Entergy Operations, Inc. and Firstenergy Nuclear Operating Company; Notice of Informal 10 CFR 2.206 Public Hearing

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 28 (Thursday, February 11, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6921-6922]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3393]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50-458; License No. NPF-47; Docket No. 50-440; License No. 
NPF-58]


Entergy Operations, Inc. and Firstenergy Nuclear Operating 
Company; Notice of Informal 10 CFR 2.206 Public Hearing

    In a Federal Register notice published on January 21, 1999 (64 FR 
3320), the U.S. Nuclear Regulator Commission (NRC) announced that it 
will hold an informal public hearing regarding two petitions submitted 
pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206 involving the River Bend Station (RBS), 
operated by Entergy Operations, Incorporated, (the RBS licensee), and 
Perry Nuclear Power Plant (PNPP), Unit 1, operated by FirstEnergy 
Nuclear Operating Company (the PNPP licensee). The hearing will be held 
on February 22, 1999. The location for the hearing will be at the NRC, 
room T-2B3. The NRC is located at 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, 
Maryland. The hearing will be open to public attendance and will be 
transcribed.
    In order to assist members of the public who live in the vicinity 
of the River Bend and Perry facilities participate in the informal 
public hearing being conducted in the Washington, D.C. area, the NRC 
will provide video teleconferencing (VTC) services at the following 
facilities located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Cleveland, Ohio:

Center For Instructional Telecommunications, Coates Hall, Room 202, 
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803
        and,
The Forum Conference and Education Center, Inc., One Cleveland Center 
Office Building, 1375 East 9th Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44114

    The video teleconferencing facilities in both cities will be made 
available to the public at 12:30 p.m. EST (11:30 a.m. CST). In order to 
avoid a conflict with a previously-scheduled class, members of the 
public participating in the informal public hearing at the LSU/Baton 
Rouge site will need to vacate the VTC classroom at 3:45 p.m. local 
time (CST). The NRC will ensure that all members of the public at the 
Baton Rouge site who wish to make a statement will have the opportunity 
to provide their comments prior to 3:45 p.m. local time. The NRC will 
adjust the meeting structure outlined below, as required, to allow for 
public comment.
    The structure of the hearing shall be as follows:

    Monday, February 22, 1999:

1:00 p.m.--NRC opening remarks
1:15 p.m.--Petitioner's presentation
2:00 p.m.--NRC questions
2:15 p.m.--RBS licensee's presentation
2:45 p.m.--NRC questions
3:00 p.m.--PNPP licensee's presentation
3:30 p.m.--NRC questions
3:45 p.m.--Public comments
    --Baton Rouge, Louisiana VTC site
    --Cleveland, Ohio VTC site
    --NRC Headquarters
4:30 p.m.--Licensees/Petitioner's final statements
4:45 p.m.--Meeting concludes

    Note: All times are Eastern Standard Time (EST).

