TYPE OF RESPONSE:  Federal Consistency Certification for North Anna Nuclear Power Station.  The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is reviewing a federally licensed activity to determine whether it is consistent with the Virginia Coastal Resources Management Program (VCP). 

PURPOSES OF NOTICE:  To extend the comment period to September 8, 2006 and announce a public hearing on the proposed project on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 at 7:00 PM (open house information session to begin at 6 PM); at the Louisa County Middle School, 1009 Davis Highway, in Mineral.

NAME OF AGENCY PROPOSING THE PROJECT:  United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is the federal licensing agency for the Early Site Permit (ESP) application submitted by Dominion Virginia Power Company (Dominion).

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:  Dominion has submitted an ESP to the NRC to secure a site at Dominion’s existing North Anna Power Station in Louisa County near Mineral for future construction of two new reactor units.  Dominion has also submitted a certification that the addition of two new reactor units would be consistent with the VCP.  DEQ is reviewing the certification and additional information, and seeks public comments as part of the review.  NRC’s ESP would allow the applicant to reserve the site for as long as 20 years for the two proposed reactor units, and possibly to undertake site preparation and preliminary construction activities.  The current review focuses on the applicant’s proposed new cooling method for the third reactor unit.  This approach would reduce consumption of water from Lake Anna compared to the once-through cooling water approach proposed in an earlier review last year.  The proposed fourth unit would be air-cooled.

HOW A DECISION IS MADE:  DEQ coordinates the Commonwealth’s review of federal consistency certifications, distributes documents to appropriate state agencies, planning districts, and localities, and providing for public notice and input.  Upon consideration of all comments, and in cooperation with other state agencies, DEQ prepares a single state response.

HOW TO COMMENT:  DEQ accepts comments from the public by U.S. Mail, fax, or e-mail (see below).  All comments must include the name, address, and telephone number of the person commenting and be received by DEQ within the comment period. 

TO REVIEW THE PROJECT DOCUMENTS:  The public may review the documents at DEQ’s central office in Richmond every work day by appointment.  Copies of the documents have also been placed in the main libraries of Louisa and Hanover Counties and of Fredericksburg for public review.