ML19207B627
| ML19207B627 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Indian Point  |
| Issue date: | 07/31/1976 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| References | |
| NUREG-0080, NUREG-80, NUDOCS 7909040499 | |
| Download: ML19207B627 (50) | |
Text
NUREG-0080 CRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT for Facility License Amendr.ent FOR EXTENSION OF GPERATION WITH ONCE-THROUGH C00LD!G FCR INDIAN POINT UNIT NO. 2 Docket M. 50-247 Published: July 1976 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION s
l, a
(/ qyid
\\
+_%_
O D
D oo O
~
~
o Al
_ 5] _11 o;g
SUMMARY
AND CONCLUSIONS This Environrental Statecent was prepared by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Cornission, Division of Site Safety and Environmental Analysis.
1.
This action is adninistrative.
2.
The proposed action is the issuance of an amendment to the Facility Operating License No. OPR-26 held by Consolidated Edison Company of New York for Indian Point Unit No. 2, located in the State of New York, Westchester County, Village of Buchanan, 24 miles north of the New York City boundary line.
Under conditions of the operating license (Paragraph 2.E(2) of Facility Oper ming License No.
OPR-26), the licensee is required to teminate once-through cooling at Unit No. 2 af ter an interim period, the reasonable temination date f or which appeared at the tine the license was issued to be May 1, 1979, and to operate thereafter with a closed cycle cooling system, anless licensee can show that empirical data collected during this interim operation justities an extension of the interim operation period or such other relief as may be appropriate. An application was tendered on June 6,1975 requesting an amenJr ent to the license to extend the period of once-throagh cooling for two years.
This statenent considers the information provided by the licensee in the environmental report and amerdnents as well as other infor"'ation developed by the staff in making its independent evaluation ar.d analysis under NEPA.
3.
Srrary of envirorrental and econonic impacts, including beneficial and adverse impacts:
a.
The major benefit cf the prcpcsed action will be to preserve options with regard to tM tjpe of closed cooling syster to be constructed as a result of hearings conducted by both NRC and EPA. This will allow consideration of any furtner expressions of public interest (Sections 4.1.3 and 6.4.1).
b.
Another benefit is that the applicant's research program may provide additional relevant resalts, particularly along the lines of co p3 ring years and of analyzing and synthe-sizing the data. Furtherr ore, the first year of the proposed extension will allow the staff and other governmental agencies and interested parties to finish the ongoing studies dimed at providing a mo.e corplete and sound scientific basis fcr a reasoned decision than was available at the end of 1974.
c.
Denial of the proposed action would require start of construction of the natural draf t cooling tower before decisiGns which night affect the type of systen finally desired were made. The requested delay would delay expenditures should the hearing process detemine that a different type of closed cycle cooling system should be used (Section 6.4.1).
d.
The major unavoidable adverse irpact of the proposed delay of once-thrcJgn cooling will be the loss of sore striped bass and other fish species by impingement and entrainment at the plant. The staff has assessed this loss as not likely to lead to irreversible changes over the long tem. The applicant has assigned a value of $283,000 to the loss; the staff has not assigned a value to it but considers it to be small (Sections 3.2.2. 3.2.3 and 6.4.2).
e.
A minor benefit would be the delay for two years of th? Operational costs and the terrestrial 'opacts of the closed cycle syster.
4.
The following Federal, State and local agencies and interested parties have been asked to Corrent on this Environrental Statcrent:
Departrent of Agriculture ( AGR)
Departrent of Correrce (CCM)
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW)
Department of the Interior (DOI)
,, r j
l-f t
U L
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA)
Federal Power Comission (FPC)
National Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (NACHP)
Naw York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO)
Hudscn River Fishermen's Association (HRFA)
Save Our Stripers (505)
Consclidated Edison Corpany of New York, Inc. (CONED)
Federated Conservationists of Westchester County, Inc.
(FCWC)
Rockland County Conservation Association, Inc.
(RCA)
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)
North Brookhaven Sport Fisherren's Clt, Inc.
(N3SFC)
Great South Beach Mobile Sport. ishen en (G:n. 'S)
West Branch Conservation Association (WBCA)
Connecticut Coastal Anglers Association (CCAA)
Village of Buchanan, N. Y.
Westchester County, N. Y.
C i ty o f haw l '.
Tcwn of Cortlandt 5.
This Envircnmental Staterent was made available to the Council on Environmental Quality, the public, the applicant, the above-rentioned agencies and interested perscns in June il76.
6.
Frorn review and evaluation of the applicant's Environmental Report and Supplerents thereto, and f rca independent observations and analyses discussed in this Staterent, the Reg-ulatory staf f concludes that, from ancng the alternatives considered, a two year extensior of cnce-through cooling (until May 1,1931) is pref erred. Other alternatives considered were retentien of the present license condition, greater or lesser extensions of tire, and reduced flow of ccoling water darirg the extension period.
7 On the basis of the evaluation and analysis set forth in this StateNnt and af ter weighing the environrental, economic, technical, and other beref1's against envir 'nrental costs and risks and considering available alternatives, the staf f co Wues that tre acticc ca'b for under the Naticnal Envircnrental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and tr.: former Apperdix 1 to 10 CFR 50, is issuance of an a endrent to the Facility Operating Licenst N3. CFR-26 aatht-iz.ng the extension of the period for once-through coolirg to May ',1981.
Paragraph 2.E of the Facility Operating Licerse would be changed by the a'aendment to reat
"(1) Operation of Indian Point Unit No. 2 with the once-thrcugh conling syste~ will be permitted during an interim period, the reasonable termin3 tion date for which cow appears to be May 1, 198i. Such interira operation is s tject to the follo.ving condi-tions, none of which shall be interp'ettd to li"it or to af f ect in ar
.ay such other conditions as are imposed by the Nacle3r Pe platory Cor rission or any oth r Overn-2 ental body in accordance with applicable law:
' ) G 'I
~i AJ
/
T jj
(a) Interim operation shall only be perrnitted to the e. tent that the reqaire' rents of this license to protect the aquatic biota of the Hudson River from any significant aherse i" pacts are satisfied; and necessary mitigating "easures shall be pro:rptly taken; such reasures to include any authorized remedy deered to be appropriate by the Nutlear Regulatory Comission, including an advance-ment of the May 1,1981 date to an earlier date which is deer ed reasonable and warranted by the circumstances.
(b) The finality of the May 1,1931 date also is grounded on a schedule under which the applicant, acting with due diligence, obtains all governmental approvals required to proceed with the construction of the closed-cycle cooling system by Decerter 1,1977.
(c) If the applicant telieves that the empirical data collected during this interin operation justifies an extension of the interim operation period or such other relief as Pay be appropriate, it may make timely application to the Nuclear Regulatory Comission. The filing of sucn application :n and of itself shall not warrant an extension of the interin operation period.
(d) Af ter the ccTenceTent of the construction of a closed-cycle cooling system, a request for an extension of the interim ope ation period will be considered by the Nuclear Pe9Jlatory Conmission on the h sis of a showing of good Cause by the applicant wnich also includes a showina :nat the aquatic biota of the Hudson River will continue to be protected f on any significant adverse impacts during the period for which an extension is,ought.
(2) In addition to the reporting require ents otherw'se imposed by this license, the applicent is directed to file with the Connissic a 6nd serve on the parties reports, under oath or af firnation, of its analysis of data collected during interim operation wnich bear on the environmental effects of once-through cooling on the aquatic biota of the Hudsen River. Such reports shall be nade puolicly available. The first such report shall be nade as soon as is feasible after the end of the 1975 striped bass spawning season, and thereaf ter as significant new data become available."
9QE 7Qt t / J iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1
SUMMARY
AND CONCLUSIONS iv TABLE OF CONTENTS viii FOREWORD 1-1 1.
INTRODUCTION 1-1 1.1 The Proposed Action 1-1 1.2 Present Operating License 1-2 1.3 Proposed License Amendments 1-2 1.4 Basis for Proposed Amendment 2-1 2.
DESCRIPTION OF SITE AND LAND 2-1 2.1 The Site 2.1.1 General 2-1 2-4 2.1.2 Ecology of the Site 2-4 2.2 The Plant 2.2.1 General 2-4 2.2.2 Condenser Cooling Water Systems 2-4 2-8 References 3.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS 3-1 3.1 lerrestrial Ecosysten 3-1 3-1 3.2 Aquatic E osystem 3.2.1 Introduction 3-1 3-2 3.2.2 Striped Eass 3.2.3 Other Fish Species 3-6 3.2.4 Comparison of the 1973 ar.d 1974 Data on Distribution and Abundance of YaJng-of-the-year Life Stages of Striped Bass and Other Fish Species in the Hudson River Estuary 3-7 3.2.5 Applicant's Research Program 3-7 3.2.6 Conclusions 3-8 3-10 References 4.
OTHER IMPACTS OF THE PRO?OSED ACTION 4-1 4-1 4.1 Eenefits 4.1.1 Benefits of Preserving Options 4-1 4.1.2 Improvements in Biological Evaluation 4-1 4.1.3 Delay in Incurring Impacts 4-2 4.1.4 Prevention of Non-Water Quality Impacts for Two Years 4-2 4-2 4.1.5 Sunnary 4.2 Costs 4-2 References 4-2
' ) O,',
- i i J
- f. / ;>
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont'd)
Page 5.
ALTER'iATIVES 5-1 5.1 Retention of Present License Condition 5-1 5.2 Greater or Lesser Extension of Time 5-1 5.3 Reduced Flow During the Extension Period 5-1 References 5-2 6.
EVALUATION 6-1 6.1 Unavoidable Adverse Environrental Impacts 6-1 6.2 Relationships 3etween Local Short-tern Uses of Man's Environment and tre Maintenance of Long-term Productivity 6-1 6.3 Irreversible and Irretrievable Connitrents of Resources 6-1 6.4 Benefit-Cost Balance 6-1 6.4.1 Benefits 6-1 6.4.2 Costs 6-1 6.4.3 Benefit-cost Balance 6-2 APPENDIX A - RESERVED FCR COMMENTS APPENDIX B -
SUMMARY
AND DISCUSSION OF 1973 AND 1974 DATA ON ABUNDANCE AND DISTRIBUTICN PATTERNS OF EARLY LIFE STAGES OF STRIPED BASS, WHITE PERCH, AND TOMCCD IN THE HUDSON RIVFR ESTUARY o
V
LIST OF TABLES Page 2-1 Heat-rejection and water-circulation rates for Indian P. int Nuclear Generating Station 2-6 3-1 Young-of-the-year rodel results 3-4 3-2 Estimate of the increrental long-term impact on the Hudson River striped bass population of the proposed two-year extension for once-throagh cooling at Unit No. 2 3-5 7
,1 '[
', l \\! I ;
vi
LIST OF FIGURES Page 2-1 Irportant f eatures within a 5-mile radius of the Indian Point Site.
2-2 2-2 Pho togra ph showing tne Inaian Point Luit nas. 1,2 ana 3 on the Hudson River Estuary 2-3 2-3 Scher.atic representation of Indian Point Plant cooling water system 2-5 3-1 Curves for relative yielu versus tiue.
3-;
7 f] '
") (', if U
/ /
vii
FCR Eb'ORD This environmental impact statecent was prepared by the U.S. Nuclear Reculatory Corsnission.
Ottice of Nuclear Heactor kejulation (staft) in accordance with the Lomission 5 regulaticrs, 10 CFR Part 51, which implements the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NU A).
The NEPA states, among other things, that it is the continuing responsibility of the Federal Governant to use all practicable means, consistent with other essential considerations of national policy, to improve and coordinate Federal plans, functions, programs, and resources to the end that the Nation may:
Fulfill the responsibilities of each generation as trustee of the environrent for succeeding generations.
Assure for all Americans safe, healthful, productive, and esthetically and culturally pleasing surroundings.
Attain the widest range of beneficial uses of the environrent withcut degrad3 tion, risk to health or safety, or other undesirable and unintended consequences.
Preserve important historic, cultural, and natural aspects of our national heritage, and aintain, wherever possible, an environment which supports diversity and variety of individual choice.
Achieve a balance between population and resource use which will permit hir;h standards of liv'ng and a wide sharing of life's amnities.
Erhance the quality of renewable resources and approach the naxirur attain 3ble recycling of depletable resources.
Further, with respect to rajor Federal Etions significantly af fecting the quality of the curan environr:ent, Section 102(2)(C) of the NEPA calls for preparation of a detailed staterent on:
(i) the environrental irratt of the proposed action; (iii any adverse environ! ental effects which cannct be avoided should the proposal be inple e ted; (iii) alternatives to the proposed acmien; (iv) the relationship between local short-tern uses of ran's tnviron"ent and the raintenance and enhancerent of long-tem productivity; aad, (v) any irreversible and irretrievable corritrents of rescurces which would be involved in the proposed action shoJld i t be ir ple?ented.
Anen application is nade for rodification to a constructico permit or a f ull-powe r cpera ting license, the applicant sutrits an envircn ental report to the NRC.
If it is determined, ander 13 CFR P< rt 51, that a detailed staterent be prepared on the foregaing c]nsiderations under Ecction 102(2)(C) of NEPA, the Cornission publishes a notice of intent.
In conducting the rey; ired NEPA review, the staff reets witn the applicant to discuss ite"s of information in tne environrental report, to seek new infornation f ron tne applicant that right to needed for an adeqaate assessrent, and generally to ensure that the staff has a thorough unde rs tanding of the proposed rcdi fication. In addition, the staff seeks infornation from other sources that will assist in the evaluation, and visits and inspects the project site and surrounjing vicinity.
Mbers of tne staf f ray reet with State and local of ficials who are charged with protecting State and local interests. On the basis of all the foregcinci, and other suth activities or inqui ries as are deened useful and appropriate, the staf f raf es an independent assessrent of the censiderations specified in Section 102(2)(C) of the '. EPA and 10 CFR Part 51.
r viii
, 1-
/i!,
.' i'VV U'
This evaluatico leads to the publication of a draf t environ ental statement, prepared by the Of fice of Oclear Reactor Regulation, which is then circulated to Federal, State and local governmental agencies for cc, rent. A sumary r.atice is published in the Federal Register of the availability of the a;;plicant'e environrental report and the draft environmental statecent.
Interested perscns are also invited to c7 rent on the draf t staterent.
Af ter receipt and consideration of corrents cn the draf t stateren*, the staf f prepares a firal environmental statement, which includes a discussion of ques tions and objecticns raised by the environmental effects of the facility and the alternatives available for reducing or avoiding adverse environrental ef fects with the environmental, economic, technical, and other tenefits of the fJCility; and a conclusion as to Whether--after the environmental, etononic, technical, and other benefits are weigred against envircncental costs and af ter availaile alternatives havr 7r considered--the action called for, with respect to environr ntal issues, is the e
i' denial of the proposed rodification to the permit or license.
Sinjle ccpie,".3y be obtained by writinj the Uivision of hite 33tety 3nd Ensironcental Analysis Of fice of :.aclear Pe3ctor Pe j;1ation U. 5 bclear Pegulatory Co -ission inhinjton, D. C. 20555 Dr. Robert P. Seckler is the o0C En.irm. 2ntal Project an3;er for this statement. Should there be questiors regarding the contents of this st3tecent, Dr. Geckler may be contacted at the above address or at (301) 443-6EO.
-301 7 P.) 7 1x
1.
INTRODUCTION 1.1 THE PROPOSED ACTION Pursuant to the Nnlear Ret.
y Lomission Regulations in Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (LFR), an application was te.
