ML090790187

Essential Fish Habitat Assessment: Indian Point Nuclear Generating Plant Units 2 and 3

ML090790187
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Site:	Indian Point
Issue date:	04/30/2009
From:	Brian Holian Division of License Renewal
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Stuyvenberg, A L, NRR/DLR/ 415-4006
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ML090790352	List: ML090790176 ML090790187
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1 Essential Fish Habitat Assessment 2

3 Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit Nos. 2 and 3 4 License Renewal 5

6 April 2009 7 Docket Nos. 50-247 and 50-286 8

9 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 10 Rockville, Maryland

1 Essential Fish Habitat Assessment for the Proposed Renewal of 2 Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit Nos. 2 and 3 3 1.0 Introduction and Purpose 4 The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff prepared this essential fish habitat (EFH) 5 assessment to support the draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for the 6 renewal of the operating licenses for Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit Nos. 2 and 3 (IP2 7 and IP3). IP2 and IP3 are located on the shore of the Hudson River in the Village of Buchanan, 8 in upper Westchester County, NY. The current 40-year licenses are set to expire in 2013 (IP2) 9 and 2015 (IP3). The proposed license renewal for which this EFH assessment has been 10 prepared would extend the operating licenses to 2033 and 2035 for IP2 and IP3, respectively.

11 The NRC is required to prepare the draft SEIS as a part of its review of a license renewal 12 application. The draft SEIS supplements NUREG-1437, Volumes 1 and 2, Generic 13 Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants (GEIS), (NRC 1996; 14 1999)a for the license renewal of commercial nuclear power plants. The draft SEIS covers 15 specific issues, such as the potential impacts to endangered and threatened species, that are 16 applicable to IP2 and IP3 and that could not be considered on a generic basis in the GEIS. NRC 17 published the draft SEIS separately from this EFH assessment, and it is available through 18 NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) at access numbers 19 ML081540594 (Volume 1, Main Report) and ML081540614 (Volume 2, Appendices).

20 The 1996 amendments to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 21 (MSA) (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) identify the importance of habitat protection to healthy fisheries.

22 The amendments, known as the Sustainable Fisheries Act, strengthen the governing agencies 23 authority to protect and conserve the habitat of marine, estuarine, and anadromous animals.

24 The Act defines EFH as those waters and substrata necessary for spawning, breeding, feeding, 25 or growth to maturity (MSA). Designating EFH is an essential component in the development of 26 fishery management plans to assess the effects of habitat loss or degradation on fishery stocks 27 and to take actions to mitigate such damage. This responsibility was expanded to ensure 28 additional habitat protection (NMFS 1999). The consultation requirements of Section 305(b) of 29 the MSA provide that Federal agencies consult with the Secretary, U.S. Department of 30 Commerce, on all actions or proposed actions authorized, funded, or undertaken by the agency 31 that may adversely affect EFH.

32 2.0 Proposed Action 33 The current proposed action considered in the draft SEIS (NRC 2008) is the renewal of the 34 operating licenses for IP2 and IP3 for an additional 20-year term beyond the period of the 35 existing licenses. The applicant has indicated that it may replace reactor vessel heads and 36 control rod drive mechanisms during the period of extended operation. Chapter 3 of the draft 37 SEIS describes these activities and potential environmental effects. If the NRC grants the 38 operating license renewals, the applicant will be permitted to operate and maintain the nuclear a NRC issued the original GEIS in 1996 and GEIS Addendum 1 in 1999. Hereafter, all references to the GEIS include the GEIS and its Addendum 1.

1 units, the cooling systems, and the transmission lines and corridors as they are now until 2033 2 and 2035.

3 3.0 Site Description 4 IP2 and IP3 are located on a 239-acre (ac) (97-hectare [ha]) site on the eastern bank of the 5 Hudson River in the Village of Buchanan, Westchester County, NY, about 24 miles (mi) 6 (39 kilometers [km]) north of New York City, NY (Figures 1 and 2). Privately owned land bounds 7 the north, south, and east sides of the property (Figure 3). Forests in this area are eastern 8 deciduous forest, dominated by oak (Quercus), maple (Acer), and beech (Fagus) species. The 9 lower Hudson River is a tidal estuary, flowing 152 mi (244 km) from the Federal Dam at Troy, 10 NY, to the Battery in New York City. IP2 and IP3 are located at River Mile (RM) 43 (River 11 Kilometer [RKM] 69), where the average depth is 40 feet (ft) (12 meters [m]) and the average 12 width of the river is 4500 ft (1370 m). The Hudson River is tidal all the way to the Federal Dam.

13 Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., (Entergy) (2007a) describes the salinity zone in the vicinity of 14 the facility as oligohaline (low salinity, ranging from 0.5 to 5 parts per thousand [ppt]), with the 15 salinity changing with the level of freshwater flow. Water temperature ranges from a winter 16 minimum of 34 degrees Fahrenheit (F) (1 degree Celsius [C]) to a summer maximum of 17 77 degrees F (25 degrees C) (Entergy 2007a).

18 The mid-Hudson River provides the cooling water for three power plants in addition to IP2 and 19 IP3: Roseton Generating Station, Danskammer Point Generating Station, and Bowline Point 20 Generating Station. All three stations are fossil-fueled steam electric stations located on the 21 western shore of the river, and all use once-through cooling. Roseton consists of two units and 22 is located 23 mi (37 km) north of IP2 and IP3 at RM 66 (RKM 106). Just 0.5 mi (0.8 km) north of 23 Roseton is Danskammer, which has four units. Bowline lies about 5 mi (8 km) south of IP2 and 24 IP3 and consists of two units. Another nearby generating station, Lovett, is located almost 25 directly across the river from IP2 and IP3 at RM 42 (RKM 67) and was recently shut down 26 (Entergy 2007a; CHGEC et al. 1999).

27 3.1.1 Description of Plant and Cooling System 28 IP2 and IP3 are pressurized-water reactors with turbine generators that produce a net output of 29 6,432 megawatts-thermal (MWt) and approximately 2,158 megawatts-electrical (MWe). Both 30 IP2 and IP3 withdraw water from the Hudson River for their once-through condenser and 31 auxiliary cooling systems. Each unit has seven intake bays (Figure 4) into which the river water 32 flows before passing under the floating debris skimmer wall and through modified Ristroph 33 traveling screens (Figure 5). IP2 has six dual-speed circulating water pumps that can each 34 pump 140,000 gallons per minute (gpm) (8.83 cubic meters per second [m3/s]) at full speed and 35 84,000 gpm (5.30 m3/s) at reduced speed; at full speed, the approach velocity is approximately 36 1 foot per second (fps) (0.30 meters per second [m/s]) and at reduced speed, the approach 37 velocity is 0.6 fps (0.2 m/s). IP3 also has six dual-speed circulating water pumps. The full-38 speed flow rate of each of these pumps is 140,000 gpm (8.83 m3/s), with a 1 fps (0.30 m/s) 39 approach velocity; the reduced speed is 64,000 gpm (4.04 m3/s), with a 0.6 fps (0.2 m/s) 40 approach velocity (Entergy 2007a).

1 Source: Entergy 2007a 2 Figure 1. Location of IP2 and IP3, 50-mile (80-km) radius 1 Source: Entergy 2007a 2 Figure 2. Location of IP2 and IP3, 6-mile (10-km) radius 1 Source: Entergy 2007a 2 Figure 3. IP2 and IP3 property boundaries and environs 3

1 The modified vertical Ristroph-type traveling screens employed at IP2 and IP3 were installed in 2 1990 at IP2 and in 1991 at IP3. The screens, designed in concert with the Hudson River 3 Fishermens Association, have screen basket lip troughs to retain water and minimize vortex 4 stress (CHGEC et al. 1999). Pilot studies indicated that, assuming the screens continue to 5 operate as they had during laboratory and field tests, the screens were the screening device 6 most likely to impose the least mortalities in the rescue of entrapped fish by mechanical means 7 (Fletcher 1990). The same study concluded that refinements to the screens would be unlikely 8 to greatly reduce fish kills. However, no studies have been conducted on impingement survival 9 since the screens were installed.

10 Source: Entergy 2007a 11 Figure 4. IP2 intake structure (left) and IP3 intake structure (right) 12 A high-pressure spray wash removes debris from the front of the traveling screen mechanism, 13 and a low-pressure spray washes fish from the rear of the mechanism into a fish sluice system 14 that returns them to the river. The licensee included a 0.25 x 0.5 inch (in.)

15 (0.635 x 1.27 centimeter [cm]) clear opening slot mesh on the screen basket panels to minimize 16 abrasion as the fish are washed into the collection sluice. The sluice system is a 12-in.-

17 diameter (30.5-cm-diameter) pipe that discharges fish into the river at a depth of 35 ft (10.7 m) 18 and distance of 200 ft (61 m) from shore (CHGEC et al. 1999).

