ML16216A322
| ML16216A322 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Columbia  |
| Issue date: | 08/03/2016 |
| From: | Tehan M US Dept of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service |
| To: | James Danna Division of License Renewal |
| Briana Grange 301-415-1042 | |
| References | |
| Download: ML16216A322 (2) | |
Text
James G. Danna, Chief UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE West Coast Region 1201 NE Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 1100 PORTLAND, OREGON 97232-1274 August 3, 2016 Environmental Review and Project Management Branch U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 11545 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 Re: Endangered Species Act Section 7(a)(2) consultation on the Columbia Generating Station License Renewal by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Dear Mr. Danna:
Thank you for your letter of March 2, 2016 indicating the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) intent to complete consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, for the NRC's May 22, 2012 action to renew the Columbia Generating Station (CGS) license for a 20-year term. Your recent correspondence requested that National Marine Fisheries provide its biological opinion within 135 days from the receipt of your March 2, 2016 letter and that we provide a draft of the biological opinion to the NRC for review and comment prior to being finalized.
We have all the information necessary to complete this consultation and are currently working to complete a draft biological opinion. We expect to complete our internal review draft by mid-August, and to provide a draft biological opinion to the NRC for review and comment by September 9, 2016.
The timeframe for finalizing the biological opinion will depend on the date and extent of comments we receive from the NRC and the scope of issues, if any, which may need to be resolved.
Accordingly, upon receipt of your comments on the draft biological opinion, we will request an appropriate extension of the formal consultation timeframe for completion and delivery of our final biological opinion.
Per your request, we will provide copies of our future correspondence to both you and the NRC project biologist, Briana Grange. Please provide copies of your future correspondence regarding this
2 consultation to both to Ritchie Graves (Ritchie.Graves@NOAA.gov, 503-231-6891) as well as Rich Domingue (Richard.Domingue NOAA. gov, 503-231-6858).
Cc:
Briana Grange Ryan Couch, GCNW Shannon Khounala, Energy Northwest Sincerely,
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Assistant Regional Administrator Interior Columbia Basin Office NOAA Fisheries, West Coast Region