ML20216J665

NPDES Noncompliance Notification:On 990902,harbor Seal Was Entrapped in SW Pumphouse Forebay.Seal Was Entrapped at Least Four Weeks Before Recovery.Results of Seal Necropsy Performed by New England Aquarium Encl Also

ML20216J665
Person / Time
Site:	Seabrook
Issue date:	09/30/1999
From:	Hart J NORTH ATLANTIC ENERGY SERVICE CORP. (NAESCO)
To:	MASSACHUSETTS, COMMONWEALTH OF
References
AR#99013791, LIC-99371, NUDOCS 9910060028
Download: ML20216J665 (7)

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"*g North Atlantic Energy Ser.aee Corporation 5 P.O. Box 3%

North. Seabrook, Nll 038:4 '

Atlantiac (6033 474 9s21 The Northeast Utilities System September 30,1999

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LIC-99371 1 AR # 99013791 Mr. Gregg LaMontagne National Marine Fisheries Service -

Northeast Region, One Blackburn Drive Gloucester,MA 02173  ;

Seabrook Station q Seal Entrapment-September 2,1999 North Atlantic Energy Service Corporation (North Atlantic) hereby submits the enclosed report of a harbor seal entrapment at Seabrook Station on September 2,1999. This report is submitted in accordance with Paragraph 6(i) of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Letter of Authorizatiori to take a small number of seals incidental to intake Cooling Water System operations at Seabrook Station. The results of the seal necropsy performed by the New England Aquarium are also enclosed. 1 The seal was observed on September 2 and recovered on the same day. The state of decomposition indicates that the seal was entrapped at least four weeks prior to recovery, which was before installation of l

the seal deterrent barriers. North Atlantic notified the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) of this {

entrapment pursuant to Paragraph 6(f) of the NMFS Letter of Authorization. The Environmental Protection I Agency was also notified'per their request'.

If you have additional questions, please contact me at (603) 773-7762.

Very truly yours, NORTF TLANTIC ENERGY SERVICE CORP. )

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$n B. Hart 1 l

N anager-Environmental Compliance 1 ar d Industry Relations i l 1

NMFS Letter of Authorization dated July 2,1999, from H. Diaz-Soltero (NMFS); ' T. Feigenbaum (North Atlantic) 8 Notifications of seal entrapr tent, telecon by R. Sher (North Atlantic) to G. LaMontagne (NMFS) and J. Palmer g 8

(EPA) on September 2,1999 h

EPA letter dated June 17, !999," Offshore intake Seal Dgterrent Barrier Design," from L. Murphy (EPA) to J.Han(North Atlantic)

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National Marine Fisheri s Servic:s LIC-99371/ Page 2 cc (with Enclosure)

' TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Mr.Jeffrey Andrews AGENCY:

'.4H Dept. of Environmental Services

• • • ' Ms4 Phr 6 Haun Dnve

'"Y " NPDES Permit Compliance Section Concord,NH 03302 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1 Congress Street, Suite 1100 Mr. Robert Estabrook Boston, MA 02203 NH Dept. of Environmental Services SEABROOK ECOLOGICAL ADVISORY n ord, 1 03302 OMMm m Mr. John Nelson Dr. John Tietjen, Chairman NH Fish and Game Department 134 Palisade Avenue 225 Main Street Leonia,NJ 07605 Durham,NH 03824 Dr. W. Huntting Howell 4

Ms. Clare McBane, Ph.D. 12 James Farm NH Fish and Game Department Lee,NH 03824 225 Main Street Durham,NH 03824 Dr. Saul Saila 317 Switch Road Mr. Frederick Gay Hope Valley, RI 02832 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Dr. Bernard J. McAlice I Congress Street, Suite 1100 270 Foster Road Boston MA 02203 Round Pond, ME 04564 Mr. Damien Houlihan Dr. Robert Wilce U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1 Congress Street, Saite 1100 Department of Biology Boston, MA 02114-2023 221 Morrill Science Center g; ,; ,g ,

Amherst,MA 01003 Mr. Jd Paar U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 60 Westview Street NORMANDEAU ASSOCIATES Lexington, MA 0217.1 Mr. Paul Geoghegan Mr. Eric Hutchins Normandeau Associates,Inc.