19 1

2 Source: Entergy 2007a 3 Figure 5. IP2 intake system (left) and IP3 intake system (right) 4 4.0 Potential Impacts of the Proposed Action on Designated Essential 5 Fish Habitats of Federally Managed Species in the Vicinity of Indian 6 Point Unit Nos. 2 and 3 7 Under present conditions, IP2 and IP3 affect fish habitats primarily through their cooling water 8 systems. Water withdrawn for cooling is no longer available as a habitat, and both fish and their 9 prey are lost to impingement and entrainment. The heated effluent also changes natural 10 patterns of temperature and current in fish habitats.

11 For initial selection of EFH for consideration, the NRC staff consulted the Summary of Essential 12 Fish Habitat (EFH) Designations for the Hudson River/Raritan/Sandy Hook Bays region on 13 the Web site of the Northeast Regional Office of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric 14 Administration (NOAA) (2008a). NOAA indicates that information on this web site is a generic 15 guide (NOAA 2008b) and provides EFH designations in terms of 10-minute (10 x 10) latitude 16 and longitude squares defined by their southeast corner boundaries. Examination of this web 17 site indicates that the 10 x 10 square that includes IP2 and IP3 is three squares north of and 18 farther up the Hudson River than the northernmost designated EFH (Figure 6). In its letter 19 dated February 28, 2008, however, NOAA (2008b) indicated that EFH in the mixing zone of the 20 Hudson River had been designated for certain life stages of several species. The mixing zone 21 includes the portion of the river along which IP2 and IP3 are located. EFH for those species 22 and life stages indicated by the NOAA Web site to occur in the mixing zone are therefore 23 included in the initial list for consideration IP2 and IP3 (Table 1). The list of species in Table 1 24 matches the list provided in the NOAA letter of February 28, 2008.

25 Estuaries are typically divided into several mixing zones based on typical salinity. Because 26 the Hudson River estuary is long, the net flow is slow, and tides are strong, its salinity zones 27 encompass fairly large geographic regions, as summarized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 28 Service (1997; Table 2). IP2 and IP3 fall into the oligohaline zone, which is defined by typical 29 salinities of 0.5-5.0 ppt. To further refine the list of EFH species, the NRC staff compared the 30 salinity requirements of the potential EFH species and life stages to the salinity range of the 1 oligohaline zone (0.5-5.0 ppt; Table 3) and examined impingement and entrainment records.

2 NRC staff considered species and life stages with salinity requirements clearly outside the 3 oligohaline zone or rarely collected in IP2 and IP3 impingement and entrainment samples to 4 have no potential EFH in the vicinity of IP2 and IP3 and excluded them from further 5 consideration.

6 Of the potential EFH in the NOAA mixing zone of the Hudson River Estuary, EFH for seven 7 species and life stage combinations might exist within the oligohaline zone that includes IP2 and 8 IP3 (Table 4): red hake larvae, winter flounder larvae, windowpane juveniles and adults, 9 bluefish juveniles, and Atlantic butterfish juveniles and adults. For six of these species and life 10 stages, the lower salinity requirement reported by NOAA (Table 3) overlaps or approaches the 11 upper defining salinity of the oligohaline zone, which is not geographically stable and is 12 dependent on season and river flow. In addition, bluefish juveniles occur in impingement 13 records collected between 1981 and 1990 at IP2 and IP3. These records are included in 14 Table 6. In their review of Hudson River fish assemblages (no life stages given), Daniels et al.

15 (2005) list winter flounder and bluefish as reported commonly from the lower Hudson River 16 drainage (defined as Troy to the Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan Island) and red hake, 17 windowpane, and Atlantic butterfish as reported rarely from the lower Hudson River drainage.

18 NRC staff assessed the effects of IP2 and IP3 on EFH for the seven species and life stage 19 combinations in Table 4.

20 The NRC staff summarized information on entrainment and impingement of these species from 21 data files provided by Entergy for entrainment studies conducted from 1981 through 1987 and 22 impingement studies conducted from 1981 through 1990. The NRC staff could not calculate 23 total numbers entrained from the data provided, but could calculate an approximation (total 24 mean number entrained) as the total mean density for each season and year multiplied by the 25 total volume of water withdrawn for that period (Table 5). For some years and seasons, no data 26 were recorded for the EFH species. For seasons and years where data are available, the total 27 numbers of fish entrained range from tens of millions to billions. In addition, while only small 28 fractions of fish were unidentified or mutilated in any year, the large numbers entrained would 29 translate into large numbers unidentified or mutiliated, and the numbers of unidentified and 30 mutilated fish that belong to the EFH species are unknown. No impingement and entrainment 31 data were available for any years after the Ristroph screens were installed.

32 The EFH species are impinged as well as entrained. Numbers impinged (Table 6) are smaller 33 than numbers entrained, because of factors such as natural and plant-induced mortality, 34 movement, and reduced susceptibility caused by developmental changes. Note that estimated 35 numbers impinged have been corrected for sampling efficiency and so are not necessarily 36 whole numbers.

37 41°20 10 x 10 latitude and longitude square that includes IP2 and IP3 41°10 41°00 NOAA-designated EFH 10 x 10 latitude and longitude squares for Hudson River/Raritan/

Sandy Hook Bays 40°50 Latitude (North) 40°40 40°30 40°10 74°30 74°20 74°10 74°00 73°50 Longitude (West) 1 Figure 6. NOAA-designated 10 x 10 latitude and longitude squares of EFH in the Hudson 2 River, Raritan, and Sandy Hook Bays as indicated by NOAAs Northeast Regional Office 3 website (NOAA 2008a), and the square containing IP2 and IP3 4

1 Table 1. NMFS-Designated EFH by Species and Life Stage in the Mixing Zone of the 2 Hudson River Estuary Species Eggs Larvae Juveniles Adults Red Hake X X X (Urophycis chuss)

Winter Flounder X X X X (Pleuronectes americanus)

Windowpane X X X X (Scophthalmus aquosus)

Bluefish X X (Pomatomus saltatrix)

Atlantic Sea Herring X X X (Clupea harengus)

Atlantic Butterfish X X X (Peprilus triacanthus)

Summer Flounder X X X (Paralichthys dentatus)

Black Sea Bass X X (Centropristes striatus)

X indicates designated EFH within this area.

Blank indicates no designated EFH in this area.

Source of data: NOAA 2008a.

3 Table 2. Ecological Systems and Salinity Zones in the Hudson River Complex Salinity Type of System Zone Approximate Geographic Locations (ppt)

Riverine Nontidal Hudson and Mohawk Rivers at Troy, 0 Fresh and above head of tide tributaries Estuarine Tidal Fresh Troy dam to about Wappingers Falls 0-0.5 and all Hudson tributaries to head of tide Estuarine Oligohaline Wappingers Falls to Stony Point 0.5-5.0 Estuarine Mesohaline Stony Point to Yonkers 5.0-18.0 Estuarine Polyhaline Yonkers to Manhattan 18.0-30.0 Marine Euhaline Manhattan seaward, Harbor Estuary >30.0 Source of data: FWS 1997.

1 Table 3. Salinity Ranges (ppt) of Potential EFH for Species and Life Stages in NMFS-2 Designated Mixing Zones of the Hudson River Estuary Species Eggs Larvae Juveniles Adults Red Hake >0.5 31-33 33-34 Winter Flounder 10-30 4-30 10-30 15-33 Windowpane na na 5.5-36 5.5-36 Bluefish 23-36 >25 Atlantic Sea Herring 32 26-32 >28 Atlantic Butterfish 6.4-37 3-37 4-6 Summer Flounder 23-33 10-30 na Black Sea Bass >18 >20 Blank indicates no designated EFH in this geographic area.

na indicates numerical salinity range not available.

Bolding indicates that salinity falls close to or within the salinity range of the oligohaline zone of the Hudson River (0.5-5.0 ppt) (FWS 1997).

Source of species data: NOAA 2008c.

3 4

5 6 Table 4. Fish Species and Life Stages That Have Potential EFH in the Oligohaline Zone of 7 the Hudson River Estuary That Includes IP2 and IP3 Species Eggs Larvae Juveniles Adults Red Hake X Winter Flounder X Windowpane X X Bluefish* X Atlantic Butterfish X X X indicates potential EFH within the oligohaline zone; blank indicates no designated EFH in this salinity zone.

• Bluefish are included because collection data indicates evidence of impingement of juveniles at IP2 and IP3.

