ML26020A042
| ML26020A042 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Hatch  |
| Issue date: | 01/13/2026 |
| From: | Maholland P US Dept of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service |
| To: | Delano J Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, Southern Nuclear Operating Co |
| References | |
| Download: ML26020A042 (0) | |
Text
James M. DeLano, Environmental Affairs Manager Southern Nuclear Operating Co., Inc.
3535 Colonnade Parkway Birmingham, Alabama 35243 Attn: Lindsey Grissom
Subject:
REQUEST FOR CONCURRENCE WITH ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT DETERMINATIONS FOR EDWIN I. HATCH, UNITS 1 AND 2, PROPOSED SUBSEQUENT LICENSE RENEWAL IN APPLING COUNTY, GEORGIA (IPAC PROJECT CODE: 2026-0023060)
Dear James DeLano:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) thanks you for your January 6, 2026, letter requesting concurrence that relicensing of the Hatch Nuclear Plants (HNP) Units 1 and 2 is not likely to adversely affect several federally listed species. We also thank you for the opportunity to review this project and for the early coordination with you and your team.
HNP is situated on approximately 2,244 acres along the Altamaha River, with land parcels in both Appling County and Toombs County, Georgia. The HNP site borders the Altamaha River on the northern and southern banks, roughly eleven miles north of the city of Baxley. HNPs structures are confined to parcels of land south of the Altamaha River in Appling County. The northern parcels of the HNP site are composed primarily of undeveloped woody wetlands. In accordance with NRC regulations, the transmission lines within the scope of the license renewal are those located within the HNP site boundary.
The IPaC Official Species List for this project dated December 4, 2025, indicated that the following federally listed, proposed, or candidate species could potentially occur on the project site: tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus; Proposed Endangered), red-cockaded woodpecker (Dryobates borealis; Threatened), eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi; Threatened),
southern hognose snake (Heterodon simus), Altamaha spinymussel (Elliptio spinosa; Endangered) and its critical habitat, and monarch butterfly (Danaus Plexippus; Proposed Threatened).
The Service submits the following comments pursuant to the authorities of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. §1531 et seq.), the Fish and Wildlife United States Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Georgia Ecological Services RG Stephens, Jr. Federal Building 355 East Hancock Avenue, Room 320 Athens, Georgia 30601 FWS.gov/office/Georgia-Ecological-Services/
GAES_Assistance@FWS.gov January 13, 2026
Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. § 661 et seq.), and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 668-668c).
As the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions designated non-Federal representative for the Hatch Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2 subsequent licensing renewal, Southern Nuclear Operating Company determined that the proposed subsequent licensing renewal may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect tricolored bat, red-cockaded woodpecker, eastern indigo snake, southern hognose snake, monarch butterfly, and Altamaha spinymussel. Southern Nuclear Operating Company has also determined that the subsequent licensing renewal will have no effect on designated critical habitat for the Altamaha spinymussel because critical habitat for the Altamaha spinymussel is not located within the project boundary. No other designated critical habitat occurs near the project.
Terrestrial species Based on the information provided in the January 2026 Biological Assessment for the Edwin I.
Hatch Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 Continued Operations Under Subsequent License Renewal Operating License Nos. DPR-57 and NPF-5, the relicensing and operation of HNP is not expected to result in any new ground disturbance activity beyond maintenance and repairs of the project that may be necessary, and these activities are anticipated to be within previously disturbed areas. Because no ground disturbance in previously undisturbed habitats is expected, the Service does not anticipate that project operations or relicensing will impact terrestrial listed species (tricolored bat, red-cockaded woodpecker, eastern indigo snake, southern hognose snake, or the monarch butterfly).
Altamaha spinymussel The Service also does not anticipate the relicensing and operation of the HNP having any impacts to the Altamaha spinymussel, which has not been documented in the Altamaha River adjoining the HNP since 1993; comprehensive surveys in 2021, 2022, and 2023 did not collect any individuals of this species (Georgia DNR Biotics Database; 5-year comprehensive evaluation report for the Candidate Conservation Agreement (CCA) for Mollusks of the Altamaha River Basin, Georgia). Based on the information provided in the January 2026 Biological Assessment, HNP has implemented several conservation measures that mitigate harm to aquatic species.
HNP employs a closed-loop or closed-cycle recirculating cooling system which minimizes the amount of surface water that must be withdrawn from the Altamaha River for operations, which in turn reduces impingement and entrainment of aquatic species relative to once-through cooling systems. The average approach velocity at the vertical traveling screen is 0.31 feet per second, which is generally slow enough for most fishes to escape this current, except for very small or larval fishes. HNP has the best technology available (BTA) required by Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act (CWA), minimizing impact on aquatic life. A 5-year impingement and entrainment study conducted from 1975 to 1980 indicates that impingement and entrainment are unlikely to result in population-level effects for fishes that may be hosts for the Altamaha spinymussel. Accordingly, although HNP operations could potentially impinge or entrain host
fishes of the Altamaha spiny mussel, these effects are discountable or insignificant. The water intakes for HNP also require maintenance dredging. These activities are carried out under an individual dredging permit (Permit No. SAS-1994-03873) issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE); ESA consultation with USACE has already been conducted and completed.
The Section 401 certification requires implementation of best management practices (BMPs) for in-water use to prevent degradation of water quality downstream. More specifically, the BMPs must minimize total suspended solids (TSS) and sedimentation for work conducted within a State water or within delineated wetland boundaries. The Service concurred with USACEs determination that these activities were not likely to adversely affect the Altamaha spinymussel. The section of the Altamaha River adjacent to HNP is excluded from Altamaha spinymussel critical habitat; critical habitat for the Altamaha spinymussel occurs 0.4 miles upstream and 0.75 miles downstream of the Action Area. Therefore, we do not anticipate that this project will result in impacts to the Altamaha spinymussel or its critical habitat.
Conclusion Based on the information provided in the January 2026 Biological Assessment for the Edwin I.
Hatch Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 Continued Operations Under Subsequent License Renewal Operating License Nos. DPR-57 and NPF-5, the Service concurs with Southern Nuclear Operating Companys determination that HNPs proposed subsequent license renewal is not likely to adversely affect red-cockaded woodpecker, eastern indigo snake, or the Altamaha spinymussel, and have no effect on Altamaha spinymussel designated critical habitat.
There is currently no requirement to consult on the tricolored bat, southern hognose snake, or the monarch butterfly until their proposed listings are finalized, unless a project is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of these species. The subsequent license renewal of the Hatch Nuclear Plants Units 1 and 2 is not likely to jeopardize the current existence of these species.
The Service does not anticipate any impacts to suitable habitat for these species due to the proposed action, including soil disturbance only in previously impacted areas for maintenance and operations of the facility.
We thank you again for your early coordination and the opportunity to review HNPs relicensing. Please contact staff biologist Eric Bauer (eric_bauer@fws.gov) with the Services Georgia Ecological Services Field Office in Athens, Georgia, for additional information or if you require further assistance.
Sincerely, Peter Maholland Field Supervisor PETER MAHOLLAND Digitally signed by PETER MAHOLLAND Date: 2026.01.14 08:07:47
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