Notice of Intent To Conduct Scoping Process and Prepare Environmental Impact Statement; Kairos Energy, LLC, Kairos Test Reactor, 9394-9396 [2022-03537]
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 34 / Friday, February 18, 2022 / Notices
is provided the first time that it is
mentioned in this document.
• NRC’s PDR: You may examine and
purchase copies of public documents,
by appointment, at the NRC’s PDR,
Room P1 B35, One White Flint North,
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
Maryland 20852. To make an
appointment to visit the PDR, please
send an email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov
or call 1–800–397–4209 or 301–415–
4737, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
(ET), Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tilda Liu, Office of Nuclear Material
Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555–0001; telephone: 404–997–
4730, email: Tilda.Liu@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NRC
issued an exemption (ADAMS Package
Accession No. ML22007A271) to NEDA
for the DAEC ISFSI. By letter dated
October 21, 2021 (ADAMS Accession
No. ML21294A280), as supplemented
by letters dated December 10, 2021
(ADAMS Accession No. ML21344A186),
and January 6, 2022 (ADAMS Accession
No. ML22006A105), NEDA submitted a
one-time exemption request to the NRC
for the DAEC ISFSI, in accordance with
section 72.7 of title 10 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (10 CFR), ‘‘Specific
exemptions,’’ from the requirements of
10 CFR 72.212 (a)(2), (b)(2), (b)(3), (b)(4),
(b)(5)(i), (b)(11), and 72.214.
Specifically, the one-time exemption
request sought the NRC approval for a
failed fuel can (FFC) and its contents at
DAEC to exceed the limits specified in
Table 1–1t in Appendix B, Technical
Specifications, of NRC Certificate of
Compliance (CoC) No. 1004, Renewed
Amendment No. 17 (ADAMS Package
Accession No. ML21109A325).
The granted exemption permits the
DAEC ISFSI to deviate from a specific
requirement contained in Table 1–1t in
Appendix B of NRC CoC No. 1004,
Renewed Amendment No. 17, by
allowing NEDA to load a failed fuel
assembly in an FCC, within a DAEC dry
shielded canister (DSC) No. 30 fuel cell,
where the combined weight of the failed
fuel assembly plus the FCC exceeds the
705 lb limit. Under the exemption, the
FCC and its contents may weigh a
maximum of 800 lb. As a condition of
this exemption, however, NEDA is
required to leave at least two adjacent
DSC fuel cells empty in its spent fuel
pool off-load campaign to increase the
available margin for weight. The NRC
staff also prepared an environmental
assessment and finding of no significant
impact regarding the renewal of the
facility operating license, published in
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18:54 Feb 17, 2022
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the Federal Register on February 2,
2022 (87 FR 5847), and concluded that
renewal of the facility operating license
will not have a significant impact on the
quality of the human environment. An
analysis of this exemption can be found
at the previously cited ADAMS package
accession number (ML22007A271).
Dated: February 15, 2022.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Yoira K. Diaz-Sanabria,
Chief, Storage and Transportation Licensing
Branch, Division of Fuel Management, Office
of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2022–03590 Filed 2–17–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50–7513; NRC–2021–0193]
Notice of Intent To Conduct Scoping
Process and Prepare Environmental
Impact Statement; Kairos Energy, LLC,
Kairos Test Reactor
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Intent to conduct scoping
process and prepare environmental
impact statement; public scoping
meeting and request for comment.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) will conduct a
scoping process to gather information
necessary to prepare an environmental
impact statement (EIS) to evaluate the
environmental impacts for a
construction permit (CP) requested by
Kairos Power, LLC. The NRC is seeking
public comment on this action and has
scheduled a joint public outreach and
public scoping meeting.
DATES: The NRC will hold a joint public
outreach and public scoping meeting on
March 23, 2022. Meeting details will be
available by March 11, 2022 at https://
www.nrc.gov/reactors/non-power/
kairos-hermes.html or at the NRC’s
Public Meeting Schedule website at
https://www.nrc.gov/pmns/mtg.
