RBG-46203, Annual Environmental Operating Report (Non-Radiological) for the Period August 29, 2002 to August 28, 2003

Annual Environmental Operating Report (Non-Radiological) for the Period August 29, 2002 to August 28, 2003

ML033370191
Person / Time
Site:	River Bend
Issue date:	11/26/2003
From:	Leavines J Entergy Operations
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
RBF1-03-0218, RBG-46203
Download: ML033370191 (11)

Text

Entergy Operations, Inc.

River Bend Station 5485 U. S. Highway 61

-Entergy St. Francisville, LA 70775 Tel 225 381 4642 Fax 225 635 5068 jleavin~entergy.com Joseph W. Leavines Manager-Ucensing November 26, 2003 Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555

Subject:

Environmental Operating Report

Reference:

Docket No. 50-458 File Nos. G9.5, G9.25.1.5 RBFI-03-0218 RBG-46203 Enclosed is the Annual Environmental Operating Report (Non-radiological) for the period August 29, 2002, to August 28, 2003. This report is submitted in accordance with Subsection 5.4.1 of Appendix B (Environmental Protection Plan) to River Bend Station License Number NPF-47.

If there are any questions, please contact Mr. Bill Spell at (225) 381-3701.

Sincerely, TrQ1 >~1A~-

JWL/WJF enclosure

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Environmental Operating Report 50-458 RBG-46203 Page 2 of 2 cc: U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011 NRC Resident Inspector P.O. Box 1050 St. Francisville, LA 70775

RIVER BEND STATION ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATING REPORT FOR 2002/2003 August 29, 2002 - August 28, 2003 Prepared By:

William Spe Senior Environmental Specialist Reviewed By:

McGehee Reed Senior Environmental Specialist TrO D. Burnett-O Supt. Chemistry / Environmental Thomas E. TreJanier U General Manager Plant Operations

STATION RIVER BEND RIVER BEND STATION ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATING REPORT FOR 2001/2002 LIST OF TABLES & ENCLOSURES Table 1. Non-routine Reports to Federal, State and Local Regulatory Agencies

RIVER BEND STATION ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATING REPORT FOR 2002/2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

/OBJECTIVES 1 2.0 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ISSUES 1 2.1 Aquatic Issues 1 2.2 Terrestrial Issues 2 2.3 Noise Issues 2 3.0 CONSISTENCY REQUIREMENTS 2 3.1 Plant Design and Operation 2 3.2 Reporting Related to NPDES Permit and State Certification 3 3.3 Changes Required for Compliance with Other Environmental Regulations 3 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS 3 4.1 Unusual or Important Environmental Events 3 4.2 Environmental Monitoring 3 4.2.1 Aquatic Monitoring 3 4.2.2 Terrestrial Monitoring 3 4.2.3 Noise Monitoring 4 5.0 ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES 4 5.1 Review and Audit 4 5.2 Records Retention 4 5.3 Changes in Environmental Protection Plan 4 5.4 Plant Reporting Requirements 5 5.4.1 Routine Reports 5 5.4.2 Non-routine Reports 5

RIVER BEND STATION ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATING REPORT FOR 2002/2003

1.0 INTRODUCTION

/OBJECTIVES The Annual Environmental Operating Report for the period of August 29, 2002, (anniversary of license issuance) through August 28, 2003, is submitted in accordance with Subsection 5.4.1 of Appendix B to River Bend Station Facility Operating License Number NPF-47. River Bend Station (RBS) consists of a net 966 MWE General Electric boiling water reactor located on a 3,342 acre site in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, 4.1 km (2.5 MI) southeast of St. Francisville. Waste heat from RBS is dissipated via systems using five mechanical draft cooling towers, which draw makeup water from the Mississippi River, 3.3 (air) km (2.0 MI) to the southwest. Blowdown from the normal cooling tower system is discharged to the Mississippi River through a submerged pipe about 200 meters (660 fi) downstream from the makeup water intake. Appendix B to the RBS operating license is the Environmental Protection Plan (Non-radiological), or EPP, which has the following principal objectives:

1. To verify that the facility is operated in an environmentally acceptable manner, as established in the Final Environmental Statement Related to the Operation of River Bend Station (NUREG-1073, commonly referred to as the FES-OL) and other Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) impact assessments.

