About the Session

Not all nuclear power generation reactors are huge structures occupying large areas of land or using big volumes of water.  Many of the new nuclear power generation technologies under development at this time call for small structures, some not much larger than a house.  Each may occupy only a few acres of land and consume only small quantities of water provided by municipal systems.  Each may employ only a handful of workers.  Because these micro-reactors may be less capable of environmental impact than their larger counterparts, it is logical that the environmental review undertaken by the NRC could be substantially streamlined.  The NRC has therefore developed guidance, termed Interim Staff Guidance 029, directing staff on how to tailor environmental review efforts to the reduced scale of potential environmental effects from micro-reactors.  The NRC published a draft of the guidance for public comment in January 2020 and hopes to finalize the guidance later in 2020 or early in 2021.  Developing Interim Staff Guidance 029 is just part of a larger suite of initiatives underway from the NRC staff to modernize and transform NRC environmental review efforts.

Tracks:

• NEPA

About the Speaker

J. Peyton Doub Environmental Scientist Nuclear Regulatory Commission Peyton Doub is an Ecologist and Wetland Scientist with the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He has over 30 years experience in preparing EISs and EAs, especially sections addressing ecology, wetlands, and land use. He has authored dozens of papers on issues related to wetlands and NEPA, is a frequent presenter at NAEP conferences, and has been a frequent publisher of articles in the NAEP Newsletter and Environmental Practice. He currently serves as an elected at-large member of the NAEP Board of Directors and is a past member of the ABCEO Board of Trustees.

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