8 9

1 Table 5. Estimated Total Mean Numbers* (in millions) of Potential EFH Species and Other 2 Fish Entrained by IP2 and IP3 from 1981 to 1987 Atlantic Total Un-Sea- Red Butter- Window Winter Identified Mutilated identified Year son Hake fish -pane Flounder Bluefish Fish Fish Fish 1981 2 -- -- -- -- -- 3,270,000 89,000 289 1981 3 -- -- -- -- -- 1,090,000 4,460 456 1983 2 -- -- -- -- -- 3,970,000 182,000 6,921 1983 3 -- 343 -- -- -- 6,610,000 129,000 147 1984 2 -- -- -- -- -- 5,100,000 15,000 6,010 1984 3 -- -- 72.3 -- 71.9 8,430,000 697 214 1985 2 -- -- -- 2,160 -- 1,640,000 74,400 4,490 1985 3 -- -- 54.2 -- 386 5,040,000 89,700 348 1986 1 -- -- -- -- -- 110,000 199 110 1986 2 277 -- -- 509 -- 3,000,000 73,700 5,230 1986 3 -- 34.8 -- -- -- 2,800,000 409,000 947 1987 2 -- -- 110 884 -- 1,290,000 31,600 671 1987 3 -- -- -- -- -- 3,800,000 41,300 69 Total 277 378 236 3,550 458 56,000,000 1,140,000 25,900

• Total mean numbers are the product of the total of mean weekly densities in each season and year, multiplied by the total volume of water withdrawn in that season and year; -- indicates no information for that season and year.

Season 1 is January, February, and March.

Season 2 is April, May, and June.

Season 3 is July, August, and September.

Source of raw data: Entergy 2007b.

3 Red hake (Urophycis chuss) 4 EFH for red hake larvae may occur in the vicinity of IP2 and IP3 and generally occurs in surface 5 waters of the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, the continental shelf off southern New England, and 6 the middle Atlantic south to Cape Hatteras. Within this geographic area, larval EFH includes 7 water less than 200 m (660 ft) deep with temperatures less than 19 degrees C (66 degrees F) 8 and salinities less than 0.5 ppt. Larvae are most often present from May through December.

9 The following information is summarized from Steimle et al. (1999) and concentrates on the 10 early life stages. Red hake are managed as two stocks. The northern stock inhabits the area 11 from the Gulf of Maine to northern Georges Bank, and the southern stock from southern 12 Georges Bank into the Middle Atlantic Bight. Fish in the Hudson River would belong to the 13 southern stock. Habitat requirements of the two stocks may be slightly different.

14 Red hake eggs are about 0.6-1.0 mm (0.023-0.039 in.) in diameter, buoyant, and float near the 15 surface. Because eggs of the genera Urophycis and Phycis co-occur and are difficult to tell 16 apart, understanding of the environmental requirements of red hake eggs is poor. When they 17 hatch, the larvae are less than 20 mm (0.79 in.) long and are a dominant summer component of 18 ichthyoplankton of the Middle Atlantic Bight, the northwestern corner of which is the mouth of 19 the Hudson-Raritan Bay complex. The larvae inhabit the upper water column and have been 20 collected from May through December. Although larvae in the Middle Atlantic Bight are 21 collected at water temperatures between 8 and 23 degrees C (46 to 73 degrees F), most are 22 collected between 11 and 19 degrees C (52 and 66 degrees F) at water depths between 10 and 23 200 m (33 to 656 ft). Copepods and other microcrustaceans are the primary prey of red hake 24 larvae.

25 26 1 After metamorphosis, the early juveniles remain pelagic until they reach about 25-30 mm (0.98-2 1.18 in.) total length (TL) in about 2 months. At this point, they start to become benthic until 3 they are about 35-40 mm (1.38-1.54 in.) in TLtypically between September and December 4 with a peak of benthic settlement in October and November. After this, they remain benthic for 5 the rest of their lives, which is typically 8 years with a maximum of 14 years. Shelter is a key 6 habitat requirement for the young fish, and newly settled juveniles use depressions in the 7 seabed. Older juveniles use shells, depressions, and man-made objects for shelter. By the end 8 of the first summer, juveniles reach about 10 cm (3.9 in.) TL, and they maintain association with 9 shelter up to about 13 cm (5.1 in.) TL. They grow little over the winter and, at the end of their 10 first year, are about 15-17 cm (5.9-6.7 in.) TL. Juveniles are found in large estuaries, including 11 the Hudson River estuary. Juveniles leave their shelter at night and feed primarily on 12 crustaceans, such as small crabs and shrimp, mysids, amphipods, and copepods. They also 13 eat polychaete worms and other invertebrates. In turn, juvenile red hake are eaten by a variety 14 of piscivorous fish, including striped bass. Juvenile red hake are collected at water 15 temperatures between 2 and 22 degrees C (36 to 72 degrees F), but are most abundant 16 between 3 and 16 degrees C (37 and 61 degrees F). They avoid temperatures below 3 and 17 above 22 degrees C (below 37 and above 72 degrees F).

18 Winter flounder (Pleuronectes americanus) 19 EFH for winter flounder larvae may occur in the vicinity of IP2 and IP3. EFH for larval winter 20 flounder occurs in pelagic and bottom waters of Georges Bank, inshore areas of the Gulf of 21 Maine, southern New England, and the mid-Atlantic region south to Delaware Bay. Larval EFH 22 includes water less than 6 m (20 ft) deep and with temperatures below 15 degrees C 23 (59 degrees F).

24 Winter flounder eggs are typically found in water at depths less than 5 m (16 ft) at temperatures 25 less than 10 degrees C (50 degrees F). Young of the year juveniles are found at water depths 26 from 0.1 to 10 m (0.3 to 33 ft) and temperatures below 28 degrees C (82 degrees F). Age 1+

27 juveniles are found at water depths ranging from 1 to 50 m (3 to 164 ft) and at temperatures 28 below 25 degrees C (77 degrees F). Adult winter flounder live in water depths ranging from 1 to 29 100 m (3 to 330 ft) with temperatures below 25 degrees C (77 degrees F). Spawning adults are 30 found at water depths less than 6 m (20 ft), except on Georges Bank, where they spawn as 31 deep as 80 m (260 ft). Water temperatures for spawning adults are typically below 15 degrees 32 C (59 degrees F) (NMFS 2008c). Spawning takes place at night over sandy bottoms in shallow 33 estuaries, starting in mid-December and ending in May, with a peak in the February to March 34 timeframe.

35 The various life stages of winter flounder can generally be found in areas where the bottom 36 habitat has a substrate of mud, sand, or gravel (NEFMC 1998). Winter flounder eggs are 37 demersal, adhesive, and stick together in clusters, and hatching may occur in 2 to 3 weeks, 38 depending upon the water temperature (Bulloch 1986; Pereira et al. 1999). Larvae are initially 39 planktonic, but, as metamorphosis continues, they settle to the bottom. After yolk-sac 40 absorption, they feed on diatoms. As they grow, they switch to rotifers, tintinnids, and 41 invertebrate eggs and later to bivalve and polychaete larvae, copepod nauplii, and copepodites.

42 Newly metamorphosed young-of-the-year fish take up residence in shallow water and eat small 43 isopods, amphipods, other crustaceans, annelids, and mollusks. As they grow, they eat larger 44 prey. Pereira et al. (1999) describes winter flounder as omnivorous or opportunistic feeders, 45 consuming a wide variety of prey, with polychaetes and amphipods making up the majority of 46 their diet. Typically, adult winter flounder migrate inshore in the fall and early winter and spawn 47 in later winter and early spring. Then they may leave inshore areas if the water temperature 48 exceeds 15 degrees C (59 degrees F), although exceptions may occur, because of water 49 temperature and food availability (Pereira et al. 1999). Winter flounder may move significant 1 distances (Pereira et al. 1999); however, they also can exhibit a high degree of fidelity and, in 2 general, their movement patterns are localized (Hendrickson et al. 2006).

3 Windowpane (Scopthalmus aquosus) 4 EFH for windowpane egg, larval, juvenile, and adult life stages may occur in the vicinity of IP2 5 and IP3. EFH for eggs includes surface waters on the perimeter of the Gulf of Maine, Georges 6 Bank, southern New England, and the mid-Atlantic region south to Cape Hatteras. EFH for 7 larvae includes pelagic waters, with water depths between 50 and 150 m (164 to 492 ft) and 8 temperatures below 20 degrees C (68 degrees F). For larvae, the EFH consists of surface 9 waters on the perimeter of the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, southern New England, and the 10 mid-Atlantic region south to Cape Hatteras. Both eggs and larvae are found in water depths 11 less than 70 m (230 ft), and in water temperatures below 20 degrees C (68 degrees F).

12 Juvenile, adult, and spawning adult EFHs include bottom habitats with substrates of mud or 13 fine-grained sand on the perimeter of the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, southern New England, 14 and the mid-Atlantic region south to Cape Hatteras. These areas are generally 1 to 100 m (3 to 15 328 ft) deep and have water temperatures below 26 degrees C (79 degrees C) (NMFS 2008c).

16 The windowpane prefers a soft bottom substrate for spawning and generally spawns between 17 April and December, with peak spawning activity in July and August on Georges Bank and in 18 May in the mid-Atlantic region (Hendrickson 1998).

