ML063210235
| ML063210235 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Wolf Creek  |
| Issue date: | 11/30/2006 |
| From: | Rani Franovich NRC/NRR/ADRO/DLR/REBB |
| To: | Levalley M US Dept of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Jacobs C, PM, REBB, DLR, 415-3874 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML063340137 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML063210235 (6) | |
Text
November 30, 2006Mr. Mike LeValley, Project LeaderUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service Kansas Field Office 315 Houston Street, Suite E Manhattan, KS 66502
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR LIST OF PROTECTED SPECIES WITHIN THE AREA UNDEREVALUATION FOR THE WOLF CREEK GENERATING STATION LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION REVIEW
Dear Mr. LeValley:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is reviewing an application submitted by WolfCreek Nuclear Operating Corporation for the renewal of the operating license for Wolf Creek Generating Station (WCGS). WCGS is located in Coffey County, Kansas, approximately 75 miles southwest of Kansas City, and 3.5 miles east of the Neosho River and the John Redmond Reservoir. As part of the review of the license renewal application, the NRC is preparing a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) under the provisions of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 51 (10 CFR Part 51), the NRC regulation that implements theNational Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. The SEIS includes an analysis of pertinent environmental issues, including endangered or threatened species and impacts to fish and wildlife. This letter is being submitted under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1934, as amended.The proposed action would include the use and continued maintenance of existing plantfacilities and transmission lines. The WCGS site covers approximately 9,818 acres, of which only approximately 135 acres is industrial. Coffey County Lake, the station's cooling reservoir, occupies approximately 5,090 acres. Most of the remaining land is made up of rangeland, cropland, native prairie, and forested areas. The Wolf Creek Environmental Education Area is an approximately 500-acre nature area near the north end of the site property. It consists of five trails that guide the visitor through a variety of natural Kansas habitats, including native tall grass, woodlands, and wetlands. The area is the result of a partnership between private citizens, civic organizations, local, state, and federal governments, and the WCGS owners.
M. LeValley-2-WCGS uses a once-through cooling system that withdraws water from the 5,090 acre CoffeyCounty Lake. After passing through the condenser, the water is returned to Coffey County Lake. The Neosho River immediately downstream of the John Redmond Reservoir is the source of makeup water for the plant's cooling pond (Coffey County Lake). The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has not restricted the discharge heat into Coffey County Lake by WCGS.The transmission lines in the scope of NRC's environmental review for license renewal arethose that were originally constructed for the specific purpose of connecting the plant to thetransmission system. Three 345-kilovolt transmission lines were built to connect WCGS to the electric grid. The WCGS-Rose Hill line extends southwestward from the switchyard for 98 miles to the Rose Hill Substation southeast of Wichita. The pre-existing LaCygne-Benton transmission line was rerouted around the cooling pond to Benton and LaCygne. The WCGS-Benton line wraps around the north end of Coffey County Lake for approximately 7 miles, nearly all located on WCGS property, and then connects to the pre-existing line to Benton. The WCGS-LaCygne line runs 0.7 miles and connects the preexisting LaCygne line to the WCGS switchyard. The three transmission lines of interest are contained in approximately 105 miles of 150-foot wide corridor that occupy approximately 1,900 acres in Coffey, Greenwood, and Butler counties. The corridors pass through land that is primarily agricultural and open range crossing numerous county, State and U.S. highways. All three transmission lines are owned and maintained by Westar Energy, and since they are an integral part of the larger transmission system, will remain part of the transmission system after WCGS is decommissioned. The transmission line and site boundary are identified in the enclosed maps.To support the SEIS preparation process and to ensure compliance with Section 7 of theEndangered Species Act, the NRC requests information on Federally listed, proposed, and candidate species and critical habitat that may be in the vicinity of WCGS and its associated transmission line rights-of-way. In addition, please provide any information you consider appropriate under the provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act.The NRC staff plans to hold two public NEPA scoping meetings on December 19, 2006, at theCoffey County Library, Burlington Branch, 410 Juniatta Street, Burlington, KS 66839. The first meeting will convene at 1:30 p.m. and will continue until 4:30 p.m., as necessary. The second meeting will convene at 7:00 p.m., with a repeat of the overview portions of the meeting, and will continue until 10:00 p.m., as necessary. In addition, on February 5, 2007, the NRC plans to conduct a site audit. You and your staff are invited to attend both the site audit and the public meetings. Your office will also receive a copy of the draft SEIS along with a request for comments. The anticipated publication date for the draft SEIS is August 2007.
M. LeValley-3-If you have any questions concerning the NRC staff review of this license renewal application,please contact Mr. Christian Jacobs, Project Manager, at 301-415-3874 or cjj@nrc.gov
.Sincerely,/RA/Rani Franovich, Branch ChiefEnvironmental Branch B Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor RegulationDocket No. 50-482
Enclosures:
- 1. Site Layout2. Transmission Line Map cc w/encls: See next page
ML063210235 Document Name:C:\FileNet\ML063210235.wpdOFFICELA:DLRGS:DLR:REBBPM:DLR:REBBBC:DLR:REBBNAMEI. KingA. WilliamsonC. JacobsR.Franovich DATE11/21/06 11 /27/ 06 11/29/06 11/30/06 Ltr. to M. LeValley from R. Franovich Dated November 30, 2006
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR LIST OF PROTECTED SPECIES WITHIN THE AREA UNDEREVALUATION FOR THE WOLF CREEK GENERATING STATION LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION REVIEWDISTRIBUTION:HARD COPYDLR R/FE-MAILRidsOGCMailRoomDLR/REBB DLR/REBA F. Gillespie / P.T. Kuo (RidsNrrDlr)
R. Franovich (RidsNrrDlrRebb)
E. Benner (RidsNrrDlrReba)
R. Schaff C. Jacobs J. Flemming D. Logan M. Masnik A. Williamson R. Hurley V. Rodriguez J. Donohew
S. Cochrum V. Dricks RidsOGCMailRoom DLR/REBB DLR/REBA Wolf Creek Generating Station cc:
Jay Silberg, Esq.Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP 2300 N Street, NW Washington, DC 20037Regional Administrator, Region IVU.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011-7005Senior Resident InspectorU.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 311 Burlington, KS 66839Chief Engineer, Utilities DivisionKansas Corporation Commission 1500 SW Arrowhead Road Topeka, KS 66604-4027Office of the GovernorState of Kansas Topeka, KS 66612Attorney General120 S.W. 10 th Avenue, 2 nd FloorTopeka, KS 66612-1597County ClerkCoffey County Courthouse 110 South 6 th StreetBurlington, KS 66839Thomas A. Conley, Section ChiefRadiation and Asbestos Control Kansas Department of Health and Environment Bureau of Air and Radiation 1000 SW Jackson, Suite 310 Topeka, KS 66612-1366Vice President Operations/Plant ManagerWolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation P.O. Box 411 Burlington, KS 66839Supervisor LicensingWolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation P.O. Box 411 Burlington, KS 66839U.S. Nuclear Regulatory CommissionResident Inspectors Office/Callaway Plant
8201 NRC Road Steedman, MO 65077-1032Mr. Terry J. GarrettVice President Engineering Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation P.O. Box 411 Burlington, KS 66839Kevin J. Moles, ManagerRegulatory Affairs Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation P.O. Box 411 Burlington, KS 66839Lorrie I. Bell, Project ManagerWolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation P.O. Box 411 Burlington, KS 66839Mr. James RossNuclear Energy Institute 1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20006-3708 Ms. Valerie Williams, Branch DirectorCoffey County Library Burlington Branch 410 Juniatta St.
Burlington, KS 66839