Members of the public are invited to
submit comments on the scope of the
EIS by April 19, 2022. Comments
received after this date will be
considered if it is practical to do so, but
the NRC is able to ensure consideration
only for comments received on or before
this date.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by any of the following methods;
however, the NRC encourages electronic
comment submission through the
Federal rulemaking website:
• Email: Comments may be submitted
to the NRC electronically using the
SUMMARY:
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email address KairosHermes-CPEIS@
nrc.gov.
• Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to
https://regulations.gov and search for
Docket ID NRC–2021–0193. Address
questions about Docket IDs in
Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann;
telephone: 301–415–0624; email:
Stacy.Schumann@nrc.gov. For technical
questions, contact the individual listed
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section of this document.
• Mail comments to: Office of
Administration, Mail Stop: TWFN–7–
A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
0001, ATTN: Program Management,
Announcements and Editing Staff.
For additional direction on obtaining
information and submitting comments,
see ‘‘Obtaining Information and
Submitting Comments’’ in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of
this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tamsen Dozier, Office of Nuclear
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone:
301–415–2272, email: Tamsen.Dozier@
nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Obtaining Information and
Submitting Comments
A. Obtaining Information
Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2021–
0193 when contacting the NRC about
the availability of information regarding
this document. You may obtain publicly
available information related to this
document using any of the following
methods:
• Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to
https://regulations.gov and search for
Docket ID NRC–2021–0193.
• NRC’s Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly
available documents online in the
ADAMS Public Documents collection at
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/
adams.html. To begin the search, select
‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.’’ For
problems with ADAMS, please contact
the NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR)
reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, 301–
415–4737, or by email to PDR.resource@
nrc.gov. The ADAMS accession number
for each document referenced in this
document (if it is available in ADAMS)
is provided the first time that it is
referenced.
• NRC’s PDR: You may examine and
purchase copies of public documents,
by appointment, at the NRC’s PDR,
Room P1 B35, One White Flint North,
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 34 / Friday, February 18, 2022 / Notices
Maryland 20852. To make an
appointment to visit the PDR, please
send an email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov
or call 1–800–397–4209 or 301–415–
4737, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
(ET), Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays
• Public Library: A copy of the CP
application, including the
environmental report (ER), is available
for public review at the Oak Ridge
Public Library, 1401 Oak Ridge
Turnpike, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1
B. Submitting Comments
The NRC encourages electronic
comment submission through the
Federal rulemaking website (https://
www.regulations.gov). Please include
Docket ID NRC–2021–0193 in the
subject line of your comment
submission in order to ensure that the
NRC is able to make your comment
submission available to the public in
this docket.
The NRC cautions you not to include
identifying or contact information that
you do not want to be publicly
disclosed in your comment submission.
The NRC will post all comment
submissions at https://
www.regulations.gov as well as enter the
comment submissions into ADAMS.
The NRC does not routinely edit
comment submissions to remove
identifying or contact information.
If you are requesting or aggregating
comments from other persons for
submission to the NRC, then you should
inform those persons not to include
identifying or contact information that
they do not want to be publicly
disclosed in their comment submission.
Your request should state that the NRC
does not routinely edit comment
submissions to remove such information
before making the comment
submissions available to the public or
entering the comment into ADAMS.
II. Discussion
By letter dated September 29, 2021
(ADAMS Package Accession No.
ML21272A375), Kairos Power, LLC
(Kairos) submitted to the NRC pursuant
to Section 104 of the Atomic Energy Act
and part 50 of title 10 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (10 CFR),
‘‘Domestic Licensing of Production and
Utilization Facilities,’’ an application
for a CP for the Hermes test reactor (aka
a ‘‘testing facility’’ as defined in 10 CFR
50.2), which would be located in Oak
Ridge, Tennessee. The Hermes test
reactor is a high-temperature thermal
reactor using solid tri-structural
isotropic fuel in pebble form and a
molten fluoride salt coolant. This
submission initiated the NRC’s
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18:54 Feb 17, 2022
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proposed action of determining whether
to grant the CP. A notice of receipt and
availability of the portion of the
application submitted on September 29,
2021 was published in the Federal
Register on October 29, 2021 (86 FR
60077).