19 Both the eggs and larvae are pelagic and exist in surface waters cooler than 20 degrees C 20 (68 degrees C). Windowpane eat small benthic invertebrates, including polychaete worms and 21 amphipods. The species may also prey on small forage bony fish species (Langston and 22 Bowman 1981). Juveniles living in shallow waters tend to move to deeper waters as they 23 mature (Chang et al. 1999). In studies in Massachusetts, juveniles were most abundant in 24 inshore waters at depths of less than 20 m (66 ft) and at water temperatures between 5 degrees 25 C (41 degrees F) and 12 degrees C (54 degrees F) in the spring and between 12 degrees C 26 (54 degrees F) and 19 degrees C (66 degrees F) in the fall (Chang et al. 1999).

27 Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) 28 Sampling from 1981 to 1990 indicates that bluefish juveniles have been impinged at IP2 and 29 IP3, and EFH for that life stage may therefore occur in the vicinity of IP2 and IP3. The bluefish 30 (family Pomatomidae) is a migratory, pelagic species that occurs in temperate and tropical 31 waters worldwide on the continental shelf and in estuaries. Along the Atlantic coast, the bluefish 32 ranges from Nova Scotia to the Gulf of Mexico (Pottern et al. 1989). Adult bluefish are highly 33 sought-after sport fish along the North Atlantic Coast, and State and Federal regulations on the 34 commercial catch of the species began in the early 1970s (CHGEC et al. 1999; Pottern et al.

35 1989). The majority of the Atlantic coast bluefish catch occurs between New York and Virginia, 36 and recreational fishing has accounted for 80 to 90 percent of the total bluefish catch in the 37 past, with a peak in 1981 and 1985 of over 43,000 metric tons (MT)(47,000 tons [t]). Landings 38 have since decreased, reaching a low of 3300 MT (3600 t) in 1999; landings in 2005 totaled 39 3500 MT (3300 t) (Shepherd 2006a). The bluefish is also harvested commercially for human 40 consumption, and, during peak years in 1981 to 1983, average annual landings were 7.4 million 41 kilograms (kg) (16.3 million pounds [lb]), accounting for 0.5 percent of the total Atlantic coast 42 commercial finfish and shellfish landings (Pottern et al. 1989).

43 North American bluefish populations range from New England to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, 44 in the summer, and migrate to Florida and the Gulf Stream during the winter. Fisheries data 45 also indicate the existence of small nonmigratory populations in southern Florida waters and the 46 Gulf of Mexico (Pottern et al. 1989). Bluefish are generally not found in waters colder than 14 to 47 16 degrees C (57 to 61 degrees F) and exhibit signs of stress at temperatures below 1 11.8 degrees C (53.2 degrees F) and above 30.4 degrees C (86.7 degrees F) (Collette and 2 Klein-MacPhee 2002).

3 Generally, bluefish have two major spawnings per year. The first spawning occurs during the 4 spring migration as bluefish move northward to the South Atlantic Bight between April and May; 5 the second spawning occurs in the summer in offshore waters of the Middle Atlantic Bight 6 between June and August. Two distinct cohorts of juvenile bluefish in the fall result from the two 7 spawning events, which mix during the year creating a single genetic pool (Shepherd 2006a).

8 Females can produce 600,000 to 1.4 million eggs (CHGEC et al. 1999). Larvae hatch in 46 to 9 48 hours5.555556e-4 days <br />0.0133 hours <br />7.936508e-5 weeks <br />1.8264e-5 months <br /> at temperatures of 18.0 to 22.2 degrees C (64.4 to 71.6 degrees F) (Collette and Klein-10 MacPhee 2002). Newly hatched larvae are pelagic and stay in offshore waters for the first 1 to 11 2 months of life before migrating shoreward to shallower waters (CHGEC et al. 1999). Beach 12 seine survey results indicate young-of-the-year (YOY) bluefish are generally found between 13 Yonkers and Croton-Haverstraw. Yolk-sac larvae (YSL) typically consume the yolk sac by the 14 time they reach 3 to 4 mm (0.12 to 0.16 in.) in length (Pottern et al. 1989). Bluefish larvae grow 15 rapidly; spring-spawned juveniles reach lengths of 25 to 50 mm (0.99 to 2 in.) once they move 16 to mid-Atlantic bays in the summer, grow to lengths of 175 to 200 mm (6.9 to 7.9 in.) by late 17 September when migration begins, and reach lengths of about 260 mm (10.2 in.) by the 18 following spring. Summer-spawned juveniles exhibit slower growth because they are unable to 19 inhabit bays and estuaries until after their first migration, though summer-spawned juvenile 20 growth rates exceed those of spring-spawned juveniles during the second year, at which point 21 differences between the two stocks are less pronounced (Pottern et al. 1989). Adult bluefish 22 can live up to 12 years and reach weights of 14 kg (31 lb) and lengths of 100 cm (39 in.)

23 (Shepherd 2006a).

24 Bluefish are avid predators, and the Atlantic coast population is estimated to consume eight 25 times its biomass in prey annually. Larvae feed on zooplankton and larvae of other pelagic-26 spawning fish (Pottern et al. 1989). In the Hudson River estuary, YOY feed on bay anchovy 27 (A. mitchilli), Atlantic silverside (M. menidia), striped bass (M. saxatilis), blueback herring 28 (A. aestivalis), Atlantic tomcod (M. tomcod), and American shad (A. sapidissima) (CHGEC et al.

29 1999; Juanes et al. 1993). Adult bluefish diets are dominated by squids, clupeids, and 30 butterfish. Young-of-the-year bluefish are prey for piscivorous birds and sharks (Collette and 31 Klein-MacPhee 2002).

32 The bluefish population data from the Hudson River estuary show a declining trend since the 33 population peaked in 1981 and 1982. Bluefish populations along the east coast have 34 historically fluctuated widely, though analysis by the NMFS of data between 1974 and 1986 did 35 not find evidence of a systematic decline of the species. Bluefish were seldom found in 36 entrainment samples from power plants along the mid-Hudson River, which include Roseton 37 Units 1 and 2, IP2 and IP3, and Bowline Point Units 1 and 2 (Table 5), but they are found in 38 impingement samples. (CHGEC et al. 1999) 39 Atlantic butterfish (Peprilus triacanthus) 40 EFH for Atlantic butterfish juveniles and adults may occur in the vicinity of IP2 and IP3. Inshore 41 EFHs for the butterfish include the mixing or saline zones of estuaries where butterfish eggs, 42 larvae, juveniles, and adults are common or abundant on the Atlantic coast, from 43 Passamaquoddy Bay, ME, to James River, VA (NMFS 2008c). Butterfish eggs and larvae are 44 found in water with depths ranging from the shore to 6000 ft, and temperatures between 48 and 45 66 degrees F (8.9 and 19 degrees C). Juvenile and adult butterfish are found in waters from 46 33 to 1200 ft (10 to 370 meters) deep, and with temperatures ranging from 37 to 82 degrees F 47 (2.8 to 28 degrees C) (NMFS 2008c). Spawning occurs offshore, at temperatures above 1 59 degrees F (15 degrees C) (Colton 1972 in Cross et al. 1999). Juvenile butterfish are found in 2 association with jellyfish in the summer for protection.

3 All life stages are pelagic (Cross et al. 1999). Adult butterfish prey on small fish, squid, and 4 crustaceans, and in turn are preyed upon by many species, including silver hake (Merluccius 5 bilinearis), bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix), swordfish (Xiphias gladius), and longfinned squid 6 (Loligo pealei). In summer, the butterfish migrate in response to seasonal changes in water 7 temperature. During the summer, they migrate inshore into southern New England and Gulf of 8 Maine waters, and in winter, they migrate to the edge of the continental shelf in the Middle 9 Atlantic Bight (Cross et al. 1999).

10 All Essential Fish Habitat Species and Life Stages 11 As described above, potential EFH for red hake larvae, winter flounder larvae, windowpane 12 juveniles and adults, bluefish juveniles, and Atlantic butterfish juveniles and adults occur in the 13 vicinity of IP2 and IP3. The plants affect EFH for these species primarily by withdrawing cooling 14 water and returning heated water to the estuary. Withdrawn water is no longer available as a 15 habitat, while water returned as thermal effluent changes the natural thermal and current 16 regimes of fish habitats. In addition, fish in various life stages and their food can be lost through 17 impingement and entrainment. Examination of 1981 to 1990 impingement data and 1981 to 18 1987 entrainment data indicates that substantial numbers of the species identified as potentially 19 having EFH in the vicinity of IP2 and IP3 were lost in the past. Mitigation has included 20 installation of dual-speed or variable-speed pumps (in IP2 and IP3, respectively), modified 21 Ristroph screens with the associated fish return system, and scheduled seasonal outages. The 22 degree of mitigation provided by these modifications is unknown, because of the lack of follow-23 up impingement and/or entrainment studies by the licensee.

