ML20127K370

Responds to Requesting Comments on Application of Util for CP & Facility License for Proposed Plant

ML20127K370
Person / Time
Site:	Monticello
Issue date:	02/23/1967
From:	Pautzke C INTERIOR, DEPT. OF, FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE
To:	Price H US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
Shared Package
ML20127K356	List: ML20127K352 ML20127K370
References
NUDOCS 9211200387
Download: ML20127K370 (4)

Text

- - - - ---

/t

. .y 84 81f f%Y fit 8 f ft 101

_. 7g -

r . .-4 UNITED STATES

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

}( FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE "g _

WASHINGTON 25. D. C.

FTD : 3 t*'

Mr. Harold Price Dimetor of Regulations U. S. Atomic Energy Commission Washington, D. C. 20$h5

Dear Mr. Price:

This is in reply to your letter of August 17, 1966, requesting our comments on the application of the Northern States Power Company-for a conctruction permit and facility license for its proposed

^

Monticello nuclear generating plant, Wright County, Minnesota, Dockot No. 50-263 The plant alte is located on a 1325-acre tract of company-owned land on the west bank of the . Mississippi River, approximately 3 miles northwest of Monticeno, Minnesota. The area around the site is used for agricultum.

A direct-cycle boiling water reactor designed for an output of approximateAv lh69 thormal megawatts and.a net electrical output of h717 megawatts would be used as a power source. Condenser cooling water would be pumped from the liississippi River and returned to the river through diccharge canals after absorption of heat wastos from the plant. During low stream flow conditions, a cooling tower would be operated on a closed cycle and only make-up requirements would be drawn from the river. During times of substantial flow, but with high temperature conditions, the cooling tower would be employed in an open cycle to_ control tha l temperature of discharged water. However, it is anticipated that stream flow would be sufficient most of the time to allow a-straight-through discharge not involving cooling tower operation.

The waste disposal system would provide for the disposal of_.0u radioactive liquid, gaseous, and solid wastes. Solid wastes would be prepared for off-site disposal; gaseous wastes would be released to the ventilation stack; and liquid wastes would be -

released to the discharge canal at controlled rates.

The application states that a study of environmental radiation levels will be-initiated approximately 2 years before'the scheduled operation of the nuclear power plant _ and will be con-

-tinued after operation. The study program will be coordinated

~with ' studios conducted by concerned public agencies. - Radiological:

analyses will be mode of-air, river and well water, soil, milk, and food crops and other. vegetation.

9211200387 670412 .

PDR ADOCK 05000263 -

0- PDR .

__-_-__=__a

0 I

The averaco 1.ausual river flow at the donticello site is estimated te te h,600 efc. 1he minimum fivw Ja estimated to ao ELO cfs, and the maximuu %,0v0 cru. Rivor flow pastthe Mont):ello cite is expceted to exceed 1,100 cfs 90 percent of the tiac end 300 cfs 90 percent of the time.

The application indicates that the release of radioactive unste would not exceed maximum permiscible limits prescribed in Title 10, Part LO of the Code of Federal F.egulations. These l hits refer to maximum levels of radioactivity that can occur in drinking water '

for man without resulting in any harmful effects. Maximum pemissible concentrations, however, may not alwayc guarantee that fish and wildlife will be protected from adverse effects. If the concentration in the receiving water were the only consideration, maximum pemianible limita would be adequato criterk for detemining the safe rate of discharCo. However, radioisotopes of many elemente are concentrated cad stored by organisms that require these elements for their nomal metabolic activities. Como orcenisms concentra.te and store radioisotopes of elemento not nomally required but which era chemically similvr to elemento escential for metabolism. In both cases, the radionuclidos are transferred from one organism to another through various levels of the food chcin just as are the nonradioactive elements. These transfera may result in further concentretion of radionuclidea cnd a vide dispersion from the project trea pcrticularly by migratory fich, mamnals, end birds.

In view of the above, we believe that the pre- and post-operational radiological curveys planned by the applicant should include studies of the effects of radionuclides on selected organicms which require the waste elements or similar elements for their metabolic activities. These surveys should be planned in cooperation with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Kinnesota Departnent of Conservation.

