ML26040A138
| ML26040A138 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crystal River  |
| Issue date: | 02/25/2026 |
| From: | Arlene B Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards |
| To: | Martin C US Dept of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service |
| References | |
| Download: ML26040A138 (0) | |
Text
E-MAIL ONLY Catrina Martin Division Supervisor, Environmental Review Florida Ecological Services Field Office U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1339 20th Street Vero Beach, FL 32960-3559
SUBJECT:
UPDATED INFORMATION REGARDING PREVIOUSLY CONCLUDED ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT CONSULTATION FOR CRYSTAL RIVER UNIT 3 LICENSE TERMINATION PLAN (IPAC PROJECT CODE 2024-0023697) (DOCKET NUMBER: 50-302)
Dear Catrina Martin:
I am writing to provide updated information regarding the proposed action previously evaluated during an Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), consultation between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the Crystal River Nuclear Generating Plant, Unit 3 (CR3) in Citrus County, Florida. The original consultation addressed the NRCs review and potential approval of Accelerated Decommissioning Partners, LLCs (ADP) License Termination Plan (LTP). As outlined below, ADP withdrew its request for NRC review and approval of the LTP in August 2024 and resubmitted the request in October 2025. The resubmitted application is currently under NRC review. The NRC staff have evaluated whether reinitiation of ESA consultation is necessary and determined that it is not warranted at this time. This letter summarizes the current status of the project and documents the NRCs determination that reinitiation of consultation is not required.
Background
In 2024, the FWS and NRC completed consultation under the ESA to assess whether site remediation and other activities conducted by ADP under the LTP could adversely affect any federally listed species or designated critical habitats. ADPs LTP for CR3 describes site conditions, identifies remaining dismantlement activities, and outlines actions to remediate residual radioactivity to levels that meet NRCs radiological criteria for license termination. The proposed NRC action is whether to approve the CR3 LTP. If approved, the LTP would be incorporated into the CR3 license as a license condition.
The NRC staff determined that these activities were not likely to adversely affect any federally listed or proposed species within the action area and would have no effect on designated critical habitats (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession Nos. ML24060A086 and ML24190A138). The FWS concurred with these determinations in a letter dated July 8, 2024 (ML24190A191).
February 25, 2026
C. Martin 2
During its safety review of the LTP, the NRC staff found ADPs license amendment application and responses to requests for additional information to be insufficient (ML24226B239). Consequently, by letter dated August 12, 2024 (ML24225A207), ADP requested withdrawal of the application from NRC review.
Determination that Reinitiation is not Warranted On October 15, 2025, ADP resubmitted a revised license amendment request seeking approval of the CR3 LTP (ML25288A002). That application is currently under NRC staff review.
As part of this review, the NRC staff evaluated whether reinitiation of ESA consultation is required under the criteria in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 402.16, Reinitiation of consultation. The staff found no information in the revised application that would result in effects to listed species or designated critical habitat beyond those considered in FWSs 2024 written concurrence. Additionally, no new information was identified that would reveal effects on listed species or critical habitat in a manner or to an extent not previously considered.
To confirm current species status, the NRC staff generated an updated species list using the FWS Information for Planning and Conservation system. This list is enclosed for reference. One species not previously considered during the 2024 consultationthe tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus), proposed for Federal listing as endangeredappears on the updated list. However, this species is unlikely to occur within the action area due to the absence of suitable habitat. The action area is coastal and primarily consists of developed industrial-use areas and salt marshes. Therefore, NRC staff determined that the proposed action would have no effect on this species and that conference is not necessary.
If you have any questions regarding information in this letter, please contact me by phone at (301) 415-1042 or via email at Briana.Arlene@nrc.gov.
Sincerely, Briana Arlene, Conservation Biologist and ESA Consultation Coordinator Environmental Technical Review Branch 1 Division of Rulemaking, Environmental, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket No. 50-302
Enclosure:
As stated cc: GovDelivery Signed by Arlene, Briana on 02/25/26
C. Martin 3
SUBJECT:
UPDATED INFORMATION REGARDING PREVIOUSLY CONCLUDED ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT CONSULTATION FOR CRYSTAL RIVER UNIT 3 LICENSE TERMINATION PLAN (IPAC PROJECT CODE 2024-0023697)
(DOCKET NUMBER: 50-302)
DATED:
DISTRIBUTION:
Shannon Healy Briana Arlene Mitchell Dehmer Amy Minor Robert Sun Ted Smith (OGC)
Florida Ecological Services Field Office (FW4FLESRegs@fws.gov)
Catrina Martin, Field Supervisor (catrina_martin@fws.gov)
Laura Wright, Wildlife Biologist (laura_wright@fws.gov)
ADAMS Accession Number: ML26040A138