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The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has extended the public comment period on the proposed rule revisions to the environmental protection regulations, specifically the Summary of Findings on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Issues for License Renewal of Nuclear Power Plants and the draft revision of Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, NUREG-1437, originally published in 1996. The submittal deadline is extended from Oct. 14 to Jan. 12, 2010. The public can view the NRC's original notice on the proposed rule revisions in the Federal Register at: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-24153.pdf exit icon PDF Iconand the original press release at: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2009/09-130.html. The NRC has held public meetings to obtain comments in Georgia, Massachusetts, Illinois and Maryland; the California meetings will be held in October and have been announced separately. Comments on the proposed rule, draft revised GEIS and associated documents may be submitted via the federal e-Rulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov exit icon (Docket I.D. NRC-2008-0608); by e-mail to Rulemaking.Comments@nrc.gov ; by mail to Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001, ATTN: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff; or by fax to 301-492-3466. Written comments on the draft revised GEIS should be sent to: Chief, Rulemaking, Directives and Editing Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Office of Administration, Mailstop TWB-05-B01M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has extended the public comment period on the proposed rule revisions to the environmental protection regulations, specifically the Summary of Findings on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Issues for License Renewal of Nuclear Power Plants and the draft revision of Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, NUREG-1437, originally published in 1996. The submittal deadline is extended from Oct. 14 to Jan. 12, 2010. The public can view the NRC's original notice on the proposed rule revisions in the Federal Register at: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-24153.pdf exit icon PDF Iconand the original press release at: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2009/09-130.html. The NRC has held public meetings to obtain comments in Georgia, Massachusetts, Illinois and Maryland; the California meetings will be held in October and have been announced separately. Comments on the proposed rule, draft revised GEIS and associated documents may be submitted via the federal e-Rulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov exit icon (Docket I.D. NRC-2008-0608); by e-mail to Rulemaking.Comments@nrc.gov ; by mail to Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001, ATTN: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff; or by fax to 301-492-3466. Written comments on the draft revised GEIS should be sent to: Chief, Rulemaking, Directives and Editing Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Office of Administration, Mailstop TWB-05-B01M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001.

It took some doing, and some help from his friends, but Mayor Julián Castro appears to have finally wrested a resignation from CPS Energy Board Chair Aurora Geis this week. Geis was repolishing her resignation Tuesday afternoon, while stating she felt strongly that she is leaving utility on the right path despite the challenges that are ahead. "The timing of it is not what I would have preferred because there is so much stability that needs to be put in place," Geis said. "But now the greater challenge that we face is identifying a candidate who will be willing to serve."

It took some doing, and some help from his friends, but Mayor Julián Castro appears to have finally wrested a resignation from CPS Energy Board Chair Aurora Geis this week. Geis was repolishing her resignation Tuesday afternoon, while stating she felt strongly that she is leaving utility on the right path despite the challenges that are ahead. "The timing of it is not what I would have preferred because there is so much stability that needs to be put in place," Geis said. "But now the greater challenge that we face is identifying a candidate who will be willing to serve."

Extension of Public Comment Period on the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement for In-Situ Leach Uranium Milling Facilities AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Extension of public comment period. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This notice revises a notice published on September 19, 2008, in the Federal Register (73 FR 54435), which announced, in part, that the public comment period for the NRC's draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement for In-Situ Leach Uranium Milling Facilities (Draft GEIS) closes on October 7, 2008. The purpose of this notice is to extend the public comment period on the draft GEIS to November 7, 2008.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), with the cooperation of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Land Quality Division, is issuing a final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) that assesses the potential environmental impacts of the construction, operation, aquifer restoration, and decommissioning at an in-situ leach (ISL) uranium milling facility located in particular regions of the western United States. The rationale for developing the GEIS is that ISL facilities use the same or very similar technology, such that the potential environmental impacts associated with the technology could be assessed on a generic (programmatic) basis. In this way repetitive reviews of certain of these impacts could be avoided, thus focusing NRC's evaluation on unique issues of concern for each ISL license application.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), with the cooperation of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Land Quality Division, is issuing for public comment a Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (Draft GEIS) that identifies and evaluates on a programmatic basis, the potential environmental impacts from the construction, operation, aquifer restoration, and decommissioning at in-situ leach (ISL) uranium milling facilities located in particular regions of the western United States. The Draft GEIS addresses environmental issues common to ISL milling facilities to aid in making more efficient environmental reviews of individual site-specific ISL license applications.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking public comment on a draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for in-situ leach uranium recovery operations in the western United States. The draft GEIS, developed with the cooperation of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, identifies and evaluates potential environmental impacts common to the construction, operation, aquifer restoration and decommissioning of in-situ leach facilities in Western states. In-situ leach is a process in which local non-potable groundwater with added oxygen and sodium carbonate or bicarbonate is injected into an underground ore deposit to leach out (or dissolve) uranium, which is then pumped to the surface for additional processing.

