ML042170094

Response to June 3, 2004, Letter Regarding Federally Listed Threatened or Endangered Species & Designated Critical Habitat That May Be Present in Vicinity of the Proposed Humboldt Bay Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation

ML042170094
Person / Time
Site:	Humboldt Bay
Issue date:	07/27/2004
From:	Mcinnis R US Dept of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service
To:	Scott Flanders NRC/NMSS/DWMEP
References
+sisprbs20051109, -RFPFR, 151422SWR04AR9131:DA
Download: ML042170094 (2)

Text

P E:UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Kte +i NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE "Arcs Of Southwest Region 501 West Ocean Boulevard, Suite 4200 Long Beach, California 90802-4213 JUL 2 7 2004 In response reply to:

151422SWR04AR9131 :DA Scott C. Flanders, Deputy Director Environmental and Performance Directorate Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555-0001

Dear Mr. Flanders:

Thank you for your June 3, 2004, letter, originally sent to the NOAA Fisheries Northwest Regional Office, regarding Federally listed threatened or endangered species and designated critical habitat that may be present in the vicinity of the proposed Humboldt Bay Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation on Buhne Point, Humboldt Bay, California.

The following listed species may occur within the project area:

• Southern Oregon/Northern California (SONCC) Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) coho salmon"(Oncorlhynchuskisutch), listed as threatened on May 6, 1997 (62 FR 24588).

• California Coastial (CC) ESU Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshaintschla),listed as threatened on September 16, 1999 (64 FR 50393).

• Northern California (NC) ESU steelhead (Oncorihynchus nmykiss), listed as threatened on June 7, 2000 (65 FR 36074).

• Ste lier Sea'Lion (Ewnletopiasjubatits),listed as threatened on November 26, 1990 (55 FR 402d4).: -' '

The following critical habitat may occur within the project area:

• Critical habitat for SONCC coho salmon, designated May 5, 1999 (64 FR 24049).

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Humboldt Bay is also designated as Essential Fish Habitat (EFH)) under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act for fish species managed with a Fishery Management Plan (FMP), and includes the following FMPs:

• Pacific Groundfish Fishery Management Plan

• Coastal Pelagics Fishery Management Plan

• Pacific Salmon Fishery Management Plan Any biological assessment prepared should also include an EFH assessment for the species managed by the above FMPs. Complete EFH species lists and information on EFH and these FMPs are located on our web site (http://sNvr.nmfs.noaa.gov/efh.htm).

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) may also have listed species or designated critical habitat under its jurisdiction in the project area. Please contact Mr. Greg Goldsmith, 1655

- -Heindon Road, Arcata, CA,95521, or (701).825-5120, regarding the presence ofilisted species---

or critical habitat under USFWS jurisdiction that may be affected by the project.

If you have questions concerning these comments, please contact Ms. Diane Ashton at (707) 825-5185.

Sincerely, Rodney R Mclnmis Regional Administrator