If the post-operational surveys establish that levels of radio-active effluent permitted in Title 10, Part EO, Code of Federal Regulations results in harmful concentrations of radioactivity da fish and wildlife, we recommend that de.ta from the radiological survey serve as a guide to reduce the discharge of radiocctivity to acceptoole levels.

In view of the great value of the fish and uildlife resources that i inhabit the Mississippi P.iver, it la imperative that every possible I effort be made to protect them from radioactivo contamine. tion. In

! order to provide for the conservation and developnent of fish and wildli.fo resources, it is recommended that the Northern States Power Company be requixtd to:

2 l

4 i .

1 i

1. Cooperate with the Fish and Pildlife rervico, the

~

~

Hinnesota Department of Conservation and other

' interested State agencies in developing plans for radiological surveys.

2. Conduct or arrange for the conduct of pre-operational radiological surveys of selected organisms and of the i

environment by competent scientists knowledgeable in i the fish ead wildlife field, to include, but not l limited to the followings

a. Water sad sediment samples, which should be i collected within 500 feet of the reactor effluent outfall (need be measured only for Camma radioactivity).

j b. Selected plants and animals, which should be collected as near the reactor effluent

~

outfall as possible (should be analyzed for both beta and gamma radioactivity).

3 Prepare a report of the pre-operational radiological survey and provide 5 copies to the Secretary of the Interior for evaluation prior to. project operations.

> h. Conduct radiological surveys, similar to those specified in recommendation 2 above, analyze the data, and prepare and sub:ait renorta every 3 months during the first year of reactor operation

and ever/ 0 months thereafter or until it has been conclusively de

nonstrated that no significant

. adverse conditions exist. Pive copies of these

• reports shall be autraitted to the SecreLary of the Interior for distribution to the appropriate Stata i and Federal agencies for evaluation.

3 5 Make such reasonable modifications of project structures and operations as may oe ordered by the Atornic Energy Commission upon its own notion or upon the recommendations of the Secretary of the Interior or the Minnesota Department of "onservation.

We understud it is the Commission's opinion that its regalatory author:;.ty over nuclear power plants involves only those hazarda associated with radioactive :aatarials. Ilowaver, we recommend and urge that thermal pollution and otner possible detrimental effects -

to fish and wildlife which may result from plant construction and operation be called to the attention of the applicant. Ue further recommend that the applicant be requested to discuss this matter with appropriate State conservation officials and the 21sh and i

Wildlife Service to develop measures to mininize these hazards.

I l

l 3

l-l

i One proulom ue foresee is the poaulble ef fec t.s of incre:ced unter J teaperatum on aquatic organisms. Large volumes of hented water discharged into an aquatic environment may not be sufficient to cause mortality among the organisms present, out subtle biological i chances could occur causing long tera changes in the environment.

To measure oiological changes in aquatic orJanisms and long tem 4 changes in the environment, ecological surveys should be carried out prior to and following plant operation so that comparative data will be available for analysis. These surveys should be i planned in cooperation with the Fish and U11dlife Service and the j liinnesota Department of Conservation.

If the ecological surveys establish that the heated unter dis-l charged into the river results in changes in the environment that are significantly detrimental to fish and wildlife, es determined by the fish and Ulldlife Service or the !!innesota lapartaont of Conservation, it is probable that increased use of the cooling

tower, or some other corrective measuro, will need be made to reduce the temperature of the effluent.

! In view of the Administration's policy to maintain, protect, and

. improve the quality of our environment and most particularly the water cnd air media, we request that the Commission urge the

!!orthern States Power l'.onpany to:

1. Cooperate with the Fish cnd "ildlife Cervice and the Minnesota Department of Conservation and other interested State agencies in developint; plans for ecological surveys; and initiate these surveys at least two years before mactor operations and continue them on a regular basis during operations until it has been conclusively demonstrated that no significant adverse conditions exist.

2. Meet with Fish and Wildlife Service and State of Minnesota agencies at frequent intervals to dis-l cuss new plans andto evaluate results of existing s urve}"J .

3 Make such modifications in project structure and operation as may be determined necessary as a result of the surveys.

The opportunity for pneenting our views on this project is appre-ciated.

Sincerely yours, 1

. .. , , ,. . ~

I. ,-s Clarence F. Pautzke Commissioner

, h i

e

. . , , , . . _ ,m,-,--,- , . .-1.r , .),, , g y. , y ~ ,_-