ML25064A201
| ML25064A201 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Clinton  (NPF-062) |
| Issue date: | 03/28/2025 |
| From: | Dehmer M NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ETRB1 |
| To: | US Dept of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service |
| References | |
| 2025-0060766 | |
| Download: ML25064A201 (1) | |
Text
E-MAIL ONLY Illinois-Iowa Ecological Services Field Office U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1511 47th Ave.
Moline, IL 61265-7022
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR CONCURRENCE WITH ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT DETERMINATIONS FOR CLINTON POWER STATION, UNIT 1, PROPOSED LICENSE RENEWAL IN DEWITT COUNTY, ILLINOIS (IPAC PROJECT CODE 2024-0060766) (DOCKET NUMBER: 50-461)
Dear Illinois-Iowa Ecological Services Field Office:
With this letter, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requests the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) concurrence with the NRC staffs not likely to adversely affect (NLAA) determinations pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), concerning federally listed species that may be affected by the proposed action on the Clinton Power Station (CPS), Unit 1, site in DeWitt County, Illinois. To best assist, this letter contains information explaining and supporting this request.
Proposed Action CPS is a single unit nuclear power plant located that lies on Clinton Lake in DeWitt County, Illinois approximately 60 miles [100 kilometers] northeast of Springfield, Illinois that is owned and operated by Constellation Energy Generation (CEG). The site consists of approximately 13,626 acres (ac) [5,513 hectares (ha)] located in the eastern half of DeWitt County. CPS sits on the manmade cooling reservoir, Clinton Lake, which is the predominant physical feature in the region which covers 4,895 ac (1,981 ha). The NRC issued the current facility operating license (NPF-62) for CPS on April 17, 1987, and this license expires at midnight on April 17, 2027.
On February 14, 2024, CEG submitted a license renewal application for CPS, Unit 1 for the NPF-62 operating license. Accordingly, the NRC is currently reviewing whether to renew the Unit 1 operating license for an additional 20 years of operation. The approval of which would allow CEG to continue operating Unit 1 until April 17, 2047.
Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for CPS Unit 1 License Renewal In support of its review of the proposed Unit 1 license renewal, the NRC staff is preparing a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the NRCs environmental regulations at Title 10 of the Code of March 28, 2025
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Federal Regulations Part 51 that implement NEPA. The draft EIS will address the environmental impacts of the proposed action and reasonable alternatives to the proposed action. In support of this concurrence request, the NRC staff is providing the FWS with an advance copy of the draft EIS. The draft EIS contains the staffs biological evaluation, as well as other supporting information. Information relevant to the proposed action can be found in the following sections.
Section 2.1 describes the CPS site and operation of the plant Section 2.2 describes the proposed action, including the purpose, duration, timing, and associated activities that would be carried out during the proposed license renewal term.
Section 3.6 describes the terrestrial ecology of the site and surrounding area.
Section 3.7 describes the freshwater aquatic ecology of the site and surrounding area.
Section 3.8 describes the NRC staffs biological evaluation for ESA-protected species and critical habitats.
Section 3.8.1.1 describes the ESA action area.
Section 3.8.1.2 describes the ESA-protected species and critical habitats under the FWS jurisdiction that are potentially present in the action area.
Section 3.8.4.1 analyzes the impacts of the proposed Unit 1 license renewal on ESA-protected species and critical habitats under FWS jurisdiction.
Request for NLAA Concurrence and Conference Concurrence On December 5, 2024, the NRC staff received concurrence for the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) NLAA determination through the IPaC Determination Key process.
Therefore, the NRC staff requests your written concurrence with its NLAA determinations for the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalist), rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis), and the eastern prairie fringed orchid (Plantanthera leucophaea). Additionally, the NRC staff requests your written conference concurrence with its NLAA determinations for the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) and western regal fritillary (Argynnis idalia occidentalis). The NRC staff has also concluded that the proposed action has no effect (NE) on the salamander mussel (Simpsonaias ambigua). While the ESA does not require the NRC to consult with or receive concurrence from the FWS regarding NE determination findings, the NRC staff welcomes any comments the Service may have on this species or the NRCs impact assessment.
Please provide your response electronically to the following email addresses:
EndangeredSpecies.Resource@nrc.gov and Mitchell.Dehmer@nrc.gov.
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If you have any questions regarding information in this letter, please contact me by phone at (301) 415-4016 or via email at Mitchell.Dehmer@nrc.gov.
Sincerely, Mitchell Dehmer, Environmental Scientist Environmental Technical Review Branch 1 Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket No. 50-461 cc: Listserv Signed by Dehmer, Mitchell on 03/28/25
Illinois-Iowa ESFO 4
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR CONCURRENCE WITH ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT DETERMINATIONS FOR CLINTON POWER STATION, UNIT 1, PROPOSED LICENSE RENEWAL IN DEWITT COUNTY, ILLINOIS (IPAC PROJECT CODE 2024-0060766) (DOCKET NUMBER: 50-461)
DATED:
DISTRIBUTION:
Mitchell Dehmer Briana Arlene Shannon Healy Ashley Waldron Michelle Rome Steve Koenick John Moses Christopher Regan Julie Ezell (OGC)
Kris Wilson (OGC)
Illinois-Iowa Ecological Service Field Office (rockisland@fws.gov)
Kraig McPeek, Field Supervisor (Kraig_McPeek@fws.gov)
Sara Schmuecker, Deputy Field Supervisor (Sara_Schmuecker@fws.gov)
Veronica Starcevich, Administrative Officer (Veronica_Starcevich@fws.gov)
ADAMS Accession Number: ML25064A201