ML103120486

Request for List of Protected Species within the Area Under Evaluation for the Columbia Generating Station License Renewal Application Review

ML103120486
Person / Time
Site:	Columbia
Issue date:	11/08/2010
From:	Kurz G US Dept of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service
To:	Dan Doyle License Renewal Projects Branch 1
doyle, D, NRR/DLR/RPB1, 415-3748
References
Download: ML103120486 (2)

Text

From: Gregg_Kurz@fws.gov Sent: Monday, November 08, 2010 1:12 PM To: Doyle, Daniel

Subject:

Re: NRC - Columbia Generating Station license renewal Attachments: pic31111.gif Follow Up Flag: Follow up Flag Status: Completed Categories: CGS Mr. Doyle, Thank you for forwarding the information regarding this project. The species list you obtained from our website is accurate. Please note that the revised bull trout critical habitat designation currently on the list as Proposed will become Designated on November 17, 2010.

Preparation of a biological assessment for this project should include an analysis of potential effects to all species listed as Endangered or Threatened and to any designated or proposed critical habitat. Information regarding the presence of these species and habitats can be obtained from the Washington Natural Heritage Program at http://www1.dnr.wa.gov/nhp/refdesk/index.html We look forward to working with you.

__________________________________________

Gregg L. Kurz Fish and Wildlife Biologist Central Washington Field Office Wenatchee, WA 98801 Phone: (509) 665-3508 extension 22 E-mail: Gregg_Kurz@fws.gov The image "Doyle, Daniel" <Daniel.Doyle@nrc.gov>

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11/05/2010 12:10 PM cc SubjectNRC - Columbia Generating Station license renewal

Dear Mr. Kurz,

This e-mail is a follow-up to my telephone call on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. As I explained in the call, I am the project manager for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions environmental review of the Columbia Generating Station license renewal application. I am following up on the attached letter dated March 22, 2010, that was sent to Ms. Robyn Thorson, Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Region, requesting a list of Federally protected species for this review. This letter was submitted under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act.

To support preparation of a draft supplemental EIS and to ensure compliance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, the NRC requests concurrence on the below list of Federally threatened, endangered, proposed, and candidate species that may be in the vicinity of the Columbia Generating Station site and its associated transmission line rights-of-way (as described in the attached letter to Ms. Thorson). If there are any species that your office would like us to address in addition to the Federally listed, proposed, and candidate species shown below, please let me know. The NRC also requests any additional information on protected species and critical habitat that may be in the vicinity of the Columbia Generating Station site if such information is available. In addition, please provide any information you consider appropriate under the provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act.

The NRC reviewed the attached list of species and habitat in Benton County (revised September 29, 2010) from: http://www.fws.gov/wafwo/pdf/BentonCounty092910.pdf.

LISTED Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus)

Pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis)

Ute ladies-tresses (Spiranthes diluvialis)

DESIGNATED Critical habitat for bull trout PROPOSED Revised bull trout critical habitat CANDIDATE Greater sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)

Yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)

Umtanum desert buckwheat (Eriogonum codium)

• White Bluffs bladderpod (Lesquerella tuplashensis)

• Louies western pocket gopher (Thomomys mazama louiei)

• Tacoma western pocket gopher (Thomomys mazama tacomensis)

• obtained from http://www.fws.gov/endangered The NRC is also in consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service regarding this project. We are currently planning on doing a single document that contains the biological

assessment on the bull trout (for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service review), the biological assessment on the Chinook salmon and steelhead (for National Marine Fisheries Service review) and the Essential Fish Habitat (for National Marine Fisheries Service review).

A copy of the draft supplemental EIS containing the NRC staffs analysis and preliminary conclusions will be sent to your office when it is published for your review.

If you have any questions concerning the NRC staff review of this license renewal application, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely, Daniel Doyle Project Manager Division of License Renewal U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission daniel.doyle@nrc.gov (301) 415-3748

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