ML17229B030

NPDES Noncompliance Notification:On 990207,dead Green Turtle (Chelonia Mydas) Weighing 7.5 Lb Recovered from Plant Intake Canal.Caused by Shoaling of Sediments in Canal Where Capture Net Deployed.Methods of Capture Net Insp Modified

ML17229B030
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	03/01/1999
From:	Stall J FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT CO.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
L-99-45, NUDOCS 9903080041
Download: ML17229B030 (6)

Text

REGULATv Y INFORMATION DISTRXBUTXO SYSTEM (RIDS)

,ZLCCESSION NBR:9903080041 DOC.DATE: 99/03/01 NOTARIZED: NO DOCKET I FACIL:50-335 St. Lucie Plant," Unit 1, Florida Power & Light Co. 05000335 50-389 St. Lucie Plant, Unit 2, Florida Power E Light Co. 05000389 AUTHORS NAME AUTHOR AFFILIATION STALL,J.A. Florida Power &. Light Co.

RECIP.NAME RECIPIENT AFFILIATION Records Management Branch (Document Control Desk)

SUBJECT:

NPDES noncompliance notification:on 990207,dead green turtle (chelonia mydas) weighing 7.5 lb recovered. from plant intake canal. Caused by shoaling of sediments in canal where capture net deployed. Methods of capture net insp modified.

DISTRIBUTION CODE: IE23D COPIES RECEIVED:LTR ) ENCL I SIZE: RJ TITLE: Environmental Event Report (per Tech Specs) E NOTES:

RECIPIENT COPIES RECIPXENT COPIES ID CODE/NAME LTTR ENCL ID CODE/NAME LTTR ENCL PD2-3 PD 1 1 GLEAVES,W 1 1 INTERNAL: ACRS 1 1 FILE CENTER 01 1 1 OGC/HDS3 1 1 EXTERNAL: NOAC 1 1 NRC PDR 1 1 D

E N

WASTETH NOTE TO ALL "RIDS" RECIPIENTS:

PLEASE HELP US TO REDUCE TO HAVE YOUR NAME OR ORGANIZATION REMOVED FROM DISTRIBUTION LISTS OR REDUCE THE NUMBER OF COPIES RECEIVED BY YOU OR YOUR ORGANIZATION, CONTACT THE DOCUMENT CONTROL DESK (DCD) ON EXTENSION 415-2083 j

TOTAL NUMBER OF COPIES REQUIRED: LTTR 8 ENCL 8

Florida Power 5 Light Company,6351 S. Ocean Drive. Jensen Beach, FL34957

,March 1, 1999 L-99-45 10 CFR 50.36b EPP 4.1 US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555 St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389 Environmental Protection Plan Report Event Date: February 7, 1999 Unusual or Im ortant Environmental Event The attached Report is being submitted pursuant to the requirements of Section 4.1 of the St.

Lucie Units 1 and 2 Environmental Protection Plans to provide a description of a reportable sea turtle mortality at the St. Lucie Plant. The 7.5-pound Green Turtle (Cllr.ionia mydas) is the first of this species for the year. The limits in the National Marine Fisheries Biological Opinion for

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this species is 3 or 1.5% of the total captured, whichever is greater.

Should you have any questions on this information, please contact us.

Very truly yours, J. A. Stall Vice President St. Lucie Plant JAS/GRM Attachment cc: Regional Administrator, Region II, USNRC Senior Resident Inspector, USNRC, St. Plant

~e \ t 990308004i 990301 PDR ADQCK 05000335 8 PDR an FPL Group company

gl' St. Lucie Units 1 and Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389 L-99-45 Attachment ST LUCIE PLANT SEA TURTLE MORTALITY 30-DAY WRITTEN REPORT EVENT DESCIPTION At approximately 1700 hours0.0197 days <br />0.472 hours <br />0.00281 weeks <br />6.4685e-4 months <br /> on February 7, 1999, a dead Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) weighing 7.5 lbs. was recovered from the St. Lucie Plant intake canal. The turtle was found tightly entangled near the bottom of a capture net, which is used to catch turtles after they have entered the canal. This method normally captures sea turtles unharmed, so they can be tagged and released back into the ocean.

This is the first mortality for this species this year at the St. Lucie Plant. The limits for mortalities of this species in the National Marine Fisheries Biological Opinion, issued to the site by the NRC in 1997, is 3 or.1.5% of the total captured, whichever is greater.

CAUSE OF THE EVENT It appears that the turtle drowned in the capture net, however, the turtle was sent to a Florida Department of Environmental Protection lab for necropsy. This evaluation could indicate any further contributing factors. The Plant Sea Turtle Protection Program

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requires that trained sea turtle personnel tend the nets while they are in the canal. The nets are also regularly inspected by boat, but this small turtle was apparently missed until the net was removed at the end of the day. A possible contributing factor is shoaling of sediments in the canal where the net is deployed, allowing the net to hang up on the canal bottom.

CORRECTIVE ACTIONS Methods of capture net inspection were modified to allow most of the net to be observed in murky waters conditions. When the water clarity in the canal improves, the capture net anchor positions will also be set so as to not be in a position to snag on foreign objects lying on the bottom of the canal.

AGENCIES NOTIFIED The Florida Department of Environmental Protection was notified in compliance with Marine Turtle Permit ¹99.

A 72-hour notification was made to the NRC at 1309 hours0.0152 days <br />0.364 hours <br />0.00216 weeks <br />4.980745e-4 months <br /> on February 9, 1999 in accordance with Section 4.1 of the Environmental Protection Plan (Appendix B of the Operating Licenses).

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