ML11308A244

Applicant'S Environmental Report, Operating License Renewal Stage, Attachment a - Threatened and Endangered Species Correspondence, Part 2 of 3

ML11308A244
Person / Time
Site:	Grand Gulf
Issue date:	10/28/2011
From:	Entergy Operations
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
GNRO-2011/00093
Download: ML11308A244 (15)

Text

ENERCON Excelle n c e-Eve r y project. E v er y doy. Dr. Sherry Surrette Mississippi Natural Heritage Program Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks* 2148 R i verside Drive Jackson , MS 39202

SUBJECT:

Grand Gulf Nuclear Station License Renewal Application

Dear Dr. Surrette ,

February 4, 2011 In 2011 , Entergy plans to apply to the Nuclear' Regulatory Comm i ssion (NRC) for renewal of the operat i ng license for the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station (GGNS), wh i ch is located in Claiborne County , Mississippi

'on the east bank of the Mississippi River at River Mile 406 , approximately 25 miles south of Vicksburg , Mississippi and 37 miles north-northeast of Natchez , Mississippi.

The existing operating license for GGNS was issued for a 40-year term that expires i n 2024. If the NRC approves the applicat i on , Entergy will then have the option to cont i nue operating GGNS unt i l 2044. In conjunct i on with th i s effort , Enercon is gather i ng informat i on on Entergy's behalf relative to th i s license renewal project. The NRC requires that the license renewal application for GGNS include an environmental report assessing potential environmental i mpacts from operation during the license renewal term. One of these potential environmental impacts would be the effect o f l i cense renewal on threatened or endangered species or des i gnated critical h abitat located on the GGNS site , its immed i ate env i rons (6-m i le radius), a n d transmiss i on line corridors constructed for purposes of connecting the plant to the ex i sting transmission system. According l y , the NRC requires that the environmenta l report for each license renewal application assess such a potential effect (10 CFR 51.53). Later , during its review of the license renewal environmental report pursuant to the Nat i onal Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the NRC may request i nformation from yo u r off i ce to ensure compliance with Sect i on 7 of the Endangered Spec i es Act. Ene r con i s contact i ng you now i n order to obtain i nput regard i ng issues that may need to be addressed in the GGNS l i cense renewal env i ronmental r eport , and to ass i st Entergy in identifying any information your staff believes would be helpful to expedite NRC's review. The 2 , 100 acre GGNS s i te consists primarily of woodlands and forme r farms as well as two lakes , Hamilton Lake and Gin Lake (see F i gure 1). The l and i n the v i c i n i ty of t h e GGNS s i te is mos tl y rural. There are two transmiss i on corridors conta i ning a single-ci r cuit 500-kV transm i ss i on l i nes t hat were constructed for purposes of connecting GGNS to the regional electr i c i ty gr i d (see Figure 2). These transm i ssion Corporate' Headquarters 5100 East Skelly Drive Suite 450 Tulsa, OK 7 4135 phone 918.665.7693 fax 918.665.7232 enercon.c om Dr. Sherry Surrette Mississippi Natural Heritage Program Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Department of Wildlife , Fisher i es and Parks Page 2 of 4 corridors are considered by the NRC to be within the scope of its environmental reviews for renewal of the GGNS operating license. Entergy's Transmission group owns and operates these two lines. The total length of the two corridors is approximately 66 miles , and cross Claiborne , Warren , Jefferson and Franklin Count i es i n Mississipp

i. Based on a review of information available and previous consultations, Enercon has included Table 1 which lists federally-or state-listed threatened or endangered species at the station site , the immediate environs, or the transmission line corridors (see Figures 1 and 2). No designated critical habitat was identified by Enercon for these species during the review. However , even with the presence of these species or habitats , Entergy does not expect GGNS operations during the license renewal term to adversely affect any threatened and endangered species or designated critical habitats s i nce there are no plans to alter current operations during the 20-year license renewal period , and any ma i ntenance act i vities necessary to support continued operation of GGNS would be limited to currently developed areas of the site. Although administrative procedural controls are in place to comply with applicable state and federal laws to preserve biological resources when facility expansion or land d i sturbance activities do occur , no expansion is planned or needed in support of license renewal. In addition , Entergy's Transmission group has establ i shed maintenance procedures for transmission lines that involve minimal disturbance of land, wetlands, and streams and are protective of threatened and endangered species, and designated critical habitats when present. After your revieW of the i nformation provided in this l etter , I would appreciate you sending a letter detailing any concerns you may have about potential impacts to threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat on the GGNS property , immediate environs , or along the transmission line corridors , or alternatively , confirm i ng our conclus i on these species or habitats will not be adversely affected as a result of renewing the GGNS operat i ng license for an additional 20 years. Entergy w i ll include copies of this letter and your response in the environmental report submitted to the NRC as part of the GGNS license renewal application. If you have any quest i ons , please contact me at (918) 665-7693 or through my email address , jthomas@enercon

