ML072420149

Letter from NRC to Us Fish & Wildlife Service Biological Assessment for License Renewal of Wolf Creek Generating Station

ML072420149
Person / Time
Site:	Wolf Creek
Issue date:	09/20/2007
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
ML072420147	List: ML072420149
References
TAC MD3182
Download: ML072420149 (5)

Text

September 20, 2007Mr. Mike LeValleyUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service Kansas Field Office 315 Houston Street, Suite E Manhattan, KS 66502

SUBJECT:

BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT FOR LICENSE RENEWAL OF WOLF CREEKGENERATING STATION (TAC NO. MD3182)

Dear Mr. LeValley:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has completed the enclosed draftSupplement 32 to NUREG-1437, ?Generic Environmental Impact Statement for LicenseRenewal of Nuclear Plants," to evaluate the proposed renewal of the Wolf Creek Generating Station (WCGS) operating license for a period of an additional 20 years. The Supplement Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) evaluates the proposed action of license renewal for WCGS. The WCGS facility is located in Coffey County in eastern Kansas approximately 75 miles southwest of Kansas City. In accordance with the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1934, as amended, the NRC Biological Assessment (BA) for license renewal of WCGS is included in Appendix E of the enclosed draft SEIS. In a letter to the NRC dated January 29, 2007, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)provided information about three Federally listed species and one candidate species with the potential to occur in the project area. One of the three species, the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), has been delisted since receipt of the FWS letter. Because Section 7consultations do not address candidate species, this BA does not include information on the candidate species Neosho mucket (Lampsilis rafinesqueana) that may occur in the area. Therefore, this BA examines the potential effects of the continued operation of WCGS on two Federally threatened species: the threatened Neosho madtom (Noturus placidus) and thethreatened Mead's milkweed (Asclepias meadii)

.The NRC staff has examined the species that may be present in the vicinity of WCGS, theknown distributions and available habitat for those species, the potential effects of the operation of WCGS on the species, and the studies and mitigation measures that Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation (WCNOC) and Westar Energy Inc. (the owner of the transmission lines) employ to protect the species. Based on this analysis, the staff has determined that continued operation of WCGS for an additional 20 years is not likely to adversely affect Mead's milkweed.

Likewise, during periods with no water use conflicts, the proposed action is not likely to adversely affect the Neosho madtom. However, when water use conflicts exist during low-flow or drought conditions in the Neosho River, continued operation of WCGS may adversely affect the Neosho madtom.

M. LeValley-2-We are requesting your concurrence with our determination in the BA. In reaching ourconclusion, the NRC staff relied on information provided by the applicant, research performed by NRC staff and information from the FWS. If you have any questions regarding the enclosed draft SEIS, the BA in Appendix E of the draft SEIS, or the staff's request, please contact Mr. Christian Jacobs, Environmental Project Manager, at 301-415-3874 or by e-mail at cjj@nrc.gov

.Sincerely,/RA by Samuel Hernandez-Quinones for/Rani L. Franovich, Branch Chief Environmental Branch B Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor RegulationDocket No. 50-482

Enclosure:

As statedcc w/encl: See next page M. LeValley-2-We are requesting your concurrence with our determination in the BA. In reaching ourconclusion, the NRC staff relied on information provided by the applicant, research performed by NRC staff and information from the FWS. If you have any questions regarding the enclosed draft SEIS, the BA in Appendix E of the draft SEIS, or the staff's request, please contact Mr. Christian Jacobs, Environmental Project Manager, at 301-415-3874 or by e-mail at cjj@nrc.gov

.Sincerely,/RA by Samuel Hernandez-Quinones for/Rani L. Franovich, Branch Chief Environmental Branch B Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor RegulationDocket No. 50-482

Enclosure:

As statedcc w/encl: See next page Adams Accession Nos.:1. Ltr. To M. LeValley w/Svc. List: ML0724201492. Draft Supplemental 32 to NUREG-1437

?Generic Environmental Impact Statement forLicense Renewal of Nuclear Plants" (GEIS): ML0725400263. Pkg.: ML072420147OFFICEES:DLR:REBALA:DLRPM:DLR:REBBBC:DLR:REBBNAMED. LoganI. KingC. JacobsR. FranovichS. Hernandez forDATE09/04/0708/30/0709/04/0709/20/07OFFICIAL RECORD COPY Letter to M. LeValley from R. Franovich, dated September 20, 2007

SUBJECT:

BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT FOR LICENSE RENEWAL OF WOLF CREEKGENERATING STATION (TAC NO. MD3182)DISTRIBUTION:P.T. Kuo (RidsNrrDlr)R. Franovich (RidsNrrDlrRebb)

E. Benner (RidsNrrDlrReba)

C. Jacobs D. Logan W. Maier B. Hurley (bobbie.hurley@eartech.com

)S. Duda (Steve.duda@earthtech.com

)RidsOGCMailRoom D. Roth 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 SW 10 th Avenue, 2 nd FloorTopeka, KS 66612-1597County ClerkCoffey County Courthouse 110 South 6 th StreetBurlington, KS 66839Chief, Radiation and Asbestos Control Section 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 66839Ms. Julie KeysNuclear Energy Institute 1776 I Street, NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20006-3708 Ms. Valerie Williams, Branch DirectorCoffey County Library Burlington Branch 410 Juniatta Street Burlington, KS 66839