ML20004E469
| ML20004E469 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Harris  |
| Issue date: | 06/08/1981 |
| From: | Utley E CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT CO. |
| To: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8106120231 | |
| Download: ML20004E469 (3) | |
Text
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June 8, 1981
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Mr. Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation g 11N p
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2 United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission co
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9 SHEARON HARRIS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT N #
UNIT NOS. 1, 2, 3 AND 4 DOCKET NOS. 50-400, 50-401, 50-402, AND 50-403 HARRIS-HARNETT LINE
Dear Mr. Denton:
In recent conversations with members of your staff, questions have arisen concerning the likelihood of the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis), an endangered species, inhabiting the planned right-of-way for Carolina Power & Light Company's (CP&L) Harris-Harnett transmission line. As a result of these conversations, CP&L surveyed the planned right-of-way for potential habitats for this species.
These surveys located one potential habitat. That potential habitat was then studied by CP&L's consultant, Dr. Phillip D. Doerr of North Carolina State University. The conclusions reached by Dr. Doerr and CP&L are that the site is an abandoned habitat that has not been active for several years and that due to encroachment by an understory of hardwoods, reacti-vation by this species is unlikely. A copy of Dr. Doerr's findings is attached.
Based on the above findings, CP&L believes that the planned removal of these trees as part of the elet -ing of the right-of-way does
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not represent an adverse impact on this particular species and that approval for the transmission line route should be granted. If you have l
any further questions on this subject, please contact our staff.
Yours very truly,
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E. E. Utley
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Executi.'e Vice President Power Supply and l
Engineering & Construction l
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1 David G. Roberts Caroline Power and Light Co.
P. O. Bor 1551 8C3 Center Plaza Raleigh, N. C.
27602 Memorandum to:
David G. Roberts
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From:
Dr. Phillip D. Doerr, Certified Wildlife Biologis i
Subject:
Evaluation of Harnett County Red-cockaded Woodpecker Colony Site On 18 May 1981, I visited an abandoned red-cockaded woodpecker (picoides borealis) site in eastern Harnett County, North Carolina.
The area is in the right-of-way for a proposed transmission line for the Carolina Power and Light Co. Shearon-Harris Nuclear Facility.
The attached map locates the site.
The colony as seen on the day I visited apparently consisted of only three cavity trees with a total of four completed cavities.
The stand consisted of almost pure loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) very densely stocked and a tall, densg hardwood understory.
It is likely that this understory encroachment was responsible for prior abandon-ment of the site by red-cockadeds.
This species will not tolerate such an advanced understory.
The four completed cavities and two start cavities I observed did not show any sign that red-cockadeds had used them within the past several years.
the sap from the l
cavity plate and resin wells was dry, flaked and had long l
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sincetarned green; a sure sign of the advanced age of the sap.
In addition, each of the completed cavities showed signs of having been enlarged, possibly by other woodpecker species, or perhare, by squirrels.
There was some evidence that piliated woodpeckers may have enlarged one cavity.
There was no real evidence of red-cockaded foraging activities either, as none of the trees showed signs of " scaling" by the feeding woodpeckers.
In my opinion the site has probably not been occupied by red-cockaded woodoeckers for at least ten years.
I also surveyed aporoximately 200 acres surrounding the abandoned colony site to determine if there were any other cavity trees, either active or atandoned.
I found nothing, tt;ough there was some potentially suitable habitat.
l I do not believe the proposed transmission line would have any adverse impact on red-cockaded woodpeckers.
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