. cn June 6,1975, requesting an amendnent of Facility Operating License No. DPR-26 by Consolida.ed Edison Conpany of New York, Inc. (" Con Edison"). License No. DPR-26 provides for, among other things, a pericd of "interin operation" with the existing once-through cooling; the period of "interin operatiCn" is estinated to end on May 1,1973. Con Edison's requested ar.endrent would extend this period for another two years. The requested anend ent is supported by an Environnental Report titled "Environrental Report to Acconpany Application for Facility License Arendment for Extension of Operation with Once-through Cooling for Indian Point Unit No.
2,' dated June 1975, Arendrent I dated July 31, 1975, and Amendr~ent 2 dated August 13, 1975.
l.2 PRESENT OPERATING LICE'iSE Indian Foint Station Unit No. 2 (" Indian Point 2") is a pressurized water reactor rated at 873 MWe owned ar.d cperated by Con Edison. The facility was constructed under the Provisional Lcnstruc-tien Pemi t C PR-21, iss ued Oc tcLer 14, 1966 to utilize ence-through cooling for turbine-generatcr heat rejection. A full-term, full power cperating license was issued by the Atonic Energy Cce nissicn en 9p*mber 28, 1973, subject to certain conditions for the protection of the en vi ronr en t.
The license is also subject to appropriate conditions ir. posed by the '.ew York State Departoont of E nvircnnental Conservation in its letter of September 24, 1973, to Consolida ted Edison Coi Lany of Gew York, Inc., granting of certification under Section 401 of the Federal Water Fol-lution Centrol /.ct a endments of 1972.
Several awndrents have been rade since the license was issued. The latest dealing with the environrent was c ade purhant to a decision of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Boa d
( ALAB-lt3) da ted llo ril 1,
1974 Pa ra c ra ph 2.E of Ar endmnt im-4 dated Septe-ter 28.19, L and Venhnt he. 5 dat^d F euruary ld, li/4, to facility Operatin9 License DPR-26 was changed to read as follows in w endment M. 6 dated Wy 6,1974:
Tarayaph 2.E :
(1) Operation of Inaian Point Unit Ln. 2 with the once-threv;h cooling system mill te permittcd darin' an interir period, tho reasonable terrination date for which ncw appears to be "ay 1979.
Such interi'- cperation is subject to the follcwing condi-tiens, nore of wnich < tall be interpreted to limit or to affect in any ny such other conditions as are ir oosed by the [% clear Regulatoryj Connission or any other govern-r ental body in accord with applicable law:
(a) Interin operation shall only be pernitted to the extent tha, the requirewnts of this license to protect the aqJatiC biot 3 of the adsen River fron any signi-ficant adverse irpacts are satisfied; anj necessary nitigating measure; shall be pro: ptly tak nn; such re35ures to include any authorized ru edy deered to be appropriate be the [N; clear regulatory] Co rissica, including an advancerent of the May 1,1979 date to an earlier date..hich is deemd reascnable and warranted by the circunstances (b) Tae finality of the llay 1,1979 date also is grounded cn a schedule under which the applicant, acting with due diligence, obtains all govern-ental approvals required to proceed with the construction of the closed-cycle cooling systco by Cece-ber 1, 1975. In the event all such governr ental approva.s are obtained a ronth or more prior to Deceder 1,1975, then the M3y l,1973 date shall be advanced accordingly. In the event the applicant has acted with due diligence in seeking all such governmental approvals, but has not obtained such approvals by Dece"Ler 1, 1975, then the t'ay 1, 1979 date shall te postponed accordingly.
(c) If the applicant believes that the m pirical data collected during this interin operation justifies an extension of the interin operation period or such other relief as may be appropriate, it may make ticely application to the [ Nuclear Regulatory] Comission. The filing of such application in and of itself shall not warrant an extension of the interim operation period.
(d) After the conmencenent of the construction of a closed-cycle cooling system, a request for an extension of the interim operation period will be considered by the [fiuclear Regulatory] Connission on the basis of a 2howing of good caJse by the applicant which also includes a showing that the aquatic biota of the Hudson River will continue to oe protected fron any significant adverse impacts during the period for which aa extension is sought.
(2) Evaluation of the economic and environmental impacts of an alternative closed-cycle cooling system shall be made by the licensee in order to determine a preferred system for installation. This evaluation shall be subnitted to the [ Nuclear Regulatory]
Comnission by Decerber 1, 1974, for review and approval prior to construction.
(3) A plan of action of operating procedJres and design of the once-through cooling system for Indian Point Unit No. 2 will be developed by the licensee in order to minimize detrimental effects on aquatic biota in the Hudson River to a practicable minimum during the interim period prior to installation of a closed-cycle cooling syster. The plan shall include means of reduci M thermal shock; impingement on the intake struc-ture; entrainment of fish eggs, ' arvae and p'.akton; reduction of chemical and thermal discharges and loss of dissolved oxygen below 4.5 parts per million; reduction of radioactive discharges, in accordance with 10 CFR Part 50; and other nitigating nearures available. The plan shall be submitted to the [ Nuclear Regulatory] Cor-nission by January 1,1974, and, upon approval by the Corrission, the plan shall be irplcrented so as to eliminate or substantially reduce such adverse effects as a e revealed by the monitoring ard surveillance study program presented in the Techn1 al Specifications.
(4) In addition to the reporting requircrents otherwise imposed by this license, the applicant is directed to file with the Commission and serve en the parties reports, under oath or affirration, of its analysis of data collected during interim operation which hear on the environrental effects of once-through cooling on the aquatic biota of the Hudson River. Such reports shall te nade pablicly available. The first such report shall be made as soon as is feasible af ter the end of the 1974 striped bass spawning season, and thereaf ter as significant new data tecome available.'
1.3 PROPOSED LICENSE AMENDMENTS The applicant, Con Edison, submitted its application for an operating license amendment in accoroance with the license provision sub-paragraph 2.E(1)(c). The reouested amendment substitutes May 1,1981 for May 1,1979 wherever the latter date appears. This woJld in effGCt extend the interim period operation with once-through cooling an additional two years.
1.4 APPLICANT'S BASIS FOR PROPOSED AMENDMENT This application is supported by observational data collected in con Edision's Hudson River Ecology Study Pro; ram. This includes data collected dJring 1973 and 1974. as well as other biological data not previously available. The information and analysis are contained in the following documents:
(1)
E. R. to accompany application for facility license amend ent for extensinn of cnce-through cooling for I.P. Unit No. 2.
(2) Supplement No. I and Amendment 1 dated July 31, 1975 - Respcnse to staff questions.
(3) Supplerent No. 2 and Amendment No. 2 - 2 Vols. 1974 data from Multi-Plant Irpact Study of the Hudson River Estuary dated August 3.1975.
1-2
~
ja i,
(4) Additional infonnation - Hudson River Ecological Study, in the area of Indian Point, 1974 annual report, prepared for Con Edison by Texas Instruments, Inc. Ecologica' Services.
On the basis that it believes a substantial possibility exists that the completed research study program and report (on or about January 1,1977) will provide a sufficiently improved data base that reanalysis will demonstrate that a closed cycle cooling systen will not be required for Indian Point Unit No. 2, the applicant presents its evaluation of the costs and benefits expected during a two year continuation of once-through cooling to cornplete the study and concludes that the benefits far outweigh the en,ironrental and ather costs associ n ad with deferral.
? ['1
\\_)
~ -
1-3
2.
DESCRIPTION Cr SITE AND PLANT This chapter contains a brief description of pertinent features of the Indian Point site 65d the units making up the plant located at this site. A rore det3iled description of the site and plar,t is given in the staf f's Final Environr ental Statements for Unit No. 2 (FES, IP-2)1 and for Unit No. 3 (FES, IP-3)2 and in the applicant's Environmental Repcrts for Unit V 2 (ER, IP-2)3 and for Unit M. 3 (ER, IP-3).
2.1 THE SITE 2.1.1 General The site of the In.iian Point Plant, near Peekskill, New York, occupies 239 acres on tha east bank of the Wudson River, the predoninant envircnmental feature of the area.
Irportant geo-graphical features within 5 miles of Indian Point are shonn in Fig. 2-1.
The three nuclear reactors and associated buildin;;s occupy approxi~ately 35 acres at the bank of the river near the southern end of the site (Fio. 2-2).
About 14 acres at the northern end of the site have been transferrt.1 by the appl 1 Cant to the Village of Buchanan for develCprent as a park and marina. The applicant is building a new visitors' center and plans to maintain an 80-acre forested area and like f or recreation in the northern portion of the site.
The resident populaticn (1970) within a 1-nile radius of the station is 745; within a 5-mile radius, 52,700; within a 1^-nile radius, 218,400; and within a 50-nile radius, 17,500,000 (FES, IP-3, Table 11-1).
The projected resident pt pulation within a 10-mile radius is 297,000 for 1930 and 735,000 for 2010; ar a within a 50-mile radius,19, LOO,000 for 1930 and 26,000,000 for 2010 (FES, IP-3, Table 11-1).
The najcrity of the land to the east of the river within 15 miles of the site is zoned for residential use or for parks. To the west of the river within 15 miles of the site, the majority of the land is zoned f or parks (Palisades Interstate Park) or resider.tial use. The area 'nre-diately around and including Indian Po.nt is zoned for heavy industry. The industries nearest the plant are a wallbo nd factory and a yeast plant.
A number of historic points of interest are located in tne vicinity of the Indian Point site' The closest of these are the Stonj Point Battle Peservation on the west bank of the river about two miles downstream, the Palisades Interstate Park west of the river, and the Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson.
The estuarine nature of the Hudson River is a major environmental factor and from an ecological viewpoint, most significant. This river, which supplies the cooling water for all three units at Indian Point, is a tidal estuary at the plant site.
Tidal mixing brings salt water upstrea-teyond Indian Point part of the year; the saltwater boundaty occasi'nally reaches as far as Poupkeepsie, 30 miles upstrear of the site. The upstream extent of the intrusica of salt nater varies strongly with the input of fresh water into the river. At a freshwater flow in excess of 20,800 cf s, the salt intrusion front is driven down-stream of the Indian Point site for the entire tidal cycle.
The average freshwater flow for the entire Hudson River is about 20,000 cfs.f The flow of fresh water is subject to largo variations with maximum values of up to 68,000 cfs in the spring and minimum values of 3,000 to 4,000 cf s in late surrer (FES, IP-3, p.
1I-11). The maxinua tidal flow is about 300,000 cfs.~
The maximun tec perature in the river at Indian Point is about 81;F (FES,IP-3,pp. TI-19 to II-26). The salinity at Indian Point varies with the nagnitude of the freshw3ter ficw and censequent moverent of the sa't front.
Maximun values of about 7 ppt are observed during perieds of low f reshwater flow, bu, +he norral range is f rom 0 to 5.5 ppt (FES, IP-3, pp. I1-11 to 11-19). The dissolved oxygen content of the river varies from about 3 cpn in the surrer to about 11 ppm in the winter (FES, IP-3, p. V-110).
Because the Hudson River is in a deep valley at Indian Point, the local and general weather conditions are not the sane. At river level and several hundred feet above, the winds are unstream during the day and downstrun at night more than a third of the tire. The usual wind speed is 5 to 6 mph.
Precipitation averages 46 in./vear and is rather unifom month by month; the annual precipitation ranges fror 36 to 63 in.
<fiL
- )
2-1
'UJ
ES-489 w.
x 4\\
t
~^
F..........s,...r,,s#f,f h-ml
.+5
/
=,x "i
sf5'
-- l g
dL+
Ay %
gE~ '
- n.*
~
,n W f
7,- 4%+
s 4%
h ty' s
-+r
,,e
,n'.
[ 6 4 m_
s 7
[
${W
_h5 dY J,
~ ~ * ' * '
- h 4
+?.,lQ
_~l ^__'O p
C'y f
=
= - = _,,
D'*ciB
= 5~
. m e.....w.
'/ u s e.,o p*' g>8 G3 v s
@ start oun 4
s scw
+ m seir at
& #E C RE A f eoas.L A*EA fig ].}
Indson Point 5 Mde Areo.
2-1 Iyortant features within a 5-raile rr.dius of the Indian p
Source:
FES, IP-2, Fig. II_1 O
@' D Wm To
' p4 T 3
i JULJi da
'O
.) U b 2-2
t i
s
._J, e 'l, i,-
m
[j n
- m i
<ts ' M) a t( ~ (
? <v w%
+ *
f "
.}
fe u,&,';,}f.
..g,t-._ u M 4 e
' 01' p~
.a
.,_ W] b' J, t
I ff
.J
.].
4 f
r s-r
>1
- P*O j g_ y m,
se.'#:
~~
%.h' wy eg y ;,.__,
w&,w %.
",- w.
J-'
g-
,% w4-
- m..-
-p
~a.
>a gMy-n a 3 J.
Cr a.. &';.TJ'>, < ?.J.LLL>'!i>d[-
_k w
-~etmrwxus
. ~,
2
..~~.~~_,--.%-
.~,. _ _.
,,m
.m
.s s
r-
' ~
~,~.-wa
. a :%
. %~...-
~y,,.
7-%
m
,y-
, - j..
.a e:
n.-
?.
z
.,n
=+
- : e4 ^w +
Q.~..
~,p~<
.~,~;_,~~m
- a
+.., L.~.% e -,_
.-_ m.... +. _ _. -. - _ -
.v.,+-
w -
. - ~.. _.
p-.w.+ -.
+-
,..u u ~ - 2 :,. ~ ~ ~ -
'" n[*' *.
,w
..;- -. p ' w, _ _
m ' ',;.~v
,' ~ Q -me m eR
. ~
.. ~...
,m n
..,. -..,.~._-
%,~--
sm,e a
~
-...,.,, ~...
s
. m _m
. g> -~...wt.
g..m s~
. _..,, =.
.p-~.-,._,,,_
..... y- _-,.
m - _. - -
C a
,n
.;__s _
..,m~,-
- ~ ^
p
-~
s,'
^
w-
.L?~.;ma%.. _mm. :2 lL ~ ~.
~T--
yl.
~.- -
- ~j'..
^'%,.
.,.** %, " ~ ~,
y
+n,
- %m._ y,
~.
n n.
Q
-' ' ' 'm s sa'e-x,. ;
p_ r _.
&&s: _-e.
c4
.., ~.
a y
..m ma,-- e
%~.-**~..
Fig. 2-2 Photograph showing the Indian Point Unit Nos. 1, 2 and 3 on the Hudson River Estuary Source:
FES-IP-3, Fig. III-l n' m~
D 0
\\ /
D, e
j of /
g m
D1 0
v JU A-.1 -
JL u-
'-3 o
2.i.2 Ecology f the Site 2.1.2.1 Terre **ri 1 Biota Areas of the site unaffected by construction activities for Units Nos 2 and 3 are largely wooded, with a well-developed mixed oak and eastern henlock stand over the northernrost portion of the site. A recent floral survey of the site (ER, IP-3, App. FF, p.
II-l through 11-15) indicates that the dominant overstory species include: white oak, red oak, chestnut oak, black cak, eastern henlock, river birch, shagbark hickory, white pine, black Cherry, and raple.
Understory species include yellow poplar, sassafras, surac, and catalpa. Shrub and herbaceous layers include Virginia creeper, poison ivy, wild grape, swamp junkberry, and various perennial weeds.
2.1.2.2 Aquatic Biota _
The area is rich in aquitic biota, containing nJierous and diverse species (FES, IP-3. Tables II-7, II-8, and II-9).
The principal aquatic prirary producers in the vicinity of Indian Point are phytoplankton. The high turbidity and deepwater are not conducive to the development of extensive conn mities of periphyton, or rooted vascular aquatics, in the i~rediate vicinity of the plant; however, such connunities exist within the area that will be af fected by cperations at Indian Point. Phytoplankton studies conducted by Howells and Weaver' indicated that rerbers of some 53 gene-of planktonic algae are present in the area.
