ML11307A393

Comment (44) of William W. Stelle, on Behalf of National Marine Fisheries Service, Ltr of Non-Concurrence on Nuclear Regulatory Commission'S Proposed License Renewal for Energy Northwest'S Columbia Generating Station. Consultation No. F/NWR

ML11307A393
Person / Time
Site:	Columbia, Washington Public Power Supply System
Issue date:	10/24/2011
From:	Stelle W US Dept of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service, US Dept of Commerce, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
To:	David Wrona Division of License Renewal
References
76FR54502 00044
Download: ML11307A393 (2)

Text

TRU- .ES 4 V OF UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

= i tr NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE$1 o.# 1201 NE Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 1100 PORTLAND, OREGON 97232-1274

/ :-*t I:[L'0 October 24, 2011 David J. Wrona, Chief q11i/Z)Projects Branch 2 Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Regulation U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555-0001

Subject:

Letter of Non-Concurrence on U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's proposed license renewal for Energy Northwest's Columbia Generating Station. Consultation No. F/NWR/2011/05286.

Dear Mr. Wrona:

By letter of-August-23, 2011.,you requested National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS)concurrence with your determination that the above-referenced action may affect but is not-likely.to;-adXerse,.1 a-ffet E.S:A.-!Jsted:.Upper Columbia River spring Chinook salmon and-steelhead i'.. a. diraft.envirnmnental 4d, .' "it .e vrn e tli p c ....statement -that contains a.,biological assessment to.support that Conclusion ith your.letter. The proposed U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) action is to renew the operating.license-for.the Columbia Generating.

Station (located north of Richland, WA in Benton County) for a period of 20 years.* Our comments are provided in accordance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.When considering a request for concurrence with an agency's not-likely-to-adversely-affect determination, we first consider the potential for adverse effects and then determine whether such effects, if any, are discountable or negligible.

We cannot concur if the proposed action presents a non-discountable potential to adversely affect listed species. Due to the cooling water intake being located downstream of known spawning areas and within the migration corridor of ESA-listed salmon and steelhead, there is a potential for entrainment of juvenile salmonids under the proposed action. As the intake screening system design is not consistent with NMFS' screen criteria I and given the frequency of its operation, we cannot say that adverse effects from entrainment are extremely unlikely to occur, therefore this potential is not discountable.

• ..,--~~ ~~~ .: -.-. .' ... ; ... ... ..Therefore, NMFS does not concur with your determination tj at.thelýproosed action isnot likely to a~dversely,affect.

Upper Columbia River spring Chinook salmon, and, steelhead and is notflikely to modify or destroy. designated'critical-habitat,,*.....

Chapter 11: NMFS Anadromous Salmonid Passage Facility Design, February 2011 http://www.nwr.noaa.gOv/Publications/Reference-Documents/Passage-Refs.cfm , +/- ' ..' .5 ... ..... ...-,,. ,

6 .- -.2 Thus, formal ESA consultation is warranted to consider this effect and any other adverse effects on listed salmonids attributable to the project. However, prior to initiating a formal ESA Section 7(a)(2) consultation on this proposed action, NRC should develop a cooling water intake system design that meets NMFS' criteria, and a schedule for implementation, as an addition to the proposed action identified in your BA. We have assigned Bryan Nordlund, PE to this project to assist you in developing an acceptable screen design.Rich Domingue of my staff will lead this consultation.

He can be reached at 503-231-6858 or Richard.Domingue@noaa.gov.

He will be contacting you shortly to set up a meeting to develop a course of action to facilitate timely consultation on this action. This concludes informal consultation on this proposal.

Please include the consultation tracking number shown in the subject line of this letter in all future correspondence on this project.Sincerely, William W. Stelle, JR.Regional Administrator cc: Daniel Doyle, Office of Nuclear Regulation Ritchie Graves, National Marine Fisheries Service