ML091460257
| ML091460257 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crystal River  |
| Issue date: | 05/04/2009 |
| From: | Croom M US Dept of Commerce, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration |
| To: | David Wrona Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, License Renewal Projects Branch 2 |
| References | |
| Download: ML091460257 (6) | |
Text
f I UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE Southeast Regional Office 263 13th Avenue South St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 (727) 824-5317; FAX 824-5300 http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov May 4, 2009 F/SER46:MS/mt Mr. David J. Wrona, Chief U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Division of License Renewal, Projects Branch 2 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland 20852-2738
Dear Mr. Wrona:
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Region, Habitat Conservation Division, has received your agency's letter dated April 13, 2009, regarding the preparation of an supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for the proposed renewal of the operating license for the Crystal River Unit 3 Nuclear Generating Plant (CR-3). CR-3 is located on the Gulf of Mexico near the City of Crystal River, in Citrus County, Florida. The proposed action is to renew the facility's operating license for an additional 20 years beyond the expiration of the CR-3's current operating license.
Your letter indicates your agency seeks to consult with NMFS regarding the presence of protected species and essential fish habitat (EFH) in the project area potentially affected by the proposed action. To assist your agency in determining impacts associated with operation of the existing CR-3 facility, we are providing a list identifying fish/invertebrate species, life stages, and EFH categories of the project area (see enclosure).
To fully address EFH and associated fisheries in the project area, we recommend the SEIS include sections titled "Essential Fish Habitat" and "Marine Fishery Resources" that describe the potential project impacts on each category of EFH (e.g., marine non-vegetated water bottoms, continental shelf features, water column, and estuarine submerged aquatic vegetation, mangrove wetlands, estuarine water column) and marine and estuarine fishery species within the project area. These sections should analyze the potential impacts of the CR-3 on EFH and dependent federally managed species and life stages and should fully evaluate alternative measures to avoid, minimize, and offset adverse impacts. Section 600.8 10(a) of the EFH regulations defines an adverse effect to EFH as any impact that reduces the quality and/or quantity of EFH, including the loss of, or injury to, benthic organisms, prey species and their habitat, and other ecosystem components. The SEIS should analyze impacts to benthic and prey species in the
discussion of impacts to EFH. This descriptive and analytical information, coupled with a statement of your agency's conclusions regarding the effects of the action on EFH and marine fishery species, would provide the basic details necessary for an EFH assessment pursuant to the requirements of 50 CFR 600.920(e). The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council should also be provided an opportunity for comment on EFH issues under provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
Further, the project area is within the known distribution limits of a federally listed threatened species under purview of NMFS. In accordance with the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, it is your responsibility to review this proposal and identify actions that may affect endangered or threatened species. Determinations involving listed species should be reported to our Protected Resources Division at the letterhead address.
If it is determined that the activities may adversely affect any species listed as endangered or threatened under Protected Resources Division purview, formal consultation must be initiated.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide these comments on environmental issues concerning the proposed relicensing of the Crystal River Unit 3 Nuclear Generating Plant. If we may be of further assistance, please contact Mr. Mark Sramek at the letterhead address above, by telephone at (727) 824-5311, or e-mail at Mark. Sramek@noaa. gov.
Sincerely,
_Xc4' Miles Croo Assistant Regional Administrator Habitat Conservation Division Enclosure cc:
F/SER4 F/SER3 F/SER46 SER - Keys GMFMC - Rester FWC - Gregg, Smith NRC - Masnik 2
EFH Requirements for Species Managed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council: Ecoregion 2, Tarpon Springs to Pensacola Bay, FL.