24 Mitigation Measures 25 Further mitigation measures for entrainment, impingement, and thermal impacts could include 26 installation of closed-cycle cooling at one or both units. The NRC staff identified and discussed 27 mitigation measures in Section 4.1.4.5 of the draft SEIS (NRC 2008). These measures include 28 additional flow reductions or planned outages, use of wedgewire or fine mesh screens, use of 29 barrier systems at intake locations, and use of behavioral deterrent systems. The NRC staff 30 further analyzed two options in greater depth: closed-cycle cooling (specifically, cooling towers) 31 and habitat restoration with cooling intake modifications, because the New York State 32 Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) identified closed-cycle cooling as the 33 site-specific best technology available (BTA) to reduce impacts to aquatic life in its 2003 draft 34 State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit (NYSDEC 2003), and because 35 NYSDEC indicated that Entergy could offer an alternative approach to closed-cycle cooling if 36 the alternative provided a similar reduction in negative effects, compared to the existing once-37 through cooling system (NYSDEC 2003).b 38 Of the possible mitigation measures, only flow reductions, planned outages, and closed-cycle 39 cooling will reduce thermal effluents from IP2 and IP3. All options considered by the NRC staff 40 will reduce entrainment and impingement effects. Only habitat restoration with cooling intake 41 modifications (or habitat restoration alone) would have the potential to create some types of 42 habitat, though researchers would have to study the effectiveness of any restoration project to 43 ensure that it meets its goals.

b Since publication of the draft SEIS, NYSDEC and others have submitted comments to the NRC indicating that habitat restoration with additional mitigation is not an acceptable alternative. The NRC staff is currently evaluating these comments and will consider them in the final SEIS.

1 IP2 and IP3 operate with dual-speed and variable-speed intake pumps, respectively. These 2 pumps allow IP2 and IP3 to take in less cooling water when Hudson River temperatures are 3 lower. As a result, plant operations disturb less of the water column than occurred prior to the 4 modifications. IP2 and IP3 also discharge smaller volumes of water when the Hudson River is 5 colder, although the discharged water is hotter relative to ambient river conditions than it is 6 during warmer months, increasing the potential for localized thermal impacts.

7 Dual- and multi-speed pumps have supported flow reductions that are currently part of the 8 Hudson River Settlement Agreement (HRSA). Additional flow reductions could further reduce 9 impacts to EFH. The HRSA also includes station outages during biologically sensitive times, 10 though additional outages could further reduce effects. Entergy conducted no monitoring 11 studies to indicate whether reduced flow or station outages have been effective, but the NRC 12 staff considers it likely that these measures have reduced some EFH effects. Additional 13 outages or further reductions in flow could have additional positive effects on nearby EFH.c 14 In some cases, the use of wedgewire or fine-mesh screens has shown potential for decreasing 15 entrainment at once-through power plants. Wedgewire screens typically have a screen size of 16 0.5 to 10 mm (0.04 to 0.39 in.) and are designed to reduce entrainment by physical exclusion 17 and by exploiting hydrodynamic patterns (EPA 2008). Fine-mesh screens generally employ a 18 mesh size of 0.5 mm (0.04 in.) or less and reduce entrainment by gently trapping organisms and 19 reintroducing them into the environment through plant-specific collection and transfer systems.

20 Because the portion of the Hudson River near IP2 and IP3 is subject to tidal influence, a 21 sweeping current is periodically absent, and, during such times, impingement against 22 wedgewire or fine-mesh screen systems would be exacerbated. Although the use of these 23 technologies at IP2 and IP3 is possible, numerous technical challenges would exist, including 24 how to configure and clean the screens, how to evaluate capture and removal success, and 25 how to assess the environmental effects and tradeoffs that would occur when one type of 26 impact (entrainment) is reduced while another impact (impingement) may increase.

27 Barrier systems at intake locations could also mitigate some EFH effects. Systems like 28 Gunderboom and Marine Life Exclusion System' technologies provide additional exclusion of 29 entrainable-sized organisms from cooling systems. Nets or screens are deployed during peak 30 periods of entrainment to reduce overall entrainment. Gunderboom technology has been 31 evaluated at the Lovett fossil-fuel generating station since 1994. The system deployed in 2000 32 consisted of two-ply fabric 500 ft (150 m) long, with 8,000 square feet (ft2 [743 m2]) of surface 33 area), and equipped with 500-micrometer (µm) (0.020-in.) perforations. The preliminary results 34 from the 2000 deployment documented by Raffenberg et al. (2008) suggested that the system 35 resulted in an 80-percent reduction in ichthyoplankton entering the facility and that periodic 36 elevated densities of ichthyoplankton inside the barrier were linked to breaches of the system.

37 Impingement investigations suggested that eggs did not adhere to fabric, and mortality was 38 below 2 percent in laboratory studies.

39 Behavioral deterrent systems such as noncontact sound barriers or the use of light sources to 40 reduce impingement have been evaluated at a variety of power generating stations in marine, 41 estuarine, and freshwater environments (EPA 2008). At the time of this writing, a sonic 42 deterrent system was being used at the Danskammer Point fossil energy plant on the Hudson 43 River, and a similar system has been evaluated at Roseton. At the Roseton facility, the use of 44 sound barriers provided little or no deterrence for any species (EPA 2008). EPA (2008) further c Existing modified Ristroph traveling screens, screen washes, and fish return systems on the cooling water intakes at IP2 and IP3 may also reduce impacts on aquatic life, but the lack of monitoring data since installation of the systems makes it impossible for the NRC staff to quantify their effectiveness for reducing impacts. These mitigation measures would not, however, reduce all effects on EFH.

1 states that, although many studies have been conducted to evaluate the feasibility of sound and 2 light to reduce impingement and entrainment, the results have either been inconclusive or 3 shown no tangible reduction in impingement or entrainment (EPA 2008).

4 NYSDEC indicated, in its 2003 draft SPDES permit for IP2 and IP3, that closed-cycle cooling is 5 the site-specific BTA to reduce impacts to all life stages of aquatic organisms. Closed-cycle 6 cooling using wet or hybrid wet/dry cooling towers is likely to result in a 92- to 95-percent 7 reduction in cooling water intake and a similar magnitude reduction in the impingement and 8 entrainment of aquatic organisms. In addition, closed-cycle cooling will reduce discharge 9 volumes by even greater amounts. Discharges from closed-cycle cooling systems are not as 10 hot as discharges from once-through systems, although they are likely to remain warmer than 11 ambient river temperatures. Dry cooling towers, which do not require water for heat dissipation, 12 are another closed-cycle cooling option, but Entergy has indicated that the design of IP2 and 13 IP3 will not allow conversion to dry cooling. In general, closed-cycle cooling may significantly 14 reduce the effects of IP2 and IP3 on EFH.

15 NYSDEC also indicated that Entergy could offer a technology or technologies that would result 16 in similar reductions in impacts to aquatic life in lieu of installing closed-cycle cooling. The NRC 17 staff is not currently aware of any such measures having been proposed as an option. Should 18 Entergy propose such an option, NYSDEC would have to determine whether or not a particular 19 alternative technology or combination of technologies satisfies NYSDECs requirements.

20 5.0 Federal Action Agency Determination 21 Based on the scope and nature of impacts expected from the project and the mitigation 22 measures identified above, the NRC staff has determined that there may be adverse individual 23 or cumulative effects on EFH in the project area for red hake larvae, winter flounder larvae, 24 windowpane juveniles and adults, bluefish juveniles, and Atlantic butterfish juveniles and adults.

25 For each of these species, however, the proportion of EFH affected by IP2 and IP3 is small 26 compared to EFH for the total managed stock. Accordingly, the NRC staff has concluded that 27 the EFH impacts of license renewal would be minimal.

28 6.0 Literature Cited 29 Bulloch, D.K. 1986. Marine gamefish of the middle Atlantic, Special Publication #13 of the 30 American Littoral Society.

31 Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation, Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc.,

32 New York Power Authority, and Southern Energy New York (CHGEC et al.). 1999. Draft 33 Environmental Impact Statement for State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permits for 34 Bowline Point, Indian Point 2 and 3, and Roseton Steam Electric Generating Stations.

35 Chang, S., Berrien, P.L., Johnson, D.L., and Morse, W.W. 1999. Essential Fish Habitat 36 Source Document: Windowpane, Scophthalmus aquosus, Life History and Habitat 37 Characteristics, NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-137. September 1999.

38 Collette, B.B., and G. Klein-MacPhee (eds.). 2002. Bigelow and Schroeders Fishes of the Gulf 39 of Maine (3rd Ed.). 748 pp. Smithsonian Institute Press, Herndon, Virginia.

40 Colton, J.B., Jr. 1972. Temperature trends and the distribution of groundfish in continental 41 shelf waters, Nova Scotia to Long Island, Fisheries Bulletin 70: 637-658.

1 Cross, J.N., Zetlin, C.A., Berrien, P.L., Johnson, D.L., and McBride, C. 1999. Essential Fish 2 Habitat Source Document: Butterfish, Peprilus triacanthus, Life History and Habitat 3 Characteristics, NOAA Technical Memorandum NMF-NE-145. September 1999.

4 Daniels, R.A. et al. 2005. Changes in fish assemblages in the tidal Hudson River, New York, 5 American Fisheries Society Symposium, 45:471-503. September 2005.