The zooplankton of the area include rost rajor grcups.
Generally, the zooplankton species include protozoans, occasional redusal coelenterates, rotifers, r.erectines, and microcrustaceans (including Cladocera, Ostracoda, Mysidacea, Copepoda, Amphipoda, Isopoda, and sor e Oe.apoda).
Also included are the larvae and juveniles of larger pelagic forns.
In this category are the larval stages of b rnacles (Cirripedia),16rger decapods, annelids, rollusks, and early develop-rental stages of several fish species.
As is typical of estuarine situations, there are a great number of species of fish (FES, IP-3, Table II-8).
These ray be divided into two broad classes, reside.it fish and nigratory fish.
The principal resident fish ere catfish, rinnows, white perch, and sunfish. Migratory fish in he area include striped bass, shad, alewife, smelt, sturgeon, blue-back herring, toncod, and e ils.
The shad and striped bass are the rost important sport fish. A nore detailed analysis of as 9 tic biota is given in the environrental stater ent for Unit No. 3 (FES, IP-3, f ec t.
II.F.2 and App. F).
Because it is an estuary, the lower Hudson, includin; the Indian Pcint area, is c spawning and nursery area for species thet populate not only the Hudscn River at also long Island Souno and the Atlantic Ocean near New York. The rost prcninent species is the striped bass.
The Hudson is a rajor spawning area for the str i"e bass livi 7 in the Hudson River itself, Long s
Island Sosnd, the New York Bignt, and New England (FES, IP-3, pp. V-lE6 to k-178).
Besides being an iFportdnt sport and Corrercial species, the striped basa plays ar, 1"portant eColCgiCal role as a predatory fish. Several other anadromous species (e.g., ;had, alewife, blue-bach herring, and t?' Cod) also use tre Indian Point area as a spawning or a nursery area cr both. The appli-cant has identified cne rare fish species (Atlantic stJrgecn,
) and one endangered tish species (shortrose sturgeon, re} in t"> Indian Foint are3.
2.2 THE FLANT 2.2.1 Gene ra l The Indian Point Nuclear Generating Plant consists of three unit: m: ilizing pressurized light water reactcrs. Unit No. I began co!rercial operation in October 1952 and has a not cutput of 265 MWe.
This unit was shut deso on Octcter 31, 1974, for a minir 74 of two years pending rodifications required by the NRC.
Unit No. 2 has a ret output of 873 PWe and received a license to 0;erate at full power on Septerter 23, 1973. Unit No. 3 nas a net output of 965 MWe and is scheduled f or conr ercial operation in 1976; the operatin] license (fuel loading) was issued in Dece ber 1975, and a license fer 91 of full puwer was issued in April 1976.
2.2.2 Condenser Coolin i nater Svstens
[)(j
(
Waste heat fron all three units is dissip3tej 7 once-thrcugh coollrg with water fron the Hudson River. The general arrangerent of the cooliag water systers is shown scheratically in Fig. 2-3 and the arounts of heat rejected and water circulaticn rates are given in Table 2-1.
Each 2-4
^
O t
L nit NO l ES 504 '
r-i NUCLEAR O-(
)
STE AM SUPPLY UNIT NC 2 S Y ST E M, UNIT NO 3 NUCLE Aq C ApACITIE S LNiTS NOS I a 2 B ASE D ON r
i r L"
NUCL E AR bD un, RATED Pt*m E R. UNIT NO 3 3 ASE D CN STEAM STEAM uamiuVu C ALCUL AT E9 Pow (R S U P PLY SUPPLY g
SYSTE M.
SY S TE M, TEuPERATURES ARE F' A BO vE Rive R 2.TS B MWi rwt s.cf D 3,216 MWt surt N Mt ATE R, 21$ u W9 g
a N f *( A f t M q
g;enw.. t=t r i
-I'y I t I i n
- w e. + %e t if
,; s u w
%e v i ; g,,,,., g g
\\
ch d) (I'-
, n/..
p-
- + -_ _ _
l I
/I If 5 i
i\\
i: -
s s
s y
E if 4 5'
l C15eCf gif RS, l I -,- ( 7
- (l es sia,a', li - /
[
, __f] _g___Tl ;;i ;
lt-i4 e F-at l; k,[~i-rv M. p._L, i
j r
N
. I III N
'! I i
M c.- L.mo -,
-,. a 7..
i m
io
- {~ ~ ~g 'l7.,
'.)
JJr._m I h 'd 1 n
--- ja-qb i
i I
- 4,
L.
_. c ce,g.g g5g ag,
_l _ "_E
__._.l______
, ', i
{.
94 C,OtK; gene in + at i
3
- = _
t y V
y RE [Xst f ')
FtDe f*i 2
A -
\\
I f
t$[ [t", iYa't M
//
, n 1 ! 11 J
_,-]
'y j.; t to*
s M
~1s -os _ L6Toio.+ i Tol x ]g.g6To-@ sy;g s $46]ojogogo(_1, o
,....s,,,,,,
c,%
u a..-
.., o,,, s ei..
f,"',3,l,,J, U,,'f_' _.
- f^"'
I''0 zA I
Y~
I' '
,c....s
/
, y y7 s b - -
c1.
i.m j
l an,=,=o=1
'- a i c. 2 ea n 6
4c 'a. 4 1 I.
L_.,.. t u.c sc,,,,, _ _ _ _/
c..it ie sc ae r =s. <o a cw j
I ce ='t as
__ ___ in f ___
"2
-J L_____2*o" HUDSON RIVER AT M:L S-POINT 43 M OU T H -
- Fig. 2-3 Schematic representation of It.dian Point Plant cooling water systems.
x
- w
.. -)
Source:
FES - IP-3, Fig. III-2
Tab' 1 Ileat-rejection and watercrculation rates for Indian Ibint Nuclear Generating Station Unit No. I Unit No 2 Unit No. 3 Total Net electrical power Mwe 265 873 1,033 2,171 d
Ileat rejection, billions of Btu /hr Serwe water 0.150 0.100 0.140 0 390 Condensmg water 1.765 6.250 7.350 15 365 Total 1.915 6.350 7.490 15.755 Normal water cinulation rates, gpm Sersite water 38,000 30,000 30,000 98,000 Condensing water 280.000 840 000 840,000 1,960.000 Total 318.000 870.000 870.000 2,058.000
%ater arceiation rates at 60'? flow, gpm Service water 38,000 30.000 30 000 98.000 Condensing water 168,000 504.000 504,000 1,175.000 Total 206,000 534.000 534,000 1.274,000 Temperature rise of water P Normal flow rate 12 0 14.6 17.2 15 3 60 t of normal flow rate 18 6 23 8 28.0 24.7
" Rated capacity for Units Not I anJ 2, masimum calculated capacity for Unit No. 3.
Source:
FES, IP-3, Table III-2.
2-6
'1..
'J
unit has a separate cooling w3ter intab e systen and all three units discharge through a corocn discharge canal. During periods of low a:bient river terperatures, the intake flcw for all
'.hree units can be reduced to 60 of the normal flow ra te.
2.2.2.1 Jntab e Syster s Each unit has its cwn intake syster (Fig. 2-3).
For Units hos. I and 2, the cooling water first passes through an air-bubble screen and a fixed screen located irrediately in front of each intake opening. Water then passes through a trash rack and a vertical travelling screen located in the forebay and then enters the intake pump bay. The intake p eps force the water throagn the condenser tubes and into the discharge canal. For Unit No. 3 the air-bubble screens and fixed screens are not used becaase the travelling screens are at the river ace of the intake structure so fish cannot t e trappel in the foreb3ys 2.2.2.2 Discharu Syste,
All three units use a comon discharm strutture locatad about 1,100 ft downstream of the Unit No. 1 intak e and about 600 f t dcastr ea of the l' nit Lo. 3 intake (Fig. 2.3).
The discharge 15 ft long, s:ructure is about 270 f t long and consists of 12 undemater openings, 4 f t high x
located on 21-f t centers. Ten of the ports are provided with hand-operated gates that can te raised or lowered to regulate the water velocity leaving the opening Two of the pCr+s do not have adjustable g3% and can be used only in the fully open or fully closed p,sition. The centerline subvergence of the p0rts with the gates in the fully open position is 12 f t telow the elevation of the standard sna level datun of the river. The level of the water in the discharge canal upstrem of the corts will be higher tnan that in the river by the head necessary to obtain the required velocity leaving the ports. The water level in the canal rises and falls with tne tidal fluctuation of the ri,er level with little tine lag. The gates are aujusted to r aintain a disch3rge water velocity of 10 fps.
The esidence tir:e for nonscreeable biota fron the tire it enters the inteke strJcture to tne tire it leaves the discharge canal, with all three units operating, is about 8 r:in under full condenser flow conditions and about 13 min under reduced flow conditions. The residence ti es with only Units has. 2 and 3 operating are 9 and 15 rin, respectively.
2.2.2.3 Closed Cycle Coolin n ystem s
In assessing the impact of the Irdian Point Plant, the staf f assu"ed intake flew rates of 709, 1933, and 1938 cf s for Units Nos.1, 2, and 3, resrectively, operating with once-through cooling.
With closed cycle cooling, the intake flow rates were assured to be 125 cfs for Unit No. 2 and 135 cfs for Unit No. 3.
Thas, the total flow rates are 45E5 cfs with all three units operating with cnce-through cooling, 2772 cfs with Lnits Mcs. I and 3 creratir,g with once-thrcugh cooling and with Unit No. 2 operating with closed cycle cooling, and 969 cfs with l' nit 50. I operating with once-throujh cooling and Units Nos. 2 and 3 operating with closed cycle cooling (FES, IP-3, Table V-2 and Appendix G).
'/ i ' [
[ l.
o 2-7
REFERET,CES 1.
Directorate of ' icensing, United States Atonic Energy Corrission, 9<
vols. I D..
L.e. t
+J,m>
1*
' m ;n o!/ >
D. : i ;r
> +
s and !!, Dcchet No. 50-247, Septerter 1972.
2.
Of fice of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, United States NJclear Regulatory Corrission,
+
vr.:,
,m
- ccm
', vols. I and 11. Docket No. 50-2E6, f.bREG-75/002, February 1975.
1.
Consolidated Edison Corpany of New York, Inc.,
issued Aucust 6,1970, including: Suppl. No.1, Sep te-te r 9,1971 ; S uppl. No. 2, Oc tobe r 15, 1971; and Suppl. No. 3, February 15, 1972; Docket No. 50-247 4.
Consolidated Edison Corpany of New York, Inc.,
(vols. 1 and 2) issued June 14, 1971, including: Suppl. No. 1, Cecer-ber 8,197' Suppl. No. 2 Septen ber ll,19 72; Suppl. No. 3, Nover t:er 8,1972; Suppl. No.
4, February 7,137h Suppl. No. 5, March 15 and 30,1973; Suppl. No. 6,19 73; Suppl. No. 7, April 18,19 73; Suppl. nu. 9. April 30,1973; Suppl. lo. 9, Septerter 12, 1973; Sucpl. N3 10 October 29, 1973; Suppl. f:o. ii, Demr ber 26, 1974; and Suppl. No.12, f1 arch 29,1974; Cocket No. 50-286.
5.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Ccer.issicn, Of fice of % clear reactor Pegulatier
+ -
_- p Dock et No. 50-247, 'iUREG-0033, February 1976.
6.
G. L. Gi es e, a rid J. U. Carr,
,c State of ';ew York Conservation Departrent Water Resources r
4 Cerrission, Culletin 61, 1967, p. 37.
7.
M.W. Eusby, " Flow, Quality, and Salinity in the Hudson River Estuary,'
Hudsen River Valley Co<rission of New York,1966.
C.
G.P. Eowells and S. Weaver, " Studies on Fhytoplankton at I' Point,"
4 G. P. Ecwells and G. J. Lauer (eds.), New York State.;partrent of Envi ronren tal c,
Conservation, 1969, p. 2 31.
9.
G. W. Saunders, Jr., "Sene Aspects of Feeding in Zooplankton, c,
National Acadery of Sciences, Nashington,1969, p. 556.
c, r:
~ 4 -
-)
3.
ENVIPC'.ME' ITAL IMPACTS 3.1 TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM The staff has previously assessed in detail the potential terrestrial impacts and land effects associated with various types of closed cycle ccoling alternatives. ' In suvary, the staff identified the following potential adverse irpacts cn the terrestrial ecosyster. fron natural draft cooling ttwers, which was selected by the staff as the preferred closed cycle ccoling systen at Uni t No. 2.
a.
A slight rrducticn of local plant comunities and associated v'ldlife due to cooling tewer constructicn.
Sc"e of the land needed for the cooling tower will irpact part of the 80 acres of land planned for use as a natural park area on site.
b.
Visible damage to offsite vegetation due to drift effects is expected to te siir;ht or nonexistent during years of nor-al f reqsency and arounts of rainfall. If any dra]e to Of f 5ite vegetation occurs, it is likely to be episodic and concu u1ative.
Tho three species sufficiently intolerant of foliar salt deposition to be considered potentially at risk f rco coolinj tcwer saline drif t are white ash, flowering dogwood, and Eastern her lock.
c.
There is some risk of increase in plant diseases for onsite vegetaticn and to a lesser degree for of fsite vegetation Ased by increases in noistures.-
d.
There is limited risk of biological drage to vegetatico due to indaced icing.'
e.
The of f site ar oustic environr ent will be las desirable' and may exceed acceptable lini ts at sor e locaticns f.
There will be an aesthetic rpact.
The rajor result of the prcposed actico un the terrestrial ecosyster' would be to delay for two years the at'ove adverse imputs and pctential adverse ir pacts of a cooling tower. The staff considers this twa year delay of coolirg tower.rcacts to te a ninor benefit over the 35-40 year life of the plant.
3.2 9UATIC EC N STEM 3.2.1 Introd2ction In this secticn the increnntal impact on the Hudson River aquatic biota of a two-year extension of eperation of Indian Point Unit No. 2 with once-through cooling is considered. In makirg tnis assessrent the staf f has relied heavily on the Firal Envirur. rental Statement (FES) fcc Indian Point Unit No. 3 which reprc;.ents a revision of the staf f's earlier assessment (FES, IP-2) with respect to aquatic irpacts and takes into consideration the res;lts of the applicant's research progra-throagh 1973 and part of 1974. However, in this prtsent assessment the staff has supple"ented the Indian Point Unit No. 3 FES wherever acpropriate based on new data and analyses suboitted by the applicant in its Ersircnr ental Report. "
In the Indian Point Unit Na. 3 FES (p. V-214), it was concluded that cnce-through cooling at all three Indian Point units would have no reasurable direct effect on the benthos, phytoplankton, microzooplankton, and nacrozoc;1ankton (except
- c) in the vicinity cf Indian Point. The staff definea the phrase 'in the vicinity of Indian Point" to refer to a far-field region such as Region I in the Texas Instrumnts' Hudscn River Ecological Study, which extends f ron upper Havers traw Bay to Bear Mountain Eridge (FES, IP-3, p. V-SI).
Furtherrore, no reasurable inoirect effect on the fish populations dependent upon these lower trophic levels for food would be anticipated. The staff has seen ro new data which would change this conclusion.
With respect to ya, the staf f concluded that when the salt f ront is in the vicinity of Indian Point for much of June through Octcber, entrainment mortality of at Indian Point, Lovett, and Bowline ray well cause local reductions in the standing crop of this rysid crustacean. This reduction could result in reduced growth and survival of striped bass and white perch young-of-the-year' and of other fish species in this region of the river if alterna-tive foods are not available in suf ficient abundance (FES, IP-3, p. V-215).
,q -
7]7
'i!
.J
The renainder of this section is focused on the incre ental irpact on fish populations of a two-year extension for orce-through cooling at Indian Point Unit No. 2.
