ML080930486

TMI, Unit 1 License Renewal Request for Protected Species Letter to C. Urban, Fish and Boat Commission

ML080930486
Person / Time
Site:	Three Mile Island
Issue date:	04/15/2008
From:	Louise Lund NRC/NRR/ADRO/DLR
To:	Urban C State of PA, Fish & Boat Commission
Lopas, S, DLR/REBA - 415-1147
References
Download: ML080930486 (10)

Text

April 15, 2008

Mr. Christopher Urban

Chief of Natural Diversity Section Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

450 Robinson Lane Bellefonte, PA 16823-9620

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR LIST OF STATE-PROTECTED SPECIES WITHIN THE AREA UNDER EVALUATION FOR THE THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR STATION, UNIT 1, LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION REVIEW

Dear Mr. Urban:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff) is reviewing an application submitted by AmerGen Energy Company, LLC (AmerGen), for the renewal of the operating license for Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 (TMI-1). TMI-1 is located on Three Mile Island, which is situated in the Susquehanna River, in Londonderry Township of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, about 2.5 miles north of the southern tip of Dauphin County. As part of the review of the license renewal application (LRA), the NRC is preparing a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) under the provisions of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 51 (10 CFR Part 51), the NRC's regulation that implements the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. The SEIS includes an analysis of pertinent environmental issues, including endangered or threatened species and impacts to fish and wildlife.

AmerGen is requesting renewal of its operating license for TMI-1 for a period of 20 years beyond the expiration of the current license term of April 2014. The proposed action would include the use and continued maintenance of existing plant facilities and transmission lines.

For the purpose of license renewal, AmerGen plans to replace the TMI-1 steam generators, and estimates that the total area disturbed by construction, decontamination, and laydown activities would be less than 10 acres, all of which would be previously disturbed property within the bounds of the TMI-1 flood protection dike.

The TMI-1 site encompasses several properties that total approximately 440 acres, including:

the physical plant location on 200 acres of the 370-acre Three Mile Island; St. John's Island and Evergreen Island (also referred to as "Sand Beach Island"), together totaling 31 acres; a 6.4-acre section of Shelley Island, which is part of the western half of the TMI-1 Exclusion Area; and a 32-acre strip of land east of Three Mile Island along the eastern shore of the Susquehanna River; please see the enclosed site boundary map. The TMI-1 site is surrounded by fencing and contains few areas of undeveloped or undisturbed land; undeveloped land on Three Mile Island lies south of TMI-1 facilities. The majority of this land lies under the ten-year flood level, and contains wetlands and fallow field areas surrounded by a woodland buffer. Riparian buffer areas are intact around the perimeter of the island, although forested riparian areas only occur on the southern part of the island.

C. Urban

TMI-1 utilizes two hyperbolic natural draft cooling towers for dissipating heat from the plant steam cycle. The circulating water and service water systems withdraw water from the Susquehanna River, and are supplemented by three groundwater wells. TMI-1 has a permit with the Susquehanna River Basin Commission for consumptive use of river water up to 18 million gallons per day, on a monthly average, for electric generation. River water enters the intake structure located on the western bank of the island, passes under a skimmer wall, through automated trash racks with 1-inch vertical bar spacing, through 3/8-inch-mesh traveling screens, through the river water pumps, and finally through 1/8-inch-mesh strainers before entering the heat exchangers. Approximately 3000 gallons per minute of cooling tower blowdown are discharged to the Susquehanna River through a 48-inch-diameter river discharge

line. Four 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines totaling 5.6 miles of corridor and approximately 142 acres connect TMI-1 to the regional transmission system; please see the enclosed TMI-1 transmission system map. Two of these lines connect the plant with the substation at Middletown Junction, east of the Susquehanna River; each of these lines extends 1.5 miles. A third line extends for 4.1 miles to the west side of the Susquehanna River, where it connects to a 230-kV line terminating into the substation near Jackson - this line crosses the river twice.

The fourth line extends 0.7 miles east across the Susquehanna River to the TMI-1 500-kV

substation.

