ML092110590

Site Visits - Friendly Reminder

ML092110590
Person / Time
Site:	Cooper
Issue date:	03/16/2009
From:	Harms R US Dept of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service
To:	Bulavinetz R Division of License Renewal
References
Download: ML092110590 (1)

Text

Bulavinetz, Richard

Subject:

FW: Cooper Nuclear Station - Site Visits - Friendly Reminder

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Original Message -----

From: RobertHarms@fws.gov [1]

Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 3:36 PM To: Richard Bulavinetz Cc: frank.albrecht@nebraska.gov

Subject:

RE: Cooper Nuclear Station - Site Visits - Friendly Reminder Rich:

Yes, I am planning on attending the meetings on April 1 and 2.

However, I was unaware that a powerline extended frormvCooper Nuclear Station to approximately 4 miles northeast of Grand Island--a crossing over the Platte River must be involved with this line. Additionally, this line may also cross the eastern rainwater basin region of Nebraska, an area that contains numerous shallow, depressional wetlands.

The Fish and Wildlife Service is very concerned about collisions of federally endangered whooping cranes with power lines--its is the greatest known cause of mortality during their migrations. Whooping cranes migrate through central Nebraska, which includes the Grand Island area, during the spring and fall between their nesting and wintering grounds. The Platte River provides important roosting and foraging habitats for the species during their migrations. Additionally, whooping cranes forage in cropfields and wet meadows that are located along the Platte River. The federally endangered least tern and federally threatened piping plover also utilizes Platte River habitats and nearby sandpits in the river valley from April through September for nesting.

There are records of piping plovers colliding with power lines along the Missouri River in North Dakota.

We are also concerned about collisions of other federally protected migratory birds with power lines in the Platte River and its river valley and the eastern rainwater basin region. A tremendous number and diversity of migratory shorebirds, ducks, geese, and wading birds rely on the Platte River and rainwater basin wetlands during their spring and fall migrations.

As you may know, these species are protected from intentional and unintentional forms of "direct take" by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

For the above reasons, you are correct that we will need to plan some further discussion about the subject power line. Our discussions should include preparation of an Avian Protection Plan and installation of devices to avoid and eliminate the potential for collisions in areas of high bird use (e.g., river crossings and wetlands).

Please call or E-mail me if you have any questions, I look forward to our meeting on April 1 and 2.

Bob Robert R. Harms Fish and Wildlife Biologist U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 203 West Second Street Grand Island, Nebraska 68801 Phone: 308-382-6468, Extension 17 Fax: 308-384-8835 robert harms(@fws.gov