As in the Indian Point Unit No. 3 FES, the assessment deals prirarily with striped bass although 50 e attention is given to white perch, tomcod, American shad, alewives, and blueback herring The pcwer plant i" pacts of primary concern are entrainrent and impinpr ent, while the ef f ects of discn3rges (then"al, chlorine, ar,d reduced dissolved anygen levels) are of secor dary concern based cn presently available inforvatian (FES, IP-3,Section V.D.2).
3.2.2 Striped Bass In assessing the incret: ental impact on tre Hudson River striped tmss populatic" cf a twc-year e, tension for once-through ccoling at Indian Point Unit No. 2, the staff has focused on the i nc rerent al lc.. -tern (i.e., rul ti year) entrainr ent irpact over tFe life of the plant.
The annual entr3inmen' ir pact with cnce-through cooling dt Indian Point Unit No. 2 has already been assessed in detail through an analysis at +he applicant's d3ta (1973 data in particular) and application of the staf f's pcpulation transport nodel for the young-of-the-year striped bass population in the Hudson River (FES, IP-3, Sections V.D.2.b(2) and V.D.2.d(3'(cl and App. 0).
The staf f has fo mj no new inf erraticn in the applicant's Environr ental Report fur a two year extension tha t rewires chan ;es in the staf f's young-of-the-year striped bass "cdel as applied to the 1973 data.
3.2.2.1 Increcental Lnng-ter-Entraircent Upact cn tFe Hudson River Striped Eass Frg alation In its asv, "r nt of the long-te"" irpact cn ine,triped tass pcpulation, the staff has pre-vicusly used its life-cycle popslation 'edel (FES, IP-3, pp. V 1.1 through V-lE6, pp. U-39 tnrou ;n XI 4 3, and Ep. u-129 throu;h E-le3).
Tre se e approach has been utilized in nsessin; the irpact of the requested delay in terminatisn of once-thro 6h caeling at Unit
',0.
2.
TFe
, the percent rejJctiCn in nu Ter of yoJo]-of-the-year striped model uses as input, bass for given pcwer plant t;nfi%ratior.s, which are cbtained from the staff'r y oan.;-n + - t he-ye 3 r striped basa K rulation rojel (FES, IP-3, pp. B-54 thrc a h B-128).
aricus value, of peccent reduction are used in a ti"e se: pence curespondir.] to the anticipated sequence ci plant c on f i ';;ra t i o n s.
The r;ain cutput of the life-cycle rcdel is the relati ve yield by year to the 'triped ba s fishery, where relative yield fcr ea;h year is defir.ed as the ratio cf tre jield of striped tass with a given level of pcuer plant i~ pact to D e yield with no po er plant i pact. The staff his utilized two criteria to analyze tnese results. The first 's tre nrter vi years the relative yield is below a given friction. The staf f ccnsiders tFe rr ter cf yt3rs t"e relative yield is less than
- 0. 75 or 0.E0 (Fi 3 3-1) as two indices of the risk of irreversible effects cn tre striped tass Fpulaticn. The second criterion is the increase in cu^ ulative yield (shaded are3 in Fiq 3-1) fcr an alternative espresse? 3s a percent of the cu"u!]tive yield fsr a reference condition.
Tne taff consi6 rs the increase in cs ;1.3tive yield to be an a; pics mate estimate of th Noefit to the stri;ed bass fistery of an alternati,e es tc~ parej to a ref erence condi tion.
The values used for the percent red ction of the young-of-the year striped tac < ai e stven ir Tale 3-1 (FEE, IP-3 Tables \\/-20 and 31-10).
No additicnal r ns of tN y oung-o f-the-yea r r.c del u
t ejsnd the poner plant ccnfi nration, c m.sidered in Table 3-1 were re;uired for the preser+
assei cent. Tre percent re %;titn values used were f;r f; - 1.0 it % t Corr. wall and wit" cut pl e on the ilver as the b3selira (Toble 3-1).
IN scenaric, ass ceJ for the life-cyclo -cdel runs are ai,en in Tat'le 3-2 Case 197) represente tro conditicns / Nr the e <istin ; lim sirg requirennts, which per-it c;cration of Indian i cirt Unit No. 2 witt crce-ttrough ccolirn until May 1, 1979. Case 1961 represents the conditicr.s wi th the r aposted two-year delay, which wo;ld per it cperation of Unit '.s 2, th once-throu ;h cooling until Maj 1, 1931. For e3ch scenario (i.e., for each rcw in Table 3-2), tr.e cde cf
( reration (ccce-through cooling or closed cycle coolirg) is indicated for Irdian Point Units
'.o.
E ard 3.
Decomissioning is ass ced to occur af ter 35 years, in 202 for Unit
,]
2 and J10 far Unit t. 3.
It is ass 2 ed that Indian Point Unit 10. 1, ys! ire, L, set +, r, ton, and bnskaxer are all creratir; ccntira; lj at ' ell po w r with once-thr x gh toolir; frr 1974 th os;n 2010. The particular perico of ti'e (see colr n neaded " fears, and tr e nu ter of years for each scer ario are also gi,en.
F or eacn of the t'.io cases the lif e cy cle r eil is run throrjh tre sewence nf scenarios specified in T3ble 3-D starting in 1374 and enJ1rl in 2 W Otter paraceters u W in the life-cycle rodel are those in Para eter Eet 1 in Table F-43 nt tho FES for 10-3.
uns are given in T3ble 3-2 and in Fig;re 3-1.
tho nurtcr The results of tha life-cycle rodel r
of years the relative yield is belcw 0. /E is 45 in totn cases an i t% rr ter of years t elc.v C.V 3-2
ES-2587 I
l 1.0 0.8 a
/
o a
ta l'
0.6
/
w
,/
w L,
l M-.%_
w d
0.4
/
N
/
Cr
, ' ~.. ~ ~.. ' ' ~
l:
.....j O.2
-a c'
O I
l I
0 20 40 60 80 TIME (years) t_:,
Fig. 3-1.
Curves for relativa yield versus time.
The three curves are for ces sation of once-through cooling at Indian Point Unit No. 2 on 1979 (solid line) and on May 1, 1981 (dashed line) and for Ma 1,
both Unit tra base design of once-through cooling for 35 years at Nos. 2 and 3 (dotted line).
lable 3-1 Young uf the-year rnodel resulh hambers f or the briisus (ases indit ale pert ent redut tisn in tl e )oung of-the-) ear f rorn the bJNe populallons Js InditJted f or e.'.h sef 4'! re\\uIt s Pert ent reJucti.n"'
Or her Melh"d of t oolurt'
( 'a se h
f i >I nw all l'itake ! f.nctor (fll lP ants l p. [
lp ]
lp.3 II.f l.0 Without [-lants on the rner.is the baseline (Caw 1)
I' 15 86 is h6 2
1973 14 23 3
+
21 34 4
+
01 01 29 45 5
+
Oi 01 01 34 50 6
+
01 FC 01 30 46 7
+
Of CC CC 23 37 8
+
+
Of OI OI 47 64 9
+
+
+
+
Of CC CC 33 55 ll 01 Of 01 21 32 12
+
24 33 All other planh except Cornw all as the bawhne (Case 3) 3'
+
12.50 10 42 4
+
01 01 10 16 5
+
OT 01 01 17 24 6
+
01 CC O'i 11 17 7
+
0'I CC CC 3
5 8
+
+
O!
01 01 33 46 9
+
+
O l' CC 01 2n 4fl 10
+
+
Of CC CC 22 32 dOl' mea ns ons e-t h rough m!ing. CC mea ns (l'ised() tle t oob ne. See Ses t SI C f or f urther discumon of closed (> sle cooling alterna t nes.
IOther plants include four unin at Albany, four ursh at Danskammer, two unik at Roseton. the umts at Losett twt unin at Bowline. and sesen unin at 59th Street. In 19 73 it c.e 21. il.e tw o urut s at Roseron a nd t he setond unit at flowlme were not operating + indaates plants included in the t als uLition, and indi ates planh not inclu led in the calculation.
Walues in this row are mdhons of )oungef-the ) ear striped b.ns in the lludson River on O toher 15 of em h y ea r.
dConsective transport defect factor ICII)! ) = 0.8.
Source:
FES, I.P.-3, Table V-20.
>f 3-4
~jiu\\ t
.) \\ O
lable 3.2. htimate of the increrr-ntallong-term impact on the liudson her striped bass population of !ae prop > sed two-year estenshin for once-through cooling at Unit No. 2 R esult /
6 N u mber Pe rcen t a
I P.s h I P-3 i.rars a
PPO
(..a se t
of years r ed u c t ion A
g c
1979 OT 1974 1975 2
45 0 55 Of Or 1976-1978 3
50 0.50
/
OF 1979 1
45 0 55 CC 01 1980 1981 2
46 0.54 CC CC 1982-2txi8 27 37 0 63 CC 2009--2010 2
36' O 64 2011-2053 43 0
1.00 45 2X l
1981 Of 1974-1975 2
45 0.55 O'
OT 1976-1980 5
46 0.54 CC CC 1983-2003 26 37 0.63 CC 2009-2010 2
36 0.64 2011--2053 43 0
1.00 45 31 0
d Year in w hh h operation ot t nit No. 2 with once-through cooling teases as of Wy I of that y ear.
bC1 means once-through toohng; CC means closed t> cle cooling. A dash (-) mdicates urut no
.n operation.
Ihe salues uwd correspond te those in T al>le 3. ; for f g = 1.0 without Cornwall and without plants on the rner as the baschne dPPO = t 100 pertent redustion)/J 00.
' Number of > ears relatne yield is less than 0.75 teolumn A) or 0.50 (column B) and the increase in cumulatne yield as a percent of the cumulatne >ield for the 1981 case icolurnn Cp.
IUnit No. 2 out of operation daring guwmng season for turmer to closed <ycle coohng.
- .stimated by assunung that the shutdow n of Unit No. 2 with closed <ycle cooling af ter 1
the year 2008 would decrease the percent reduction by l'7 717 3}/
3-5 b
is 28 for the present case and 31 for the delayed schedule (note the horizcntal line in Fig. 3-1 for relative yield = 0.50).
The increase in cumulative yield achieved by adhering to the present schedule relative to that for the delayed schedule is l? (the shaded area in Fig. 3-1 as a percent of the total area under the May 1,1981 curve).
The bot;on curve in Fig. 3-1 is for the base design (i.e., once-thro;gh cooling at both Units Nos. 2 and 3 for the life of these two units) and is incl;$ed for purposes of reference; this power plant configuration is considered in detail in the FES for IP-3 (pp. V-144 to V-166).
From the point of view of red;cing the impact on the striped bass copulation, the sooner once-through cooling ends at Unit No. 2 the better. However, the strioed bass population projections f ron 'me staf f's life-cycle rcdel indicate to the staf f that the incremental long-terr irpact on the striped bass population due to the requested extensicn of tire is negligible.
3.2.2.2 Irpingement of Striped Bass The incremental nurter of striped bass (pri arily young-of-the-year averaging 3.3 inches in length) expected to be ir. pinged at 'ndian Point Unit %o. 2 as a result of a two-year extension of operation with once-throu;h cooling ray te eitirated based on the analysis given in the Indian Point Unit No. 3.E5 (pp. V-57 to V-58 and XI-32 to XI-34).
The nurter of striped bass expected to be impinged annually at Unit No. 2 ray be calculated as (Total number of fish of all specir's impinged annually) x (Fraction that are striped bass). For once-through cooling this results in 1.118,589 x 0.031 = 34,676 striped bass per year. For closed-cycle cooling this results in 89.343 x 0.031 = 2,770 striped bass per year. The difference betaeen these two figures, multiplied by two, provides an estirate of the increrental nvter of striped bass expected to be impinged at Indian Point Unit No. 2 as a resJ1t of a two-year exter sion of operation with once-throagh cooling. This estirate is 64 x 10' (63,812) striped bass (primarily young-cf-the-year). Although the staff certainly does not consider trese impinger ent losses to be trivial, tne staff concludes that the incremental long-te r irpact from these losses is not expected to be large and has essentially no risk of being irreversible.
3.2.2.3 Cog ensation The applicant's presentation of evideoce of co pensation in the H;dson River striped bass pop-ulationi is the most significant new infcr ation to core cet of the applicant's research pro-gr m since issuance of the Indian Point Unit No. 3 FES. The applicant presents two analyses suggesting (a) a Ricker-type, stock-recrui trent relationship and (b) density-dependent grcwth of juveniles. 'abile there are uncertainties and proble s associated with each analysis,ll the tso analyses do suggest th3t sore density-dependent pop;1ation changes may have occurred during the period 1955 thrcugh 1973. In the staff's jadr ent, a reasonable position, 35 1
required by AbAB-188 and discussed in thc Partial Initial Decision for the Suvit Fower Station,19 is that the Hudson River striped bass population prcbably has the capacity to compensate to sor.e extent for increased Fortality such as that imposed by pcaer plants.
However, the applicant's analyses do not rmove the staff's concern for the long-term conse-quences of protracted and uncontrolled density-independent rortality, such a1 the crcpping imposed by power plants, since the range of cropping rates which could be offset by corpensatory responses, and the degree of offset, are not known.
3.2.3 Other Fish Species As in the case of the striped bass, the primary ccncern with respect to the ef fects of operation of Indian Point on other fish s;:ecies is the potential for popu'ation reductions due to cropping by entrainnent and impingerent. In the Indian Point Unit No. 3 FE3 (pp. V-178 through V-183),
the staff concluded th2t (a) the species (other than striped bass) of greatest concern are white perch, torcod, alewife, blueback herring. and anchovy; (b) corbined entrainment and impingerent impacts of the Hudson River power plants would probably reduce the standing crops of young-of-the-year and adults of each of these species; and (c) with respect to an interim period of open-cycle cooling 3 to 1931 for Indian Point Unit No. 2 and 1963 for Unit No. 3 the reductions are not expecteo to be irreversible.
No new infomation has be:n received about entrainment studies for other fish species at the various power plants along the Hudson. New inforration is available, however, concerning impinge-rent at these plants for the period January 1973-Septe"ber 1974. The primary difference between these latest estimates and those previously available (FES, IP-3,Section V.D.2.a and p. V-178) is the higher p portion of Atlantic torcod in the impinged population, especially during
-,c 3-6 ji l 3\\O
)
1974. This increase is not particularly surprising in view of the apparent substantial increase in the 1974 toncod population in the river.!* To sore extent, the changes in relative abundance of impinged species likely reflect both variation (particularly on an annual basis) in the distribution and abundance of the species involved and the somewhat uneven pattern of plant operational schedules.li The incremental nu-ber of fish cf species other th3n striped L3ss expected to be i pinged at Indian Point Unit No. 2 as a r3sult of a two-jear extension of operation with once-through cooling ray te est1 rated as done in Section 3.2.e.2 for striped tass by just subtracting tre incremental nurter of striped bass fron the incremental nu-ber for all species. The incre ental number of fish of all species eepected to be impinged at Unit No. 2 over the two years is (1,118,589 - 89,343) x 2 - 2,058,492.
The increrental nu-ber of striped bass is 63,812 (see Section 3.2.2.2).
The difference is 2.0 x 10' (1,994,680) additional fish of other species expected to be inpinged at Indian Point Unit No. 2 as a result c.f a two year extension of operation with cr.ce-through cooling. Although the staf f certain1j does not consider these impingement losses to be trivial, the staf f concludes that the incre ental long-tern i" pact from these losse; is not expected to be large and has essentially no risk of teing irreversible.
