Citizens and community leaders came together at Fairfield Central High School Tuesday evening for a meeting with the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

The meeting was a part of the application and licensing process by the NRC for the approval of the new reactors being built at the V. C. Summer Nuclear Station.

South Carolina Electric and Gas (SCE&G) requested authorization from the NRC to construct and operate two reactor units at the Summer station in March of 2008.

Part of the NRC mission is to license and regulate the nation’s civilian use of nuclear materials, ensure protection of public health and safety and protect the environment.

The licensing process has several steps including an evaluation of environmental

impact in which the public is invited to scoping meetings to give comments.

The comments are reviewed by the NRC for inclusion in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

The EIS along with a safety review are then presented at a hearing which in turn leads to the NRC either granting or denying the license.

At the Tuesday meeting, comments were taken from members of the audience who had either signed up online or registered at the meeting that were wide ranging from concerns about job, health and housing issues to possibilities of alternate energy sources, as well as multiple endorsements from elected officials and community leaders.

Favorable endorsements came from Charlie McDowell, Deputy Administrator for Congressman John Spratt, who submitted a letter from the South Carolina Congressional Delegation in strong support of new nuclear facilities in the state.

Continued support came from County Council members David Ferguson and mary Lynn Kinley who both commented on the good relationship between SCE&G and Fairfield County.

David Brown, Fairfield County Council Chairman read the resolution in support of nuclear power and the expansion of the V.C. Summer Nuclear Plant that was passed at the recent County Council meeting.

Teresa Powers, Economic Development Director for Newberry County and Newberry County Council also relayed a resolution in support of the development of the nuclear power facility, and stated from an economic development point of view “the continued availability of reliable economical energy is critical to maintaining Newberry County’s current industrial base.”

Also in attendance was Senator Creighton Coleman who, having grown up close to the Summer facility said he was completely satisfied with the handling of the facility over the years.

Fairfield County Council member Kamau Marcharia brought with him the concerns of people in the community relayed to him through meetings in his district.

Some of the concerns presented for review by the NRC were in regards to roads, water systems, healthcare, fire protection, recreation, property values and the re-establishment of evacuation routes.

With an elementary school in close proximity the the facility, community members relayed through Marcharia their concerns about health issues as well.

A representative of Friends of the Earth addressed his desire to see SCE&G pursue alternate energy sources. He questioned the development of the AP1000 reactor design as well as the cost of it’s construction.

He also wanted to point out to the NRC the question of evaporative cooling water that might be used by the new reactors and it’s impact on the Broad River basin.

Sara Tansey with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy charged the NRC to take every pain to research thoroughly the impact of radiation emissions in regards to the possibility of bio-accumulation.

The NRC will continue to accept comments regarding the environmental review until March 6, 2009.

Written comments should be mailed to :

Chief, Rulemaking, Directives and Editing Branch

Division of Administrative Services

Office of Administration

Mailstop TWB-05-B01M

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Washington, DC 20555-0001

Electronic comments should be sent to:

Summer.COLEIS@nrc.gov

For more information about the NRC, visit www.nrc.gov.