Firstenergy Nuclear Operating Company; Notice of Availability of the Final Supplement 36 to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, Regarding the License Renewal of Beaver Valley Power Station, Units 1 and 2 Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission or NRC) has published a final plant-specific supplement to the ``Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants (GEIS),'' NUREG-1437, regarding the renewal of operating licenses DPR-66 and NPF-73 for an additional 20 years of operation for the Beaver Valley Power Station, Units 1 and 2, which are located in Shippingport, PA about 25 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, PA. Possible alternatives to the proposed action (license renewal) include no action and reasonable alternative energy sources.

Amergen Energy Company, LLC, Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1; Notice of Availability of the Draft Supplement 37 to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, and Public Meeting for the License Renewal of Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, Commission) has published a draft plant-specific supplement to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants (GEIS), NUREG-1437, regarding the renewal of operating license DPR-50 for an additional 20 years of operation for Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 (TMI-1). TMI-1 is located in Londonderry Township in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on the northern end of Three Mile Island near the eastern shore of the Susquehanna River. Possible alternatives to the proposed action (license renewal) include no action and reasonable alternative energy sources.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has published its final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for in situ leach uranium recovery (ISR) operations in the Western United States, and is announcing a change in the agency's approach for environmental reviews of new ISR facilities. The agency has decided to issue full Supplemental Environmental Impact Statements (SEIS) for new recovery operations, instead of Environmental Assessments as originally planned. Under the National Environmental Policy Act, an Environmental Impact Statement is the most thorough review of potential impacts of a proposed licensing action on the environment. It involves extensive opportunities for public participation, with a draft report issued for public comment before a final report is prepared. "This new approach responds to public concerns that our review of generic impacts common to all uranium recovery actions would overlook unique characteristics of each individual site," NRC Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko said. "Citizens may have confidence in the certainty of our regulatory decisions, because our reviews will be as comprehensive and transparent as possible, with maximum opportunity for the public to participate in the process."

Board Chair Aurora Gies opened the special meeting of CPS Energy's Board of Trustees in a bunker in the bowels in the Alamodome with a defense of the utility's clean-energy pursuits. "We don't want to compromise our pursuit of other technologies," Geis said. "We want to be able to support these technologies as they mature in the future." While her insistence that nuclear expansion will in no way limit the city's ability to aggressively pursue cleaner options has become an expected soundbite over the past months, today's - offered moments before a unanimous vote to devote itself to nuclear power expansion - was especially anemic.

Board Chair Aurora Gies opened the special meeting of CPS Energy's Board of Trustees in a bunker in the bowels in the Alamodome with a defense of the utility's clean-energy pursuits. "We don't want to compromise our pursuit of other technologies," Geis said. "We want to be able to support these technologies as they mature in the future." While her insistence that nuclear expansion will in no way limit the city's ability to aggressively pursue cleaner options has become an expected soundbite over the past months, today's - offered moments before a unanimous vote to devote itself to nuclear power expansion - was especially anemic.

