fundamentals changed, page-16

"You guys do realize that these scheduled dates can be brought forward...they're not set in stone.

Agree, a projection on the worst case scenario"

Abu - your comment suggests that the NRC publishes 'worst case scenarios' in all its timetables!

A brief study of NRC's recent SML assessment will tell you that the reality is more the opposite.

But why would NRC even wish to publish 'worst case scenarios'? It has no vested interest in doing so. It will always be looking to establish schedules based on the processes to be undertaken, resources available and recent experience with similar projects.

ADAMS watchers will have noticed that the transcript of the 28 March pre-hearing conference was also published last night.

Included was an interesting conversation between the presiding judge and the counsel for NRC to confirm the current timelines for completion of the Draft and Final EIS's.

This discussion confirmed that the current timelines have NOT changed despite the fact that the RAI process was almost complete. These timelines are clearly NOT 'worst case scenarios'.

Here is the relevant text:

JUDGE BOLLWERK: We have some dates from the NRC Staff. Basically the February 17th, 2012 letter that the Staff sent us at our request indicating that the current estimate for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement are December of '12. And I know I looked at the website just before I came in here, the NRC website, and it sets a tentative date of December 12th of 2012 for the draft EIS. Then a final EIS in October of 2013. And again the website indicates that that date potentially could be October 12th of 2013.

And then you've also indicated that the SER would be issued in October of '13. And I notice that the website actually still had that date listed as June of 2013. So the first thing I'd like to ask the Staff is at this point are there any changes to any of those dates that you're aware of?

MS. ALBERT: Your Honor, this is Michelle Albert. The website is incorrect about those SER dates. But there are no date changes from the letter that we submitted, it's still planned for December 2012 for the draft EIS. And for the final EIS and the SER October of 2013.

JUDGE BOLLWERK: Okay. Let me ask you if the dates that are given you actually have assigned days to them on the website, are those days accurate at least within whatever planning you're able to do at this point?

MS. ALBERT: Yes, Your Honor.

JUDGE BOLLWERK: So for planning purposes we could use those dates, at least at this point?

MS. ALBERT: Yes, Your Honor.


http://adamswebsearch2.nrc.gov/webSearch2/main.jsp?AccessionNumber='ML12094A167'