ML051920400

Request for Reinitiation of Section 7 Consultation Under the Endangered Species Act Regarding Smalltooth Sawfish, Pristis Pectinata, at St. Lucie Power Plant

ML051920400
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	07/08/2005
From:	Kuo P NRC/NRR/DRIP/RLEP
To:	Bernhart D US Dept of Commerce, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
Nash H, RLEP/DRIP/NRR, 415-4100
References
TAC MC7266, TAC MC7267
Download: ML051920400 (6)

Text

July 8, 2005 Mr. David Bernhart Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources NOAAs National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)

Southeast Regional Office (SERO) 263 13th Avenue, South St. Petersburg, FL 33701

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR REINITIATION OF SECTION 7 CONSULTATION UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT REGARDING SMALLTOOTH SAWFISH, PRISTIS PECTINATA, AT THE ST. LUCIE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT (TAC NO. MC7266 AND MC7267)

Dear Mr. Bernhart:

On May 16, 2005 the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant, located on Hutchinson Island in St. Lucie County, Florida, captured a smalltooth sawfish, Pristis pectinata, in the plants intake canal.

According to the licensee, Florida Power and Light (FPL), this is the first known take of a smalltooth sawfish at the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant since operation began in 1976. The specimen was taken in a tangle net used to capture sea turtles where it was retrieved. The animal was identified as male and measured 415.5 centimeters (cm) in total length, with the saw alone measuring 86.5 cm. The sawfish was returned to the ocean within an estimated ten minutes of retrieval using the cart typically used to transport turtles; the sawfish immediately swam away upon release.

The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff was told that FPL representatives contacted your office and reported the take. As requested by NMFS, FPL sent data and photographs of the specimen to Mote Marine Laboratory on May 18, 2005. The smalltooth sawfish was listed in April 2003 as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Therefore, the NRC requests reinitiation of a formal Section 7 consultation, as Ms.

Harriet Nash of my staff discussed with Ms. Shelley Norton of NMFS, SERO. The NRC plans to prepare a biological assessment for this species and submit it before the end of this calendar year.

D. Bernhart Should you identify the need for one of your staff to visit the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant or if you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Ms. Harriet Nash of my staff at 301-415-4100 or by e-mail at hln@NRC.GOV.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Pao-Tsin Kuo, Program Director License Renewal and Environmental Impacts Program Division of Regulatory Improvement Programs Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389 cc: See next page

D. Bernhart Should you identify the need for one of your staff to visit the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant or if you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Ms. Harriet Nash of my staff at 301-415-4100 or by e-mail at hln@NRC.GOV.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Pao-Tsin Kuo, Program Director License Renewal and Environmental Impacts Program Division of Regulatory Improvement Programs Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389 cc: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

RLEP R/F A. Kugler R. Franovich B. Moroney M. Marshall H. Nash M. Masnik P. T. Kuo J. Munday (RII) T. Hoeg (RII)

ADAMS Accession no.:ML051920400 Document name:E:\Filenet\ML051920400.wpd OFFICE GS:RLEP:DRIP LA:RLEP:DRIP SC:RLEP:DRIP PD:RLEP NAME H. Nash M. Jenkins A. Kugler P.T. Kuo DATE 07/ 06 /05 07/ 05 /05 07/ 07 /05 07 /08 /05 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

Florida Power and Light Company ST. LUCIE PLANT cc:

Senior Resident Inspector Mr. G. L. Johnston St. Lucie Plant Plant General Manager U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission St. Lucie Nuclear Plant P.O. Box 6090 6351 South Ocean Drive Jensen Beach, Florida 34957 Jensen Beach, Florida 34957 Craig Fugate, Director Mr. Terry L. Patterson Division of Emergency Preparedness Licensing Manager Department of Community Affairs St. Lucie Nuclear Plant 2740 Centerview Drive 6351 South Ocean Drive Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100 Jensen Beach, Florida 34957 M. S. Ross, Managing Attorney David Moore, Vice President Florida Power & Light Company Nuclear Operations Support P.O. Box 14000 Florida Power and Light Company Juno Beach, FL 33408-0420 P.O. Box 14000 Juno Beach, FL 33408-0420 Marjan Mashhadi, Senior Attorney Florida Power & Light Company Mr. Rajiv S. Kundalkar 801 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Vice President - Nuclear Engineering Suite 220 Florida Power & Light Company Washington, DC 20004 P.O. Box 14000 Juno Beach, FL 33408-0420 Mr. Douglas Anderson County Administrator Mr. J. Kammel St. Lucie County Radiological Emergency 2300 Virginia Avenue Planning Administrator Fort Pierce, Florida 34982 Department of Public Safety 6000 Southeast Tower Drive Mr. William A. Passetti, Chief Stuart, Florida 34997 Department of Health Bureau of Radiation Control Mr. James Ross 2020 Capital Circle, SE, Bin #C21 Nuclear Energy Institute Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1741 1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20006-3708 Mr. William Jefferson, Jr.

Site Vice President St. Lucie Nuclear Plant 6351 South Ocean Drive Jensen Beach, Florida 34957