6 Entergy Nuclear Indian Point 2, LLC, and Entergy Nuclear Indian Point 3, LLC (Entergy).

7 2007a. Applicants Environment Report, Operating License Renewal Stage, Indian Point 8 Energy Center. April 23, 2007. Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 9 (ADAMS) Accession No. ML071210530.

10 Entergy Nuclear Northeast (Entergy). 2007b. Letter from F. Dacimo, Vice President, Entergy 11 Nuclear Northeast, to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk.

Subject:

12 Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., Indian Point Nuclear Generating Unit Nos. 2 & 3, Docket 13 Nos. 50-247 and 50-286, Supplement to License Renewal Application (LRA)Environmental 14 Report References. ADAMS Accession Nos. ML080080205, ML080080209, ML080080213, 15 ML080080214, ML080080216, ML080080291, ML080080298, ML080080306.

16 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2008. Phase IILarge Existing Electric Generating 17 Plant. Proposed Rule, Technical Development Document. Available at URL:

18 http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/316b/phase2/devdoc/. Accessed April 10, 2008.

19 Fletcher, R.I. 1990. Flow dynamics and fish recovery experiments: water intake systems, 20 Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 119:393-415.

21 Hendrickson, L. 1998. Windowpane, in S.H. Clark, ed., Status of fishery resources off the 22 northeastern United States for 1998, pp. 85-87, NOAA Technical Memorandum 23 NMFS-NE-115. September 1998.

24 Hendrickson, L , P. Nitschke, and M. Terceiro. 2006. Status of Fisheries Resources off 25 Northeastern USWinter flounder. Revised December 2006. Accessed at:

26 http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/sos/spsyn/fldrs/winter/archives/11_WinterFlounder_2006.pdf on 27 January 8, 2008. ADAMS Accession No. ML083430605.

28 Juanes, F., R.E. Marks, K.A. McKown, and D.O. Conover. 1993. Predation by Age-0 Bluefish 29 on Age-0 Anadromous Fishes in the Hudson River Estuary. Transactions of the American 30 Fisheries Society 122, pp. 348-356.

31 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.,

32 Pub. L. No.94-265, as amended through October 11, 1996.

33 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). 1999. Highly Migratory Species Management 34 Division 1999, Final Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Tuna, Swordfish, and Sharks, 35 Including the Revised Final Environmental Impact Statement, the Final Regulatory Impact 36 Review, the Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, and the Final Social Impact Assessment.

37 April 1999.

38 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 2008a. Summary of Essential Fish 39 Habitat (EFH) Designations: Name of Estuary/Bay/River: Hudson River/Raritan/Sandy Hook 40 Bays, New York/New Jersey. Accessed at http://www.nero.noaa.gov/hcd/ny3.html on 41 April 16, 2008. ADAMS Accession No. ML083430597.

42 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 2008b. Letter from P. Colosi, 43 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to R. Franovich, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 44 Commission, Re: Essential Fish Habitat Information Request for Docket Nos. 50-247 and 45 50-286; Indian Point Nuclear Generating Station Units No. 2 and 3 License Renewal; at the 1 Village of Buchanan, Town of Cortland, Westchester County, NY. February 28, 2008. ADAMS 2 Accession No. ML080990403.

3 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 2008c. Summary of Essential Fish 4 Habitat (EFH) and General Habitat Parameters for Federally Managed Species. Accessed at 5 http://www.nero.noaa.gov/hcd/efhtables.pdf on March 26, 2008. ADAMS Accession No.

6 ML083430587.

7 New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC). 1998. Essential fish habitat description 8 for winter flounder (Pleuronectes americanus), contained in NEFMC EFH Amendment, 9 October 7, 1998.

10 NRC (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission). 1996. Generic Environmental Impact Statement 11 for License Renewal of Nuclear Power Plants. NUREG-1437, Volumes 1 and 2, 12 Washington, DC.

13 NRC (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission). 1999. Generic Environmental Impact Statement 14 for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, Main Report, Section 6.3, Transportation, Table 9.1, 15 Summary of Findings on NEPA Issues for License Renewal of Nuclear Power Plants.

16 NUREG-1437, Volume 1, Addendum 1. Washington, DC.

17 NRC (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission). 2008. Generic Environmental Impact Statement 18 for License Renewal of Nuclear Power Plants, Supplement 38 Regarding Indian Point .Nuclear 19 Generating Unit Nos. 2 and 3. Draft Report for Comment. NUREG-1437, Supplement 38, 20 Volumes 1 and 2, Washington, DC.

21 Pereira, J.J. Goldberg, R., Ziskowski, J.J., Berrien, P.L., Morse, W.W., and Johnson, D.L. 1999.

22 Essential Fish Habitat Source Document: Winter Flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus, 23 Life History and Habitat Characteristics, NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-138.

24 September 1999.

25 Pottern, G.B., M.T. Huish, and J.H. Kerby. 1989. Species Profile: Life Histories and 26 Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Mid-Atlantic)Bluefish.

27 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Report 82 (11.94). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, TR 28 EL-82-4. Accessed at http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/wdb/pub/species_profiles/82_11-094.pdf on 29 February 7, 2008. ADAMS Accession No. ML083380583.

30 Shepherd, G. 2006. Status of Fishery Resources off the Northeastern U.S.: Bluefish.

31 Northeast Fisheries Science Center Resource Evaluation and Assessment Division, National 32 Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Accessed at 33 http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/sos/spsyn/op/bluefish/archives/25_Bluefish_2006.pdf on February 7, 34 2008. ADAMS Accession No. ML083360690.

35 Steimle, F.W. Morse, W.W., Berrien, P.L., and Johnson, D.L. 1999. Essential Fish Habitat 36 Source Document: Red Hake, Urophycis chuss, Life History and Habitat Characteristics, NOAA 37 Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-133. National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast 38 Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, Massachusetts. September 1999. Accessed at:

39 http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/nefsc/publications/tm/tm133/ on April 18, 2008.

40 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). 1997. Significant Habitats and Habitat Complexes of 41 the New York Bight Watershed, Lower Hudson River Estuary, Complex #21. Accessed at:

42 http://training.fws.gov/library/pubs5/web_link/text/low_hud.htm on April 16, 2008. ADAMS 43 Accession No. ML083430611 Table 6. Impingement data from IP2 and IP3 Estimated Estimated Number Number Estimated Number of Volume of Number of Yearling Total 3

Species Year Unit Season (m ) Start Date End Date Samples of YOY Yearling and Older Number Red Hake 1981 2 2 1.76E+08 4/1/1981 6/30/1981 91 0 2.502857 2.502857 2.502857 Red Hake 1981 2 4 2.35E+08 10/1/1981 12/30/1981 63 0 59.32979 179.5286 179.5286 Red Hake 1983 2 1 1.92E+08 1/3/1983 3/29/1983 30 0 0 675.0046 633.247 Red Hake 1984 2 1 2.07E+08 1/3/1984 3/25/1984 30 0 0 1262.815 1262.815 Red Hake 1985 2 1 2.43E+08 1/3/1985 3/31/1985 81 0 33.90581 558.3628 558.3628 Red Hake 1985 2 4 2.84E+08 10/1/1985 12/31/1985 92 0 133.02 194.2645 194.2645 Red Hake 1987 2 1 2.24E+08 1/2/1987 3/26/1987 23 0 0 143.5966 143.5966 Red Hake 1988 2 1 1.99E+08 1/12/1988 3/23/1988 23 0 0 140.1701 140.1701 Red Hake 1988 2 2 2.8E+08 4/28/1988 6/6/1988 9 0 0 355.4847 355.4847 Red Hake 1988 2 4 2.87E+08 10/4/1988 12/23/1988 67 0 0 232.2036 232.2036 Red Hake 1989 2 1 2.14E+08 1/5/1989 3/20/1989 24 0 0 337.4187 337.4187 Red Hake 1989 2 4 2.62E+08 10/2/1989 12/31/1989 69 50.80165 0 1063.582 1114.384 Red Hake 1990 2 1 1.78E+08 1/9/1990 2/13/1990 12 0 0 0 120.9677 Red Hake 1981 3 1 1.38E+08 1/1/1981 3/31/1981 83 0 1.395868 22.52006 22.52006 Red Hake 1981 3 2 2.88E+08 4/1/1981 6/30/1981 90 0 0 1.506932 1.506932 Red Hake 1981 3 4 98376256 11/15/1981 12/30/1981 26 0 0 135.2305 135.2305 Red Hake 1982 3 1 2.26E+08 1/3/1982 3/29/1982 27 0 0 131.4518 131.4518 Red Hake 1985 3 1 2.39E+08 1/4/1985 3/31/1985 35 0 440.3636 1336.356 1336.356 Red Hake 1985 3 4 2.19E+08 10/6/1985 12/31/1985 24 0 0 135.1431 135.1431 Red Hake 1986 3 1 2.21E+08 1/2/1986 3/30/1986 35 0 0 283.5111 283.5111 Red Hake 1986 3 2 1.98E+08 4/2/1986 6/30/1986 19 0 265.3048 662.0178 662.0178 Red Hake 1987 3 1 2.31E+08 1/1/1987 3/30/1987 35 0 0 139.5089 139.5089 Red Hake 1987 3 4 2.88E+08 10/1/1987 12/23/1987 23 0 0 274.4368 274.4368 Red Hake 1988 3 1 2.41E+08 1/7/1988 3/28/1988 35 0 0 236.8626 236.8626 Red Hake 1988 3 2 2.48E+08 4/28/1988 6/19/1988 20 0 0 130.5793 130.5793 Red Hake 1989 3 1 92185745 1/2/1989 2/10/1989 21 0 0 114.8137 114.8137