3.2.4 Carparison of the 1973 and 1974 Data on Distribution and Atundarce of youno-of-tho < ear Life Star s of Strifo Bass __and_0t_her Fish Species in the Hudscn River Es_tuary The staf f has reviewed the 1974 data on the distribution and absndance nf young-of-the-year life stages of striped bass and otrer fish species in the FJdson River Estua The raterial quoted in Acpendix B from the recent Texas Instrurents Maltiplant Report: su re-i zes tho rajor findings and d ' cusses the sinilarities and dif ferences between the 1973 and 1974 data.
There were dif ferences between 1973 and 1974 in longitudinal distribution and abundance, which wculd be expected, ar.c sTe of these dif f erences are of in portance in detenninirg the entrainrent and impingement impact of each power plant on e3th fisn pcpalation. The 1975 data will provide yet a third case which will exhibit si-ilarities and differences when corpared witr the d3ta for each of the too previous years. Tre staff tophasizes, however, that the 197a da ta do not pro-vide and the 1975 data will rot provide tne basis for a quantur jump in abi'ity to forecast the ir pact of plant operdtlon cn the Hud;on Riser ecGsyster Cr fish popJlations.
av"e suppurt for not expecting irresersible reducticri of pcpulations of these other fish species is asailable fron Texas Instr u ents' aralysis of " direct impact.
~ anile the assessrent rethod r
dif fers conceptu311y f rco ? e r odels used by the staf f [FE5, IF-3 Sectico V.C.?.d(3)(c)(iii)]
and by Lawler, Matusky, and Skelly ~ for th striped bass popula:icn, sor e pre!i~ ira ry compari stns based on Te<as Instru~ents' " direct assess ent" (ass,~ing no cor;ensation) are instructive.
(1) In corp 3riscn with striped tass, tra percentage crcopiry of white perch due to entrain-r ent appears to te atout 0.6 as large, and inat d;e to i pin;e ent slightly cver twice as large. Results presently a.3ilable woald sug;est a slightly greater cverull arraal percentage reducticn cf white perch as co pared to stri;ed t3ss.
(2) Es tim 1*ed percenta;p crc;pina of A erican shad dae to inoim t~ent is well oser an
,rder of ragnitude s" aller tn3n that 0;e to i pinge' ent of ei tner 2triL ed La ss or write perch.
(3) Es ti~ated per centage crcppin ; uf "c trer spp.
(prescably alewises and bluebad herring) dse to i pin;e'ent is approximately cre-fourth as large as th3t due to impingerent of striped bass.
These cor parisons, taken together, sug est that the percentage crcppirl o' white perch is rot qreitly dissr'ilar fr7: that of striped t3ss, an j that the percentage cro; ping of A~erican shad
( selda-f ound i n en tra inr ent s a~ples )
1s considerably s" aller. Furtrer inf or' a tic n on esti-
"ated irpinge ent irpact on all five species and entrainrent i" pact cn alewiMs and blueb3d herring (as well as k*erican sh3dj will be iorthcoring.
Tre tortcd Ecpulaticn is deservin; cf fscther attention, since it is subjected so rela tively heavy i pinger ent rcrtali ty.
Although precise estirates of fishing nortality are not available for any of tr ?se fish " ocies, it appc3rs that fishing is not a rajor source of r crtality except for American sFad 3.2.5 Applican t's Resea rch Prwra n 3.2.5.1 Ap licant', Description of its Researcn fro;ra-The envircrrental studies of rajcr importance are the present studies which will te cc~pleted Ly 1977. The general objectives of trese stuoies (ER, IP-3, Suppl. 9, Sect 13) are as follows:
3-7 h ! l) i
(1) " Deter-ino the biological significance of impin;e ent of screenable fisnes at the intakes ;f Indian Point Units Nos 1, 2, and 3.
(2) hternine ef fects anj biological significance of Plant operation en nonscreeaable organism (including fish eggs and lar ne, and ple ktcn) in the coolant water passing throu';h the on'e-through cooling system for Units Nos.1, 2, and 3.
(3) Deternine the biological sigrif icante en the Hudson River ecosyste, of trerr al and oint Units Nos. 1, 2, and 3 o
chemical additions fror Irdian of aquatic organisrs (4) Ceterrine the biological significance on the Ndson River ecosyste n
passing through or Lein) attrac+ed to the therral plu e and/or into the ef fluent canal er intake.
(5) De elcp and test con epts of protective neasur es f or rinimizing adverse biological ef fects and ascertaininj biological Vnefits and costs of such reasures.
(6) Daelop and use rathe atical r.odele to aid in the evaluation of the ef fects of entrain-ment and irpirgerent on the g?"loticn of striped bass.
A flow chart showing the duracion and key points of the studies being perforced is shown in Fig. 3-2 The applicant will use the res;lts fron these stuiies t0 evaluate the effects of operati?n of once-throagh cu ling of Indian raint Units Nos 1, 2, and 3 on the Hudson River ecosystem Data provided f rom these studios will did in deternining stresses cn the aquatic biota as well a.
rethods and reans f or r,inimizing adserse ef fects.
In additico to the Indian Foint ccological studies, the applicant has been carrying out addi-tior al studies d,aring 1973 and 1974 to estimate the potential impact of the Cornwall project on the HJdson River fishery. This is in partial fulfillrent of the Federal Power Coonission license req. air ennts f or this project. The applicant has been concucting intensise far-field and near-field ichthyoplanktcn surveys over the er tire spanning ground of the striped bass.
Additional studies sponsored by other utilities are being carried out at the other power plants on the Hudscn to deterrine entrainment and is pingerent 'rpacts The che-ical discharges also will be monitored along with the river water the"istry.
Furtherrcre, New York State Departrent of Environrental Ccnser vation, thror;h the Depart ent of Lomrerce, has started a three-year striped bass tanging progra-to determine the contributicn of the Hudson River striped bass to the mid-Atlantic fishery. The Foner Authority of tne State of hew York be'ian a tag and recapture progran in early f all,1973, for white perch and striped bass. An Inter-Utility Ccordinating Comittee (IUCC) has been established to coordinate the efforts of several utilities conducting studies on the river. Further details cf onjoing ecological studies are presented in Suppl. 9, Sect. 13 of the Environr ental Report for Uni t No. 3.
The staf f's judy"ent is thit the applicant's research program h3s already impr w d the scientific basis for assessing the impact of the Indian Point plants on the aquatic ecosysten.
Two exa,ples of such results ar e:
(1) Through-plant mortality of striped bass ichthycplankton. (FES, IP-3, pp. V-87 to V-M).
(2) Concentracicn of striped bass ichthyoplankton at the intakes as compared to the average concentration in the river cross section in the vicinity of a oower plant.
(FES, IP-3, pp. V-c9 to V-101).
The staf f expects that by January 1,1977 the applicant's research program may provide addi-tional relevant results, particularly along the lines of comparing years and of analyzing and synthesizing the data collected both prior to 1972 and since 1972. Furtherrore, the first year of the proposed extension will allow the staf f and other governrental agencies and interested parties to finish ongoing studies dired at providing a more complete and sound scientific basis for a reasoned decision than was available at the end of 1974.
3.2.6 Conclusicns The staff concludes that the incremental long-tem impact on the Hudson River ecosysten, the striped bass and o'her fish populations in particular, due to a two-year extension of operatio.
with once-through cooling for Indian Point Unit No. 2 is not expected to be large and has essentially no risk of being irreversible.
3-8
/U,
to 8
8:
}
9
{e 4
8J
'E i
n 's L
s 3
a i 3
I
\\
f Jg 7
3
(!
j j"
,le L
s J
in N
- h (WV 3
3,J
\\
8~
8 i:
Ntus e
i u
e 6a s
f?'s,'~'
$ j\\
t al, ej 5j 5
/
fi) 3 bi, 5 A
<g E /
14
[ $ h'/
} i _ "'$ ~ r ~,fi M.,_,;_ _ '_ _. __ 3 _,l _ a _ _ m, _ _
e, C
z
_4 4
3
~
$ 4 M) 4,d l
is a
0 j ge t i 1.- l I
~
3 I
'I Ja
~
rg g ;3 a
II J J
%l i
l Id j
Jg b
a
=
q\\*) g l e
o a
e 3
0 k!
a u
p
. 4)l s t
- i 8'
l I
a iQ:
~
g
!i
+ J) !]
9
+i h@
3 t
N
-- - -- - M:) J i:?
I e
g l s
a y
3 D
I U
E ;,l s
1 Yf il 5 i ei i
&(0r iwa..e k.
- t
~
tw =.
"i :
=
W
<a: w 4 - -
t.
.e 1
s
-m
]I 2!y*l h@ _E c
- , 4 e
3 u
! JA b
~
e a
\\.
,[^ ri) 3 p
t, j s o
- 5. :f 3
'i l,'
[
75 f
f it[
g i k[,
]
9 5
0:
f I
! N "' -
i n~s a
f
}l 0;'iti; J
"!!h $
i u
" G% 5,9 "Tb iv i
i lr i
{p e
'v S,
1 I
i;
- t. e B
3
=
i a
c w
g!
g j
g, c
r g;,t
,g l {g$1d
(
7 l!
h,'y
- N 3
- g y
l
.I 3]'
{I 5
J a) 9, qe 0
i 3
s lii!1
! d !
[
h
)
f
' p3 '"
-i :
~
!E.'fs a
i iir 3
- q l
e' e
i gjh
=
!,n,
- u 5,;
yw ' o ad" c i
.l
)
q)
,t,
-t a
,s e
a
=
r n4 i
j
- l q
y J
y6 i/
k,
,A O
_ _ ~
s.__________.__s
,m,_ __ _ _______.
j r 1.i, e,
s_
4 Om y
9 EI) l {"""
2 i-m O.:s g;
5, E
k l---
. 5 A
g o
10
_ 5]
. 1 Q---j
_a
=
7, 3-9
^
- 4. * ',
_p _
- 3. j........
O FEFERENCES 1.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Cconission, Of fice of Naclear f.eactcr Regulaticn, "Draf t Environrental 5t verent for Selection of the Preferred Closed Cycle Cooling Syste:t at Indian Point Unit i
2 ' Dncket No. 50-247, f,UPEG-0038, February 1976.
L'
.I 2.
Re f. 1, p. 5-28.
3.
Ref. 1, p. 5-39.
4.
Ref. 1, pp. 5-: 3 th roash 5-37.
S.
Ref. 1, p. 5 6.
Re f.1, pp. 6-39 th rough 5-60.
7.
Ref. 1, p p. 6-39 through 6-52.
8-Consolidated Edison Ccmpany of ',ew York, Inc., "Environrental Report to Acco~pany Applica-tion for Facility License A. endrent for F stensico of Operation with once-Thrcu;h Cooling f or Indi an Poi n t Un i t
',0. 2, ' JJne 1975; c 4pler.ent 50. 1, J.ly 1975; and 3upplerent 2, August 1975.
I?
9.
Texas Instrurents, Inc., "Hadson River Ecological Studj in the f rea of Indian Foint, 1973 f,nn;al Feport, July 197; hp 10.
Fef. 8, Secticn 2.1.3.1.4 and Lupplerent 2,.01.1,Section VII; 11.
Texas instrurents, Ir.c., "First Arnaal Report for the !bitiplant I",act Study of the Hudson Ri ser Estuary, July 1975 (Eupple: ent
- 2 to Fef. 8), Voi. 1, Sectinn VIII.
12.
U.S. Atomic Energy Co rission, In the t'atter of Ccnsolidated Edison Cer pany of New York,
I r, c., Indian Foint Staticn, Unit ho. 2, Docket 50. 50-247, B--cision, ALAb-lLd, April 4, 197 4; F AI-74-4, p. 32 3.
13.
U.S.
mcle.w Fegulatory Comission, "In the t'atter of Eelrarsa Pnwer and Li';ht Cr pany and Fhiladelphia Electric Company, 5;r it Pcwer Staticn, Units I and 2, Docket Nos 50,50 ar.d 5r-;51, Partial Initial Decision (Pa rtial Cor struction Perr:i t Proctedinq - Environrental J-
"atters and Si te Sui tability Only), LDP-75-43, + 0ust 1,
.;i5, ' RCl-75/E, p.
215.
?-
14 Ref. 11, Vol 2, Tables C-33, D-34, C-33, and D-34.
15.
R( E 11, Vol. 2, Tables F-25 throu ;h F-22 j
16 Rof. 11, Vols. I and 2.
17 ne f.
11, Vol. 1, Secticn LII.
18 Ref.
o, rppendix 19.
'ew Y ork Uni',ersity "e ai cal Center, Insti tute of Envi ron-' ental Medicine, H;dsei River Ecosystem Studies, E f fects of Entrain ent by the Indian Point Ptv.er Plant on tiota in the j
H o,cn Riser Estuary, Pro.;ress Report f or 19 71 a nd 1972,' Septerbtr 19 7 3, p. 229.
20.
I:e f. 11, V ol. 1, p. V I I-3.
21.
Ref. 11. Vol. 1, Section v.
22.
- .ew h rk University, " A Preliminary Analysic of the fbund3nce of Foar Life histor' 5tages of Striped Bass ('
c) Collected 'i the Intakcs of Indian Feint Unit I and in the Hucson River in Front of ladian Point, Dece ter 1974 g.
_e
.p' 3-10
--n
~1 i ', ?
-h { !.
~. <
e p.-
- i,-
- p_.'T*i f*
...,? *t_ _ j,
' g,
. _}
R, p.
'; ~.. -
_. Dit,M :.. '_
~,
.. 5
? 'i z _ '.
l l
a..
.c
?._.'l-r
+
L 1
?
-^t-4 I
'I"i,
..a p'
,D
. E I /;;
4.
OTHER !" PACTS CF TM N0 POSED ACTION T -
4.1 EDEFITS 4.1.1 Ben" fit of P mservina 00tions_
< ccording to the current facility cperating license (see Section 1.2) the applicaM is required to cease operat;on with once-throJT Cooling at Unit ho. 2 by P3y l, l373, except that this date is 3dvanced or postponed if the Eplicant obtains all governrental approvals before or af ter Docerter l,1975 At the present tire ();ne 1976), such approvals have not been obt3ined and 5
the May 1, 1973 date is accordirgly postponed six conths. It is likely tnat acoitional it r y one-E y ment will occur and th3t the total delaj will probably apDroxinate nine ranths The applicant h3s submitted an ev31uation cf the economic and environmental irpacts of alterna-tive closed cycle coolird system in cce pliance with the f acility cperating license (see Section 1.2).
The applicant's conclusion is that a wet natural draf t cooling tower is the preferred f.
systen. Ine staff reviewed this submitt31 and f aund no evidence suf ficient to warrant changing d*
the applicant's selection.1 j
(
o is Another f actor which nust nter into ccnsideration is the VC public he3 ring to be held cn the selection of the preferred t'osed cycle cooling system Considerable public interest has been i
expressed in corresponcence,,-icr hearings and respctses to the Craf t Environnental Statement for Selection of the Preferred flost i Cycle Cooling Sys te" In preparing the referenced DES, the staf f nade a deteminej ef fort to evalatt as r any viable altern3tive cooling systems as possible in order to assure an optimum selt tien of tre pr3ferred system It w3s the staf f's ODjective to c.
3 prcvide sufficient informaticn in t. 2 asse?stenc te pernit the parties to any sutsequent public hearing on the subject and co.r.entor to judge and weigh the subjective constant 3 esthetic i pact
.A
~
against the varying envircnment31 is,3 cts sxh as salt deposition, fog and noise. Every effort V
nas nade to prcduce an cptimun sel'. tion of the preferred system recognizing the impets on the local population and biota.
a Not to delay the start of construction would, as a practical Ntter, foreclose cre cotion currcntly available, n3mely, the possibility of selection of 3 different type of closed cycle ccoling systen thrcujh the public hear ng process. Bec3use of the public interest (such as that expressed by the i
Village of Buchanan and others), it is i pcrtant to preserve the cccortunity for presentation of additional raterial to the nearing body for use in its deliberations and decision nakirg.
