NRC: Environmental Impact of TMI Will Be Small

The NRC license renewal staff has evaluation the environmental impacts related to

re-licensing the Three Mile Island Nuclear Station Unit 1 reactor and has concluded that 

the effects would be "small," overall but that the cumulative effect over time would be

 "small to moderate" as related to aquatic resources. The June 29, 2009 memo is reproduced

here and attached below are related documents. 

MEMORANDUM TO: Brian E. Holian, Director 

Division of License Renewal 

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 

FROM: Sarah Lopas, Project Manager /RA/ 

Reactor Projects Branch 1 

Division of License Renewal 

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 

The evaluation is documented in Supplement 37 to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for 

License Renewal of Power Plants.  Supplement 37 includes the staff’s analysis that considers 

the environmental impacts of the proposed license renewal at the TMI-1 site, the environmental 

impacts of alternatives to the proposed action, and mitigation measures available for reducing or 

avoiding adverse impacts. 

The staff concludes that the significance of the potential environmental impacts of license 

renewal at the TMI-1 site would be SMALL for all site-specific issues, with one finding of SMALL 

to MODERATE for cumulative impacts to aquatic resources.  The NRC staff’s conclusions are 

based on (1) analysis and findings in the GEIS; (2) the Environmental Report submitted by the 

applicant; (3) consultation with Federal, State, and local agencies; (4) the staff’s independent 

review; and (5) the staff’s consideration of public comments.  

The NRC has determined that the adverse environmental impacts of license renewal for TMI-1 

are not so great that preserving the option of license renewal for energy-planning 

decisionmakers would be unreasonable.  The staff recommends that the Director authorize the 

publication and distribution of the TMI-1 Final Supplement to the GEIS.