L-2006-275, Environmental Protection Plan Report, Unusual or Important Environmental Event - Manatee

Environmental Protection Plan Report, Unusual or Important Environmental Event - Manatee

ML070090495
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	12/27/2006
From:	Johnston G Florida Power & Light Co
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
EPP 5.4.2, L-2006-275
Download: ML070090495 (3)

Text

0FPL Florida Power & Light Company, 6501 S.Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, FL 34957 December 27, 2006 L 2006-275 10 CFR 50.36b EPP 5.4.2 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, D.C. 20555 Re: St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-3 89 Environmental Protection Plan Report Date of Event: December 6, 2006 Unusual or Important Enviromnmental Event - Manatee The attached report is being submitted pursuant to the requirements of Section 5.4.2 of the St.

Lucie Units 1 and 2 Envirornmental Protection Plans to provide a description of a reportable capture of an adult manatee in the intake canal at the St. Lucie Plant.

Very truly yours, 4a Gordon L. Johnston x- f vp Site Vice President St. Lucie Plant GLJ/KWF Attachment 1I77ký-

an FPL Group company

St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-3 89 L 2006-275 Attachment Page 1 of 2 EVENT DESCRIPTION At 0800 hours0.00926 days <br />0.222 hours <br />0.00132 weeks <br />3.044e-4 months <br /> on December 6, 2006, an adult manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) was discovered in the plant intake water cooling canal. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) were notified of the manatee entrainment at 0800 hours0.00926 days <br />0.222 hours <br />0.00132 weeks <br />3.044e-4 months <br />. FWC arrived at the plant site at approximately 1000 hours0.0116 days <br />0.278 hours <br />0.00165 weeks <br />3.805e-4 months <br /> to support and direct capture efforts. During the course of the day the manatee was able to elude all capture efforts. At 0900 on December 8, 2006, the manatee was finally captured in the Northeast corner of the plant intake canal.

The manatee was removed from the canal by the recovery team at approximately 0930 hours0.0108 days <br />0.258 hours <br />0.00154 weeks <br />3.53865e-4 months <br />.

The FWC declared that the cuts and scrapes sustained during the capture efforts were superficial and that the manatee was in good health. The manatee was removed from the canal at 0930, and was transported across plant property and released in the Indian River at 1026 hours0.0119 days <br />0.285 hours <br />0.0017 weeks <br />3.90393e-4 months <br /> on December 8, 2006.

CAUSE OF THE EVENT The temporary entrainment of the adult manatee in the intake canal system was caused when the manatee entered the offshore intake piping structure and was caught by the flow of seawater through the plant's intake pipes. The intake pipe structure terminates at a common intake canal that is approximately 300 feet wide and 25 feet deep.

CORRECTIVE ACTIONS The manatee was removed from the intake canal under the direction of the FWC, and returned to the Indian River in good health on December 8, 2006.

CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TO PRECLUDE REPETITION OF THE EVENT Over the history of operation of the St. Lucie Plant there have been a total of 7 manatee captures including the one on December 6, 2006. The design of the intake plant structures are permanent, therefore these structures and not subject to manipulation or modification. Staff biologists will continue to monitor the intake canal for manatees as well as other biota and respond to any future entrainments as soon as possible. Removal of any future manatee entrainments will be conducted in the most extreme northeastern part of the canal where the bank is less steep and shorter, thus facilitating the extraction process. The use of this new extraction point could possibly reduce some of the superficial cuts and scrapes sustained during the handling of the manatee.

St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-33 5 and 50-3 89 L 2006-275 Attachment Page 2 of 2 AGENCIES NOTIFIED The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was contacted by FP&L on December 6, 2006.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission was notified of the event on December 6, 2006.