ML083290584
| ML083290584 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Prairie Island  |
| Issue date: | 08/26/2008 |
| From: | Cyr H State of MN, Dept of Natural Resources |
| To: | Rani Franovich Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| ERDB 20070820-0003 | |
| Download: ML083290584 (1) | |
Text
Division of Ecological Resources, Box 25 Phone: (651) 259-5107 Fax: (651) 296-1811 E-mail: heidi.cyr@dnr.state.mn.us August 26, 2008 Mr. Rani Franovich United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 Re: Request for Natural Heritage information in the vicinity of the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant Correspondence # : ERDB 20070820-0003
Dear Mr. Franovich,
As requested, the Minnesota Natural Heritage Information System has been queried to determine if any rare species or other significant natural features are known to occur within an approximate one-mile radius of the proposed project. Based on this query, several rare features have been documented within the search area. For details, please see the enclosed database reports.
The Natural Heritage Information System (NHIS), a collection of databases that contains information about Minnesotas rare natural features, is maintained by the Division of Ecological Resources, Department of Natural Resources. The NHIS is continually updated as new information becomes available, and is the most complete source of data on Minnesota's rare or otherwise significant species, native plant communities, and other natural features.
However, the NHIS is not an exhaustive inventory and thus does not represent all of the occurrences of rare features within the state. Therefore, ecologically significant features for which we have no records may exist within the project area.
The enclosed results include an Index Report and a Detailed Report of records in the Rare Features Database, the main database of the NHIS. To control the release of specific location information, which might result in the destruction of a rare feature, both reports are copyrighted.
The Index Report provides rare feature locations only to the nearest section, and may be reprinted, unaltered, in an environmental review document (e.g., EAW or EIS), municipal natural resource plan, or report compiled by your company for the project listed above. If you wish to reproduce the index report for any other purpose, please contact me to request written permission. The Detailed Report may include specific location information, and is for your personal use only. If you wish to reprint or publish the detailed report for any purpose, please contact me to request written permission.
Please be aware that this letter focuses only on potential effects to rare natural features; there may be other natural resource concerns associated with the proposed project. This letter does not constitute review or approval by the Department of Natural Resources as a whole. If you would like further information on the environmental review process, please contact your Regional Environmental Assessment Ecologist, Wayne Barstad, at (651) 259-5738. Thank you for consulting us on this matter, and for your interest in preserving Minnesota's rare natural resources.
Sincerely, Heidi Cyr Endangered Species Environmental Review Specialist enc.
Rare Features Database: Index Report Rare Features Database: Detail Report Rare Features Database Reports: An Explanation of Fields Minnesota Department of Natural Resources 500 Lafayette Road St. Paul, Minnesota 55155-4025