ML18107A257

NPDES Noncompliance Notification:On 990331,shortnose Sturgeon Was Removed from Circulating Water Sys (CWS) Intake Trash Racks at Salem Generating Station.Environ Licensing Responded & Confirmed Identification of Sturgeon

ML18107A257
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	04/29/1999
From:	Dawn Powell Public Service Enterprise Group
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
LR-E990210, NUDOCS 9905050281
Download: ML18107A257 (5)

Text

e PS~G Public S~rvice Electric an.d Gas Company P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, New Jersey 08038-0236 Nuclear Business Unit APR 2 9 1999 LR-E990210 CERTIFIED MAIL RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED ARTICLE NUMBER: Z 449 228 523 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555 Gentleman:

REPORT OF IMPINGEMENT OF SHORTNOSE STURGEON SALEM GENERATING STATION UNIT N0.1 DOCKET NO. 50-272 In accordance with Section 5.4.2 of Appendix B, Environmental Protection Plan, to the Operating License for the 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 a shortnose sturgeon from the Salem Generating Station circulating water intake structure.

Enclosed please find two (2) attachments. Attachment 1 gives a narrative description of the event, as requested by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRG). Attachment 2, requested by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), provides more specific information regarding the observance and retrieval of the sturgeon.

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

Sincerely i.?

{), II. !f,~,~11 D.R. Powell Director-Licensing/Regulation & Fuels Attachments (2) 9905050281--990429

~DR ADOCK 05000272 PDR The power is in your hands.

95-2168 REV. 6/94

I

• APR 2 9 1999 LR-E990210 2 Doqument Control Desk C Mr. H. J. Miller, Administrator - Region I U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 4 75 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 Mr. P Milano, Licensing Project Manager - Salem U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission One White Flint North 11555 Rockville Pike Mail Stop-14E21 Rockville, MD 20852 Mr. S. Morris (X24)

USNRC Senior Resident Inspector Mr. K. Tosch, Manager IV Bureau of Nuclear Engineering 33 Arctic Parkway P. 0. Box 415 Trenton, NJ 08625 Mr. Doug Beach ..

National Marine Fisheries Service Habitat Conservation Branch One Blackburn Drive Gloucester, MA 01930-2298 Ms. Nancy Haley National Marine Fisheries Service 212 Rogers Avenue Milford, CT 06460 Mr. Dave Jenkins Endangered and Nongame Species Program P. 0. Box 236 Tuckahoe, NJ 08250 Mr. Lawrence J. Niles, Chief New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Endangered and Nongame Species Program P. 0. Box 400 Trenton, NJ 08625-0400

LR-E990210 ATTACHMENT 1 INCIDENTAL TAKE OF SHORTNOSE STURGEON OCCURRENCE DATE: March 31, 1999 FACILITY: Salem Generating Station, Unit 1 Public Service Electric and Gas Company Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 IDENTIFICATION OF OCCURRENCE:

A shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) was removed from the Circulating Water System (CWS) Intake trash racks at the Salem Generating Station. The sturgeon was recovered on March 31, 1999. Shortnose sturgeon are federally listed as "endangered" species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended.

CONDITIONS PRIOR TO OCCURRENCE:

March 31, 1999 Unit 1 100 percent power Unit 2 70 percent power DESCRIPTION OF OCCURRENCE:

DATE TIME STATUS INTAKE FORK TOTAL WEIGHT BAY LENGTH LENGTH (KG)

(CM) (CM) 3/31/99 0830 LIVE 11B 59.0 63.0 1 Site Services personnel during routine cleaning of the trash racks recovered the Sturgeon alive. Environmental Licensing personnel responded and confirmed the identification of the sturgeon.

The sturgeon was examined, measured, weighed and scanned for Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags. The sturgeon appeared to be in good condition with no marks or lesions. The weight of the sturgeon seemed low compared to previous specimens of the same length but this may be attributable to the time of year. A positive response was obtained when the sturgeon was scanned for PIT tags but a PIT tag reader was not available so the tag number could not be recovered (PSE&G has since purchased a PIT tag reader). The

-*)

2 sturgeon was placed in an aerated tub and observed for approximately one hour prior to being released south of Artificial Island.

The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) have been notified regarding this occurrence.

APPARENT CAUSE OF OCCURRENCES Based on historical and recent recoJc:l_s, shortnose. sturgeon appear to utilize the- -

entire Delaware estuary-river complex, from the river mouth to New Hope, Pennsylvania (0-238 river kilometer - rkm). Spawning occurs north of Trenton, 128 rkm upstream from the Salem and Hope Creek Generating Stations. It is unlikely that larval or post-larval fish would travel the distance downstream to Artificial Island. Adult shortnose sturgeon may move into the Artificial lsland 1 area during fall migration to wintering grounds. Healthy adult and juvenile shortnose sturgeon are strong enough swimmers that they should be able to escape from intake velocities typically encountered at the trash bars. Sturgeon which are in a weakened condition may be subject to impingement.

ANALYSIS OF OCCURRENCE The CWS intake is monitored for accumulation of debris throughout the year.

This accumulated debris is periodically removed. Because of the debris in the Delaware River this winter and spring, cleaning of the trash racks has been occurring typically on a daily basis. The sturgeon was recovered during this cleaning. Between 1978 and 1999, a total of fourteen (14) shortnose sturgeon have been collected at the CWS intake, two in 1978, one in 1981, three in 1991, two in 1992, two in 1994, three in 1998 and this occurrence in 1999.

CORRECTIVE ACTIONS The trash racks are required to be inspected every two hours from June 1 through October 15. Observations are made specifically for sea turtles and sturgeon during this time. During the remaining months the trash racks are inspected daily for debris load and cleaned as necessary. As this was the earliest a shortnose sturgeon has been recovered from the intake structure, it is considered an anomaly and it is felt that the measures in place are sufficient and no other actions are warranted at this time.

LR-E990210 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 OneBlackburn Drive-Gloucester, MA 01930-2298 Protected Species Impingements Salem and Hope Creek Generating Stations Observers full name: William Cheeseman - PSE&G Site Services Reporters full name: David Hurka - PSE&G Environmental Licensing Species identification: Shortnose Sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum)

Site of impingement: Salem Generating Station - CWS Intake 11 B Date and time impingement was observed: 03/31/99 0830 hrs Date and time of animal was collected: 03/31/99 0830 hrs Tidal stage at time of collection: Ebb Tide Date and time of last observation of screen: 03/31/99 0830 hrs Water temperature at site at time of impingement: 9.8° (C)

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 - 100 percent power Unit 2 - 70 percent power Condition of animal: Live Shortnose Sturgeon Measurements:

Fork Length: 59 cm Total Length: 63 cm Weight: 1 kg Remarks: The sturgeon was found during routine cleaning of the CWS Intake trash racks.

It was in good condition and released back into the Delaware River.