    By letter dated September 25, 1998, the Union of Concerned 
Scientists (UCS or Petitioner) submitted a Petition pursuant to 10 CFR 
2.206 requesting that the River Bend Station be immediately shut down 
and its operating license suspended or modified until the facility's 
design and licensing basis were updated to permit operation with failed 
fuel assemblies, or until all failed fuel assemblies were removed from 
the reactor core. The Petitioner also requested that a public hearing 
be held to discuss this matter in the Washington, D.C. area.
    By letter dated November 9, 1998, the UCS also submitted a Petition 
pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206 requesting that the Perry Nuclear Power Plant 
be immediately shut down and its operating license suspended or 
modified until the facility's design and licensing basis were updated 
to permit operation with failed fuel assemblies, or until all failed 
fuel assemblies were removed from the reactor core. The Petitioner also 
requested a public hearing in the Washington, D.C. area.
    The purpose of this informal public hearing is to obtain additional 
information from the Petitioner, the licensees, and the public for NRC 
staff use in evaluating the Petitions. Therefore, this informal public 
hearing will be limited to information relevant to issues raised in the 
two Petitions. The staff will not offer any preliminary views on its 
evaluation of the Petitions. The informal public hearing will be 
chaired by a senior NRC official who will limit presentations to the 
above subject.
    The format of the informal public hearing will be as follows: 
opening remarks by the NRC regarding the general 10 CFR 2.206 process, 
the purpose of informal public hearing, and a brief summary of the 
Petitions (15 minutes); time for the Petitioner to explain the basis of 
the Petitions (45 minutes); time for the NRC to ask the Petitioner 
questions for the purposes of clarification (15 minutes); time for the 
licensees to address the issues raised in the petition (30 minutes for 
each licensee); time for the NRC to ask the licensees questions for the 
purposes of clarification (15 minutes each, following licensees' 
presentations); time for public comments relative to the Petition (45 
minutes); and time for the licensees' and Petitioner's final statements 
(15 minutes).
    Members of the public who are interested in presenting information 
relative to the Petitions should notify the NRC official named below, 5 
working days prior to the hearing. A brief summary of the information 
to be presented and the time requested should be provided in order to 
make appropriate arrangements. Time allotted

[[Page 6922]]

for presentations by members of the public at all locations will be 
determined based upon the number of requests received and will be 
announced at the beginning of the hearing. The order for public 
presentations will be determined on a first received--first to speak 
basis. Written statements should be mailed to the U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Mailstop O-13H03, Attention: Robert Fretz, 
Washington, D.C. 20555.
    Requests for the opportunity to present information can be made by 
contacting Robert Fretz, Project Manager, Division of Reactor Projects 
III/IV, at (301) 415-1324 between 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (EST), Monday-
Friday. Persons planning to attend this informal public hearing are 
urged to contact the above NRC representative 1 or 2 working days prior 
to the informal public hearing to be advised of any changes that may 
have occurred.
    Directions to the video teleconferencing sites located in Baton 
Rouge and Cleveland are provided below; however, participants are urged 
to consult local maps and directories for more detailed information to 
verify exact location.
    To Baton Rouge VTC site at LSU from Interstate Highways I-10 and I-
12 (East and West): From I-10, take one of the two exits identified for 
the Louisiana State University and follow the signs to the LSU Campus. 
Follow the signs to the LSU Visitors' Center. Members of the public 
will need to pick up a parking permit at the Visitors' Center. Visitors 
will be allowed to park along Tower Drive or utilize meter parking 
provided. Additional parking information may be obtained at the 
Visitors' Center. The video conference will be held in Room 202, Coates 
Hall, which is located within the Quadrangle at LSU. To Baton Rouge VTC 
site at LSU from St. Francisville: From US-61 South, take the I-110 
exit toward Baton Rouge and merge onto I-110 South; follow I-110 to I-
10. Take one of the two exits identified for Louisiana State University 
and follow the directions to the Visitors' Center and Coates Hall 
above.
    Members of the Public are advised that parking at LSU is limited 
and are urged to arrive at the LSU Campus early in order to obtain 
available parking. The public is welcome to utilize the LSU Student 
Union facilities for lunch prior to the start of the informal public 
hearing.
    To Cleveland VTC from Airport: Take I-71 North to East 9th Street 
exit of the Innerbelt; travel North on East 9th Street to St. Clair 
Avenue. From I-77 North: Take the East 9th Street exit; travel North on 
East 9th Street to St. Clair Avenue. From I-90 Eastbound: Take the East 
9th Street exit; travel North on East 9th Street to St. Clair Avenue. 
From I-90 Westbound: Take the East 9th Street exit; turn left onto East 
9th Street to St. Clair Avenue; turn left on St. Clair Avenue for 
parking.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day of February 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John N. Hannon,
Acting Director, Division of Reactor Projects--III/IV, Office of 
Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. 99-3393 Filed 2-10-99; 8:45 am]
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