L-2006-046, Environmental Protection Plan Report Event Date: January 22, 2006 Unusual or Important Environmental Event

Environmental Protection Plan Report Event Date: January 22, 2006 Unusual or Important Environmental Event

ML060670270
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	02/14/2006
From:	Johnston G Florida Power & Light Co
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
L-2006-046
Download: ML060670270 (3)

Text

Florida Power & Light Company, 6351 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach. FL 34957 II February 14, 2006 FPL L-2006-046 10 CFR 50.36.b EPP 4.1 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555 RE: St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389 Environmental Protection Plan Report Event Date: January 22, 2006 Unusual or Important Environmental Event The attached report is being submitted pursuant to the requirements of Section 4.1 of the St.

Lucie Units I and 2 Environmental Protection Plans to provide the description of a reportable sea turtle mortality causally related to plant operations at the St. Lucie Plant.

Very truly yours, Gordon L. Johnston Acting Vice President St. Lucie Plant GLJ/KWF Attachment oE~a3 an FPL Group company

St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 L-2006-046 Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389 Attachment Environmental Protection Plan Report Page 1 of 2 Unusual or Important Environmental Event EVENT DESCRIPTION On January 22, 2006, operators at St. Lucie Unit 2 notified sea turtle research biologists that a small, dead, green turtle (Chelonia mydas) had been recovered from the Unit 2 Circulating Water System intake wells. The turtle was retrieved from the intake wells at approximately 1415 hours0.0164 days <br />0.393 hours <br />0.00234 weeks <br />5.384075e-4 months <br /> by one of the biologists and was placed in ice for subsequent necropsy. The sea turtle was underweight, but there were no other injuries or abnormalities observed. This turtle apparently drowned as a result of being impinged on the intake well grating structure. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was notified at 1445 hours0.0167 days <br />0.401 hours <br />0.00239 weeks <br />5.498225e-4 months <br /> and the turtle was transported to a veterinarian for necropsy on January 23, 2006. A preliminary necropsy report from the veterinarian verified that thr turtle had drowned as indicated by fluid found in the lungs and esophagus.

This mortality is the first during 2006 at the St. Lucie Plant and is considered causal to power plant operation. The limits for sea turtle injuries and mortalities resulting from plant operation were set by the National Marine Fisheries Service Incidental Take Statement, issued and clarified by the NRC in 2001. These limits have currently not been exceeded.

CAUSE OF EVENT The mortality of this green turtle was apparently caused by impingement on the Unit 2 intake well grating structure. The turtle was likely impinged on January 22, 2006 and unable to move off of the grating structure because of the localized current velocity, which resulted in its drowning.

The sea turtle had breached the 5-inch barrier net, located near the headwall of the 5000 ft.

long canal, and was small enough to move down the canal through an 8-inch barrier net and into the intake well area. Divers had recently inspected the 5-inch barrier net on December 19, 2005 as part of a quarterly maintenance program and repaired small holes that were identified. It's assumed that the turtle was able to breach the 5-inch barrier net through one of the small holes prior to the December 19, 2005 inspection and resided in the canal undetected until it entered the intake structure on January 22, 2006.

CORRECTIVE ACTIONS

1. The 5-inch barrier net was inspected and repaired on December 19, 2005 as part of a regular net maintenance program. FPL will continue to conduct quarterly maintenance inspections of the barrier netting to ensure net integrity, and repairs will be made as soon as any breach in netting is discovered.

2. Sea turtle biologists will continue to periodically survey intake canal areas downstream of the turtle barrier netting to identify turtles that may pass through the nets, and increased capture efforts will be employed as necessary to prevent sea turtles from entering the

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St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 L-2006-046 Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389 Attachment Environmental Protection Plan Report Page 2 of 2 Unusual or Important Environmental Event intake wells. Regular visual inspections of the intake wells are also conducted and non-injurious methods will continue to be used to remove any sea turtles observed in this area.

AGENCIES NOTIFIED The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was notified of this event on January 22, 2006 in compliance with Marine Turtle Permit #125 and the Site Environmental Protection Plan.

A follow-up notification was made to the USNRC on January 22, 2006 per the requirements of 10CFR 50.72(b)(2)(vi).