.com. Thank you i n advance for your ass i stance. Ja es A. Thomas anager , Electric Utilities Environmental Services Attachment Mile Map 50-Mile Map cc: Rick Buckley (Entergy)

Table 1 Federal and State-Listed Species Scientific Name Common Name Federal MS LA On-Site Vicinity Transmission Status Status Status 16-mile) ROW Mammals Puma con c%r coryi Florida Panther E E E No No No Ursus americanus

/uteo/us Louisiana Black Bear T E T Yes Yes Yes Ursus americanus American Black Bear T E Yes Yes Yes Birds Ha/iaeetus

/eucocepha/us Bald Eagle E E Yes Yes Yes Mycteria americana Wood Stork E E Yes Yes Yes Sterna antil/arum atha/assos Interior Least Tern E* E* E No Yes Yes Picoides borealis Red-Cockaded Woodpecker E E No' No Yes Eudocimus a/bus White Ibis S2 , S3 'Yes Yes Yes Reptiles AI/igator miss i ssippiensis Amer i can All i gator T(S/A) Yes Yes Yes Fish Scaphirhynchus a/bus Pallid Sturgeon E E E Yes Yes No Etheostoma rubrum Bayou Darter T E No Yes No Crystal/aria asprel/a Crystal Darter E Yes Yes No Macrhybopsis meeki Sicklefin Chub S1 Yes Yes Macroinvertebrates Potami/us c apa x Fat Pocketbook M ussel E E No No Yes Quadru/a cylindrica Rabbitsfoot Mussel CS No Yes Yes Table 1 (Continued)

Federal and State-Listed Species Scientific Name Common Name Federal Status MS Status Insects Epitheca spinosa Plants Lindera melissifol ia T = Threatened E = Endangered CS = Candidate Spec i es Robust Basketta il Pond be rry S1 = Critically Imperiled i n Mississippi S2 = Impe r iled in Miss i ssippi S3 = Rare or uncommon in M i ssiss i ppi T (S/A) = Threatened by sim il ar i ty of appea rance. S1 E E LA Status Yes No Vicinity IS-mile) Yes No Transmission ROW Yes

• Interior least terns belong to a subspecies of least terns and are protected Federally , and by the state of Miss i ssippi under the species name. Sterna antillarum athalassos is the subspecies endemic to the project region and i s therefore specified above.

Figure 1 Location of GGNS, 6-Mile Radius Map c{> He&copt9f Pad [3 lkban Areas Aclirta RallOld, I] RllCAlaoon l.-::J Grand Gull Nude_ Station (GGNS) _ lakes and Ponds AbandOfled

• Pmdpal HistOOcal Sile c::J &.Mile (10 km) Vlmity --Highways -,.--Nlllulal Gas Une County Boundary _ GGNS Bu t;ling' -OhM Principal Roadl. Statl! Boundary _ Existing Tr ansmission Cofridor -County/local Roeds Figure 2 Location of GGNS, 50-Mi l e Radius Map .-0-11:1 __ -== ___ Miles o 10 15 20 Airpons ..... Existing Transmission Corridor -Interstate

