ML052200618
| ML052200618 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Brunswick  |
| Issue date: | 08/08/2005 |
| From: | Kuo P NRC/NRR/DRIP/RLEP |
| To: | Hamilton S US Dept of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Emch R, NRR/DRIP/RLEP, 415-1590 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML052200600 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML052200618 (5) | |
Text
August 8, 2005 Mr. Sam D. Hamilton, Regional Director Southeast Regional Office U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1875 Century Boulevard Northeast, Suite 400 Atlanta, GA 30345
SUBJECT:
BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT FOR LICENSE RENEWAL OF BRUNSWICK STEAM ELECTRIC PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2, AND A REQUEST FOR INFORMAL CONSULTATION
Dear Mr. Hamilton:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has prepared the enclosed biological assessment (BA) (Enclosure 1) to evaluate whether the proposed renewal of the Brunswick Steam Electric Plant, Units 1 and 2 (BSEP) operating licenses for a period of an additional 20 years would have any adverse effect on listed species. The proposed action (license renewal) is not a major construction activity. BSEP is located in Brunswick County in southeastern North Carolina, near the mouth of the Cape Fear River.
By letters dated December 29, 2004, and March 17, 2005, the NRC requested a list of Federally endangered or threatened species that may be in the vicinity of BSEP and its associated transmission lines. In a letter dated February 3, 2005, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) directed the NRC to the following Website, http://nc.es.fws.gov/es, for a list of Federally listed endangered or threatened species to evaluate in a BA. The FWS Website listed 12 terrestrial and six aquatic Federally endangered, threatened, or candidate species as potentially occurring in counties containing the BSEP site, transmission line rights-of-way, and the Cape Fear River.
For documentation purposes, the NRC has included four terrestrial and one aquatic species that have been reported to occur in the counties containing BSEP or associated transmission line rights-of-way, but due to known habitat requirements, they are not likely to be found near BSEP or its associated transmission lines. This BA provides an evaluation of the potential impact of renewing the BSEP operating licenses for an additional 20 years of operation on the 22 endangered and threatened species and one candidate species.
In addition, the staff also contacted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) by letter dated December 29, 2004, requesting a list of Federally threatened or endangered aquatic species that may be in the vicinity of BSEP. In a letter dated February 4, 2005, NMFS identified 12 Federally threatened or endangered aquatic species of whales, sea turtles, and one fish species as having the potential to be present in North Carolina waters in the vicinity of BSEP and its associated transmission line rights-of-way.
FWS has full jurisdiction for the terrestrial species, West Indian manatee, and Waccamaw silverside, while sharing the responsibilities for the sea turtles with NMFS.
S. Hamilton The NRC has determined that the proposed action would have no effect on the eastern cougar (Puma concolor cougar), piping plover (Charadrius melodus), seabeach amaranth (Amaranthus pumilus) small whorled pogonia (Isotria medeoloides), or the Waccamaw silverside (Menidia extensa).
In addition, the NRC staff has determined the proposed action may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect, the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), wood stork (Mycteria americana), red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis), Saint Francis satyr (Neonympha mitchellii francisci), golden sedge (Carex lutea),
Hirsts panic grass (Dichanthelium hirstii), Pondberry or southern spicebush (Lindera melissifolia), rough-leaf loosestrife (Lysimachia asperulifolia), Michauxs sumac (Rhus michauxii), American chaffseed (Schwalbea americana), Cooleys meadowrue (Thalictrum cooleyi), West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta),
green turtle (Chelonia mydas), leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), and Kemps ridley turtle (Lepidochelys kempii).
We are requesting your concurrence with our determination. In reaching our conclusion, the NRC staff relied on information provided by the licensee, on literature research and interviews with experts performed by NRC staff, and on information from the FWS (i.e., including current listings of species provided by FWS, Raleigh, Field Office).
If you have any questions regarding this BA or the staffs request, please contact Richard Emch, Senior Environmental Project Manager, at 301-415-1590 or by e-mail at rle@nrc.gov.
Sincerely,
/RA/(S. Lee for)
Pao-Tsin Kuo, Program Director License Renewal and Environmental Impacts Program Division of Regulatory Improvement Programs Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos.: 50-324 and 50-325
Enclosure:
As stated cc w/encl.: See next page
S. Hamilton The NRC has determined that the proposed action would have no effect on the eastern cougar (Puma concolor cougar), piping plover (Charadrius melodus), seabeach amaranth (Amaranthus pumilus) small whorled pogonia (Isotria medeoloides), or the Waccamaw silverside (Menidia extensa).
