ML14030A176

St. Lucie, Units 1 and 2, Environmental Protection Plan Report, December 27, 2013, Unusual or Important Environmental Event - Turtle Mortality

ML14030A176
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	01/08/2014
From:	Katzman E S Florida Power & Light Co
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
L-2014-008
Download: ML14030A176 (2)

Text

FPL.January 8, 2014L-2014-008 10 CFR 50.410 CFR 50.36.bEPP 4.1U.S. Regulatory Commission Control DeskWashington, DC 20555E:-I:'::-:St.

Lucie Units 1 and 2Docket:Nos.

50-335 and 50-389Environmental Protection Plan ReportEvent Date: December 27, 2013Unusual or Important Environmental Event -Turtle Mortality On December 27, 2013, a dead juvenile green sea turtle (chelonia mydas) wasrecovered from the east side of the St. Lucie Plant intake cooling canal five inch barriernet. A necropsy was performed that same day. The determination is that-tI te rniortality was causal to plant operations due to forced submersion.

The attached report is being submitted pursuant to the requirements of Section 4.1 ofthe St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Environmental Protection Plans to provide.

the. description ofa reportable sea turtle mortality that was causal to plant operations-atthe St--.iLcie Plant...: -,....:, ..:.. : r -4 .. -'.? , *,_: ' 4!_js ! .,"Sincerely, Eric S. Katzrma*:

[-iCensing Manager.St. ',ucie Planti's : ., .. ,Attachment cc: FDEP Siting Officeit ý(ý bFlorida Power & Light Company6501 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, FL 34957 St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 L-2014-008 Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389 Attachment Environmental Protection Plan Report Page 1 of 1Event Date: December 27, 2013Unusual or Important Environmental Event -Turtle Mortality DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENTOn December 27, 2013, a dead r,-n sea turtle (,helonian mydas) was recovered fromthe east side of the St. Luci9 PT :I-°:ke cana: fiv,--inch turtle barrier net. The sea turtlewas sent to Nancy S. Mettee, i.c ,n P.scropl, The turtle appeared to be in otherwise good condition and devoid of any signs of trauma,thus our initial conclu.,ýon was moita!ity due to forced submersion.

Subsequent resultsfrom the necropsy ccnfiirnec ihat the mortality was due to fcrced submersion, thuscausal to plant oparations.

The !imits for sea turtle injuries and mortalities rasulting from plant operations were setby the National Marine Fisheries Incidental Take Statement, i3ýued and clarified by theNRC in 2001. These limits have not been exceeded.

CAUSE OF EVENTThe most probable cause of the mortality is that the turtle was entrained in the plant'sintake cooling system at the end of a breath cycle. The time required to traverse theintake pipe exceeded the turtle's air reserve.CORRECTIVE ACTIONThe five-inch turtle net was immediately inspected by staff biologists directly afterdiscovery of the turtle. No additional issues were identified with the net that could havecontributed to the mortality.

Hourly inspections of the five-inch net continue duringdaylight hours as well as constant surveillance of the intake canals two tangle nets.ACTIONS TO PRECLUDE FUTURE EVENTSAggressive turtle monitoring and removal protocols remain in place; hourly inspections ofthe five-inch net and constant observations on the tangle nets occur during daylighthours. When visibility allows staff biologist perform hand, and dip net turtle captures inan effort to minimize turtle residence time.AGENCIES NOTIFIEDThe Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were notified on December 27,2013, in accordance with Marine Turtle Permit# MTP-125 and the Site Environmental Protection Plan.A notification was made to the NRC on December 27, 2013, per the requirements of 10CFR 50.72(b)

(2) (xi).