ML21195A387
| ML21195A387 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | HI-STORE |
| Issue date: | 04/24/2019 |
| From: | State of NM, Dept of Game & Fish |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards |
| Caverly J | |
| References | |
| NMERT-203 | |
| Download: ML21195A387 (5) | |
Text
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Project ID: NMERT-203 PROJECT INFORMATION Project
Title:
Proposed Holtec Consolidated Interim Storage Facility Project Type: OTHER Latitude/Longitude (DMS): 32.565971 / -103.709356 County(s): LEA Project
Description:
Holtec has prepared this Environmental Report (ER) to evaluate the potential radiological and nonradiological impacts associated with the construction and operation of the CIS Facility for Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and Reactor-Related Greater than Class C LowLevel Radioactive Waste (LLRW) (hereafter, referred to collectively as SNF) in Lea County, New Mexico. Holtec is proposing to construct and operate Phase 1 of the CIS Facility within an approximately 1,040 acre parcel. Holtec is currently requesting authorization to possess and store 500 canisters of SNF containing 5,000 metric tons of uranium (MTUs), which includes spent uranium-based fuel from commercial nuclear reactors as well as a small quantity of spent mixed-oxide fuel. If the requested license is issued by the NRC, Holtec anticipates subsequently requesting an amendment to the license to request authorization to possess and store SNF containing an additional 5,000 MTUs in 500 canisters for each of 19 subsequent expansion phases to be completed over the course of 20 years. Ultimately, Holtec anticipates that approximately 10,000 canisters of SNF would be stored at the CIS Facility upon completion of 20 phases.
Therefore, this ER analyzes the environmental impacts of possession and storage of SNF containing 100,000 MTUs.
REQUESTOR INFORMATION Project Organization: US NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Contact Name: Amy Minor Email Address: aminor@swri.org Organization: Southwest Research Institute Address: 6220 Culebra Rd, San Antonio TX 78238 Phone: 2105225750 OVERALL STATUS This report contains an initial list of recommendations regarding potential impacts to wildlife or wildlife habitats from the proposed project. Your project proposal is being forwarded to a New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (Department) biologist for review to determine whether there are any additional recommendations regarding the proposed actions. You should be notified within 30 days whether there are further recommendations regarding this project proposal.
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New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Project ID: NMERT-203 About this report:
This environmental review is based on the project description and location that was entered. The report must be updated if the project type, area, or operational components are modified.
This is a preliminary environmental screening assessment and report. It is not a substitute for the potential wildlife knowledge gained by having a biologist conduct a field survey of the project area. Federal status and plant data are provided as a courtesy to users. The review is also not intended to replace consultation required under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), including impact analyses for federal resources from the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) using their Information for Planning and Consultation tool.
The New Mexico Environmental Review Tool (ERT) utilizes species observation locations and species distribution models, both of which are subject to ongoing change and refinement. Inclusion or omission of a species within a report can not guarantee species presence or absence at a precise point location, as might be indicated through comprehensive biological surveys. Specific questions regarding the potential for adverse impacts to vulnerable wildlife populations or habitats, especially in areas with a limited history of biological surveys, may require further on-site assessments.
The Department encourages use of the ERT to modify proposed projects for avoidance, minimization, or mitigation of wildlife impacts. However, the ERT is not intended to be used in a repeatedly iterative fashion to adjust project attributes until a previously determined recommendation is generated. The ERT serves to asses impacts once project details are developed. The New Mexico Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool is the appropriate system for advising early-stage project planning and design to avoid areas of anticipated wildlife concerns and associated regulatory requirements.
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New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Project ID: NMERT-203 Page 3 of 5 4/24/2019 03:13:33 PM
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Project ID: NMERT-203 Special Status Animal Species within 1 Miles of Project Area Common Name Scientific Name USFWS (ESA) NMDGF (WCA) NMDGF SGCN/SERI Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis SGCN American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus SGCN Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus T SGCN Aplomado Falcon Falco femoralis E SGCN Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus T SGCN Lesser Prairie-Chicken Tympanuchus pallidicinctus SGCN Yellow-Billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus LT SGCN Lewis's Woodpecker Melanerpes lewis SGCN Bank Swallow Riparia riparia SGCN Pygmy Nuthatch Sitta pygmaea SGCN Sprague's Pipit Anthus spragueii SGCN Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus SGCN Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii T SGCN Gray Vireo Vireo vicinior T SGCN Varied Bunting Passerina versicolor T SGCN Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Cynomys ludovicianus SGCN Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Sceloporus arenicolus E SGCN Cougar Puma concolor SERI Pronghorn Antilocapra americana americana SERI ESA = Endangered Species Act, WCA = Wildlife Conservation Act, SGCN = Species of Greatest Conservation Need, SERI = Species of Economic and Recreational Importance Project Recommendations Your proposed project activities may require a custom review for assessment of potential effects to wildlife. If the information provided under the "OVERALL STATUS" section above indicates that your project will be forwarded for review, a Department biologist will confirm whether any additional conservation measures are needed. You should expect to receive any additional project recommendations within 30 days of your project submission. If the "OVERALL STATUS" section indicates that no further consultation with the Department is required, you should not expect to receive additional project feedback from the Department, and you may proceed with project planning as indicated.
The Lesser Prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicintus) (LPC) was designated as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in New Mexico, and has been considered for federal listing as Threatened. The LPC Interstate Working Group has developed the LPC Range-Wide Conservation Plan (RWP) and Southern Great Plains Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool (SGP-CHAT) to designate and prioritize areas for LPC conservation activities and development. Our preliminary assessment indicates your project occurs in LPC habitat.
The Department therefore recommends that you consider enrolling under the LPC Range-Wide Conservation Plan.
This plan provides assurances and authorizes incidental take of LPC to participants who voluntarily enroll and fully implement their conservation commitments under the RWP. For additional information on enrolling under the Plan and project planning guidance, contact Grant Beauprez, the Department's Lesser Prairie Chicken Biologist, at (575) 478-2460 or Grant.Beauprez@state.nm.us, or Sean Kyle, Industry Services Director with the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, at (806) 252-2766 or Sean.Kyle@wafwa.org.
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New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Project ID: NMERT-203 Our preliminary assessment indicates your project occurs in Lesser Prairie-chicken Crucial Habitat Category 3 (Modeled Habitat Zone).
Disclaimers regarding recommendations:
The Department provides technical guidance to support the persistence of all protected species of native fish and wildlife, including game and nongame wildlife species. Species listed within this report include those that have been documented to occur within the project area, and others that may not have been documented but are projected to occur within the project vicinity.
Recommendations are provided by the Department under the authority of § 17-1-5.1 New Mexico Statutes Annotated 1978, to provide "communication and consultation with federal and other state agencies, local governments and communities, private organizations and affected interests responsible for habitat, wilderness, recreation, water quality and environmental protection to ensure comprehensive conservation services for hunters, anglers and nonconsumptive wildlife users".
The Department has no authority for management of plants or Important Plant Areas. The New Mexico Endangered Plant Program, under the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department's Forestry Division, identifies and develops conservation measures necessary to ensure the survival of plant species within New Mexico. Plant status information is provided within this report as a courtesy to users.
Recommendations provided within the ERT may not be sufficient to preclude impacts to rare or sensitive plants, unless conservation measures are identified in coordination with the Endangered Plant Program.
Additional coordination may also be necessary under the federal ESA or National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Further site-specific recommendations may be proposed during ESA and/or NEPA analyses, or through coordination with affected federal agencies.
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