Species 2 Life Stage System' EFH Pink shrimp eggs M <50 m; sand/shell bottom larvae M <50 m; planktonic, sand/shell bottom, SAV juvenile E <64 m; sand/shell substrate, SAV adults M <64 m; sand/shell substrate 2
White shrimp eggs M 9-34 m; sand/shell/soft bottoms larvae E/M <64 m; plankton, soft bottom, estuarine marsh juvenile E soft bottom, estuarine marsh Stone crab eggs E/M <62 m; sand/shell/hard bottoms, SAV, reefs larvae E/M <62 m; planktonic juvenile E/M <62 m; sand/shell/hard bottoms, SAV Gulf stone crab eggs E/M <18 m; sand/shell/soft bottom larvae/postlarvae E/M <18 m; planktonic, oyster reef, soft bottom juvenile E <18 m; sand/shell/soft bottom, oyster reef Red drum eggs M planktonic larvae/postlarvae E planktonic, SAV, sand/shell/soft bottom, emergent marsh juvenile M/E <5 m; SAV, sand/shell/soft/hard bottom, emergent marsh adults M!E 1-46 m (9-18 m S of Crystal River);
SAv, pelagic, sand/shell/soft/hard bottom, emergent marsh Red grouper eggs M 20-100 m; planktonic' larvae M 20-100 m; planktonic juvenile M/E <50 m; hard bottoms, SAV, reefs adults M 3-183 m; reefs, hard bottoms Black grouper eggs M 18-28 m; planktonic larvae M 10-150 m; planktonic juvenile E/M SAV, hard bottoms, reefs adults M/E 10-150 m; hard bottoms, mangrove, reefs Gag grouper . eggs M '50-120 m; planktonic larvae M 50-120 m; planktonic juvenile M/E <50 m; SAV, reefs, hard bottom adults M 20-120 m; hard bottom, reefs Nassau grouper eggs M planktonic larvae M 2-50 m; planktonic juvenile M SAV, reefs 1 E=estuarine, M=marine 2 Marine EFH S of Crystal River excludes 18-46 m. depth zone
EFH Requirements Tarpon Springs to Pensacola Bay, FL -- Continued Life Staie System EFH Warsaw grouper eggs M 40-183 m; planktonic larvae M 40-183 m; planktonic juvenile M 20-30 m; reefs Yellowedge grouper eggs M 35-183 m; planktonic larvae M 35-183 m; planktonic postlarvae/juvenile M 35-183 m; hard bottom adults M 35-183 m; reefs bottom Red hind eggs M 18-110 m; planktonic larvae M 18-110 m; planktonic juvenile M 2-110 m; reefs Rock hind eggs M 2-100 m; planktonic M 2-100 m; planktonic juvenile M 2-110 m; reefs Speckled hind eggs M 146-183 m; planktonic larvae M 146-183 m; planktonic Scamp eggs M 60-189 m; planktonic larvae M 60-189 m; planktonic juvenile M 12-33 m; hard bottoms, reefs, mangrove Schoolmaster eggs M <90 m; planktonic larvae M <90 m; planktonic juvenile E/M <90 m; SAV, mangrove, emergent marsh, reefs, hard bottom Red snapper eggs M 18-37 m; planktonic larvae M 18-37 m; planktonic juvenile M 17-183 m; hard/soft/sand/shell bottom adults M 7-146 m; reefs, hard/sand/shell bottoms Vermilion snapper eggs M >180 m; planktonic juvenile M 1-25 m; reefs, hard bottom adult M >180 m; reefs, hard bottom Gray snapper eggs M <180 m; planktonic, reefs larvae M/E <180 m; planktonic, reefs postlarvae/juvenile M/E <180 m; SAV, mangrove, emergent marsh adults E/M <180 m; emergent marsh, reefs, sand/shell/soft/hard bottoms Yellowtail snapper eggs 1-183 m; planktonic juvenile M/E 1-183 m; SAV, mangrove, soft bottom adults M 1-183 m; reefs, hard bottom, shoals/banks Lane snapper eggs M 4-132 m; planktonic larvae E/M 4-132 m; reefs, SAV juvenile E/M <20 m; SAV, mangrove, reefs, sand/shell/soft bottom Blackftn snapper eggs M 40-183 m; planktonic juvenile M 12-40 m; hard bottom
t EFH Requirements Tarpon Springs to Pensacola Bay, FL -- Continued Life Stage System EFH Dog sna] pper eggs M planktonic larvae M planktonic juvenile E/M SAV, mangrove, emergent marsh Hogfish juvenile E/M '3-30 m; SAV Dwarf sand perch juvenile M hard bottom Greater amberjack eggs M 1-183 m; planktonic larvae M 1-183 m; pelagic
'juvenile M 1-183 m; drift algae (Sargassum)
Lesser amberjack eggs M planktonic larvae M pelagic juvenile M 55-130 m; drift algae (Sargassum)
Almaco jack eggs M 15-160 m; planktonic juvenile M 15-160 m; drift algae (Sargassum)
Banded rudderfish larvae M 10-130 m; planktonic juvenile M 10-130 m; drift algae (Sargassum)
Blueline tilefish eggs M 60-183 m; planktonic larvae M 60-183 m; planktonic Goldface tilefish eggs M 60-183 m; planktonic larvae M 60-183 m; planktonic Golden tilefish eggs M 80-183 m; planktonic larvae M 80-183 ,n;planktonic juvenile M 80-183 m; hard/soft bottom, shelf edge/slope Gray triggerfish eggs M 10-100 m; reefs larvae M drift algae (Sargassum) postlarvae/juvenile "M 10-100 m; drift algae (Sargassum),
mangroves, reefs Spanish mackerel eggs ' M <50 m; plankton larvae M 9-84 m; plankton juvenile M <50 m; pelagic adults E/M <75 m; pelagic Coral all stages M planktonic, FL Middle Grounds, reefs
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
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NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE HABITAT CONSERVATION DIVISION 3500 DELWOOD BEACH ROAD 0002844714 MA PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA 32407-7499 AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE COM-210 OFFICIAL BUSINESS Al
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