined License application for a new reactor at the Calvert Cliffs site. The Board will also accept “limited appearance statements” Jan. 25. The ASLB is the independent body within the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) that conducts adjudicatory hearings and rules on legal challenges to proposed licensing actions.

The hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26, in the Albright Building, 205 Main St. in Prince Frederick, and will continue at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 27 if necessary. The ASLB asks the public to park in the designated lot at 200 Duke St. in Prince Frederick, a short walk from the hearing. The Board advises those wishing to observe the hearing to arrive early and bring at least one government-issued photo ID for security screening. The Board also requests attendees avoid bringing unnecessary handcarried items, such as packages, briefcases, backpacks, or other items that might need individual examination. Attendees will not be able to store such items outside the rooms, and items requiring inspection could delay a person’s admission to a session. Signs, banners, posters, demonstrations and displays are prohibited in accordance with NRC policy. Anyone attempting to disrupt the hearing will be removed.

This hearing involves UnitStar’s application to construct and operate a new nuclear reactor at Calvert Cliffs, about 40 miles south of Annapolis. The Nuclear Information and Resource Services, Beyond Nuclear, Public Citizen Energy Program and Southern Maryland Citizens Alliance for Renewable Energy Solutions have jointly filed a legal challenge opposing the application. The challenge alleges the NRC Staff’s draft environmental impact statement failed to adequately analyze and discuss alternatives to the proposed reactor.

The ASLB is also accepting limited appearance statements, which allow members of the public (who are not formal parties to the hearing) to inform and assist the ASLB in considering the legal challenge in question. The Board will accept oral statements on Jan. 25, 2012, from 1-2:30 p.m. and from 7-8:30 p.m. These sessions will be held at the Calvert Marine Museum, 14150 Solomons Island Road in Solomons, Md. ASLB rules regarding signs and behavior will be in force during the comment sessions.

Members of the public have until 5 p.m. on Jan. 13 to pre-register for these sessions. Pre-registered members of the public will receive priority to speak. Pre-registration requests must specify the session (afternoon or evening) at which the requester wishes to make an oral statement. Pre-registration requests should be sent to the Chairman of the ASLB by e-mail to Kirsten.stoddard@nrc.gov and Ronald.spritzer@nrc.gov; by fax to (301)415-5599 or by mail to: Administrative Judge Ronald M. Spritzer, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, Mail Stop: T-3F23, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.

The Board reserves the right to cancel a session if there is a lack of public interest, and conclude a session ahead of the scheduled ending time if all speakers have made a presentation. Individuals or groups not admitted to the proceeding can also submit written limited appearance statements to the ASLB.

Persons wishing to submit a written statement may do so by contacting the ASLB by e-mail to hearingdocket@nrc.gov, by fax to (301) 415-1101 or by regular mail to: Office of the Secretary, Attn. Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. In addition, copies of written statements should be sent to the Chairman of the ASLB by e-mail to Ronald.spritzer@nrc.gov; by fax to (301)415-5599 or by mail to: Administrative Judge Ronald M. Spritzer, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, Mail Stop: T-3F23, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.

Documents related to the Calvert Cliffs COL application are available on the NRC website, and documents regarding the ASLB proceeding are also available (click on the “Calvert_Cliffs_51-016-COL” folder). More information about the role of the ASLB in the licensing process can be found on the NRC website.