39539                                  SERVICE DATE – NOVEMBER 21, 2008

SEC

 

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

 

DECISION

 

STB Finance Docket No. 35106

 

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY—RAIL CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION—CALIENTE RAIL LINE IN LINCOLN, NYE, AND ESMERALDA COUNTIES, NV

 

 

Decided:  November 20, 2008

 

 

            The Board will hold a public hearing concerning the application the Department of Energy filed in the above docket.  The purpose of the hearing will be to allow interested persons to comment on the application.  The hearing will take place on December 4, 2008, beginning at 9:00 a.m., at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Las Vegas Hearing Facility-Pacific Enterprise Plaza, Building No. 1, 3250 Pepper Lane, Las Vegas, NV  89120. 

 

            The Board announced the hearing by notice served on October 31, 2008, and published in the Federal Register on November 5, 2008 (73 FR 65922).  This notice also established November 14, 2008, as the deadline for persons wishing to speak at the hearing to advise the Board of their intent to participate and request a time allotment.  Based on those submissions, the Board is issuing this decision to set the schedule of speakers for the hearing.

 

            The schedule of appearances and the time provided for each party appear in the Appendix to this decision.

 

Instructions for Attendance at Hearing.

 

            All visitors to NRC’s facility must present a valid form of government-issued photo identification and pass screening before being granted access into the building.  Cameras are not permitted in the building.  Visitors will have access to public areas only.

 

            The maximum occupancy of the hearing room under applicable fire regulations is 300 occupants.  Special needs accommodations for persons in wheelchairs will be made, as necessary.  When the maximum occupancy figure is reached, the hearing room doors will be closed and the building lobby and hallways will not be used to accommodate any crowd overflow.

 

            The NRC’s facility is located near several Southern Nevada Regional Transportation Commission public transit lines, and visitors are encouraged to use public transportation.  Parking on public streets near the building is very limited.

 

            This action will not significantly affect either the quality of the human environment or the conservation of energy resources.

 

            It is ordered:

 

            1.  Time for the hearing is allotted as reflected in the Appendix to this decision.

 

            2.  This decision is effective on the date of service.

 

            By the Board, Anne K. Quinlan, Acting Secretary.

 

 

 

 

Anne K. Quinlan

Acting Secretary

 

APPENDIX

 

 

Party                                                                                                   Time Allotted

 

 

Panel I(A):  Government

 

The Honorable Shelley Berkley                                                             10 minutes

            U.S. House of Representatives

 

 

Panel I(B):  Government

 

State of Nevada, Agency for Nuclear Projects                                      10 Minutes

            Robert Halstead, Agency Transportation Advisor

 

State of Nevada, Office of the Attorney General                                    10 Minutes

            Catherine Cortez Masto, Attorney General

            (or designated representative)

 

State of California                                                                                 10 Minutes

            Susan Durbin, Deputy Attorney General

 

 

Panel I(C):  Government

 

Clark County, NV                                                                                10 Minutes

            Susan Brager, Commissioner

 

Nevada Counties of Nye, Churchill, Esmeralda, and Mineral                 10 Minutes

            Jeffrey D. VanNiel, Counsel for Nye County

 

Lincoln County, NV                                                                             10 Minutes

            Wade Poulson, Vice Chair of Lincoln

            County Commission

 

White Pine County, NV                                                                        10 Minutes

            Dr. Mike Baughman, Consultant to the White Pine

            County Nuclear Waste Project Office

 

 

Panel I(D):  Government

 

City of Caliente, NV                                                                             10 Minutes

            Kevin Phillips, Mayor of Caliente

 

City of Las Vegas, NV                                                                         10 Minutes

            Larry Brown, Councilman, or

            Brad Jerbic, City Attorney

 

City of Henderson, NV                                                                         10 Minutes

            James Gibson, Mayor of Henderson, and

            Gerri Schroder, Councilwoman

 

 

Panel II:  Native American Interests

 

Western Shoshone National Council                                                     10 Minutes

            Ian Zabarte, Secretary of State for the Western

            Shoshone National Council

 

Native Community Action Council                                                        10 Minutes

            Margene Bullcreek, President

 

Timbisha Shoshone Tribe                                                                      10 Minutes

            Joe Kennedy, Chairman

 

 

Panel III:  Applicant

 

Department of Energy                                                                           15 Minutes

            Mary Neumayr, Deputy General Counsel for

            Environment & Nuclear Programs

 

 

Panel IV:  Nuclear Utilities

 

Nuclear Energy Institute                                                                        10 Minutes

            Paul Seidler, Senior Director, Nevada, and

            Everett Redmond II, Senior Project Manager

 

 

Panel V:  Businesses

 

Caliente Hot Springs Resort                                                                  5 Minutes

            John Huston

 

John Uhalde Ranch                                                                               5 Minutes

            Gracian Uhalde

 

Nevada Central Railroad                                                                      5 Minutes

            Robert Alan Kemp

 

Triple Aught                                                                                         5 Minutes

            Gene Kolkman

           

 

Panel VI:  Citizens & Community Groups

 

Citizen Alert                                                                                         5 Minutes

            Peggy Maze Johnson

 

Dia Art Foundation                                                                               5 Minutes

            TBD

 

9 Group                                                                                               5 Minutes

            Jenna Morton

 

Nevada Nuclear Waste Task Force                                                      5 Minutes

            Judy Treichel, Executive Director

 

Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada                                           5 Minutes

            Launce Rake

 

Rollin Kim Lee                                                                                     5 Minutes

 

Moe Truman                                                                                        5 Minutes