On October 31, 2021, Kairos filed the
second part of its application (ADAMS
Package Accession No. ML21306A131)
for a CP, which consisted of the ER
required by 10 CFR 50.30(f) and Subpart
A of part 51. Submission of the ER
completed the application for a CP.
The NRC staff determined that Kairos
submitted a two-part application in
accordance with 10 CFR 2.101(a)(5) and
10 CFR part 50, and that the application
is acceptable for docketing under Docket
No. 50–7513. The NRC sent a letter of
acceptance and docketing to Kairos on
November 29, 2021 (ADAMS Accession
No. ML21319A354). A notice of
acceptance for docketing of the
application was published in the
Federal Register on December 1, 2021
(86 FR 68290) and a notice of
opportunity for hearing was published
on February 9, 2022 (87 FR 7503). These
notices are available on the Federal
rulemaking website (https://
www.regulations.gov) by searching for
Docket ID NRC–2021–0193 and NRC–
2022–0033.
III. Request for Comment
This notice informs the public of the
NRC’s intent to conduct environmental
scoping and prepare an EIS related to
the CP application for Kairos Hermes
test reactor. This notice also to provides
the public an opportunity to participate
in the environmental scoping process,
in accordance with 10 CFR 51.29 and 10
CFR 51.116.
The regulations in 36 CFR 800.8,
‘‘Coordination with the National
Environmental Policy Act,’’ allow
agencies to use their National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321, et seq.) (NEPA) process to
fulfill the requirements of Section 106 of
the National Historic Preservation Act of
1966 (54 U.S.C. 300101, et seq.) (NHPA).
Therefore, pursuant to 36 CFR 800.8(c),
the NRC intends to use its process and
documentation required for the
preparation of the EIS on the proposed
action to comply with Section 106 of the
NHPA in lieu of the procedures set forth
at 36 CFR 800.3 through 800.6.
In accordance with 10 CFR 51.50(a),
Kairos submitted an ER as part of the CP
application. The ER was prepared
pursuant to 10 CFR part 51 and is
publicly available at ADAMS Package
Accession No. ML21306A131. The ER
will also be available for viewing at
https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/non-
PO 00000
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9395
power/kairos-hermes.html. In addition,
the ER is available for public review at
the Oak Ridge Public Library, 1401 Oak
Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
The NRC intends to gather the
information necessary to prepare an EIS
related to the CP application for the
Kairos Hermes test reactor. The NRC is
required by 10 CFR 51.20(b) to prepare
an EIS in connection with the issuance
of a CP for a test reactor. This notice is
being published in accordance with
NEPA and the NRC’s regulations at 10
CFR part 51.
The EIS will evaluate the
environmental impacts of construction,
operation and decommissioning of the
Kairos Hermes test reactor, and
reasonable alternatives thereto. Possible
alternatives to the proposed action
include the no action alternative and
alternative sites.
As part of its environmental review,
the NRC will first conduct a scoping
process and, as soon as practicable
thereafter, will prepare a draft EIS for
public comment. Participation in this
scoping process by members of the
public and local, State, Tribal, and
Federal government agencies is
encouraged. The scoping process for the
draft EIS will be used to accomplish the
following:
a. Define the proposed action that is
to be the subject of the EIS;
b. Determine the scope of the EIS and
identify the significant issues to be
analyzed in depth;
c. Identify and eliminate from
detailed study those issues that are
peripheral or are not significant or that
have been covered by prior
environmental review;
d. Identify any environmental
assessments and other ElSs that are
being or will be prepared that are
related to, but are not part of, the scope
of the EIS under consideration;
e. Identify other environmental
review and consultation requirements
related to the proposed action;
f. Indicate the relationship between
the timing of the preparation of the
environmental analyses and the NRC’s
tentative planning and decision-making
schedule;
g. Identify any cooperating agencies
and, as appropriate, allocate
assignments for preparation and
schedules for completing the EIS to the
NRC and any cooperating agencies; and
h. Describe how the EIS will be
prepared, including any contractor
assistance to be used.