Table 6. Impingement data from IP2 and IP3 Estimated Estimated Number Number Estimated Number of Volume of Number of Yearling Total 3

Species Year Unit Season (m ) Start Date End Date Samples of YOY Yearling and Older Number Red Hake 1989 3 4 2.7E+08 10/8/1989 12/31/1989 23 0 0 540.5723 540.5723 Red Hake 1990 3 1 1.79E+08 1/8/1990 3/29/1990 29 0 0 0 113.2005 Butterfish 1982 2 3 3.73E+08 7/3/1982 9/23/1982 11 307.2461 0 0 307.2461 Butterfish 1983 2 3 4.17E+08 7/4/1983 9/27/1983 11 2434.526 134.801 134.801 2569.327 Butterfish 1983 2 4 2.04E+08 10/3/1983 12/31/1983 60 231.4485 1246.003 1355.236 1586.684 Butterfish 1984 2 4 1.93E+08 10/14/1984 12/30/1984 51 80.63214 0 408.1074 488.7396 Butterfish 1985 2 2 3.05E+08 4/1/1985 6/28/1985 23 0 3795.394 3795.394 3795.394 Butterfish 1985 2 3 3.81E+08 7/1/1985 9/30/1985 74 475.0172 2336.917 2343.234 2818.252 Butterfish 1985 2 4 2.84E+08 10/1/1985 12/31/1985 92 0 351.8582 351.8582 351.8582 Butterfish 1986 2 3 4.11E+08 7/6/1986 9/23/1986 12 221.2067 200.6974 200.6974 421.9041 Butterfish 1987 2 3 4.13E+08 7/19/1987 9/30/1987 11 559.8126 0 304.7329 864.5455 Butterfish 1987 2 4 70485855 10/1/1987 12/18/1987 41 740.0217 0 0 740.0217 Butterfish 1988 2 3 3.73E+08 7/6/1988 9/27/1988 11 323.692 0 122.9947 446.6867 Butterfish 1988 2 4 2.87E+08 10/4/1988 12/23/1988 67 253.8803 0 544.5049 798.3851 Butterfish 1989 2 3 4.12E+08 7/5/1989 9/19/1989 11 0 0 319.7053 319.7053 Butterfish 1990 2 4 2.91E+08 10/2/1990 12/29/1990 14 0 0 0 237.1562 Butterfish 1981 3 3 2.99E+08 7/1/1981 9/5/1981 25 136.4554 239.0984 272.8796 409.335 Butterfish 1984 3 3 4E+08 7/2/1984 9/21/1984 31 254.497 0 2368.314 2622.811 Butterfish 1984 3 4 1.43E+08 10/6/1984 12/31/1984 34 20.14419 0 1368.307 1388.451 Butterfish 1985 3 2 2.06E+08 4/1/1985 6/3/1985 14 0 252.8543 300.0209 300.0209 Butterfish 1985 3 4 2.19E+08 10/6/1985 12/31/1985 24 51.62426 54.88029 164.1781 215.8024 Butterfish 1986 3 3 1.79E+08 7/4/1986 9/30/1986 30 170.6342 112.2821 112.2821 282.9163 Butterfish 1986 3 4 2.96E+08 10/2/1986 12/30/1986 26 84.8458 332.0254 332.0254 416.8712 Butterfish 1987 3 3 1.31E+08 8/20/1987 9/27/1987 26 117.7124 0 38.73811 156.4505 Butterfish 1987 3 4 2.88E+08 10/1/1987 12/23/1987 23 235.8866 0 75.04921 310.9358 Butterfish 1988 3 3 4.19E+08 7/3/1988 9/27/1988 31 398.379 0 285.1506 683.5295 Butterfish 1988 3 4 1.9E+08 10/3/1988 12/6/1988 11 0 0 340.7403 340.7403 Butterfish 1989 3 3 4.12E+08 7/2/1989 9/25/1989 31 142.1185 0 336.5094 478.6279

Table 6. Impingement data from IP2 and IP3 Estimated Estimated Number Number Estimated Number of Volume of Number of Yearling Total 3

Species Year Unit Season (m ) Start Date End Date Samples of YOY Yearling and Older Number Butterfish 1990 3 3 3.47E+08 7/5/1990 9/13/1990 31 0 0 0 1980.148 Winter Flounder 1981 2 1 91726453 2/9/1981 3/31/1981 51 0 8.269611 10.31232 10.31232 Winter Flounder 1981 2 3 2.96E+08 7/1/1981 9/16/1981 26 241.119 0 0 241.119 Winter Flounder 1981 2 4 2.35E+08 10/1/1981 12/30/1981 63 195.1003 0 0 195.1003 Winter Flounder 1983 2 4 2.04E+08 10/3/1983 12/31/1983 60 87.69032 88.61751 88.61751 176.3078 Winter Flounder 1984 2 1 2.07E+08 1/3/1984 3/25/1984 30 0 0 167.4453 167.4453 Winter Flounder 1985 2 1 2.43E+08 1/3/1985 3/31/1985 81 0 94.79579 185.4164 185.4164 Winter Flounder 1985 2 3 3.81E+08 7/1/1985 9/30/1985 74 218.6441 178.2713 178.2713 396.9154 Winter Flounder 1985 2 4 2.84E+08 10/1/1985 12/31/1985 92 173.7464 54.16473 159.3202 333.0666 Winter Flounder 1986 2 1 49144566 1/2/1986 3/31/1986 19 0 0 40.32258 40.32258 Winter Flounder 1986 2 3 4.11E+08 7/6/1986 9/23/1986 12 293.7709 0 0 293.7709 Winter Flounder 1986 2 4 2.77E+08 10/2/1986 12/30/1986 69 0 195.1029 195.1029 195.1029 Winter Flounder 1987 2 1 2.24E+08 1/2/1987 3/26/1987 23 0 0 221.7567 221.7567 Winter Flounder 1987 2 2 3.03E+08 4/2/1987 6/20/1987 8 881.9539 0 587.9692 1469.923 Winter Flounder 1987 2 3 4.13E+08 7/19/1987 9/30/1987 11 1229.947 0 155.4054 1385.352

Table 6. Impingement data from IP2 and IP3 Estimated Estimated Number Number Estimated Number of Volume of Number of Yearling Total 3

Species Year Unit Season (m ) Start Date End Date Samples of YOY Yearling and Older Number Winter Flounder 1988 2 1 1.99E+08 1/12/1988 3/23/1988 23 0 0 222.3259 222.3259 Winter Flounder 1988 2 2 2.8E+08 4/28/1988 6/6/1988 9 0 0 264.913 264.913 Winter Flounder 1989 2 1 2.14E+08 1/5/1989 3/20/1989 24 0 0 116.9355 116.9355 Winter Flounder 1989 2 4 2.62E+08 10/2/1989 12/31/1989 69 65.10458 0 195.1314 260.236 Winter Flounder 1990 2 1 1.78E+08 1/9/1990 2/13/1990 12 0 0 0 181.4516 Winter Flounder 1990 2 4 2.91E+08 10/2/1990 12/29/1990 14 0 0 0 202.9762 Winter Flounder 1981 3 1 1.38E+08 1/1/1981 3/31/1981 83 0 1.427968 2.847374 2.847374 Winter Flounder 1981 3 2 2.88E+08 4/1/1981 6/30/1981 90 0 1.492092 3.284207 3.284207 Winter Flounder 1981 3 4 98376256 11/15/1981 12/30/1981 26 0 68.63104 68.63104 68.63104 Winter Flounder 1982 3 1 2.26E+08 1/3/1982 3/29/1982 27 0 0 195.7635 195.7635 Winter Flounder 1984 3 3 4E+08 7/2/1984 9/21/1984 31 0 0 174.7986 174.7986 Winter Flounder 1985 3 1 2.39E+08 1/4/1985 3/31/1985 35 0 51.46853 155.9101 155.9101 Winter Flounder 1985 3 2 2.06E+08 4/1/1985 6/3/1985 14 0 107.191 107.191 107.191 Winter Flounder 1986 3 1 2.21E+08 1/2/1986 3/30/1986 35 0 43.31254 128.7418 128.7418 Winter Flounder 1987 3 1 2.31E+08 1/1/1987 3/30/1987 35 0 0 128.3236 128.3236

Table 6. Impingement data from IP2 and IP3 Estimated Estimated Number Number Estimated Number of Volume of Number of Yearling Total 3