To support the SEIS preparation process and to ensure compliance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, the NRC requests information on state-listed, proposed, and candidate species and critical habitat that may be in the vicinity of TMI-1 and its associated transmission line corridors. Please see the enclosed Species Impact Review (SIR) request form.

The NRC staff plans to hold two public NEPA scoping meetings on May 1, 2008. The first session will be held in the afternoon and an identical session will be held later that evening. The afternoon session will be held at the Elks Movie Theatre, 4 West Emaus Street, Middletown, PA 17057. The evening session will be held at Londonderry Elementary School, 260 Schoolhouse Road, Middletown, PA 17057. The first meeting will convene at 1:30 p.m. and will continue until 4:30 p.m., as necessary. The second meeting will convene at 7:00 p.m. and will continue until 10:00 p.m., as necessary. In addition, during the week of April 28, 2008, the NRC plans to conduct a site audit. You and your staff are invited to attend both the public meetings and the site audit. Your office will receive a copy of the draft SEIS along with a request for comments.

The anticipated publication date for the draft SEIS is December 2008.

C. Urban

If you have any questions concerning the NRC staff's review of this licens e renewal application, please contact Ms. Sarah Lopas, License Renewal Project Manager, at 301-415-1147 or sll2@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA/ Louise Lund, Branch Chief Projects Branch 1 Division of License Renewal Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Docket No. 50-289 cc w/encls: See next page

C. Urban

If you have any questions concerning the NRC staff's review of this licens e renewal application, please contact Ms. Sarah Lopas, License Renewal Project Manager, at 301-415-1147 or sll2@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

Louise Lund, Branch Chief Projects Branch 1 Division of License Renewal Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Docket No. 50-289

cc w/encls: See next page

DISTRIBUTION: See next page

Accession No.:

ML080930486 OFFICE LA:DLR PM:DLR:RPB1 BC:DLR:RPB1 NAME SFigueroa SLopas LLund DATE 04/14/08 04/14/08 04/15/08 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

FISH AND BOAT COMMISSION NATURAL DIVERSITY SECTION PFBC-DES-NDS-1 (5/2/03)

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA SPECIES IMPACT REVIEW (SIR) REQUEST FORM A. This form provides the site information necessary to perform a computer database search for species of special concern listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the Wild Resource Conservation Act, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Code or the Wildlife Code. B. Use only one form for each proposed project or location. Complete the information below and mail form to: Natural Diversity Section Division of Environmental Services PA Fish and Boat Commission 450 Robinson Lane Bellefonte, PA 16823 Fax: (814) 359-5175

C. This form, a cover letter including a project narrative, and accompanying maps should be sent to the above address fo r environmental reviews that only concern reptiles, amphibians, fishes and aquatic invertebrates. Reviews for other natural resources must be submitted to other appropriate agencies. D. The absence of recorded information from our databases and files does not necessarily imply actual conditions on site. Future field investigations could alter this determination. The information contained in our files is routinely updated. A review is valid for one year. E. Please send us only one (1) copy of your request - either by fax or by mail -not both. Mail is preferred to improve legibility of maps. Facsimile submission will not improve our response turn-around time. F. Allow 30 days for completion of the review from the date of PFBC receipt. Large projects and workload may extend this review timeframe. G. In any future correspondence with us following your receipt of the SIR response, please refer to the assigned SIR numbe r at the top left of our cover letter. H. FORMS THAT ARE NOT COMPLETED IN FULL WILL NOT BE REVIEWED. PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE: If available, provide the potential conflict PNDI Search Number:

N/A PFBC response should be sent to Company/Agency: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Form Preparer: Sarah Lopas, License Renewal Project Manager Address: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 11555 Rockville Pike, Mail Stop O-11F1, Rockville, MD 20852 Phone (8:00 AM to 4:00 PM): 301.415.1147 Project

Description:

Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1, License Renewal (please see cover letter)

Indicate if the project is: Transportation or Non-transportation X (check one) Will the proposed project encroach directly or indirectly (e.g., runoff) upon wetlands or waterways? Circle one for each: Wetlands: Yes No UNKNOWN Waterways: YES No Unknown County: Dauphin Township/Municipality:

Londonderry Name of the United States Geological Survey (U.S.G.S.) 7.5 Minute Quadrangle Map where project is located: Middletown Project size (in acres): Approximately 276 Attach an 8.5" by 11" photocopy (DO NOT REDUCE) of the section of the U.S.G.S. Quadrangle Map which identifies the project location. On this map, indicate the location of the project center (if linear, depict both ends) and outline the approximate boundaries of the project area. Specify latitude/longitude of the project center.