2. To coordinate NRC requirements and maintain consistency with other Federal, State, and local requirements for environmental protection.

3. To keep the NRC informed of the environmental effects of facility construction and operation and of actions taken to control these effects.

2.0 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ISSUES In the FES-OL dated January 1985, the NRC staff considered the environmental impacts associated with the operation of River Bend Station Unit 1. Certain environmental issues were identified which required study or license conditions to resolve environmental concerns and to assure adequate protection of the environment.

2.1 Aquatic Issues There were no specific aquatic issues identified by the NRC staff in the FES-OL.

Environmental concerns, which relate to water quality, are regulated by way of the facility Louisiana Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (LPDES) Permit.

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RIVER BEND STATION ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATING REPORT FOR 2002/2003 2.2 Terrestrial Issues Salt drift deposition from the normal cooling towers may cause changes in, or damage to, nearby vegetation on RBS property (FES-OL Section 5.5.1). A monitoring program to identify the extent of impacts and the actions necessary to mitigate, if any, is specified in EPP Section 4.2.2.

2.3 Noise Issues Operation of the normal cooling towers, the service water cooling tower and main station transformers at RBS may increase noise levels at nearby residences (FES-OL Section 5.12).

A monitoring program to identify the extent of impacts and the actions necessary to mitigate, if any, is specified in EPP Section 4.2.3.

3.0 CONSISTENCY REQUIREMENTS 3.1 Plant Design and Operation In accordance with the EPP, RBS personnel prepare and record an environmental evaluation of any proposed change in plant design or operation or performance of any test or experiment that may significantly affect the environment. Such evaluations are not performed on activities that do not affect the environment or are required for compliance with non-NRC environmental regulations. The environmental evaluation process is administered through programs governing design modification and the development/revision of written procedures. Before engaging in additional construction or operational activities which may significantly affect the environment, a determination is made and recorded as to whether any proposed change involves an Unreviewed Environmental Question Determination (UEQD). A proposed activity involves a UEQD if it concerns:

a) A matter which may result in a significant increase in any adverse environmental impact previously evaluated in the FES-OL, environmental impact appraisals, or any decisions of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board; b) A significant change in effluent or power levels; or c) A matter not previously reviewed and evaluated in the documents specified in (a) above, which may have a significant adverse environmental impact.

If the activity meets any of these criteria it must either not be performed as proposed or a written evaluation must be prepared and submitted for prior NRC approval. During the reporting period covered by this report no changes at RBS were determined to involve unreviewed environmental questions. Records of environmental determinations are maintained in the station Permanent Plant File as part of documentation associated with the modification request program and/or the procedure development system.

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RIVER BEND STATION ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATING REPORT FOR 2002/2003 3.2 Reporting related to the NPDES Permit and State Certification On August 27, 1996, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LADEQ) received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to assume authority for the NPDES program. LADEQ issued a Louisiana Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (LPDES) permit which became effective on November 1, 1999, and replaced the existing state and federal permits. No change to the LPDES permit was made during the period covered by this report.

3.3 Changes Required for Compliance with Other Environmental Regulations During the period covered by this report there were no changes in plant design or operation or the performance of tests or experiments required to achieve compliance with non-NRC environmental regulations at RBS (River Bend Station).

4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS 4.1 Unusual or Important Environmental Events During the period covered by this report there were no unusual or important events, causally related to RBS operation, which resulted in significant environmental impacts.

4.2 Environmental Monitoring 4.2.1 Aquatic Monitoring Water quality monitoring was performed in accordance with the requirements established in the station's LPDES permit. Results were documented in monthly Discharge Monitoring Reports and non-routine reports (Table 1), as required, and submitted to LADEQ.

