ML20307A139

NRC to NMFS, Atlantic Sturgeon Captured at Surry

ML20307A139
Person / Time
Site:	Surry
Issue date:	10/27/2020
From:	Briana Grange Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
To:	Crocker J US Dept of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service
Briana Grange 301-415-1042
References
Download: ML20307A139 (3)

Text

From: Grange, Briana To: Crocker, Julie

Subject:

FYI: Atlantic sturgeon captured at Surry Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2020 12:57:00 PM Attachments: Sturgeon at Surry Trash Racks - 201026.pdf

Julie, I just wanted to follow up my earlier voicemail regarding the Atlantic sturgeon captured at Surry yesterday. Do you have time this week to discuss next steps?

Additionally, here is a summary of what I know at this time, as well as a photograph of the captured sturgeon (attached).

Oct 26 Atlantic Sturgeon Capture On 10/26, Dominion personnel discovered an Atlantic sturgeon on the lower level intake trash racks of Surry Power Station. The sturgeon was alive but entangled with a rope around its tail, which had caused injury to the individual in the form of cuts.

Divers removed the rope and used a plastic sheet to transport the sturgeon to a safe location for release. The sturgeon swam away following release.

Agency Notifications On 10/27, Dominion verbally notified several agencies of the incident, including NMFS, the NRC, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

ESA Section 7 Consultation In the most recent consultation, the NRC concluded that continued operation of Surry and through the end of the proposed relicensing term was not likely to adversely affect (NLAA)

Atlantic sturgeon. As part of its analysis, the NRC found that impingement of Atlantic (and shortnose) sturgeon represents a discountable effect because sturgeon in the action area would be of sufficient size and swimming ability to avoid impingement at the intake and that, therefore, impingement is extremely unlikely to occur.

NMFS concurred with this conclusion in a Jan 30, 2020, letter to the NRC.

The NRC and NMFS also consulted when the Atlantic sturgeon was originally listed in 2012, and an NLAA conclusion was reached by NRC and concurred on by NMFS during that consultation as well.

Reinitiation of Consultation Previous to the 10/26 event, no Atlantic sturgeon had been captured at Surry since it began operating.

This capture appears to constitute new information under 50 CFR 402.16(a)(2) that would require reinitiation.

Thanks!

Briana Briana A. Grange Conservation Biologist & ESA Consultation Coordinator Environmental Center of Expertise Office of Materials Safety and Safeguards U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission briana.grange@nrc.gov (301) 415-1042