ML18096A917

NPDES Noncompliance Notification:On 920729,one Loggerhead Sea Turtle Recovered from Circulating Water Sys Intake Trash Racks.Caused by Turtle Migration During Summer Months. Turtle Tagged & Released Approx 3 1/2 Miles from Plant

ML18096A917
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	08/17/1992
From:	Miltenberger S Public Service Enterprise Group
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
NLR-E92244, NUDOCS 9208260016
Download: ML18096A917 (5)

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• Public Service Electric and Gas Company Steven E. Miltenberger Public Service Electric and Gas Company P.o: Box 236, Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 609-339-1100 Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer AUG 1 7 1992 NLR-E92244 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk .

Washington, DC 20555 Gentlemen:

REPORT OF IMPINGEMENT OF SEA TURTLE SALEM GENERATING STATION, UNIT NOS. 1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-272 AND 50-311 In accordance with Section 5.4.2 of Appendix B, Environmental Protection Plan, to the Operating License for Salem Generating Station, Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) hereby transmits notification of a nonroutine event discovery, and documents the occurrence and removal of one sea turtle from the Salem Generating Station circulating water intake structure.

Enclosed please find two (2) attachments. Attachment 1 gives a narrative description of the events, as requested by the NRC.

Attachment 2, requested by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), provides more specific information regarding observance and retrieval of sea turtles.

Should you have any questions regarding this transmittal, please feel free to contact us.

Sincerely, Attachments (2) ~&~~

250053 9208260016 920817 PDR ADOCK 05000272 S PDR

Document Control Desk .jl.....,-....L/

NLR-E92244 ,AUG t*1 c Mr. J. c. Stone Licensing Project Manager Mr. T. Johnson Senior Resident Inspector Mr. T. Martin, Administrator Region I Ms. Colleen Coogan National Marine Fisheries Service Habitat Conservation Branch One Blackburn Drive Gloucester, MA 01930-2298 Ms. Jo Ann Frier-Murza, Chief NJ Department of Environmental Protection & Energy Endangered and Nongame Species Program CN 400 Trenton, NJ 08625-0400 Mr. Kent Tosch, Chief New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Environmental Quality Bureau of Nuclear Engineering CN 415 Trenton, NJ 08625

ATTACHMENT 1 IMPINGEMENT OF SEA TURTLE REPORT: 18 August 1992 OCCURRENCE DATES: 29 July 1992 FACILITY: Salem Generating Station, Units 1 and 2 Public Service Electric and Gas Company Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 IDENTIFICATION OF OCCURRENCE:

One loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) was recovered from the Circulating Water System (CWS) intake trash racks at Salem Generating Station. The loggerhead was retrieved on July 29, 1992. The loggerhead is federally listed as a "threatened" species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended.

CONDITIONS PRIOR TO OCCURRENCE:

July 29, 1992 - Unit 1 - 0% power.

Unit 2 - 100%

DESCRIPTION OF OCCURRENCE:

A loggerhead sea turtle was recovered from trash rack 22a of the cws intake on July 29, 1992, at 2205 hours0.0255 days <br />0.613 hours <br />0.00365 weeks <br />8.390025e-4 months <br />. The turtle was recovered by Operations Department personnel who used a stokes basket to remove it from the intake bay. The Senior Shift Supervisor, Licensing and Regulation personnel, and the Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) of Brigantine, New Jersey were notified.

The turtle was recovered alive, undamaged and vigorous, and placed in an 800 gallon holding tank for observation. Dr. Burt Paluch DMV, arrived on July 31 to document physical appearance of the turtle, draw a blood sample, and drill a 3/16 inch hole in the left postcentral scute. The blood was sent to Dr. Bob George DMV, for analysis of normal blood parameters. The hole in the scute was used for attachment of transmitters to allow tracking of this turtle upon release. The turtle was also flipper tagged and released approximately three and one half miles southeast of SGS and one half mile offshore in twenty feet of water.

