ML18263A200
| ML18263A200 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Seabrook  |
| Issue date: | 09/20/2018 |
| From: | Chapman T US Dept of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service |
| To: | Benjamin Beasley Division of Materials and License Renewal |
| Briana Grange 301-415-1042 | |
| References | |
| Download: ML18263A200 (4) | |
Text
United States Department of the Interior FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE New England Field Office 70 Commercial Street, Suite 300 Concord, NH 03301-5087 http ://www. fivs. gov/newengland September 20, 2018 Benjamin Beasley Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Division of Materials and License Renewal Mai[ Stop: OWFN-l l-F01 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 Re Seabrook Station Unit 1 License Renewal, Seabrook NH TAILS: 2018-l-2970 Dear Mr. Beasley This responds to your request, dated August 21, 2018, and received in our office on September 4, 2018, for our concurrence with your determination that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) proposed license renewal of Seabrook Station, Unit I (Project) in Seabrook, New Hampshire, may affect, but is not tikety to adversely affect, the federally threatened piping plover (Charadrius melodus), red knot (Calidris canutus), northem long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis), and the endangered roseate tem (S/e rna dougallii). Your request and our response are made pursuant to section 7 ofthe Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (87 Stat. 884, as amended; 16 U.S.C 1531, et seq.) (ESA).
The NRC proposes to renew the Seabrook Station operating license for an additional 2\\-year period, authorizing operations through March 15,2050. Current operating conditions would not change under the proposed action, and license renewal would not require any new construction.
land clearing. or other ground-disturbing activities. The proposed license renewal ofthe facility will address operations for the reactor and containment systems. cooling and auxiliary water systems, the power transmission system, plant operations and maintenance, refueling outages, radioactive waste management, and nonradiological waste management. Additional information on Seabrook operations are provided in section 2.1 of the 2015 "Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants Regarding Seabrook Station" (FSEIS).
Benjamin Beasley September 20, 201 8 This office provided a letter of concurrence, dated September l, 2010 (included in your August 21, 2018 letter), for NRC's determination of not likely to adversely affect the piping plover and roseate tem for the license renewal for Seabrook Station Unit l. Neither species occurs in the immediate vicinity of the power station. There is no new-information indicating that piping plovers or roseate tems occur in the immediate vicinity olthe project area.
Northern long-eared bat Northern long-eared bats may occur in forested areas within the project area. However, no tree clearing is anticipated and roosting and foraging habitat will not be affected.
Red knot Low numbers of red knots are regularly observed on tidal flats in Hampton Harbor (eBird https:i/ebird.org/map/redkno?neg:true&env.minX-&env.minY:&env.maxX:&env.maxY:&zh
- false& gp:false &ev :Z&mr 1 -12&bmo-I &emo : 1 2&yr: all &byr: 1 900&eyr:20 I 6, accessed September 13, 2018), primarily in summer and fall. These observations are within the vicinity of the project area, but not within the immediate project area.
We concur with your determination that the proposed project may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect, the piping plover, roseate tem, northem long-eared bat, and red knot. Our concurrence is based on the following:
ongoing operational activities will not change under the proposed license renewal; therefore, no new effects are anticipated to occur to piping plovers or roseate tems; there is no new inlormation on piping plover or roseate tem presence or potential impacts to these species lrom the current power plant operations; therefore, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 2010 concurrence with the NRC's determination of not likely to adversely aflect the piping plover and roseate tem remains unchanged; no tree clearing will occur under a renewed license; theretbre, northem long-eared bats and their roosting and foraging habitats will not be affected; and red knot foraging or roosting habitat will not be affected, and ongoing operations are not anticipated to disturb red knots foraging or roosting in the Hampton Harbor tidal flats.
Further consultation with us under section 7 ofthe ESA is not required at this time. Ifthe proposed action changes in any way such that it may affect a listed species in a manner not previously aralyzed or if new information reveals the presence of additional listed species that may be affected by the project, the NRC should contact us immediately and suspend activities that may affect those species until the appropriate level ofconsultation is completed with our office. Thank 2
a Piping plover and roseate tern
Benjamin Beasley September 20, 2018 you for your cooperation, and please contact Ms. Susi von Oettingen of this office at (603) 227 -
641 8 if you have questions or need further assistance.
Sincerelv Thomas R Chapman Supervisor New England Field Office
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Benjamin Beasley September 20, 201 8 ES:
4 Reading file Benjamin Beasley,NRC via email: benjamin.beasley@nrc.gov Briana GrangeA.JRC via email: briana.grange@nrc.gov SvonOettingen: 9 I I :603 -227 -64 I 8