Species Year Unit Season (m ) Start Date End Date Samples of YOY Yearling and Older Number Winter Flounder 1987 3 2 82935833 4/2/1987 5/2/1987 20 0 0 57.65839 57.65839 Winter Flounder 1987 3 3 1.31E+08 8/20/1987 9/27/1987 26 45.99591 0 43.90681 89.90272 Winter Flounder 1988 3 1 2.41E+08 1/7/1988 3/28/1988 35 0 0 130.7832 130.7832 Winter Flounder 1988 3 2 2.48E+08 4/28/1988 6/19/1988 20 0 0 127.1634 127.1634 Winter Flounder 1989 3 4 2.7E+08 10/8/1989 12/31/1989 23 0 0 144.6814 144.6814 Winter Flounder 1990 3 1 1.79E+08 1/8/1990 3/29/1990 29 0 0 0 115.134 Winter Flounder 1990 3 3 3.47E+08 7/5/1990 9/13/1990 31 0 0 0 163.966 Windowpane 1985 2 2 3.05E+08 4/1/1985 6/28/1985 23 0 300.5662 300.5662 300.5662 Windowpane 1985 2 3 3.81E+08 7/1/1985 9/30/1985 74 404.2108 243.3624 243.3624 647.5732 Windowpane 1985 2 4 2.84E+08 10/1/1985 12/31/1985 92 0 0 229.9287 229.9287 Windowpane 1987 2 2 3.03E+08 4/2/1987 6/20/1987 8 0 0 251.5202 251.5202 Windowpane 1988 2 2 2.8E+08 4/28/1988 6/6/1988 9 0 0 240.5187 240.5187 Windowpane 1988 2 3 3.73E+08 7/6/1988 9/27/1988 11 0 0 310.8108 310.8108 Windowpane 1988 2 4 2.87E+08 10/4/1988 12/23/1988 67 144.1838 19.32767 517.6847 661.8685 Windowpane 1990 2 3 3.91E+08 7/2/1990 9/26/1990 13 0 0 0 401.1457 Windowpane 1981 3 1 1.38E+08 1/1/1981 3/31/1981 83 0 0 1.406232 1.406232 Windowpane 1981 3 2 2.88E+08 4/1/1981 6/30/1981 90 0 6.545712 6.545712 6.545712 Windowpane 1981 3 3 2.99E+08 7/1/1981 9/5/1981 25 0 168.4689 168.4689 168.4689 Windowpane 1985 3 2 2.06E+08 4/1/1985 6/3/1985 14 0 772.5063 815.4646 815.4646 Windowpane 1988 3 3 4.19E+08 7/3/1988 9/27/1988 31 175.062 0 0 175.062 Windowpane 1988 3 4 1.9E+08 10/3/1988 12/6/1988 11 0 0 156.5434 156.5434 Windowpane 1989 3 3 4.12E+08 7/2/1989 9/25/1989 31 93.62284 0 92.09322 185.7161

Table 6. Impingement data from IP2 and IP3 Estimated Estimated Number Number Estimated Number of Volume of Number of Yearling Total 3

Species Year Unit Season (m ) Start Date End Date Samples of YOY Yearling and Older Number Windowpane 1990 3 3 3.47E+08 7/5/1990 9/13/1990 31 0 0 0 899.6879 Bluefish 1981 2 2 1.76E+08 4/1/1981 6/30/1981 91 1171.646 0 0 1171.646 Bluefish 1981 2 3 2.96E+08 7/1/1981 9/16/1981 26 10044.08 0 0 10044.08 Bluefish 1982 2 2 3.19E+08 4/27/1982 6/30/1982 10 5218.862 0 0 5218.862 Bluefish 1982 2 3 3.73E+08 7/3/1982 9/23/1982 11 1279.749 0 0 1279.749 Bluefish 1983 2 2 3.52E+08 4/3/1983 6/28/1983 10 22970.47 0 0 22970.47 Bluefish 1983 2 3 4.17E+08 7/4/1983 9/27/1983 11 3193.522 0 0 3193.522 Bluefish 1983 2 4 2.04E+08 10/3/1983 12/31/1983 60 707.8842 0 0 707.8842 Bluefish 1984 2 4 1.93E+08 10/14/1984 12/30/1984 51 402.2548 0 0 402.2548 Bluefish 1985 2 2 3.05E+08 4/1/1985 6/28/1985 23 736.0606 0 0 736.0606 Bluefish 1985 2 3 3.81E+08 7/1/1985 9/30/1985 74 819.5508 0 16.54988 836.1007 Bluefish 1985 2 4 2.84E+08 10/1/1985 12/31/1985 92 341.232 13.44233 26.03527 367.2673 Bluefish 1986 2 1 49144566 1/2/1986 3/31/1986 19 0 40.32258 60.48387 60.48387 Bluefish 1986 2 2 1.81E+08 5/3/1986 6/30/1986 10 1712.011 0 0 1712.011 Bluefish 1986 2 3 4.11E+08 7/6/1986 9/23/1986 12 6991.684 0 0 6991.684 Bluefish 1986 2 4 2.77E+08 10/2/1986 12/30/1986 69 346.2117 0 0 346.2117 Bluefish 1987 2 2 3.03E+08 4/2/1987 6/20/1987 8 11465.4 0 0 11465.4 Bluefish 1987 2 3 4.13E+08 7/19/1987 9/30/1987 11 4621.917 0 0 4621.917 Bluefish 1987 2 4 70485855 10/1/1987 12/18/1987 41 1247.375 0 0 1247.375 Bluefish 1988 2 3 3.73E+08 7/6/1988 9/27/1988 11 5387.596 0 0 5387.596 Bluefish 1988 2 4 2.87E+08 10/4/1988 12/23/1988 67 802.0997 0 0 802.0997 Bluefish 1989 2 3 4.12E+08 7/5/1989 9/19/1989 11 1115.903 0 67.51736 1183.421 Bluefish 1989 2 4 2.62E+08 10/2/1989 12/31/1989 69 469.4859 0 0 469.4859 Bluefish 1990 2 2 1.27E+08 5/14/1990 6/30/1990 6 0 0 0 5105.74 Bluefish 1990 2 3 3.91E+08 7/2/1990 9/26/1990 13 0 0 0 2097.06 Bluefish 1990 2 4 2.91E+08 10/2/1990 12/29/1990 14 0 0 0 270.5683 Bluefish 1981 3 2 2.88E+08 4/1/1981 6/30/1981 90 1728.565 0 0 1728.565 Bluefish 1981 3 3 2.99E+08 7/1/1981 9/5/1981 25 6988.535 36.71862 36.71862 7025.254

Table 6. Impingement data from IP2 and IP3 Estimated Estimated Number Number Estimated Number of Volume of Number of Yearling Total 3

Species Year Unit Season (m ) Start Date End Date Samples of YOY Yearling and Older Number Bluefish 1983 3 2 68896618 6/5/1983 6/28/1983 18 431.8768 0 0 431.8768 Bluefish 1983 3 3 11057567 7/3/1983 7/9/1983 4 407.0748 0 0 407.0748 Bluefish 1984 3 3 4E+08 7/2/1984 9/21/1984 31 6511.279 0 114.5304 6625.81 Bluefish 1984 3 4 1.43E+08 10/6/1984 12/31/1984 34 622.4261 0 0 823.868 Bluefish 1985 3 4 2.19E+08 10/6/1985 12/31/1985 24 218.2914 0 0 218.2914 Bluefish 1986 3 2 1.98E+08 4/2/1986 6/30/1986 19 3202.088 0 0 3202.088 Bluefish 1986 3 3 1.79E+08 7/4/1986 9/30/1986 30 721.2809 42.4053 205.2068 926.4876 Bluefish 1986 3 4 2.96E+08 10/2/1986 12/30/1986 26 160.1025 0 0 160.1025 Bluefish 1987 3 3 1.31E+08 8/20/1987 9/27/1987 26 1162.805 0 0 1162.805 Bluefish 1987 3 4 2.88E+08 10/1/1987 12/23/1987 23 1104.785 0 0 1104.785 Bluefish 1988 3 2 2.48E+08 4/28/1988 6/19/1988 20 330.1259 0 0 330.1259 Bluefish 1988 3 3 4.19E+08 7/3/1988 9/27/1988 31 625.0329 0 0 625.0329 Bluefish 1988 3 4 1.9E+08 10/3/1988 12/6/1988 11 510.4675 0 0 510.4675 Bluefish 1989 3 3 4.12E+08 7/2/1989 9/25/1989 31 819.0863 0 8.733956 827.8203 Bluefish 1989 3 4 2.7E+08 10/8/1989 12/31/1989 23 162.5671 0 0 162.5671 Bluefish 1990 3 2 2.97E+08 4/3/1990 6/28/1990 20 0 0 0 13512.12 Bluefish 1990 3 3 3.47E+08 7/5/1990 9/13/1990 31 0 0 0 1674.601