The NRC invites the following entities
to participate in scoping:
a. The applicant, Kairos Power, LLC.;
b. Any Federal agency that has
jurisdiction by law or special expertise
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with respect to any environmental
impact involved or that is authorized to
develop and enforce relevant
environmental standards;
c. Affected State and local
government agencies, including those
authorized to develop and enforce
relevant environmental standards;
d. Any affected Indian Tribe;
e. Any person who requests or has
requested an opportunity to participate
in the scoping process; and
f. Any person who has petitioned or
intends to petition for leave to intervene
under 10 CFR 2.309.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Kenneth T. Erwin,
Chief, Environmental Review New Reactor
Branch, Division of Rulemaking,
Environment, and Financial Support, Office
of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
IV. Public Scoping Meeting
AGENCY:
In accordance with 10 CFR 51.26(b),
the scoping process for an EIS may
include a public scoping meeting,
which may help identify significant
issues related to the proposed action
and to determine the scope of issues to
be addressed in the EIS.
The NRC is planning to conduct a
public outreach and scoping meeting for
the Kairos Hermes EIS. The meeting is
currently expected to be held on March
23, 2022. Meeting details will be
available by March 11, 2022 at https://
www.nrc.gov/reactors/non-power/
kairos-hermes.html or at the NRC’s
Public Meeting Schedule website at
https://www.nrc.gov/pmns/mtg. A court
reporter will transcribe all comments
received during the public meeting. To
be considered, comments must be
provided either at the transcribed public
meeting or in writing, as discussed in
the ADDRESSES section of this document.
Please contact Ms. Tamsen Dozier no
later than March 14, 2022, if
accommodations or special equipment
is needed to participate or to provide
comments, so that the NRC staff can
determine whether the request can be
accommodated.
The public outreach and scoping
meeting will include: (1) An overview
by the NRC staff of the safety and
environmental review processes, the
proposed scope of the EIS, and the
proposed review schedule; and (2) the
opportunity for interested government
agencies, organizations, and individuals
to submit comments or suggestions on
environmental issues or the proposed
scope of the Kairos Hermes EIS.
Participation in the scoping process
for the Kairos Hermes EIS does not
entitle participants to become parties to
the proceeding to which the EIS relates.
Matters related to participation in any
hearing are outside the scope of matters
to be discussed at this public meeting.
Dated: February 15, 2022.
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18:54 Feb 17, 2022
Jkt 256001
[FR Doc. 2022–03537 Filed 2–17–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[NRC–2021–0180]
Information Collection: NRC Form 664,
‘‘General Licensee Registration’’
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Renewal of existing information
collection; request for comment.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) invites public
comment on the renewal of Office of
Management and Budget (OMB)
approval for an existing collection of
information. The information collection
is entitled, NRC Form 664, ‘‘General
Licensee Registration.’’
DATES: Submit comments by April 19,
2022. Comments received after this date
will be considered if it is practical to do
so, but the Commission is able to ensure
consideration only for comments
received on or before this date.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by any of the following methods;
however, the NRC encourages electronic
comment submission through the
Federal rulemaking website:
• Federal rulemaking Website: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for Docket ID NRC–2021–0180. Address
questions about Docket IDs in
Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann;
telephone: 301–415–0624; email:
Stacy.Schumann@nrc.gov. For technical
questions, contact the individual listed
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section of this document.
• Mail comments to: David Cullison,
Office of the Chief Information Officer,
Mail Stop: T–6 A10M, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555–0001.