CPS Energy trustees took no action Wednesday morning after deliberating for nearly 11 hours over the fate of several top executives connected to a nuclear cost estimate - much higher than expected - that was kept from the utility's board and the City Council. The board came out of executive session shortly before 1 a.m. to announce that it would continue deliberation Monday. "The seriousness of this issue warrants that this board takes care, takes caution," Chairwoman Aurora Geis told the sparse crowd that waited. "People's lives are at stake." Tuesday's meeting was a continuation of Monday's nearly five-hour session, during which the board heard results of an internal investigation into how contractor Toshiba Inc.'s high cost estimate for the multibillion-dollar nuclear expansion was kept under wraps.

CPS Energy trustees took no action Wednesday morning after deliberating for nearly 11 hours over the fate of several top executives connected to a nuclear cost estimate - much higher than expected - that was kept from the utility's board and the City Council. The board came out of executive session shortly before 1 a.m. to announce that it would continue deliberation Monday. "The seriousness of this issue warrants that this board takes care, takes caution," Chairwoman Aurora Geis told the sparse crowd that waited. "People's lives are at stake." Tuesday's meeting was a continuation of Monday's nearly five-hour session, during which the board heard results of an internal investigation into how contractor Toshiba Inc.'s high cost estimate for the multibillion-dollar nuclear expansion was kept under wraps.

Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit Nos. 2 and 3; Notice of Availability of the Draft Supplement 38 to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants and Public Meeting for the License Renewal of Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit Nos. 2 and 3

Correction to Notice of Availability of Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement for In-Situ Leach Uranium Milling Facilities

Dan Stout, the Dept. of Energy's director of nuclear fuel recycling, said the comment period on the draft programmatic environmental impact statement for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership would be extended beyond the current deadline of Dec. 16. At this time, however, a new date has not been set, Stout said at last night's GNEP hearing in Oak Ridge.l Stout also indicated DOE was considering a request for additional GNEP hearings at other sites. You can submit a comment by clicking here and doing a search for GNEP. Or you can submit comments in writing to: Mr. Frank Schwartz U.S. Dept. of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy -- NE-5 1000 Independence Ave., SW Washington, D.C. 20585. The draft PEIS is available here.

Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.; Notice of Availability of the Final Supplement 34 to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, Regarding the License Renewal of Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2

A one-size-fits-all analysis is inappropriate when it comes to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's "Generic Environmental Impact Statement for In-Situ Leach Uranium Milling Facilities," according to the Navajo Nation. "The jurisdictional issue involving the Navajo Nation cannot be looked at in a vacuum. It involves substantial environmental justice implications for a Native Nation uniquely impacted by past activities now under the direct control of the NRC, " David Taylor, principal attorney with the Natural Resources Unit, stated in comments to the NRC sent Nov. 7.

Beaver Valley Power Station, Units 1 and 2; Notice of Availability of the Draft Supplement 36 to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, and Public Meeting for the License Renewal of the Beaver Valley Power Station, Units 1 and 2

A Nuclear Regulatory Commission hearing in Chadron last week, intended primarily to take public comment on a proposal for use of a generic Environmental Impact Statement in issuing permits for In-Situ Leach (ISL) mines such as the Crow Butte Resources mine near Crawford, provided a primer on the ISL process for an audience of about 35 people, and a discussion forum for several of those involved in challenges to Crow Butte's proposed expansion project. Among the details to emerge from the meeting was acknowledgment by the NRC that, although ISL mine permits call for returning groundwater to its original condition when mining is done, some of the "baseline parameters" have proved unachievable by mining companies.

Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal is urging the Nuclear Regulatory Commission not to delay the completion of an environmental study on uranium mining. The NRC is working on a study of in-situ uranium mining. The process uses chemicals to free uranium from the surrounding ore, allowing it to be pumped out of the ground with water and refined on the surface.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will require more detailed environmental studies of proposed new in-situ uranium mines in the western United States. The in-situ technique involves pumping chemicals into groundwater to free uranium from the surrounding ore so it can be pumped to the surface and refined. The agency announced Thursday that is has released its final environmental study of the mining method after conducting public meetings in Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota and New Mexico. Wyoming is the leading producer of uranium at about 2 million pounds a year.