In addition, the NRC staff has determined the proposed action may affect, but not likely to adversely affect, the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), wood stork (Mycteria americana), red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis), Saint Francis satyr (Neonympha mitchellii francisci), golden sedge (Carex lutea),
Hirsts panic grass (Dichanthelium hirstii), Pondberry or southern spicebush (Lindera melissifolia), rough-leaf loosestrife (Lysimachia asperulifolia), Michauxs sumac (Rhus michauxii), American chaffseed (Schwalbea americana), Cooleys meadowrue (Thalictrum cooleyi), West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta),
green turtle (Chelonia mydas), leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), and Kemps ridley turtle (Lepidochelys kempii).
We are requesting your concurrence with our determination. In reaching our conclusion, the NRC staff relied on information provided by the licensee, on literature research and interviews with experts performed by NRC staff, and on information from the FWS (i.e., including current listings of species provided by FWS, Raleigh, Field Office).
If you have any questions regarding this BA or the staffs request, please contact Richard Emch, Senior Environmental Project Manager, at 301-415-1590 or by e-mail at rle@nrc.gov.
Sincerely,
/RA/ (S. Lee for)
Pao-Tsin Kuo, Program Director License Renewal and Environmental Impacts Program Division of Regulatory Improvement Programs Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos.: 50-324 and 50-325
Enclosure:
As stated cc w/encl.: See next page DISTRIBUTION:
D. Matthews/F. Gillespie P.T. Kuo R. Emch R. Franovich C. Guerrero A. Williamson J. Wilson S. K. Mitra B. Mozafari OGC E. DiPaolo, SRI J. Austin, RI P. Fredrickson, RII M. Parkhurst (PNNL) RLEP R/F H. Nash Adams accession no.: Package:
ML052200600 Cover Letter: ML052200618
Enclosure:
ML052200634 Document name: E:\\Filenet\\ML052200618.wpd OFFICE RLEP:LA RLEP:PM RLEP:PM RLEP:SC RLEP:PD NAME MJenkins AWilliamson REmch RFranovich PTKuo (Slee for)
DATE 08/08/05 08/08/05 08/08/05 08/08/05 08/08/05 OFFICIAL OFFICE COPY
Brunswick Steam Electric Plant, Units 1 and 2 cc:
Mr. Steven R. Carr Associate General Counsel - Legal Department Progress Energy Service Company, LLC Post Office Box 1551 Raleigh, North Carolina 27602-1551 Mr. David R. Sandifer, Chairperson Brunswick County Board of Commissioners Post Office Box 249 Bolivia, North Carolina 28422 Resident Inspector U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 8470 River Road Southport, North Carolina 28461 Mr. John H. ONeill, Jr.
Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge 2300 N Street NW Washington, DC 20037-1128 Ms. Beverly Hall, Section Chief Radiation Protection Section, Division of Natural Resources N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources 3825 Barrett Dr.
Raleigh, North Carolina 27609-7721 Mr. Benjamin C. Waldrep Plant General Manager Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc.
Brunswick Steam Electric Plant Post Office Box 10429 Southport, North Carolina 28461-0429 Public Service Commission State of South Carolina Post Office Drawer 11649 Columbia, South Carolina 29211 Ms. Margaret A. Force Assistant Attorney General State of North Carolina Post Office Box 629 Raleigh, North Carolina 27602 Mr. Robert P. Gruber Executive Director Public Staff - NCUC 4326 Mail Service Center Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-4326 Mr. T. P. Cleary Director - Site Operations Brunswick Steam Electric Plant Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc.
Post Office Box 10429 Southport, North Carolina 28461-0429 Mr. Norman R. Holden, Mayor City of Southport 201 East Moore Street Southport, North Carolina 28461 Mr. Warren Lee Emergency Management Director New Hanover County Department of Emergency Management Post Office Box 1525 Wilmington, North Carolina 28402-1525 Mr. Chris L. Burton, Manager Performance Evaluation and Regulatory Affairs PEB 7 Progress Energy Post Office Box 1551 Raleigh, North Carolina 27602-1551 Mr. Edward T. ONeill Manager - Support Services Brunswick Steam Electric Plant Carolina Power & Light Company Post Office Box 10429 Southport, North Carolina 28461 Brunswick Steam Electric Plant, Units 1 and 2 cc:
Allen K. Brittain Superintendent, Security Brunswick Steam Electric Plant Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc.
P.O. Box 10429 Southport, North Carolina 28461-0429 Mr. Michael Heath Brunswick Steam Electric Plant P.O. Box 10429 Southport, North Carolina 28461-0429 Mr. Garry D. Miller Manager - License Renewal Progress Energy P. O. Box 1551 Raleigh, North Carolina 27602 Mr. James Ross Nuclear Energy Institute 1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20006-3708 Ms. Ilene Brown NCUW William Randall Library 601 S. College Rd.
Wilmington, NC 28403-5616 Mr. Cornelius J. Gannon, Vice President Brunswick Steam Electric Plant Carolina Power & Light Company Post Office Box 10429 Southport, North Carolina 28461-0429