-U.S , Highway State Highway/Road

-Natchez Trace Parkway -+-Ra i l () 6*M i le Radus o 50-Mile Rad i us _ Surface Water GGNS Property d State Wildl i fe Mgmt Areas ([J State Parks National Forest r:. National \lVildlife Refuge EJ Urban Areas MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES, AND PARKS February 23,20 1 1 J ames Thomas Enercon 5100 East Skelly Dri e Suite 450 Tulsa. OK 74135 Sam Polles, Ph.D. Executive Director Re: Entergy -Grand Gulf Nuclear Station Operating License Renewal Claiborne County, Mississippi To Whom It May Concern, R# 8192 In response to your request for information dated February 4, 2011, we have searched om: database for occurrences of state or federally listed species. and species of special concern that occur within 2 miles of the site of the proposed project. Please find our concerns and recommendations below. Federal State State Scientific Name Common Name Status Status Rank Crystallaria asprella Crystal Darter LE Sl S r.r mhirhyn.chus altus Pil ll i(j l .. E ; LF. 3 1 Ursus americanus luteolus Louisiana Black Bear LT, SAT LE SI Macrhybopsis meek; Sicklefin Chub SI Ursus americanus Black Bear PS LE Sl Eudocimus albus White Ibis S2B,S3N Mycteria americana Wood Stork PS:LE LE S2N Ichthyomyzon castaneus Chestnut Lamprey S3 fCliobus niger Black Buffalo S3 Po/yodon spathula Paddlefish 53._ ._-Cycleptus elnngatus* Blue Sucker . S3 I --! S" ! Piethodon webster; i Webster's Salamander

--_. ___ 1._' J I Mississippi Museum of Natural Science

• 2148 Riverside Drive

• Jackson, Mississippi 39202-1353

• (601) 354-7303 State Rank S I -Critically impe riled in Mississippi because of extreme r ari t y (S or fewer occurrences or very few remain i ng individua l s or acres) or b ecause of so m e factor(s) making it vulnerab le t o extirpation.

S2 -Imperiled i n Mississippi because of rarity (6 t o 20 occurrences o r few rem aini n g indivi d uals o r acres) or becau se of so m e fac t or(s) making it vulnerable to extirpati o n. S3 -R a re or uncommon in Mississippi (o n the orde r o f 2 1 to 1 00 occ urr e n ces). State and Federal Status LE -A spec ie s wh ich is i n da nger of ext in c ti o n throughout all o r a sig nifi c ant porti o n o f ils range. L T T h reatened -A s pe c ies likel y to b eco me e ndan gere d in foreseeable future t hr o ugh out all or a s i gnificant p o rti on of it s ran ge. Based on information provided, we conclude that if best management practices are properly implemented , monitored, and maintained (particularly measures to prevent, or at least, minimize negative impacts to water quality), the proposed project likel y poses no adverse threat to listed species or their habitats.

Please feel free to contact us i f we can provide any additional information , resources , or assistance that will help minimize negative impacts to this area. We are happy to work with you to ensure that our state's precious natural heritage is conserved and preserved for future Mississippians. J oelle Carney, Database Manager/Biologist Mississippi Natural Heritage Program (601) 354-7303 T h e Mississ ip p i Na t ura l Heritage Program (MNH P) has compiled a database t ha t is the most complete source of info r matio n a b out Mississippi's rare , threatened , and endangered plants , animals , a nd eco lo gical communities. The qu anti t y an d quality of data collec ted by MNHP are dependent o n t he re s e arch and observatio n s of many individua l s and o r ganizations. In man y cases, t hi s information is n o t the result of co mprehensive o r site-specific fie ld surveys; most n atura l areas in have n ot been th o r o u gh l y s urveyed and new occurre n ces of plant and animal species are ofte n di scove r e d. Heritage reports summa rize the existi n g information known to t he MNHP a t the time ofthe request and cannot a lw ays be considered a defin it ive st a tement 0 11 the presence , a b se nc e or condition of b io l ogic al e l e m e nt s on a particular site.

ENERCON Excellence-Ever y project E v e ry da y Ms. Carolyn Michon Assistant Data Manager Louisiana Natural Heritage Program Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Post Office Box 9aOOO Baton Rouge, LA 70a9a-9000

SUBJECT:

Grand Gulf Nuclear Station License Renewal Application

Dear Ms. Michon ,

February 4, 2011 In 2011, Entergy plans to apply to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for renewal of the operating license for the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station (GGNS), which is located in Claiborne County , Mississippi on the east bank of the Mississippi River at River Mile 406 , approximately 25 miles south of Vicksburg, Mississippi and 37 miles north-northeast of Natchez , Mississippi. The existing license for GGNS was issued for a . 40-year term that expires in 2024. If the NRC approves the application , Entergy will then have the option to continue operating GGNS until 2044. In conjunct i on with this effort , Enercon is gathering information on Entergy's behalf relative to this license renewal project. The NRC requires that the license renewal application for GGNS include an environmental report assessing potential environmental impacts from operation during the license renewal term. One of these potential environmental impacts would be the effect of license renewal on threatened or endangered species located on the GGNS site, its immediate environs (6-mile radius), and transmission line corridors routed to connect the plant to the existing transmission system. Accordingly , the NRC requires that the environmental report for each license renewal application assess such a potential effect (10 CFR 51.53). Later, during its review of the license renewal environmental report pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the NRC may request information from your office to ensure compliance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. Enercon is contacting you now in order to obtain input regarding issues that may need to be addressed in the GGNS license renewal environmental report , and to assist Entergy in identifying any information your staff believes would be helpful to expedite NRC's review. The 2 , 100 acre GGNS site consists primarily of woodlands and former farms as well as two lakes , Hamilton Lake and Gin Lake (see Figure 1). The land in the vicinity of the Corporate' Headquarters 5100 East Skelly Drive Suite 4S0 Tulsa, OK 74135 phone 918.665.7693 f a x 918.665.7232 enercon.com Ms. Carolyn Michon Assistant Data Manager Louisiana Natural Heritage Program Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Page 2 of 4 GGNS site is mostly rural. There are two transmission corridors containing a s i nglecircu i t 500-kV transmission lines that connect the GGNS site to the reg i onal electricity grid (see Figure 2). These transmission corridors are considered by the NRC to be within the scope of its environmental rev i ews for the GGNS license renewal. Entergy's Transmission group owns and operates these two lines. The total length of the two corridors is approximately 66 miles , and cross Claiborne, Warren , Jefferson and Franklin Counties in Mississippi.

Based on a review of information available and previous consultations , Enercon has included Table 1 which lists federally-or state-l i sted threatened or endangered species within the vicinity of GGNS and the transmission corridors. However , Entergy does not expect GGNS operations during the license renewal term (an additional 20 years) to adversely affect threatened or endangered species at the station site , the immediate environs , or the transm i ssion .line corridors because license renewal will not alter existing operations. There are no plans to alter current operations during the 20-year license renewal period , and any maintenance activities necessary to support continued operation of GGNS will.be limited to currently developed areas of the site. Although . administrative procedural controls are in place to comply with applicable state and federal laws to preserve biological resources when facility expansion or land disturbance activities occur , no expansion is planned or needed in support of license renewal. In addition , Entergy's Transmission group has established maintenance procedures for transmission lines that involve minimal disturbance of land, wetlands , and streams and are protective of threatened or endangered species. After your review of the information provided in th i s letter , I would appreciate you sending a letter detailing any concerns you have about potential impacts to threatened or endangered species or critical habitat in the area of GGNS or along the associated transmission corr i dors, or alternatively , confirming our conclusion that threatened of endangered species will not be adversely affected as a result of renewing the GGNS operating l icense for an additional 20 years. Entergy will include copies of this letter and your response in the environmental report submitted to the NRC as part of the GGNS license renewal application. If you have any questions, please contact me at (918) 665-7693 or through my email address , jthomas@enercon

.com. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Manager , Electric Utilities Environmental Services Attachment Mile Map cc: Rick Buckley (Ente r gy)

Table 1 Federal and State-Listed Species Scientific Name Common Name Federal MS LA On-Site Vicinity Transmission Status Status Status (S-mile) ROW Mammals Puma concolor coryi Florida Panther E E E No No No Ursus americanus luteolus Louisiana Black Bear T E T Yes Yes Yes Ursus americanus American B lack Bear T E Yes Yes Yes Birds Haliaeetu s leucocephalus Bald Eagle E E Yes Yes Yes Mycteria americana Wood Stork E E Yes Yes Yes Sterna antil/arum atha/assos I nter io r Least Tern E* E* E No Yes Yes Picoides borealis Red-Cockaded Woodpecker E E No No Yes Eudocimus albus Wh i te Ib is S2 , S 3 Yes Yes Yes Reptiles AI/igator miss issi ppien sis American Alligator T(S/A) Yes Yes Yes Fish Scaphirhynchus albus Pall id Sturgeon E E E Yes Yes No Etheostoma rubrum Bayou Darter T E No Yes No Crystal/aria asp reI/a Crysta l Darter E Yes Yes No Macrhybopsis meeki S icklefin Chub S1 Yes Yes Macroin vertebrates Potami/us capax Fat Po cketbook Musse l E E No No Yes Quadrula cylindrica Rabbi tsfoot Mussel CS No Yes Yes Table 1 (Continued)