1 s
3 In accordance wi'.h Sectiors 31t(a) and (b) of the Federal Water Pollution Ccntrol Act of 1972, the o
,i applic)nt has subnitted requests to tre Environmental Protecticn Agency (EPA) requesting an exemp-tion from the EPA therr al standards and for a deter 9 nation that once-through cooling is the best technology available. Atticn on tnese requests will constitute the final decision regardi g closed
- i. -
n cycle cooling at Unit No. '
Hearings on the request for the 316(b) determination are sched; led for early in 1977. Granti% the applicant's requested extension of ti~e for the termination of Once-through cooling will permit the EPA proceedings to proceed without requiring the applicant
~ ".
~*
to begin construction of a closed cycle ccoling system pricr to the E?A decisions. Tre staff considers this a raior benefit of the pro;oied action to deley 0"ce-through cooling.
.1,
4.1.2 Improvements in Biological Evaluation According to the applicant, the chiet tenefi! to De derived fror the proposed au n is the achieve-nent of a substantial irproverent in the biological data base--particularly as regards the inpact
.. ~
of operation of the plant on the striped bass--through completion of t' applicant's research progran. Principal dat3 improve-ents anticipated include, for example, l) estimates of the i
f.
variability f rcn year-to-year of the irpatt, (2) assessment of '"ulti-plant inpact, and (3) further
' e investigation of co pensatory respctse and the contribution of the Hudson River striped bass to
^.I the Mid-Atlantic fishery. The principal benefit, 3ccording to the applicant, of corpleting the v..
program, however, is the possibility that the results m3y de^onstrate that a closed cycle cooling systen is not requ red. However, the staf f expects that by January 1,1777, the applicar.s i
research progran may provide additional relevant results, particularly along the lines of comparing years and of analyzing and synthesizing 'he dato collected both prior to 1972 and since 1972.
Furthermore, the proposed first year extension wi'l o. io,; the staf f and other governn^ntal agencies and interested parties to finish ongoing studies aired St providing a nore complete and sound scientific basis for a reasoned decision than was nailable at the end of 1974.
}..
-1
-- o 7 E
7 p) ;
y, (.)
"O d'
N
.L.
[.
L._aL g ;.
.y
'r.-
^
4-2 4.1.3 De_ lay in Incurring _I masts A minor benefit would be the delay for two years of the cperational costs and the terrestrial impact of a closed cycle system.
4.1.4 Prevention of Non-Water Quality Impacts _
The staf f agrees with the applicant that the const ruction and operation of a wet natural draf t cooling tower could result in some adverse environmental inpacts, including damage to aestheti-cally valuable trees and the possible deterioration of scenic views. These impacts are discussed in the staf f's Craf t Envirorrental Statenent for Selection of the Preferred Closed Cycle Cooling Systen at Indian Point Unit No. 2.5 While such damages cannot t e readily quantified, it is the staf f's position that thej are small and that postponerent of these ir pacts for two years is a nir or benefit of the proposed action.
4.1.5 Suma ry Based on the foregoing discussion, the staff considers a one year delay justified in order to preserve the choice of closed cooling system and to obtain the improvement in the biological evaluation.
The justification for a secord year extension is to provide time for the EPA proceedings and final decision to be corpleted.
4.2 COSTS There will t,e some costs associated nith the loss of striped bass and other fish species by iirpingerent and entrair.mert at the plant. The staf f considers these losses te be small (see Section 3.2).
PEFERENCES United States ',Jclear Pegulatory Comission, Of fice of Nuclear Peactor Pegulation, Craf t E~ironmental Statmert f or Selection of the Preferrrd Ciosed Cycle Ccolir2Systen at Indian Poin t Uni t No. 2, Dcd e t No. 50-24 7, NJ EG-(038, Februa ry 19 /6, C ha p ter 7.
2.
United States Naclear fiegalatory Cor,issi0n, Of fice of Lclear Reactor Peplation, Draf t Envi ra"ren tal Sta te*nt for Selection of the Preferred Closed Cycle Cooliri System at Indian Point Unit No. 2, Coo et ho. L0-247, NLhEG-C M, February 1976 3.
Pef. 2, Chapter 5.
~l } [+
7 Q,.
J-
5.
ALTE N JIiL5
[he s t3 f f has considered the tollowing al ternat1ws: r(tention cf tu pre'ent licens condition, extension of cnce-throfjn 7001 & g for a greater ur lesser period of ti e, and a require e nt for redaced ficw daring the extension period.
5.1 RETENTION CF PPESENT LICENSE @ JIIl01 This alternative is the sare as denial of the action prcposed by %e applicant (Secticn i.3) ar,d is an inherent part of the terefit-cost analysis of the prop sed acticn (Chapter 6).
5.2 GREATER CR LE5SER EXTEN5 ION CF TIE Ex tension f or a ;:erted of less than tm years bat greater thar, on fear would preclude tne possibili ty f or coc pletion of the EP s croceedirm Extensicn for less th Jn one year would r o'.
pe ra,i t completion of the biolo;ical analjses Thu>, the staff believes tnat e< tension for less than two years is not warranted.
Extension of tne tire f or cnie-throujo cooling for a ceriod of rore than two years is a possitlo alternative only if it per-itted an extension of the present research progrcn or sm e other clearly defineu berefit. 7viously, additicnal research will enerate adjitional data. H, er, the applicant has reached the point with i ts research program that it is collecting rare and r: ore of the sa~e type of da ta.
The staf f co:rente t in the IF-a FE5 th3t "If there is to be any gantum Ju p ir ability to forecast the i-;wct of Flant operaticn on tre Hudson Pi ver ecos /s ter i (ar d on 'he striped bass young-of-t t t -year population in particulcr), as a result of the extersive TI, NY;, ano CLM envircn ntal studies presently scheduled to be corpleted by Jan;ary 1,1977 (Fig. ',-19),
that onantr ja.ill te based primarily cn the 1973-71 cycle of d3ta and analysis.
(F S, IP-3, p, V-209)
It is the staff's opinien that core data of tne ty;e collected f rom 1973 through 1975 will not f urther substantially irprove the biological d3ta t ase available to the Comission or any other parties. One of the r:ajor tsntributions of the applicant's research p ro g ra nas involvej the analysis and corparison of yearly data going ba0 to 1965, 1355, or 1331 Each additinnal year of research would pr) vide but one rcre data poirt, the increr ontal i"portance o f which would becore progressively less as the total nder of years for dich tr ere were data inc reased.
For the reasons state above, the staf f does not consider e < tersion of tre terrinaticn date for once-through cooling f or a period greater than two years to t c a viable alternative to the propcseJ action.
5.'
EDUCED FLOW UURI W ThE E W.51CN PERICD required by the Unit no. 2 operating license the applicant has sobr itted a Plan of Attico-for plant operation to rinimize dctrirental ef fects on aquatic biota daring the period of operatien with once-through cooling. W e such acticn is to cperate the ain circulating water p ur:p s a t 60 ; c f f ul l fl ow f ron Oc tota r 1 to "a rch 31 ead year resultin: in a decrease in irpirwment of aquatic biota.
A-sible alternative to the proposed attico is to crant the requested extension of tire and require operation at redt.ad flew for the entire two year period.
Operation at reduced flow cr:sults in a higher terperature increase in the cooling water on passage throu;n tre condenser and a resulting ir:rease in the temperature of the oater discharged.
Such an ef fect has little consequence in the winter when the river te:Terature is low.
h ow -
ever, in the surer such operation would likely cause violation of the 'axir um allowable dis-charge temperatures. Such violation could only be avoided by reducing the power output of the plant (derating). The reqJired derating would tie costly because of tr e higher Cost of power frnm oil-fired plants as compared to nuclear plants. It wo;1d also te dif ficult to replace this power with pu chased power since other nearty systers also have their peak verand in the r
s ur re r.
For these reascrs the staff does not consider this to t:e a reasonable alternative.
r
PEFERET.CES 1.
Texa s Inst ruirots, Inc., F_i rs_t f.nnual f:eport f or the fbl tiplant Ig'act Study of the Hadsen iver Estuary, July 1975, V al. I, Chapters
'v' and,'111, 2.
Consolidated Edison Ccr.pany of New York, Inc., li Plan of Action for Operatirq Procedures an11J2 sign of the C;n_ce Thrmh Conlin1Systen for Indian Point i:qit No. 2, E.tnitted in "ccord snce wi th.kction_Elo f f aciTi ty operatin, L icense DPP-26, as at endea by A:'end: ent f.o. 4 dated Septer ber 28, 1973, Dcchet No. 50-247, J anuary 1,19 74 o j
)
6-2
6.
EVALUATION 6.1 UNAV01DAELE AL'lERSE ENVIRO'."tNTAL IMPACTS The rajor unavoidable adverse impact of the proposed delay of cnce-through cooling will be the loss of sore striped bass a.1d other fish species by impingerent ana entrainment at the plant.
The staf f has assessed this loss as small.
6.2 RELATIONSHIPS EETWEEN LCCAL SHORT-TER'i USES OF MAN'S ENVIRC' DENT AND THE MINTENANCE CF LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY On the tir:e scale reaching several gcnerations into the f uture, the useful life of the nuclear station is considered short-ten' The resources are dedicated to the production of useful electrical energy during the art cipated life-span. The staff concludes that the proposed i
action will have no significant ef f ect, if anj, on long-tem productivity.
6.3 IRREVERSIBLE AND IRRFTRIEVALLE CCMMITMENTS OF PESOURCES The major comitrent of the proposed action will be the loss of striped ba.
u other fish species by impingerent and entrainr ent at the plant. The staff considers th.s to be d ST.all irretrievable loss. However, this reduction of the fish population is not Considered by the staff to be irreversible.
6.4 BENEFl!-COST BALANCE 6.4.1 Benefits.
The proposed delay for temination of once-through cooling will have two important benefits. It will maintain the option for possible selection of an alternative closed cycle cooling system as a result of the public hearing process and pernit fur'.her enluation of results of the applicant's research projram The corpletion of this evaluation is irpcrtant under the tems of caragraph 2.E of the Facility Operating License (section 1.2) wnich provides for an applica-tion for an " extension of Ae interim cperation period or such other relief as ray be appro-priate" should the appliccnt believe that the data collected warrant it.
The extension would prov;de an opportunity for the review and evaluation of all available information. While the staf f believes that the probability is low that such evaluation would reveal that closed cycle cooling is not required, the preservation of this option is deered to be a benefit. Denial of the proposed action would reauire start of construction of the closed cycle system prior to the anticipated decision by the Environrental Frotection Agcncy regarding the applicant's requests relative to sections 316(a) and (b) of the FWPCA. Should an exerption be granted under section 316(a) or once-through cooling be detemined to be the best technology under sec-tion 316(b) the potential savings would be a benefit.
In addition to the above non-quantifiable benefits there will be an econnmic honofit of the proposed action. While the staf f and the applicant disagree as to the magnitude of this benefi+
both conclude that there is a benefit.
6.4.2 Costs The rajor cost of the proposed action is the loss of sore striped bass and other fish by impingement and entrainrent at the plant. T e applicant has assigned a value of $283,200 to this loss. The staff has not assigned a con oary value to this loss but considers it to be small.
n ~i
'[
[
/
6-1
5.4.3 Benefit-cost Balan_ce Althougn not all of the benefits and costs associated with the propusec action can be quantified, the staff considers that, on balance, the benefits exceed the costs. Thus, it is the staff's conclusion that the proposed action shoc1d be approved. The staf f, however, by recorrending approval of the requested two-year delay, dues not irply tnat additional delays would b" acceDtable Y
Y [l
- / 6, f U'
ji [ ()
6-2
AFFE*.JIX A (Reservej for cri ents)
] l' l '/
- g np
) / -/
s c.
A-1
APPENDIX B SWARY A3D DI_5CU55104 CF 197 3 AND 1974 DATA ON ABUNDANCE AND DISTRIPUTION OF E ARLY L IFE STAG {S_0F_ST_R!f ED EASS, Jil~iE PE RCf~~AhD TOMCUD~ - ~ - -
b THE H43501 RIVER ESTUKTJ ~-
INTRODUCTION The inaterial in this appendix has been excerpted directly f rom Texas Instrurents, Inc.,
"First Annual Report for the Multiplant Inpact Study of the Hudson River Estuary,' July 1975 The pa<;es q;oted, with the exception of Tables B-1 to B-6, constitute the Discussion section f rom Chapter VI entitled, " Vulnerability Assessrent." The staf f has excerpted this raterial because it provides an informative su,r.ary of the r;ajor findings and discusses tha similarities and differences tetween the 1973 and 1974 data on the distribution and abundance of early life stages of striped ba" white perch and torted in the Hudson River Estuary.
-n jcCl 4)U q.
B Ull t.1 Wa CF EXCEPPT DISCUSSION The general trends in the abundance and distributico patterns of the early life stages (egg through juvenile) of striped bass, White perch, and Atlantic toccod in the H;dson River estuary during 1973 end 1974 [ Tables B-1 to B-6] reveal several similarities as well as differences -- many of which represent real differences. Some dif f erences, hoaever, a re likely the result of ir provecents in the longitudinal river ichthyor ankton-sanpling program initiated in 1974. The two c.ajor improverents were increased sampling effort in the shoals stratum and night only sampling beginning dur.'o the ceriod 12-17 June (for details, refer to Section Ill). Consequently, standing-crop differences of life sta jes for sore species cannot be directly compared t,etween years.
Table B-1 Sammary of Distrdat;on and Abundance Data far Early Life Stages of Striped Ba ss in Hudson River Estaary [RM 12-152 (km 19-243)] during 1973 J a v e s.t!a s Di s t riutten an.1 Yoth.Sa Port Yolk-Sac Ic hthyop;ankton Beac h A %.e anc e Sarw ary Eggs Larvae Larvae Gear S esne s Fir st ca te A pr 21-Ma y 12
- A pr 2 9-M a y 12*
May 13.26 J an 2 4..'al 7 Jan 17-3 3 Cc' ce tion f:nte rva l)
Loc atton R M 3 4.14 0 R M 3 4.140 R M 14-8 5 R M 3 4.10 e R M 12 2 3 fhm (4.224):
(km 54-224):
(k m 22-13t ); ( k m 54.170)-
( k m 14. 3 7) most f rom most f rom re ont f rom rnost f rom and R M 4 7. H 5
- r. M 3 4.10 6 R M 14 2 3 R M 4 7-61 R M 39. 46 (km 75-l MI (km 54.1701 (rm 22-375
( k m 7 5. u )
(km 62 745 Pens One no1b m-(b e rval' M a y 13-2 6 Jan 10. 2 3. ea rly, J a n 2 4. 21 7 T wo pea k e:
Se p 9. 2 2 sma!1e r peak be.
Jul F.21 and t*een May 27 and A2g 5 18 Jure 9
' m att an R M 3 4.8 5 P M 34-8 5 (km 54 R M 14-8 5 R M 62 106 RM 24 39 (km 54-13t' 13t>and RM t2-9 5 (e m 22-136)
( k m 91.17 0 )
(<m 3 k-t !)
