Legalectric

It’s no work of art, but in the scenario this proceeding is in, with Prairie Island Indian Community and City of Red Wing deep in it with or working on agreements with Xcel Energy, there’s not much we can do, little impact, as they’re the players, and also, AAAAACK, I just didn’t have time.

The DEIS did grossly misrepresent the history and status of Xcel’s Utility Personal Property Tax payments to local governments, so I did include the City of Red Wing comment in the IRP (below page 13, Attachment A).

The main purpose of this is to push for reworking of the “low-dose” radiation exposure modeling using Aaron Datesman’s cutting edge Three Mile Island “shot noise” work to correct for the GIGO current modeling and more accurately characterize the risk.

Sooooooo, anyway, here’s what I filed:

In the news:

NRC lacks authority to license private, away-from-reactor nuclear waste facility: 5th Circuit

Really? Yes…

Interim Storage Partners wants to have a private nuclear waste storage facility sited in Texas. They applied and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a license. But that licensing decision has been upended, and project proponents Interim Storage Partners‘ and Waste Control Specialists’ dreams are in limbo.

“Our” Xcel Energy is fervently hoping that it, or another private nuclear waste storage facility, will take all that nuclear waste that’s piling up in Minnesota and put Xcel Energy out of its nuclear waste conundrum misery. Dream on… how’s that working for ya, Xcel?

I’m reminded of another Xcel Energy (NSP) project: “Private Fuel Storage” and the attempt to site nuclear waste on the Goshute reservation in Utah, which was ultimately withdrawn by the applicants. Given this decision, it seems we may have missed a good argument on that project, but on the other hand, the NRC did not license it.

The essence of the challenge, after wading through the “standing” arguments, was that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission did not have authority to license a private operation.

The court agreed, and said:

And the conclusion?

Here’s the entire decision, for your edification and reading enjoyment:

It’s out, the Prairie Island Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, here are the pieces from the Commerce-EERA site. Check it out and register your comments by May 10, 2022:

Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) — Prairie Island Nuclear Plant

• SEIS Text
• Appendix A – Scoping Decision
• Appendix B – Safety of Spent Fuel Storage
• Appendix C – Cask and Canister Handling Processes
• Appendix D – Safety of Spent Fuel Transportation
• Appendix E – Comments on the Draft SEIS and Responses
  • Pages 1 – 18
  • Pages 19 – 34
  • Pages 35 – 37
  • Pages 38 – 40
  • Pages 41 – 58
  • Pages 59 – 78
  • Pages 79 – 98
  • Pages 99 – 118 

There doesn’t seem to be a link to a “one stop shopping” pdf of the entire thing.

You can also find the SEIS at the Red Wing Library.

Next steps? Comments on adequacy of the SEIS.

COMMENTS DUE MAY 10, 2022

Dept. of Commerce – EERA announces release of the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Xcel’s proposal to change storage casks (to what? Who knows, Xcel ain’t sayin’), and two meetings for comment.

In person meeting? MASK UP!!!

And here’s the SEIS:

Here’s the poop on comments:

Get to work, the SEIS is 132 pages, but in format-lite!

FYI, Xcel’s “plan” is linked here:

Change in Prairie Island nuclear casks?

Minnesota Senator Osmek is convening a Senate Energy Committee meeting in Rochester this evening to discuss a DRAFT bill SC5558-6:

6 p.m. on January 15, 2020

Rochester Community and Technical College

Heintz Center Commons

1926 College View Rd E

Rochester, MN 55904

Here’s the letter I just fired off to Committee members:

Be there or be square!