For additional direction on obtaining
information and submitting comments,
see ‘‘Obtaining Information and
Submitting Comments’’ in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of
this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David C. Cullison, Office of the Chief
Information Officer, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555–0001; telephone: 301–415–
2084; email: Infocollects.Resource@
nrc.gov.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00090
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Obtaining Information and
Submitting Comments
A. Obtaining Information
Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2021–
0180 when contacting the NRC about
the availability of information for this
action. You may obtain publicly
available information related to this
action by any of the following methods:
• Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/ and search
for Docket ID NRC–2021–0180. A copy
of the collection of information and
related instructions may be obtained
without charge by accessing Docket ID
NRC–2021–0180 on this website.
• NRC’s Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly
available documents online in the
ADAMS Public Documents collection at
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/
adams.html. To begin the search, select
‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.’’ For
problems with ADAMS, please contact
the NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR)
reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, 301–
415–4737, or by email to
PDR.Resource@nrc.gov. The supporting
statement and NRC Form 664 are
available in ADAMS under Accession
Nos. ML21355A133 and ML22020A155,
respectively.
• NRC’s PDR: You may examine and
purchase copies of public documents,
by appointment, at the NRC’s PDR,
Room P1 B35, One White Flint North,
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
Maryland 20852. To make an
appointment to visit the PDR, please
send an email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov
or call 1–800–397–4209 or 301–415–
4737, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
(ET), Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
• NRC’s Clearance Officer: A copy of
the collection of information and related
instructions may be obtained without
charge by contacting the NRC’s
Clearance Officer, David C. Cullison,
Office of the Chief Information Officer,
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone:
301–415–2084; email:
Infocollects.Resource@nrc.gov.
B. Submitting Comments
The NRC encourages electronic
comment submission through the
Federal rulemaking website (https://
www.regulations.gov). Please include
Docket ID NRC–2021–0180 in your
comment submission.
The NRC cautions you not to include
identifying or contact information in
comment submissions that you do not
E:\FR\FM\18FEN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 34 (Friday, February 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9394-9396]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03537]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-7513; NRC-2021-0193]
Notice of Intent To Conduct Scoping Process and Prepare
Environmental Impact Statement; Kairos Energy, LLC, Kairos Test Reactor
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Intent to conduct scoping process and prepare environmental
impact statement; public scoping meeting and request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will conduct a
scoping process to gather information necessary to prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS) to evaluate the environmental
impacts for a construction permit (CP) requested by Kairos Power, LLC.
The NRC is seeking public comment on this action and has scheduled a
joint public outreach and public scoping meeting.
DATES: The NRC will hold a joint public outreach and public scoping
meeting on March 23, 2022. Meeting details will be available by March
11, 2022 at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/non-power/kairos-hermes.html
or at the NRC's Public Meeting Schedule website at https://www.nrc.gov/pmns/mtg. Members of the public are invited to submit comments on the
scope of the EIS by April 19, 2022. Comments received after this date
will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the NRC is able to
ensure consideration only for comments received on or before this date.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods;
however, the NRC encourages electronic comment submission through the
Federal rulemaking website:
Email: Comments may be submitted to the NRC electronically
using the email address [email protected].
Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://regulations.gov
and search for Docket ID NRC-2021-0193. Address questions about Docket
IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann; telephone: 301-415-0624;
email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact the
individual listed in the For Further Information Contact section of
this document.
Mail comments to: Office of Administration, Mail Stop:
TWFN-7-A60M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-
0001, ATTN: Program Management, Announcements and Editing Staff.
For additional direction on obtaining information and submitting
comments, see ``Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments'' in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tamsen Dozier, Office of Nuclear
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-2272, email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Obtaining Information and Submitting Comments
A. Obtaining Information
Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2021-0193 when contacting the NRC
about the availability of information regarding this document. You may
obtain publicly available information related to this document using
any of the following methods:
Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to https://regulations.gov
and search for Docket ID NRC-2021-0193.
NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly available documents online in the
ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ``Begin Web-based ADAMS
Search.'' For problems with ADAMS, please contact the NRC's Public
Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or
by email to [email protected]. The ADAMS accession number for each
document referenced in this document (if it is available in ADAMS) is
provided the first time that it is referenced.
NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public
documents, by appointment, at the NRC's PDR, Room P1 B35, One White
Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville,
[[Page 9395]]
Maryland 20852. To make an appointment to visit the PDR, please send an
email to [email protected] or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737,
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (ET), Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays
Public Library: A copy of the CP application, including
the environmental report (ER), is available for public review at the
Oak Ridge Public Library, 1401 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge,
Tennessee.
B. Submitting Comments
The NRC encourages electronic comment submission through the
Federal rulemaking website (https://www.regulations.gov). Please
include Docket ID NRC-2021-0193 in the subject line of your comment
submission in order to ensure that the NRC is able to make your comment
submission available to the public in this docket.
The NRC cautions you not to include identifying or contact
information that you do not want to be publicly disclosed in your
comment submission. The NRC will post all comment submissions at
https://www.regulations.gov as well as enter the comment submissions
into ADAMS. The NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to
remove identifying or contact information.
If you are requesting or aggregating comments from other persons
for submission to the NRC, then you should inform those persons not to
include identifying or contact information that they do not want to be
publicly disclosed in their comment submission. Your request should
state that the NRC does not routinely edit comment submissions to
remove such information before making the comment submissions available
to the public or entering the comment into ADAMS.
II. Discussion
By letter dated September 29, 2021 (ADAMS Package Accession No.
ML21272A375), Kairos Power, LLC (Kairos) submitted to the NRC pursuant
to Section 104 of the Atomic Energy Act and part 50 of title 10 of the
Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), ``Domestic Licensing of
Production and Utilization Facilities,'' an application for a CP for
the Hermes test reactor (aka a ``testing facility'' as defined in 10
CFR 50.2), which would be located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The Hermes
test reactor is a high-temperature thermal reactor using solid tri-
structural isotropic fuel in pebble form and a molten fluoride salt
coolant. This submission initiated the NRC's proposed action of
determining whether to grant the CP. A notice of receipt and
availability of the portion of the application submitted on September
29, 2021 was published in the Federal Register on October 29, 2021 (86
FR 60077).
On October 31, 2021, Kairos filed the second part of its
application (ADAMS Package Accession No. ML21306A131) for a CP, which
consisted of the ER required by 10 CFR 50.30(f) and Subpart A of part
51. Submission of the ER completed the application for a CP.
The NRC staff determined that Kairos submitted a two-part
application in accordance with 10 CFR 2.101(a)(5) and 10 CFR part 50,
and that the application is acceptable for docketing under Docket No.
50-7513. The NRC sent a letter of acceptance and docketing to Kairos on
November 29, 2021 (ADAMS Accession No. ML21319A354). A notice of
acceptance for docketing of the application was published in the
Federal Register on December 1, 2021 (86 FR 68290) and a notice of
opportunity for hearing was published on February 9, 2022 (87 FR 7503).
These notices are available on the Federal rulemaking website (https://www.regulations.gov) by searching for Docket ID NRC-2021-0193 and NRC-
2022-0033.
III. Request for Comment
This notice informs the public of the NRC's intent to conduct
environmental scoping and prepare an EIS related to the CP application
for Kairos Hermes test reactor. This notice also to provides the public
an opportunity to participate in the environmental scoping process, in
accordance with 10 CFR 51.29 and 10 CFR 51.116.
The regulations in 36 CFR 800.8, ``Coordination with the National
Environmental Policy Act,'' allow agencies to use their National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.) (NEPA)
process to fulfill the requirements of Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (54 U.S.C. 300101, et seq.) (NHPA).
Therefore, pursuant to 36 CFR 800.8(c), the NRC intends to use its
process and documentation required for the preparation of the EIS on
the proposed action to comply with Section 106 of the NHPA in lieu of
the procedures set forth at 36 CFR 800.3 through 800.6.
In accordance with 10 CFR 51.50(a), Kairos submitted an ER as part
of the CP application. The ER was prepared pursuant to 10 CFR part 51
and is publicly available at ADAMS Package Accession No. ML21306A131.
