News & Events

Good afternoon. I'm Angie Howard, senior vice president with the Nuclear Energy Institute. I am very pleased to have this opportunity to meet with you today.

The Nuclear Energy Institute is a Washington, D.C.-based policy organization that represents more than 275 U.S. and international companies in the nuclear energy industry. Our membership includes every U.S. utility that owns and operates a nuclear power plant, their suppliers, fuel cycle companies, universities, radiopharmaceutical firms and research laboratories, labor unions and law firms.

Many of the Institute's activities involve nuclear energy—which provides about 20 percent of America's electricity.

We're here today to discuss the draft environmental impact statement for Calvert Cliffs for the license renewal period. After an extensive review, the NRC has found no significant environmental impact from license renewal for the Calvert Cliffs plant.

This review included potential environmental impacts from plant operation … the plant's interaction with the land, water and air … socioeconomic factors … aquatic species … threatened or endangered species … and many other issues.

The NRC also thoroughly evaluated a new issue identified during the scoping review—microorganisms that live in high-radiation, high-temperature areas. The agency concluded there is no significant impact associated with the issue.

The NRC also examined the environmental impacts of alternative energy sources, compared with the Calvert Cliffs plant.

Ultimately—when this extensive review was complete—the NRC concluded there are no environmental impacts that would preclude renewing the plant's operating license.

I'm here today primarily in a professional capacity, as a representative of the nuclear energy industry. But I'm also here as a resident of Anne Arundel County, just north of here.