NRC determined on 13 July that interested parties had 60 days, until 12 September, to request a hearing or submit any objections to Strata's license application.
We are now half-way through that period.
NRC has received a request from 2 interested parties to extend the 60 days by at least another 45 days.
The request is dated August 10 and was uploaded to Adams overnight. Here it is:
Office of the Secretary of the Commission U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555? 0001 Attn.: Rulemaking & Adjudications Staff [email protected]
RE: Extension of time for opportunity to request a hearing and petition for leave to intervene in the NRC?s review of Strata Energy?s Ross In Situ Uranium License Application, Docket ID NRC?2011?0148, Docket No. 040?09091
To whom it may concern:
The Natural Resources Defense Council (?NRDC?) and the Powder River Basin Resource Council (?Powder River?) write today to respectfully request that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (?NRC? or ?the Commission?) significantly extend the deadline to request a hearing and petition for leave to intervene on the following: Strata Energy, Inc., Ross In Situ Recovery Uranium Project, Crook County, Wyoming, (hereinafter ?Ross Uranium Project?), 76 Fed. Reg. 41308 (July 13, 2011).
An extension of time is necessary for the following good cause reasons, in accordance with the factors in 10 C.F.R. ? 2.309(c) providing for nontimely filings.
The proposed license and associated environmental report are requests for federal approval of activities that will have significant impact on the environment and affected communities. A detailed public review and careful consideration of the more than 3,500 pages that constitute the application cannot take place in the time provided. This is especially true when a considerable portion of the time period for public review of the NRC accepted documents is in August, a time when most individuals, including the expert witnesses whose review is necessary for a detailed analysis of the material, are on long planned family vacations.
Adequately responding in a constructive and meaningful fashion to an extensive set of documents will require a significant investment of time and energy. NRDC and Powder River and their experts have already expended over 150 hours of time just to start the review of the application and related materials. Much more time is needed.
To address just the basic impacts to groundwater, surface waters, soils, and the local community, Powder River and NRDC are collecting and analyzing a sizable number of referenced documents that have merely been cited (and not hyperlinked or otherwise made widely available via the Internet).
Examples of documents that will need to be reviewed by the public include background information on hydrology, geology, abandoned wells, water wells, the Nubeth test project, and other materials. The 60 day review period (that includes this late summer vacation season) is simply insufficient time to gather and thoroughly review all the relevant documents to constructively address whether this application meets the NRC?s requirements of 10 C.F.R. Part 40.
Review of these documents and information by NRDC and Powder River and their experts will ?assist in developing a sound record? in the proceedings. 10 C.F.R. ? 2.309(c)(1)(viii).
NRDC and Powder River have an important interest in this matter. Both organizations have members who live near the proposed project who will be directly impacted by the project?s activities. If the organizations are not allowed to request a hearing and intervene, substantial injury to its members may result. A demonstration of standing will be made with the intervention petition when or if it is filed.
A thorough response cannot be accomplished by September 12, 2011 and we suggest at least a 45-day extension of time from the current deadline.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions or concerns. Thank you for your attention and consideration of this matter.
(20min delay)