4.2.2 Terrestrial Monitoring Subsection 4.2.2 of the EPP requires aerial photography beginning two years prior to cooling tower operation and during the following first and third years of operation. This requirement was completed in 1989 when the "third year" set of stereo color infrared transparencies was monitored. During this reporting period, terrestrial monitoring and monitoring for the existence of new oil and gas wells and pipelines was performed during the performance of the land use census. No significant changes in vegetative communities or individual trees, attributable to salt drift impacts, were found in the immediate area surrounding the cooling towers.

Additionally no changes in the number or size of wellheads, pipelines or transmission line right-of-ways were identified within two miles of the River Bend site.

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RIVER BEND STATION ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATING REPORT FOR 2002/2003 4.2.3 Noise Monitoring The requirement to conduct an environmental noise monitoring program (EPP Subsection 4.2.3) was completed during 1986/87 and the results were included in the second annual Environmental Operating Report. In general, the acoustic environment in the vicinity of RBS proved to be substantially more complex than anticipated, but the magnitude of increases attributable to plant operation nor community reaction exceeded FES-OL predictions.

5.0 ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES 5.1 Review and Audit Entergy Operations, Inc. has provided for the independent review and audit in compliance with the RBS EPP. The main group responsible for audits of EPP related activities, the RBS Quality Assurance Department, reported directly to the Manager-Quality Assurance during the period covered by this report. All findings identified during the reporting period were satisfactorily resolved and did not indicate a significant deterioration of the activities being audited. During this reporting period, a LPDES compliance inspection by LADEQ was held on August 29, 2002. Results of this inspection were satisfactory.

5.2 Records Retention Records and logs relative to environmental aspects of plant operation and audit activities are retained in the RBS Permanent Plant File. These records and logs are available to the NRC on request. Records of modifications to station structures, systems, and components determined to potentially affect the continued protection of the environment will be retained for the life of the plant. Other records, data, and logs relating to the EPP will be retained for five years or, where applicable, in accordance with the requirements of the USEPA and LADEQ.

5.3 Chances in Environmental Protection Plan RBS has proposed an amendment to the Facility Operating License that would delete certain parts of the Environmental Protection Plan (Non-Radiological) (EPP) for RBS.

This amendment request is administrative in nature and is intended to relieve Entergy of the burden of certain environmental reports and delete obsolete program information.

All environmental conditions imposed by the sections that may be deleted have been completed. All other requirements for non-radiological monitoring are governed by other Federal, State, or local permits and regulations. There is no impact on the continued safety or in protection of the environment for the RBS.

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RIVER BEND STATION ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATING REPORT FOR 2002/2003 5.4 Plant Reporting Requirements 5.4.1 Routine Reports This Annual Environmental Operating Report was prepared to meet the reporting requirements of EPP Subsection 5.4.1 for the period from August 29, 2002, through August 28, 2003. Summaries and analyses of the results of monitoring programs, including comparisons with related pre-operational studies, operational controls, and previous reports are presented in Section 4.2 above. During the period of this report there were no indications of significant harmful effects or evidence of trends toward irreversible damage to the environment causally related to the operation of River Bend Station. There were no EPP noncompliances during this time period.

5.4.2 Non-routine Reports There were no occurrences of unusual or important events from August 29, 2002, through August 28, 2003, that indicated or could result in a significant environmental impact causally related to plant as describe in Section 4.1 that required a report to the NRC during this time period. A list of other non-routine events from August 29, 2002, through August 28, 2003, that were reportable to other Federal, State, or Local agencies in accordance with their reporting are listed in Table 1.

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RIVER BEND STATION ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATING REPORT FOR 2002/2003 TABLE 1 REPORTS TO FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL REGULATORY AGENCIES LETTER DATE TYPE RECIPIENT(S)* DOCUMENT 04-03-03 Letter LADEQ RBG-46100 04-11-03 Letter LADEQ RBG-46104 09-30-03 Letter LADEQ RBG-46180 10-05-03 Letter LADEQ RBG-46185 10-09-03 Letter LADEQ RBG-46187

• Agency abbreviations: LADEQ = Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality