ML13079A186
| ML13079A186 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Sequoyah  |
| Issue date: | 03/20/2013 |
| From: | Melanie Wong NRC/NRR/DLR/RERGUB |
| To: | Dohner C US Dept of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Balsam, B 415-1042 | |
| References | |
| Download: ML13079A186 (11) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 March 20, 2013 Ms. Cindy Dohner Southeast Regional Director U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1875 Century Blvd., Suite 400 Atlanta, GA 30345-3319
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR CONCURRENCE WITH LIST OF FEDERALLY LISTED SPECIES AND HABITATS FOR THE PROPOSED SEQUOYAH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2, LICENSE RENEWAL
Dear Ms. Dohner:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is reviewing an application to renew the operating license for the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 (SNP), located in Soddy-Daisy, TN. Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) submitted its application for renewal to the NRC in a letter dated January 7, 2013, pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 54 (10 CFR Part 54). If approved, license renewal would authorize TVA to operate SNP for an additional 20 years beyond the current licensing periods, which expire on September 17, 2020 (Unit 1), and September 15, 2021 (Unit 2).
The purpose of this letter is to seek the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) concurrence with the NRC's enclosed list of Federally listed species that may occur in the vicinity of SNP in accordance with 50 CFR 402.12( c). This letter also provides you and your staff with information on the NRC's National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), process and opportunities for public comment and involvement.
Project Description The proposed SNP license renewal would include continued operation and maintenance of SNP and its associated transmission lines (those portions of the lines that extend from the reactor buildings to the first substation). The principle structures on the site include two reactor buildings, a turbine building, an auxiliary building, a controi building, a service and office building, a diesel generator building, an intake pumping station, essential raw cooling water pumping station, two natural draft cooling towers, 161-kilovolt and 500-kilovolt switchyards, a condensing water discharge and diffuser system, and an independent spent fuel storage installation (see Enclosure 1). TVA does not plan to construct any new buildings or transmission lines, undertake any other land-clearing or ground-disturbing activities, or otherwise alter current operating conditions during the license renewal term.
SNP lies in Hamilton County, TN, about 6 miles east of Soddy-Daisy. The 630-acre site is situated on a peninsula on the western shore of Chickamauga Reservoir at Tennessee River Mile 484.5. The Tennessee River bounds the site on the south and east, and privately owned land lies to the north and west of the site. About 40 percent of the site is developed, while the remaining 60 percent of the site consists of forests, herbaceous grasslands, pasture, and wetlands (see Enclosure 2).
C. Dohner
- 2 SNP is a two-unit pressurized water reactor plant that withdraws and discharges cooling water from Chickamauga Reservoir. The facility's condenser circulating water (CCW) system can operate in an open, helper, or closed cycle depending on river conditions. In open mode, cooling water is returned directly to the Chickamauga Reservoir through a diffuser pond. In helper mode, cooling water is pumped to the cooling towers by lift pumps. The water then passes through the cooling towers, where it cools before being discharged to the Chickamauga Reservoir. In closed mode, water is pumped to the cooling towers, where waste heat evaporates and the remaining water is returned to the intake canal.
The CCW system includes an underwater dam about one mile downstream of the intake and a skimmer wall at the intake point, both of which help draw in cooler water from lower depths of the reservoir. Trash racks and traveling screens reduce trash and debris intake. However, the CCW system does not include any structural or operational measures to reduce entrainment and impingement of aquatic organisms.
Enclosures 3 and 4 contain figures of the cooling system. For a more detailed description of the SNP cooling system, see Section 3.2.2 of TVA's Environmental Report, which is available on the internet at <http:! fwww. nrc.govfreactorsfoperatingflicensingfrenewalfapplicationsf sequoyah.html>.
Federally Listed Species To ensure compliance with the ESA, the NRC staff will consider effects of the proposed license renewal on Federally listed species during the staff's NEPA review and document its analysis in an environmental impact statement.
During its preliminary review, the NRC staff identified 10 Federally listed species that may occur in the vicinity of SNP (see Table 1 in Enclosure 5). This list is based on the FWS Endangered Species Program's online county search for Hamilton County. Of these species, TVA considered three Federally listed species in their environmental report: the large-flowered skullcap (Scutellaria montana), the dromedary pearlymussel (Oramus dramas), and the pink mucket mussel (Lampsilis abrupta). TVA noted that the large-flowered skullcap has not been identified on the SNP site, but has been recorded at 16 locations within a 6-mile radius of SNP.
One dromedary mussel individual was identified in the late 1970s about three miles from SNP, and pink mucket mussels were identified as occurring about 5.5 miles from Susquehanna in the early 1960s. TVA indicates in its Environmental Report that relic populations of these mussels may exist; however, the Chickamauga Reservoir adjacent to SNP is not suitable to sustain a breeding habitat due to river impoundment.
The staff also used the FWS's Critical Habitat Mapper to determine if any critical habitat occurs within the vicinity of the SNP site. The staff did not identify any critical habitat in the area.
NEPA Scoping As indicated above, the NRC is performing a NEPA review for the proposed SNP license renewal. The NRC is currently seeking scoping comments on the proposed license renewal through May 7, 2013. During the scoping comment period, the NRC staff plans to hold two public environmental meetings at Soddy Daisy City Hall, 9835 Dayton Pike, Soddy-Daisy, TN
C. Dohner
- 3 37379, on April 3, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. I invite you and your staff to both attend the public meetings and to submit NEPA scoping comments. See Federal Register notice 78 FRN 15055, dated March 8,2013, or go to http://www.Regulations.gov and search for documents filed under Docket ID NRC-2013-0037 for additional information on the NEPA process and on how to submit comments.
Conclusion The NRC requests your concurrence with its table of Federally listed species (Table 1 in ) per 50 CFR 402.12(d). The NRC also requests any additional information that you may have on Federally listed species, proposed species, or critical habitats that might aid the staff in its review.
If you have any questions or require additional information regarding the project, please contact Briana Balsam, Biologist, by phone at 301-415-1042 or bye-mail atBriana.Balsam@nrc.gov.
I have also sent a copy of this letter to Ms. Mary Jennings, Field Supervisor, FWS Tennessee Ecological Services Field Office. Ms. Jennings is NRC's point of contact on the license application review for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 2, which also lies in Tennessee.
Sincerely,
~(;~
Melanie C. Wong, Chief Environmental Review and Guidance Update Branch Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-327 and 50-328
Enclosures:
As stated cc w/encls: Listserv
ML13079A186 OFFICE DLR:LA DLR:RERB DLR:RERB PM:DLR:RPB2 BC:DLR:RERB NAME YEdmonds BBalsam DLogan ESayoc MWong DATE 3/4/2013 3/4/2013 3/13/2013 3/13/2013 3/20/2013
Figure 1. SQN Site Boundary and Aerial Site Layout
- 1. Yard Drainage Pond (Unlinvd)
- 2. Molal Cloaning Vllast. Pond (Lined)
- 3. Metal Cleaning VIIa"e Pond (Unlined)
- 4. Low Volume Waste Treatment Pond (Lined) 5_CCW Discharge Channel (Unlinvd)
- 6. DIIIus.r Pond (Unlined)
- 7. Cooling Towor Discharge Channel (USDA 2008)
Legend
"* Site Center Protected Area
___=::J__-==-______ Feet D
Site Features o
500 1,000 2,000 D
Site
(- '"! Exclusion Area Boundary IEAB)
Figure 2. SQN Land Cover (USDA 2001)
Legend Dole.duous Ferest Open WaleT Evergreen Fo~
o Developed Oren Space 0
Mi,ed FOlest Areas D<;vetoped, Lol'I Int~n>l1y D
sn.ut>lScrub
_-=:::::J_c::=-_____
DevelOped Medium Intens/!y 0 GrasslaOOlHorllaceCtCs Feet o
600 1,200 2,400 D<;velo~. Htgh Ir.tens~ y 0
Pa"ur..tr{ay o Barren Land (RocIIJSan;JiCla1) 0 Woo<Iy Wetland&
Figure 3. SQN Cooling Water Intake Structure Flow Path
Figure 4. SQN Cooling System Aerial View
- 1. Yard Drarnage Pond (Unlined) 2 Me'a' CI**",ng wast. POM ILme<l)
- 3. Melal Clellrung W85te Pond (Unhned)
~'iI~~t
" Low Volume W.Sle Trea'n' Pond ILJned) t
- 5. CCW Discharge Channel (Unlined) 6 Diffuser POnd (Unlined)
(TVA 2007c: USDA 2(08)
Legend CCW - Intake!OlScllarge Condu'" -
12-mch WOSIe <Andensa'. Ltne
-- Cooling Tower Supply Pipcng
-- Submerge<! e'owdown o.sctwge S-Illdl ~"""Ie Condensa1e line Submerge<! DrI!u5(!r
_~===-_c::=-______ Feet o
500 1,000 2,000 s
Table 1. Federally Listed Species in Hamilton County, TN Federal Species Common Name Habitat Status(a)
Federally Listed Species Generally a large river species, preferring sand-gravel or rocky Lampsilis abrupta pink mucket E
substrates with mod-strong currents; Tennessee &
Cumberland river systems.
Medium-large rivers with riffles and shoals w/ relatively firm Dramus dramas dromedary pearlymussel E
rubble, gravel, and stable substrates; Tennessee &
Cumberland systems.
Sand and gravel shoals of moderately flowing, vegetated, Percuba tanasi snail darter T
large creeks; upper Tennessee River watershed.
P/ethobasus cooperia nus orangefoot pimpleback pearlymussel E
Large rivers in sand-gravel cobble substrates in riffles and shoals in deep flowing water; Cumberland & Tennessee river P/eurobema plenum rough pigtoe E
systems.
Medium to large rivers in sand, gravel, and cobble substrates of shoals; Tennessee &
Cumberland river systems.
/sotria mede%ides small whorled pogonia T
Hardwood or conifer-hardwood forest floors near stream beds.
Quadru/a intermedia Scutellaria montana Spiraea virginiana Myotis soda lis cumberland monkeyface large-flowered skullcap Virginia spiraea Indiana bat E
T T
E Shallow riffle and shoal areas of headwater streams and bigger rivers, in coarse sand/gravel substrates; Tennessee River system.
Mid-to late-successional forests dominated by oak and pine trees.
Floodplains, riverbanks, and other riparian habitat in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
Hardwood forests and hardwood pine forests; old-growth forest; agricultural lands and old fields.
Proposed Species None
Federal Species Common Name Habitat Status(a)
Candidate Species Platanthera integrilabia white fringeless orchid c
Acidic seeps and stream heads.
Critical Habitat None (a) E=endangered; T=threatened Table Sources
[FWS] U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "Hamilton County, Tennessee Distribution of Federally listed Threatened, Endangered, Proposed, and Candidate Species." Updated February 2013.
Available at <http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/countySearch!speciesByCountyReport.action?
fips=47065> (accessed 20 February 2013).
[TDEC] Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Natural Heritage Inventory Program Rare Species Search by County: Hamilton County. <http://environment-online.state.
tn.us:8080/pls/enf_reports/f?p=9014:3:20831 09232364451 > (accessed 28 February 2013).
Letter to C. Dohner from M. Wong dated March 20, 2013 SUB..IECT:
REQUEST FOR CONCURRENCE WITH LIST OF FEDERALLY LISTED SPECIES AND HABITATS FOR THE PROPOSED SEQUOYAH NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1 AND 2, LICENSE RENEWAL DISTRIBUTION:
HARD COPY:
Ms. Mary E. Jennings Field Supervisor Tennessee Ecological Services Field Office U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 446 Neal Street Cookeville, TN 38501 E-MAIL:
PUBLIC EndangeredSpecies Resource RidsNrrDlr Resource RidsNrrDlrRpb1 Resource RidsNrrDlrRpb2 Resource RidsNrrDlrRerb Resource RidsOgcMailCenter Resource BBalsam DLogan MMoser ESayoc MWong mary_ejennings@fws.gov