ML18289A424

NRC to Fws, Availability of Final SEISs for the Proposed License Renewals of Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3, and River Bend Station, Unit 1

ML18289A424
Person / Time
Site:	River Bend, Waterford
Issue date:	11/13/2018
From:	Benjamin Beasley NRC/NRR/DMLR/MENB
To:	Ranson J US Dept of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service
Briana Grange 301-415-1042
References
Download: ML18289A424 (3)

Text

November 13, 2018 Mr. Joseph A. Ranson Field Supervisor U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Louisiana Ecological Services Field Office 646 Cajundome Blvd., Suite 400 Lafayette, LA 70506-4290

SUBJECT:

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS FOR THE PROPOSED LICENSE RENEWALS OF RIVER BEND STATION, UNIT 1, AND WATERFORD STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNIT 3

Dear Mr. Ranson:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has completed the final supplements to NUREG-1437, Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants (SEIS), regarding the proposed license renewals of Waterford Steam Electric Station, Unit 3 (Waterford 3) and River Bend Station, Unit 1 (River Bend), in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended. You can access portable document format (PDF) copies of the two documents on the following NRC public webpages.

Waterford 3 final SEIS: https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr1437/

supplement59/

River Bend final SEIS: https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr1437/

supplement58/

In connection with each proposed license renewal, the NRC staff consulted with your office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) pursuant to Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, as briefly summarized below.

For Waterford 3, the NRC staff determined that the proposed license renewal would have no effect on the gulf subspecies of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) and West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) and that license renewal may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect the pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus). The NRC staff documented its analysis in a biological evaluation, which the staff submitted to your office for review on July 5, 2017, accompanied by a request for the Service to concur with the staffs determination of not likely to adversely affect for pallid sturgeon in accordance with Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations (50 CFR) 402.12(j). By letter dated November 20, 2017, the Service concurred.

The Services letter concluded consultation.

For River Bend, the NRC staff determined that the proposed license renewal may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect the pallid sturgeon. The staff identified no other species or habitats protected under the Endangered Species Act with the potential to be affected by the proposed license renewal. The staff documented its analysis in Section 3.8 and 4.8 of the River Bend

J. Ranson SEIS, and in a letter dated June 5, 2018, the NRC staff requested the Services concurrence with the staffs determination. By letter dated August 29, 2018, the Service concurred. The Services letter concluded consultation.

Since concluding the two consultations with the Service and during the preparation of the final SEISs, the NRC staff has not identified any information that would necessitate further consultation for either Waterford 3 or River Bend. Thus, the NRC considers its obligations under Endangered Species Act Section 7(a)(2) to be fulfilled with respect to the proposed license renewals. Appendix C of each of the final SEISs describes the Endangered Species Act consultations and provides full citations to all related correspondence between the NRC and the Service.

If you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact Ms. Briana Grange, Biologist, at 301-415-1042 or briana.grange@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Benjamin Beasley, Chief Environmental Review and NEPA Branch Division of Materials and License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-458 and 50-382 cc: Listserv

ML18289A424 *concurred via email OFFICE AB:MENB:DMLR LA:MRPB:DMLR PM:MRPB:DMLR PM:MRPB:DMLR NAME BGrange* YEdmonds* DDrucker* EKeegan*

DATE 10/16/18 10/18/18 10/16/18 10/22/18 OFFICE OGC-NLO* BC:MENB:DMLR NAME STurk BBeasley DATE 11/1/18 11/13/18