National Marine Fisheries Service 25 Nashua Road Northeast Region Bedford,NH 03110 ou te A 1930 NEW ENGLAND AQUARIUM Mr. Greg Early New England Aquarium Resource and Rehabilitation Central Wharf Boston, MA 02910 ,

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- U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY, j COMMISSION .

l U.S. Nuclear RegulatoryCommission  ;

kcument Control Desk ,

W. <hington, D.C. 20555-0001 j

' Mr. J. T. Harrison Senior Project Manager -

' Division of Reactor Projects U.S.NuclearRerJ G* yCommission

' Washington, DC- 2W 3.i-0001 Mr. H. J. Miller l Regional Administrator, Region 1 ,

' U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road : ] -

King of Prussia, PA 19406 NRC Senior Resident Inspector NAESCO L PO Box 300-Seabrook, NH 03874 -

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Y e e L l ENCLOSURE TO LIC-99371 l

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L SEABROOK STATION -

f SEAL ENTRAPMENT INCIDENT REPORT -

SEPTEMBER 2,1999 -  !

Site of Entrapments and Date ofInitial Service- Water Pumphouse Forebay on September 2,1999

- Observation _(Recovery Date): (September 2,1999).

SpeciesIdentification: Harbor seal. .

Desciiption/ Condition of Seal:' '. Young-of-the-year male. Weight about 50 pounds.- Carcass had moderate to advanced decomposition. Seal appears to

l. have died at least four weeks prior to recovery. See more l<

l detail in the attached New England Aquarium necropsy reports.-

, Reporter: Ron Sher, Senior Scientist

. Last Seal Observation: A harbor seal was recovered on August 21,1999. An incident report was submitted to the NMFS *. I Recent Fish Impingement: About 6,550 fish were impinged during the period Aug.1-15, 1999, including about 6,420 pollock (mostly 5-6 inches).

Seabrook Station's Environmental Monitoring Contractor has also observed large numbers of similarly sized pollock in area -

waters. Seal had small a amount of decayed stomach contents .

including one gaddoid otolith (inner ear bone used far fish identification).

l Cooling WaterIntake Temperature at 59'F Approximate Time of Entrapment:

i Plant Power Level at Time of Entrapment _ Seabrook Station was operating at 100 percent power.

Discovery::

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North Atlantic letter LIC-99364, dated September 23,1999," Seal Entrapment-August 21,1999,"1 Hart (North Atlantic) to G. LaMontagne (NMFS)

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i SEABROOK STATION SEAL ENTRAPMENT INCIDENT NECROPSY REPORT

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L Accession Number:L MH-99-709-Pv l' Site ofImpingement: Seabrook Station Service Water Pumphouse Date Seal'was Identified and Recovered: 9/2/99 Date Transported: 9/7/99 by: l

, New England Aquarium truck y

Date Examined: . 9/8/99 by: . G.Early-New England Aquarium Species: Harbor seal

' Brief History: last seal recovered 8/23/99 (MH-99-680-Pv)

CircumstantialInformation: water temp 60

Description / Condition: code 3+. (Moderate to advanced decomposition), frozen after recovery, intact carcass of young harbor seal.

Sex: M Weight: 50 lbs Standard Length: 92 cm Ft. Flipper: 16 cm l Blubber thickness: 2.1 cm Rear Flipper: 21cm Axially Girth: 65 cm Gross

Description:

Intact carcass no significant external lesions seen, somewhat bloated, skin sloughing from carcass, rear flippers partly decomposed.

Significant Gross Pathology or Trauma: No external trauma or pathology. Hemorrhaging around glottis and thoracic inlet. No parasites in lungs or heart. Very light nematode infestation in j; stomach.

i l' Stomach Contents: small amount (25ces) rust colored fluid, single otolith (badly decomposed)

(gaddoid?)

Samples Saved:- none I

i Further Analysis: none '

Comments: Seal appeared to be a robust young-of-the-year harbor seal. Advanced decomposition limits further analysis.

Based on state of decomposition (and water temperature...see below), seal is believed to have been dead at least four weeks to one month prior to recovery. Measurements of head taken. All Measurements taken at widest point of head (at l car level). Width...ll.5cm... Depth (dorsal to ventral)..12cm... Girth (at cars). 35.5cm. '

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