The ER will also be available for viewing at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/non-power/kairos-hermes.html. In addition, the ER is available
for public review at the Oak Ridge Public Library, 1401 Oak Ridge
Turnpike, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
The NRC intends to gather the information necessary to prepare an
EIS related to the CP application for the Kairos Hermes test reactor.
The NRC is required by 10 CFR 51.20(b) to prepare an EIS in connection
with the issuance of a CP for a test reactor. This notice is being
published in accordance with NEPA and the NRC's regulations at 10 CFR
part 51.
The EIS will evaluate the environmental impacts of construction,
operation and decommissioning of the Kairos Hermes test reactor, and
reasonable alternatives thereto. Possible alternatives to the proposed
action include the no action alternative and alternative sites.
As part of its environmental review, the NRC will first conduct a
scoping process and, as soon as practicable thereafter, will prepare a
draft EIS for public comment. Participation in this scoping process by
members of the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal government
agencies is encouraged. The scoping process for the draft EIS will be
used to accomplish the following:
a. Define the proposed action that is to be the subject of the EIS;
b. Determine the scope of the EIS and identify the significant
issues to be analyzed in depth;
c. Identify and eliminate from detailed study those issues that are
peripheral or are not significant or that have been covered by prior
environmental review;
d. Identify any environmental assessments and other ElSs that are
being or will be prepared that are related to, but are not part of, the
scope of the EIS under consideration;
e. Identify other environmental review and consultation
requirements related to the proposed action;
f. Indicate the relationship between the timing of the preparation
of the environmental analyses and the NRC's tentative planning and
decision-making schedule;
g. Identify any cooperating agencies and, as appropriate, allocate
assignments for preparation and schedules for completing the EIS to the
NRC and any cooperating agencies; and
h. Describe how the EIS will be prepared, including any contractor
assistance to be used.
The NRC invites the following entities to participate in scoping:
a. The applicant, Kairos Power, LLC.;
b. Any Federal agency that has jurisdiction by law or special
expertise
[[Page 9396]]
with respect to any environmental impact involved or that is authorized
to develop and enforce relevant environmental standards;
c. Affected State and local government agencies, including those
authorized to develop and enforce relevant environmental standards;
d. Any affected Indian Tribe;
e. Any person who requests or has requested an opportunity to
participate in the scoping process; and
f. Any person who has petitioned or intends to petition for leave
to intervene under 10 CFR 2.309.
IV. Public Scoping Meeting
In accordance with 10 CFR 51.26(b), the scoping process for an EIS
may include a public scoping meeting, which may help identify
significant issues related to the proposed action and to determine the
scope of issues to be addressed in the EIS.
The NRC is planning to conduct a public outreach and scoping
meeting for the Kairos Hermes EIS. The meeting is currently expected to
be held on March 23, 2022. Meeting details will be available by March
11, 2022 at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/non-power/kairos-hermes.html
or at the NRC's Public Meeting Schedule website at https://www.nrc.gov/pmns/mtg. A court reporter will transcribe all comments received during
the public meeting. To be considered, comments must be provided either
at the transcribed public meeting or in writing, as discussed in the
Addresses section of this document. Please contact Ms. Tamsen Dozier no
later than March 14, 2022, if accommodations or special equipment is
needed to participate or to provide comments, so that the NRC staff can
determine whether the request can be accommodated.
The public outreach and scoping meeting will include: (1) An
overview by the NRC staff of the safety and environmental review
processes, the proposed scope of the EIS, and the proposed review
schedule; and (2) the opportunity for interested government agencies,
organizations, and individuals to submit comments or suggestions on
environmental issues or the proposed scope of the Kairos Hermes EIS.
Participation in the scoping process for the Kairos Hermes EIS does
not entitle participants to become parties to the proceeding to which
the EIS relates. Matters related to participation in any hearing are
outside the scope of matters to be discussed at this public meeting.
Dated: February 15, 2022.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Kenneth T. Erwin,
Chief, Environmental Review New Reactor Branch, Division of Rulemaking,
Environment, and Financial Support, Office of Nuclear Material Safety
and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2022-03537 Filed 2-17-22; 8:45 am]
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