ML25042A236
| ML25042A236 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Diablo Canyon  |
| Issue date: | 01/16/2025 |
| From: | Arlene B Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards |
| To: | Wang S US Dept of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service |
| References | |
| Download: ML25042A236 (1) | |
Text
From:
Briana Arlene To:
susan.wang@noaa.gov Cc:
Harrison Smith - NOAA Federal; Sam Chin - NOAA Federal; Dan Lawson (Dan.Lawson@noaa.gov); Michelle Rome (She/Her); Mitchell Dehmer; Shannon Healy (She/Her); Kim Conway; Rebel, Trevor; Gould, Bo; Vardas, Kris
Subject:
Diablo Canyon ESA consultation Date:
Thursday, January 16, 2025 11:45:00 AM Hi Susan,
Thanks for taking the time to meet with me and Kim yesterday!
As we discussed, NRC has no concerns with you including the black abalone in the formal consultation.
With respect to the potential for entrainment of black abalone zyogtes, you had asked about whether there were any records indicating that black abalone may inhabit the Intake Cove, and I agreed to circle back on this. I went back through studies and information that NRC has, and I also discussed this with PG&E. There are no records of this species occurring in the Intake Cove. Most recently, PG&E conducted diver surveys in September 2023 within the Intake Cove as part of required dredging permits. Divers identified no black abalone during these surveys, and the California Coastal Commission staff report (available here) indicates that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) made a no effect determination for black abalone associated with the 2024 Intake Cove dredging effort because the species was absent from the affected area. When I spoke to PG&E this morning, they mentioned that the USACE consulted informally with NMFS on the dredging project. I dont have copies of any of that correspondence, but perhaps that would be another place to look for perspectives on black abalone presence/absence in the Intake Cove. If during that consultation, NMFS agreed with the USACE that the species is absent from the Intake Cove, it would follow that we would consider it absent for the proposed license renewal consultation.
Schedule-wise, we understand that we will have the opportunity to review a draft opinion (tentatively in late February) and that NMFS anticipates completing the consultation and issuing a final biological opinion in May.
Finally, you had offered to explain what NMFS is anticipating with respect to requirements concerning black abalone in the biological opinion. I shared with PG&E what you shared with me yesterday. PG&E would like to schedule a short meeting with NRC and NMFS to hear that information directly from you and ask any questions they might have.
Let me know what your availability might be next week or the following week for that. I think a 30-min time slot should be plenty!
Thanks again for meeting yesterday, for the updates, and for explaining your reasoning in including the black abalone in the formal consultation. Much appreciated and very helpful!
Briana Briana S. Arlene Conservation Biologist & ESA Consultation Coordinator
Environmental Center of Expertise Office of Materials Safety and Safeguards U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
briana.arlene@nrc.gov (301) 415-1042