0 The following agencies have been notified regarding these occurrences:

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection & Energy APPARENT CAUSE OF OCCURRENCE:

Sea turtles are summer migrants, common to Delaware Bay. Small numbers typically occur in the lower Delaware River near Salem Generating Station from June through September. Healthy sea turtles are strong swimmers and are usually able to avoid the approach velocity of the cws intake. Turtles which are in a weakened condition due to injury by boats or commercial fishing operations are subject to impingement. Apparently healthy turtles which become impinged may not be able to escape the approach velocity due to exhaustion or small size. Also large, apparently healthy turtles may be foraging in the intake channel.

While feeding they may surf ace in the intake bays and if observed by plant personnel will be removed as if impinged, tagged and released.

ANALYSIS OF OCCURRENCE:

The CWS intake is monitored for accumulation of debris, which is periodically removed. Any turtles which are observed in the area of the trash racks are recovered immediately. Between 1979 and present, a total of 76 sea turtles (plus two recaptures) have been collected at or in the immediate vicinity of the plant. Of the 70 turtles collected at the intake, fifty (71.5%) have been loggerhead sea turtles, nineteen (27%) were Kemp's ridley sea turtles and one (1.5%) a green sea turtle.

CORRECTIVE ACTION:

During the period of June 1 thru September 31, the trash racks at Salem station are observed every two hours, twenty-four (24) hours a day specifically for sea turtles and cleaned at least once per day. Any sea turtle observed on the trash rack is removed immediately. Resuscitation will be attempted if the turtle is not unquestionably dead. In accordance with standard procedure, all dead turtles will be necropsied by a qualified individual and injured specimens will be held under appropriate conditions and may be turned over to the MMSC.

ATTACHMENT 2 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS:

Appendix II to Section 7 Consultation Photographs should be taken and the information requested below should be collected in association with all protected species (sea turtles and shortnose sturgeon) impingements. This documentation should be sent to the National Marine Fisheries Service, Habitat Conservation Branch One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2298 Protected Species Impingements, Salem and Hope Creek Generating Stations Observers full name: Robert Settle - Nuclear Shift Supervisor Reporters full name: Mike Haberland - Licensing & Regulation Species Identification: Loggerhead (Caretta caretta)

Site of impingement: Salem Generating Station - Unit 2 Circulating Water System; Trash Rack #22a Date and time impingement was observed: 7/29/92, 2200 hours0.0255 days <br />0.611 hours <br />0.00364 weeks <br />8.371e-4 months <br /> Date and time animal was collected: 7/29/92, 2205 hours0.0255 days <br />0.613 hours <br />0.00365 weeks <br />8.390025e-4 months <br /> Tidal stage at time of observation: 6.0 feet on flooding tide Date and time of last observation of screen: 2000 hours0.0231 days <br />0.556 hours <br />0.00331 weeks <br />7.61e-4 months <br /> Water temperature at site and time of impingement: 78.5 °F Average percent of power generating capacity achieved per unit over the 48 hours5.555556e-4 days <br />0.0133 hours <br />7.936508e-5 weeks <br />1.8264e-5 months <br /> previous to impingement: Unit 1 - 0.0%

Unit 2 - 100%

Condition of animal: Very good. Ate twenty-five blue crabs before release on 8/02/92.

Sea Turtle Measurements (indicate cm. or in.):

Carapace length: curved: Straight: 48.2 cm (19.0 in)

Carapace width: curved: Straight: 43.4 cm (17.1 in)

Tag number and location, if tagged: QQP940 (RF) & QQP941 (LF)

Loran coordinates: 27392.4 / 43053.4 Latitude - 39° 24.93 Longitude - 75° 28.73 Remarks: The turtle was tagged and released approximately three and one half miles southeast of Salem Generating Station, one half mile offshore in twenty feet of water. The turtle.weighed 17.7 kilograms (39 lbs).

Results of necropsy (include stomach contents): Not applicable.