(k m 99 - 13 t,j f ar a r. d early smauer peak P M 14.46 (km 22 74)
Total Standmg-2 7 0, C dA, 9 *,4 96,123,34' 171,431,454 15,830,690 9,243,259 Crop Est.m ate at,332.444 a n.1 (smal:er peak) 1 % 411,550 1.a s t Da te J :n 10- 2 3 Jan 10-23 J 21 2 2-A a g 4 A u g 5-l M
- Dec 2-15' CcMe un
(: r> e r v al) l oc a tva n RM 34 85 R M 14.1 %
R M 14 140 RM 14-8 5 RM 12 55 (km 5.1 %)
(k m 22-170)
(km 22 724' (km 22.135)
(km 19-Es) and R M 107.143 (Lm 171-22 4)
Racge cf Lont'tv! mal Distribahen RM 14-143 RM 14.140 RM 14-140 RM 14140 RM 12.152 (km 22 224) fkm 22-224)
(km 22 224)
(km 22-224)
(im 19-2 4 3)
- Fir s* eam p' r d pe riod, sc me ma y ha ve been pre ser.t ea rlie r.
- *Repre sents only the la st lengHainal river Lehthf e %4nk ton-sar plir.g ran, not the last v ate pvenile s we re 8
p r e sc e.t in the r 6ve r, t Sampmg af ter Decernber 15 timited to only the Indtsn Point region where no javentles mere collected.
O' O' D
0 oo O
g
~ h\\
(
,0 g
e-U o
i v
Ta bl.
B-2 Su a tr.a r y o f Di s tributii,n a nd Ab unda nt e D.ua fo r I:a rly Life S* ace s of Thite Perch in Iludean ai;c r IDt,.a ry [I'M 12 -152 (hn 19-Z " 3)) during 1973
- s. -./
s avenile s cy lh s t rit 2 tion and Yolk-Sac Post Yolk-Sac Ichthyoplarr ten Deach
(-
-)
AS - Li n < c : _ s am i r y Cggs 1.t i c a :
1.a r va e Cear Setnes f,
Fir I
I Date k
Colle c tio n (1., ta r v a l)
Apr 29-May S*
Apr 27-Ma y 5*
A pr 21Ma y 5*
Ja! 8.21 Jul 1-14 a
I.cc uin n R M 4 7 1 10 R M t.2-14 0 R M E6 140 R M 3 4-2 0 6 RM 62-140 (k m ? t 2 2 41 (k m 91 4)
(b m 137. 2 2 4) (km 54 170)
(krn 9% 224)
Peak 1
Ce llec t mn I' s t e May 2 7 Jan 9 Jan 10-21 J u n 2 4-J.21 7 A i g 5-18'
- Sep 2 3-Oc t 6 lLJ (Ir.te rs al)
(km 22-130)
(km 22 53)
(km 38 61)
Total Et tn jing-9, e 7.11R 13,435,91; 50,73,143 2.817.91' 7,348,505 C rop 1: stimate List Ib'i Jan 10-23 J an 2 4-Ja! 7 Jat 22-Au g 4 A a g 5-18*
- Dec 2-15' Cc"ec tion (I n te r v al)
Location R M 3 4 61 IIM 02 85 RM (2 85 RM 14-106 R M 14 2 3 (k m 54-93)
(k m T7 13 0)
(k m 97-136)
(k m 22 170)
(k m 22-37)
RM 66 140 R ht 10 7-14 0 R Ni 47. 5 5 (k m 138 221)
(k m 171-22 6)
(km 75 M )
R uge nf !.n ngit+1tnal P st ri ba tion R M 2 6 140 ItM 11-140 RM 14 140 R M 14106 RM 14-140 (k m 5 8.22 8)
(k rn 24-22 4)
(km 22 22 4)
(kin 22 170)
(k m 2 2.22 4)
- Fir st sam;1u rir d, mme may t ave t cen present ea rlier
- *R e yre s ent e
.ly the la r.t longit ohnal river ici thyoplank ton-sampling a an, not the peak period or last date yn. mie s wer - pre se nt in tFo river
- Sampimg atte r L;c c embe r 15 limit e d to only the Indian Point region w he re an e stimate d s tanding c rop of o.ly abo at 1,f C 0 iaveniles occurred J
(.
.,e s
/,'
h-!
N
Table B-3
(.
}
Sununa ry of Distribution and Abundance Data for Early Lif e Stages of Atlantic Tomcod in IIudsc n River I:stua ry [R M 12-152 (k m 19-24 3)) during 197 3 o
L I
f J a ve nile s Distribution and Yolk Sac
- Post Yolk-Sac Ic*ahyop'ank ton Deach*?
3 3 '
Abundance : u rrtma ry EEFs e I.arvae Larvae Gaar Seines First Date Apr 29-Apr 2 9-A ' g 12-2 5 PO Colle c tio, (Inte rvall ht. y 12*
- M a y ! !*
- 1.oc at wn R Lt 14. 61 RNt 14 106 R M 12. 3 3 (km 22 98)
(km 22-170)
(km 11 5 3) i Peak Date Apr 29-Apr 29 Aug 12 25 Collec tion (I nte r val)
Ma y 12*
- May26 1.o c a t io n Rht 14 46 RNt 14-46 R Nt 2 4-3 3
('.m 2 2. 7 4)
(km 22 74)
(' m 3 8-5 3)
Total Statidin g-2,231,631 128,F35,440 312,414 Crep Estimate and 142,010,974 7
La st Date Apr 29.
A u g 5-18 ?
Nov 4-17 Cnllec t ion (Inte rs al)
May12 Location RN1 14 46 Rht 14 P 5 R ht 2 4 3 3 (km 22-74)
(km 2 2-130)
(km 38-53)
R a nge of !.ongttadinal Di st ribution R M 14 46 R M 14 140 R M 12-3 3 (km 22 74)
.( km 2 2.2 2 4)
(k m 19-5 31
- t.ene s olicstcJ
- Du rin g fir st sam pling pe riori, post yolk-s se la rv ae an<1 jos emIc s w ere likely present in the rt.e r e arlie r in greater wonber.
- R e pre wnt s only the la s t lon gstadtnal rive r ic hthyopla nkton-sam pling run, not the la st date javenile s w e re pre sent in th ' river tillec au se Atlantic tomcod are demersal fish, they a re not readily ac c es sible to beac h-s eine sam plin g in the sho re-zone areas; therefore, s tanding-c rep e stimat es ba sed on ticac h-seine catc hes a re undoubtedly bia sed low.
-d s
k..
\\
.i
Table 9-4 Summ:tr y of Distributton and Abundanc. Data for Early Life Stape s of Striped Ita s s in liud son Inver Esta try [1(M 12-152 (km 19-24 3)] April through September 1974 Ja ve nile s O
I' st ribelen a n f Y olk - S4 c Poet Yolk-Sac Ic htF yop:ank ten beach I
i A b ; e d a r 4:e Su r.m. a r y Fgge Larsac Larvae Gear Seine s F rst Date A pr 29-N' a y 4 May6 11 May 13-18 Jan 12-17 J u n 1 +>- 21 r
I <-
i P'
C,11cc ti on
(: r'r r va!)
Loc a* ic-R M 4 7-61 R M 10 5 5 RM 34-46 RM L2 76 R M 3 4. 38 O
( b -r 75 K)
() m e S $ ),
(km 02 74)
(km 94-122)
( b.m 5 4 61 )
R M P
- 11 P M 47-t 1 ik ri I37 1441,
( k rn 75 9c)
R M 107-12 4 (km ' 21.1 n-. )
l'e ak late M a y 15-18 M iy 2 8-31 J.an 17-2 3 J.21 22-26 Aug 2 5-Sep 7 Cn'ici tion (I nte r v al) 1.o r a t i o r RM 14 r 5 RM' 76 R M 1% ~
R M 2 4-3 3 RM 24 33 (k m 62 r *)
(k m F 1 112)
(k m
- 2 122) f>m 33-51)
( k tr 34.53) and itM 56 61
- n (k m 6 9- %)
t Tot a l
',t a n<. i r e -
l a s, a l l, W ls'
- r. 4 +, 0 w 3 ? t., 4 4 5, 6 2 0 4,0 ;),3 %
2,415,5C Croi F. m i are 1 a mt l' te J o n 2 4-2 7 ul 1 5 Au g 5-9 A u g 12-15*
Sep 22-Oc t C < 11.
i i
(:nn rsah H M 4 7 01 P. M A s 4o RM (2 76 U M 2 4-13 R M 12-F 5 Ia c areo (k:n 7 6 9 5)
(k m 8 2 '4)
(km 9 4 122)
(e m M - 51),
(k m 14-13 t-)
H M 56-t1 D M 94-152
( k m b ). M 1, (k m 150. 2 4 3)
RM e6-9 3 (k m 137 141),
R M 10 7 12 4 (k m 171-198 )
Rame of Lnega a bral hatre ution At le4st R M 14-140 R M 14-140 R M 14-140 R M 12 152 R M 2 4-140 p m 22 '24)
(km 22-224)
O m 22 224)
(k m 19-2 4 3) ikro 38 224)
- It t pri ce rt s e nly th ' ant sa mpling i ;r im! Ir.12 ic 1 in ' ti s r t po r t a n't rrt t L e la st date ;uv. niles we r e pre sent in t'.
r i,v r
^
o a
1 r-rabic --.
b Sunrm.try of Distribution and Abundance Data for Ea rly Life Stages of White 12erch in I!ud son
')
R ive r Estuary [ 11.'.! 12 - 152 (k m l'l-24 3) Ap ril th roug h cepten.be r 19 74 W => cj r
W J a v e ru l e s Ptstrih 2tmn an i Yelk S ac l'c,st Y olk Sac Ic t t'. yo pla nk t e r Beach A Mnd4nc e S; mary
!:rgs Larvae 1arvae Gear spire s Firat Date M 4y 6-11 May 6-11 Ma y 11-1 h Jan !2 17 J.; n 3 .- J a i 1!
C ollec ti o n (In te rv al) 1.oc a t i o n R M 2 4 - 3 '-
RM 24 33 R M 14-3s R M k.
01 R M 47- ('
(k m 3d-5 3)
(k m 3t 61)
(km 22 61)
( k m F L L:)
( k r 7 5-r..- )
R Nt 62 76 R N' 4 7-5 5 H Ni 4 7 70 R hi e,2 12 4 (k m 9 4 122)
(k m 7 5 122)
( k m 7 5-12 2)
( k r <. 9 '4 - 1. ~ )
l< M H - 10 (k ro 13w 17 0) f Peak Date May 31-J.i n 5 May 21 2 4 Jun 12 - l 'r Jul 21-Ae g 2 %
.p' Ch Cnllec ti on (Int e r va ll Auc 2 Lo ation RM 2 4-3h RM 24 h R M 31-10 t.
(km 16 61)
(km 3* 61)
(k m d 2-170)
( m iS0 l ??)
(,m I s '- 14 )
R M 5 f,- l o r (vto 13S-170)
Tctal Stan ding.
C r o p 1 's t t en i t --
1 S 8, (,'* ',17 0 1C',32' r.0 7 4 ? !, 411, f M
,l'c
't' HIF
'I
- 3 2. # ' 7 1..i t
late Jul 1-5 1:1 8-11 Aug %q Aa; l ?- 15*
, - ts t '*
C..llei t iv o (1 it. rv al) y I oc.s'i on R M 3 4 - 4 /.
D r t l'). Ib R M 5I, 8 5 R M si,-IL6 R M 12-1 m
(km 3d 224)
Ikm ( J '4)
(> n t' 9 - 13 t )
(L i 4-170)
(,n 14-21')
RM(2 7(
(k m 99-12 2)
Ra r g e of Lo rg it ad.nal Di s t r.ba tion P M 24-lis BM l4-140 DM 14-140 P M 24-14' R M 12 - l ' 2 (k m 3 8 -224) ih m 22-224)
(km 22-224)
(k m 33-?24)
(k m 19-24 3)
'. N u
- Fcpre sem s erly the la st s a npling pe r md a ru lu 'ed in this r epo r t a n j no t th e la st d ate juvenal (s wer e pre sent an O.e r:s c r.
Table E-6 h
Summary of Distritatmn and Abundance Data fo r J uve nile Atlant:c Tomcod in Hud son River Estuary [ H M 12-152 vm 19-24 3)) April through Septembe r 1974 O
I I
Ja ve nile s r
r Di st rtbation a nd Yola - Sa c
- Po st Yolk-Sac
- Ic h th y o p t a nk t o n Bea; bet r
i A g a r, jar.c.. Su rn rra ry Eggs' Larvae Larvae Gear Seir e s First Date A pr 29-May 4**
M a y 5.,18 cop.e c t.c n (Int e rval)
Loc atio n R M 14-4 6 R M 12 3 3 (km 22 74)
(k m 11-5 3)
U Pea k Date A pr 2 9-May 4**
J an 3 0- J 21 17 Cellec tio n (Inte rval)
Loc 4 tio n R N1 14 13 R Nt 2 4 3 3 (k m 2-5-)
(k m 18-51)
To ta l St in i.n e-1,214.349.640
- 2. 4 0 F. H +;
C rop E s* uut e La st L
Cc; C e c t i o n Date Aug 12 15*
Sep 2 2-Oc t 5 (Int e rv al)
Loc a tin, R M 14-9 3 R
- t 12-3-'
(k m 2 2-14 4)
(km 11 '5)
Rang P c t 1 c nrit ; ! n.tl Ih st ribu t.on R '.t 14 14 0 IIM 12-55 (km 22 224)
(km 175J)
- Nnne olier te *
- Repre-nt s fi r s t s a r,F e tak e n ! t 'ow In !ut n l'oa r t r egio,, ;n e rale s v.c r e probely pre s ent earite r
- > e pr s e,t s only tta la s t sa rr p!. T pe r to ! inc k (d an d rat the la st date j n entles were pre sent in the rive t
- a c c a
- u. A t;a n tic t oi < wj a rc v'o nie r s al fit t e s, t Scy a r e not rea ! sly acce s sible to be at h-s ein e s.amphng in thu
( re aicas: there: ore, s ta r Q n g-trep e st unate s t 4 sed en beac h-seine cate r e s are un doubtedly tiased low
/ are NJ N
.J'
The be ach-s eine s urvey sampling <!e sig ns
-re similar in 1973 ani 19 74; the refo re, jarenile sta nding c r aps c alc u; ate J f rom beach-seine c atche s in both years can be directly < ompared. T his s ec tio n p re :,e nt > id e nti-fic atian and discus siLa of the real and nonreal differe nce, in abundance and dist ribution in 1973 a nd 1974.
a.
Striped Bas s The 1973 and 1074 longitudinal river ichthyop'ankton-sampli.ng programs were designed to collect striped ba s s early lif e stace s, particularly ergs and yolk-sac larvae. Egp and yolk-sac larvae were conc entrated on
+ he bottom and channel strata (Table 3-7);
they are pela::ic a nd acce s sible to sampling gear that operate s effectively near the boticm. Po st yolk-sac larvae are also concentrated primarily in the bottom and channel strata but
- 10. '* ; of the estimated post yolk-sac larvae stanGng crops in 1974 occurred in the shoals steaturn. J uv e nile s ve re almost evenly divHed bet veen the shoals and the bottom and c hannel st rata.
Therefore, the modifiet 19 7, ichthvoplank-tan-sampling program which included more effort in the sho 13 stratum anu s hif t ni th e sampling t o the night hours in mid-June has provid ed insieht on striped bas s activity in the shoals and should have increa sed the efficiency of capturing the motile post yolk-sac larvae and jarenile s.
Table C-7 Mean Percentage of All Standing-Crop Estimate s of Key Specie s Early Life Stages Occurring in Shoals Stratam S 22-ft (A-m) deep bf Ichthyoplankton Gear during 1974 (2'r April-15 August)
Life Stage Yolk -Sa c vo st Yolk-l Spe c ie s tges l 1.arvae Sac Larva; Juve nile s i
Striped bas s
- 5. 3 I,
- 4. 7 l
- 10. 9 44.3 I
White perch 28.6 l
20.6
- 7. 9 l
11.1 Atla-tic tomcod 15.5 I
pNone collected Comparisons between 1973 a 41974 striped bas s egg and yolk-sac larvae stand:ng crops are the most valid comparisons of all the early life stage s.