Federal and State-Listed Species Scientific Name Common Name Federal Status MS Status Insects Epitheca spinosa Plants Lindera melissifolia T = Threatened E = Endangered CS = Candidate Spec ies Robust BaskeUail Pondberry S1 = Critically Imperiled in Mississippi S2 = Imper ile d in Mississippi S3 = Rare or uncommon i n MissiSSippi T (S/A) = Threatened by similarity of appearance. S1 E E LA Status Yes No Vicinity IS-mile) Yes No Transmission ROW Yes

• Interior l east terns belong to a subspec i es of least terns and are protected Federally , and by the state of M i ssissippi under the spec ie s name. Sterna antillarum athalassos is the subspec ies endemic to the project region and is therefore specified above.

Figure 1 Location of GGNS, 6-Mile Radius Map o H elicopter Pad [IJ Llman Araon -+-ActiYe R ahad, 11 Reaeat ion Area C:J GrWId Gu. Nuclear SI<ltion (oo N S) _ Leba and P ond, -+-Abandon$d Railroads I.!. Principal Historica l Site Cl $.Mile (to km) Vicinity --lYdhwaY Ii -.-Na t u r al Go. U,8 [==J County Bounda'Y _ GGNS Bu lldlngw; -Qher Pr i n cipal R OD State Bo unda'Y _ Existing Tr ansmll310n Corridor -CounlylLocal R oa d.

Figure 2 Location of GGNS, 50-Mile Radius Map --_ _Miles 10 15 20 Airports -exist i ng Transmission Cor ri dor -Interstate

-U.S. H i ghway =-State HighwaylRoad

-Natchez Trace Parkway ---t-Rail C) 6-Mile Radu. o 50-M i le Radius _ Surface Water c::J GGNS Property State VVildlife Mgmt Areas R State Parks ::2) Na t ional Forest IT National Wildl i fe Refuge [ill] Urban Areas Date BOBBY JINDAL GOVERNOR Name Company Street Address City, State, Zip Project ProjectID Invoice Number .of 'JU.ouisiana DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHER IES OFFICE OF WILDLIFE February 18, 2011 James A. Thomas ENERCON 5100 East Skelly Driv, Suite 450 Tulsa, OK 74135 Grand Gulf Nuclear Station License Renewal Application 5720]1 11021805 ROBERT J. BARHAM SECRETARY JIMMY L. ANTHONY ASSISTANT SECR ETARY Personnel of the Habitat Section of the Coastal & on-Game Resources Division have reviewed the preliminary data for the captioned project. After careful review of our database, no impacts to rare, threatened, or endangered species or critical habitats are anticipated for the proposed project. No state or federal parks, wildlife refuges, scenic streams, or wildlife management areas are known at the specified site within Louisiana's boundaries. The Louisiana Natural Heritage Program (LNHP) has compiled data on rare, endangered, or otherwise significant plant and animal species , plant communities , and other natural features throughout the state of Louisiana.

Heritage reports summarize the existing information known at the time of the request regarding the location in question.

The quantity and quality of data collected by the LNHP are dependent on the research and observations of many individuals.

In most cases, this information is not the result of comprehensive or site-specific field surveys; many natural areas in Louisiana have not been surveyed.

This report does not address the occurrence of wetlands at the site in question. Heritage reports should not be considered final statements on the biological elements or areas being considered, nor should they be substituted for site surveys required for environmental assessments.

LNHP requires that this office be acknowledged in all reports as the source of all data provided here. If at any time Heritage tracked species are encountered within the project area, please contact the LNHP Data Manager at 225-765-2643.

If you have any questions, or need additional information, please call 225-765-2357. Sincerely, V Amity Bass, Coordinator NaturaJ Heritage Program P.O. BO X 98000

• BAT O N ROUGE , LOU I SIANA 70898-9000' PHONE (225) 765-2800 AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER