3F0613-03, Sea Turtle Mortality Report

Sea Turtle Mortality Report

ML13177A002
Person / Time
Site:	Crystal River
Issue date:	06/10/2013
From:	Wunderly B Duke Energy Florida
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
3F0613-03
Download: ML13177A002 (3)

Text

DUKE

ENERGY, FLORIDA Crystal River Nuclear Plant 15760 W. Power Line Street Crystal River, FL 34428 Docket 50-302 Operating License No. DPR-72 NMFS Biological Opinion CR-3 Appendix B - Part II / 4.1 June 10, 2013 3F0613-03 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555-0001

Subject:

Crystal River Unit 3 - Sea Turtle Mortality Report

Dear Sir:

Duke Energy Florida, Inc., formerly known as Florida Power Corporation, Inc., hereby provides a copy to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of a sea turtle mortality report that was submitted to the U. S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The report to the NMFS is required by NMFS's Crystal River - Unit 3 (CR-3) Biological Opinion, dated August 8, 2002, Terms and Conditions, Item 2.

Reporting to the NRC is required by the CR-3 Operating License, Appendix B -

Part II, Environmental Protection Plan (Non-Radiological) Technical Specifications, Section 4.0, Environmental Conditions, specifically, Section 4.1, Significant Environmental Events.

This letter establishes no new regulatory commitments.

If you have any questions regarding this submittal, please contact Senior Environmental Specialist, at (352) 563-2943.

Ms. Erika Tuchbaum-Biro, Sin(

BPW/dab/ff Attachment xc:

Regional Administrator, Region II Senior Resident Inspector NRR Project Manager etc?,

DU KE Crystal River Nuclear Plant 15760 W. Power Line Street

ENERGY, Crystal River, FL 34428 FLORIDA Docket 50-302 Operating License No. DPR-72 June 10, 2013 LRP13-0016 U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service South East Regional Office Attn: Assistant Regional Administrator Protected Resources Division 263 13 th Avenue South Saint Petersburg, Florida 33701

Subject:

Crystal River Unit 3 - Sea Turtle Mortality Report

Dear Sir:

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and the Crystal River Energy Complex (CREC) completed an Endangered Species Act Section 7 formal consultation process. In the Biological Opinion, issued August 8, 2002 by the NMFS, terms and conditions were included which required that if any listed species are apparently injured or killed in the CREC intake canal or the Crystal River Unit 3 (CR-3) bar racks, a report summarizing the incident must be provided to the NMFS within 30 days of the causal mortality determination.

On May 10, 2013, a juvenile Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempi,) sea turtle was recovered in the vicinity of the CR-3 bar racks. The Kemp's ridley exhibited no external visible signs of trauma. A necropsy was performed to assist in determining the cause of death.

The necropsy determined that the sea turtle was very emaciated when recovered.

Other findings included severe infection of the esophagus and numerous endoparasites (blood flukes).

There was abundant fluid within the lungs and stomach, which is consistent with seawater aspiration. The carcass was in good post-mortem condition indicating that it was discovered soon after death. Necropsy results indicate that the sea turtle was in very poor health due to a severe infection and large number of parasites. The poor nutritional condition of the sea turtle also indicates that it was debilitated prior to entering the CREC intake canal. The presence of fluid in the lungs and stomach indicate that it likely drowned, evidence common amongst sea turtles that are stranded, and not necessarily a specific finding related to the effects of CREC operation.

However, circumstances of discovery are critical in any determination as to cause of death. In this specific case, the sea turtle was freshly dead, severely compromised due to chronic disease, with the presence of seawater aspiration indicating drowning. The discovery of the sea turtle in close proximity of the cooling water intake structures leads to the conservative conclusion that the death was causally-related to CR-3 operations.

Currently, this is the only causally related mortality for CR-3 in 2013.

U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service LRP1 3-0016 Page 2 of 2 Duke Energy Florida, Inc. continues to implement the reasonable and prudent measures described in the current incidental take statement to minimize impacts on sea turtles from facility operations.

If you have any questions regarding this submittal, please contact Ms. Erika Tuchbaum-Biro, Senior Environmental Specialist, at (352) 563-2943.

Sinceey Blair P. Wunderly Plant Manager Crystal River Unit 3 Nuclear Plant BPW/db/ff