Post volk-t a r larval and juvenile standing crops in 1973 were pr ob-ably b ased iow because these life stages are more concentrated in the shoals than eggs oc yolk-sac larvae. The inc reased shoal and night sampling la 1974 likaly reduced gear avoidance and increased the catches of post yolk-soc larvae and juveniles.
B-8
. (n4
'/
\\l r 4
Juvenile standing crops based on beach-seine catches are direct-ly comparable between the two ye rs; however, daytime catch estimates apoeared to be underestimates of juvenile striped bass i.n the shore zone in 1974. Night beach-seine standing crops in four geoFraphical regions (Croton Have r s t raw, Indian Point, We st Point, and Cornwall) we re significantly higher (Viticoxon Sig ned-Ra nk Te st, p < 0. 01) tha n daytime standing -c rop estimate s la these. egions for the same time intervals (Figures D-23 and D-24).* The length-frequency distributions were similar (Table s D-175 and D-179)* indicat-ing that gear avoidance was either nonexistent or cornp 3 rable between day and night s an.oling. Juvenile striped bas s apparently moved into the shore zone in g reate r numbe r s at night, at least af ter 4 August 1974, in the Croton/ Haver-strew through Cornwall regions.
There we re two basic diffe re nc e s in striped bas s longitudinal distribution and abundance in 1973 and 1974. Peax egg abundance was aimilar in both years but the distribution extended further upstream through the Pough-ke ep = ie-I:yd e Park region in 1973. Eac abundance wa s r elative.y high in the Indian Point and Nest Point regions in both 1973 and 1774. Peak juve nile stand-ing c r ops in 1774 were only about 25 3 as large a s 197 3 standing crops although the d i s t ribution patte r ns we re simila r.
Because egc and larvae standing c raps oa sically simila r in 197 3 e nd 1G74, the lyx j uvs nP, abundanc e in 197M were suge sts a decline in the papalation d arir.g the t rans:+1c - f rom the post yolk-sac larvae to juvenile life stage s.
ar'ta, A - s c !arvae 1)ari.g 17 74, p:
s olb >ar larv r
o
+
standinc crops occurred tu, and fou weew'._fter'r.e rea-eg: pyriad, respec-tiv ely, but f u r'o er u-'t r e; This < ppa e tt upr e r c.s p' a ; ment suggests a hyd-ologic tran st '
chanism(s): wwner, a no9 e r explanatio : is plausible.
En incubatian tis. in early to mid T une sho id ha ce bee n sh o rtened by the near 20'C wate r temperatur,
C o n s -q ue ntly, seve ral -;g depositions could han xcurred between the ichd yopla@ tun river runs and nv ba sampled Life stage duration of yolk-sac larvae and pas yulk - sac larvae 't v a rio us t empe ra-cu are probably of longer du ratioa than the eggs ture s are unknown but both stau at wate r temperature s nea r 20 ' C.
Betv e n 10 7 3 a nd 19 74, the degree of exposure of the various life sta,e s of striped ba s s +o e ac h of t'.e fiv( powe r pla nt o sla diffe red. Ec-cause the entire river was not samn d daring the pear eg g standing-c rop period in 1974 (15-19 Msy), pla it e: m sure indic e s we re -ot calc ula%d. How-ever, eggs were apparently m Tre o r.c e nt r at e d i n
- b e f; w. li n e, Indie n Point, and Lovet+ plaat regions in 197' than in l'/73.
Striped bas 3 eggs were mo,'
- not n-rM & < fo mi; es Hi,
_,,I,
(
w 1
JJO
abundant in the channel and bottom strata; hence, vulnerability should be high-est at Indian Point and Lovett because the se plants are located near the channel.
Egg vulnerability at Bowline, which withd raws c ooling water f rom Bowline Pond, is reduced.
A higher per%ntage of the peak yolk-sac larvae and post yolk.
sac larvae standing crop occ urred within the five plant regions in 1974, rnostly at Roseto, and Danskammer, although expo 3are indices for post yolk-sac larvae were higher in 1G74 at Bowline, Lovett, and Indian Point. Motility begins in the post yolk-sac larvae stage and movements frorn the le ss vulnerable bottom and channel st rata to the shoals may occ ur.
Post yolk-sac la rvae vulnerability should be similar at all five plants. Since the motile post yolk-sac lar vae are also reportedly positively phototropic (Doroshev, 1970), their vertical distributions are rnore dupersed through thi water column at night (Texa s Ins t: _ ne nt s, 1974c) and they become more vulnerable to plants en-training water from the surf ace layers.
Exposure indices for juveniles we re reduc ed in 1974, particularly at the lower river plants - Bowline, Lovett, and Indian Point - because juvenile distribution was somewhat dispersed and less concentrated in the lower river than in 1973. Juveniles we re bimodally distributed in 1971 with peaks in the Tappan Zee-Croton/Haverstraw and Cor nwall regions. E.:posure was still highest at the lower river plants, partic ularly Bowline, but the actual vulner-ability of juvenile striped bas s to either entrainment or impingement is unre-solved. If they move into the shoals and shore zone, vulnerability to powe r plants is probably minimized unless they are attracted to the intake areas.
Striped bass juveniles in 1974 appeared to move into the shoal stratum after they metamorphosed from the post yolk-sac larvae stage. Only
- 10. 9% of all standing -crop estimates of post yolk-sac larvae based an ichthyo-planNton occurred in the shoal stratum, but the percentage of juveniles in the shoals inc rea s d to 44. 3 5 (Table -7).
The sboals stra+um represents only about 10% of the total river volume. During July, about 80% of the juvenile standing crops taken in ichthyoplankton gear came from the shoals stratum, atout the same time that juvenile standing crops were increasing in the shore zone (Table D-143).' Standing crops in the shore zone increased to a peak in late August concomitant with a decrease in the standing crops in the bottom, channel, and shoal are as Wip re C-1).
The se data support the hypothesis that striped basc young move from the channel to the shoals and shore zone after the'/ transform into juveniles, bet the movement is apparently gradual as the population mos es dowr stream.
- nct i eproduced for this agendix.
E-iO i fi iG
'J iJ/
Juvenile striped bass averaged 24 mm in total length (range 18-30 mm) when first taken in daytime beach seines in late June 1974 and 76 mm (range 34-119 mm) when peak shore-zone star. ding crot i occurred in late August (Table D.175).
- Entr ainment studies by New York University at Indian 5CL STPATUM
---$OE ZONE
- o r x 4
U a
r2 m
2
')
5 F.z 2
j
,/
%w e
~#
I 1
g I t/?2 7'~I //2"3 tJ: l' 6/25 i-3 3 / 2. '
6/2 3 6/16 3
I S t. rLi% ::
0-T. 5TR AT M 5...
~
3 v_&
'l s
d ?>
\\
I
\\
ow
/
g 2
- m l
\\
E, 9
/
\\
L
\\
/
g I
l
/
,s~~I s'
/
/
/
r 6/16 6/j;I 7/lb 7/ 2
'L 8
i i / 2, ' 9/-
- /2 3
6/2 S A*P L , '.
Figure B-l Dist ribution of Juvenile 5+riped da s s an l "/ hite I> r c h i n Shoals and Shore Zone in l'/ 7 ;
- not repn juced for this m enfix.
= :n t-l}
/
Point (NY U, unpublished data, 1973) indicated that the ma.ximum entrain-ment at striped bass larvae occars from 5-15 mm in length. Thus, it seems logical to concludn that striped bass are no longer entrainable when they move into the shoal and shore-zone areas at about 30-40 rnm (total length). They lj shauld also be able to tole rate an intake velocity of 0. 5 ft/sec (14. 2 cm/sec) 1 and avoid being impinged unless attraction to the intakes, parasites, diseases, or rapidly changing environmental conditions reduce their swimming abilitier and increase their vulnerability to impingement.
b.
White Perch Neither the 1973 nor 1974 longitudinal river ichthyoplankton sam-pling programs were designed to adequately collect all early life stages of white perch, hiajor spawning sites for white perch in the Hudson River estuary have not been completely defined, but 1974 Texas Instruments sampling data and data
~
f rom othe r estuarie s (htansueti, 1964) suggest that shoals and freshwater trib-utaries are important r awning areas. Even though no sampling was done in the
^
tributaries in 1973 a ~ 1974, the inc reased ichthyoplankton sampling effort in the shoals during 1974 probably explains most of the large increase in egg and larvae standing crops in 1974. White perch eggs are demersal and adhesive and difficult to sample with the gear used in this stu9. Standing-c rop e stimate s
/
and yolk-sac larvae for eggs in 1974 ire surelv low even if no spawning occurred in the f re shwater tributarie s.
Standing-c. m estimat es for the more motile post yolk-sac larvae and juveniles during 1974 were probably also biased low but less so than for eg6s and yolk-sac larvae.
.ihite perch standing-crop es-timates based on ichthyop'ankton samplir.g are therefore n it highly comparable between 1973 and 1974.
Juvenile stand ng-crop estimates f rom nighttime beach-ssine catche s we re significantly high 'r (Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Te st, p < 0. 91) than daytime estimates during the same time period s in the same regions (Figures D-35 and D-36).* W hite pe rch juveniles exhibited the samt diel pattern of shore-zone occupancy exhibited by striped bass juveniles - higher abundances at night.
There we re four basic differences in white perch longitudinal distribution and abundance in 1973 and 1974. Peak egg standing crops were al-mest 20 times greater in 1974 and concentrated in the most upstream region (Albany) in mid-hf ay and in the lower river in early June. During 1973, the small egg standing crops were restricted to the upper river. It is impossible to separate the differences between 19 73 and 1974 into real population size dif-ferences and nonreal differences due to changes in the 1974 sampling program.
6~I2
- not reproduced for this appendix.
1 i
liowever, because white perch eggs are demersal and adht.aive, they are prob-ably relatively invulnerable to power plants.
Peak larval standing crops were almost 10 time s greater in 1974.
Post yolk-sac ltrvae standing crops in both years greatly exceeded egg and yolk-sac larvae standing crops, suggesting that the relatively motile post yolk-sac larvae are more vulnerable to sampling gear than the egg and yolk-sac larvae stages. Most post yolk-sac larvac were taken in the bottora and channel area s (Table C-7) suggesting a movement of post yolk-sac larvae ints the deeper bottom and channel areas or into the shallow shoal areas not sampled with the ichthyoplankton gear.
Juvenile standing-crop estimates in the shore zone in 1974 were only abet 10 3 of the 1973 standing c rops. Juveniles were concentrated in the lowe r rive r in 1973. IIowever, in 1974, even though the post yolk-sac larvae were concentrated in the lower-and middle-river regions (Lndian Point through Ming ston), the juvenile s we re concentrated in the upper-river regions (Kingston and Sauc ertic.=), suggesting an upstream movement or poor survival of post yolk-sac larvae and/or early juveniles downriver.
Juveniles first appeared in the shore zone in 1974 during the period 7-13 July and averaged 21 mra in total length (range, 13 -41 mm). The percent of the juvenile standing crop based on ichthyoplankton sampling in 1974 which occurred in the shoals stratam was 11.1%, a slight irc rease over 7. 9%
for post yolk-sac larvae. Ichthyoplankton standing crops reached a peak in late July :nd the n dec rea sed (Table D-144).* Concomitantly, w hite perch juvenile standing crops increased in the shore zone (Figure 5-1),
sugge sting a g radual movement of juveniles to the shoals and shore zone in late July-early August.
Because white perch apparently spawn in the shoal areas of the IIudson River and presumably in the tributaries, juveniles may move directly to the shallow shoals and shore zone and spend almost no time in the regions where they would te susceptible to power plants.
Exposure of white perch life stages to power plants differed same-w hat between 19 73 and 1974. Exposure indices were rouch higher in 1974 for eggs and yolk-sac larvae, e specially in the Bowline, Lovett, and Indian Point plant regions. Overall exposure of past yolk-sac larvae was similar in both years, but in 1974 exposure increased at Ro stton and Danskammer and de-c reased at Bowline, Lo v e tt, and Indian Point. Juvenile exposure indice s we re lowe r during 1974 at all power plant s, reflecting the upper river concentration.
- not proLced for t'is arrendi).
g3 y 3
[
The white perch is a resident of the IIudson River estuary, so the cumulative degree of exposure to power plant across all life stages and age groups is much greater than for the anadromous striped bass and Atlantic tom-cod.
However, the eggs and yolk-sac larvae should be relatively invulnerable to po ver plants due to the adhesive, demer sal characteristics of the egg, the apparent use of shoals and probable use of shore-zone and tributary areas as spawning sites. Juvenile movements to the shoals and shore zone should greatly reduce their vulnerability. Swimming-speed data sugge.st that ju enile white perch are gene rally able to maintain position in a plant-intake area with an approach velocity of 0. 5 f fsec (15. 2 cm/sec) when they are 30-40 mm in length.
Swimmina-speed ability is influenced by several factors, including tempera-ture, salinity, and condition of the fish: t h e r e fo r e, rapid chsnces in salinity during period s of low water temperature cou!d decrease the ability of over-winte ring juvenile chite perch to avoid impingement, a phenomenon which has bee n observed at Indian Point (Texas instruments, 1974a). Po st yolk-sac larvae appea r to be the white perch early life stage most "ulnerable to power plant-induced mortality via entrainment. Any use of tributary streams and shallow cove areas for spawning and nursery habitat would reduce the direct impact of the power plants on the total population even though segments of the population m y be highly vulnerable.
c.
Atlantic Tomcod The 1973 and 1974 longitudinal river ichthyoplankton sampling pragram began in mid-late April in both years. Since Atlantic tomcod spawn f rom December through February in the IIudson R9er and egg development takes about a month, neither program was designed to collect tomcod eggs and larvae. Juveniles were collected in the first river runs during both years.
IIe nc e, conclusions regarding the peak standing crops are speculative.
Atlar tic tomcod spawn in the shallow, shore zone of the liudson Rive r above the salt-f resh water interface (Booth, 1967).
The eggs are demersal and perhaps adhesive, although the adhesive question is unr e solved. Consequently, the egg and yolk-sic larvae stages were not col-lected in the 197L 74 studies and were relatively invulnerable to power-plant intake s.
Post yolk-sac larvae are probably more vulnerable, but the abundance and distribution patterns for this life stage in the IIudson River during 1973 and 1974 are unknown.
B-14
i ii i
The basic difference in Atlantic tomcod juvenile abundance and distribution between 1973 and 1974 was a peak standing crop about 1000 time s greater in 1974 A part of this difference can be attributed to increased sam-pling effort in the shoals in 1974, since 15.5% of the 1974 juvenile standing c rop e stimate s occur red in the shoal stratum (Table C-7).
Juvenile tom-cod were concentrated in the lower rive r in both years and appeared to rastrict their distribution throughout the summer to those regions exposed to the salt f ront.
Juvenile vulne rability to power-plant entrainment and impingement should be greatest at the plants located in the lower river - Bowline, Love tt,
a nd Indian Point.
Vulnerability should be highest at Lovett and Indian Point since A+1 antic tomcod are demersal fishe s, never abundant in the shore zone.
Adult tomcod are relatively small fish (180 250 mm) and should be highly vulnerable to impingement when they are spawning in the shoals frorn about rive r mile 39-76 (km 62-122). Swimming ability of the Atlantic tomcod is unknown, but because they are bottom-feeding fishe s rather than pursuing predators like the striped bass, their capability to avoid impingement on plant intake sc ree ns, especially when laden with reproductive products, may be reduced.
7 ri ~
4 gj,,'
, _15
-