Latitude: 40° /9.2' N. Longitude: 72° /43.5' W FOR PFBC USE ONLY SIR# Quad Name Data Source Search Result-Potential Species Conflict Action Letter to C. Urban from L. Lund, April 15, 2008 DISTRIBUTION

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR LIST OF STATE-PROTECTED SPECIES WITHIN THE AREA UNDER EVALUATION FOR THE THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR STATION UNIT 1, LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION REVIEW

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DWrona SLopas MModes, RI DKern JBrand RConte RBellamy PBamford MMcLaughlin Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1

cc: Site Vice President - Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 AmerGen Energy Company, LLC P. O. Box 480

Middletown, PA 17057 Senior Vice President - Operations, Mid-Atlantic AmerGen Energy Company, LLC 200 Exelon Way, KSA 3-N Kennett Square, PA 19348

Vice President - Licensing and Regulatory

Affairs AmerGen Energy Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555

Regional Administrator

Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406

Chairman Board of County Commissioners of Dauphin County Dauphin County Courthouse

Harrisburg, PA 17120

Chairman Board of Supervisors of Londonderry Township R.D. #1, Geyers Church Road

Middletown, PA 17057

Senior Resident Inspector (TMI-1) U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 219

Middletown, PA 17057

Director - Licensing and Regulatory Affairs AmerGen Energy Company, LLC Correspondence Control P.O. Box 160

Kennett Square, PA 19348

Director Bureau of Radiation Protection Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

Rachel Carson State Office Building P.O. Box 8469 Harrisburg, PA 17105-8469 Plant Manager - Three Mile Island Nuclear

Station, Unit 1 AmerGen Energy Company, LLC P. O. Box 480

Middletown, PA 17057

Regulatory Assurance Manager - Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 AmerGen Energy Company, LLC P.O. Box 480

Middletown, PA 17057

Ronald Bellamy, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road

King of Prussia, PA 19406

Ronnie Gardner, PMP Manager, Site Operations and Corporate Regulatory Affairs AREVA NP Inc.

3315 Old Forest Road OF-16 Lynchburg, VA 24501 Dr. Judith Johnsrud National Energy Committee

Sierra Club

433 Orlando Avenue

State College, PA 16803 Eric Epstein

TMI Alert 4100 Hillsdale Road

Harrisburg, PA 17112

Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1

cc: Correspondence Control Desk AmerGen Energy Company, LLC 200 Exelon Way, KSA 1-N-1

Kennett Square, PA 19348

Manager Licensing - Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 Exelon Generation Company, LLC Correspondence Control P.O. Box 160 Kennett Square, PA 19348

Christopher M. Crane President and Chief Executive Officer AmerGen Energy Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555

Mr. Charles G. Pardee

Chief Nuclear Officer AmerGen Energy Company, LLC 200 Exelon Way Kennett Square, PA 19348

Associate General Counsel AmerGen Energy Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555

Chief Operating Officer (COO) AmerGen Energy Company, LLC 4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555

Senior Vice President - Operations Support AmerGen Energy Company, LLC

4300 Winfield Road Warrenville, IL 60555

Frederick W. Polaski

Manager License Renewal

Exelon Nuclear

200 Exelon Way Kennett Square, PA 19348

Albert A. Fulvio, Senior Project Manager License Renewal

Exelon Nuclear

200 Exelon Way

Kennett Square, PA 19348 Rich Janati, Chief Division of Nuclear Safety Bureau of Radiation Protection Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Rachel Carson State Office Building P.O. Box 8469

Harrisburg, PA 17105-8469

Michael Murphy Bureau of Radiation Protection Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

Rachel Carson State Office Building P.O. Box 8469 Harrisburg, PA 17105-8469

Michael G. Brownell, Chief

Water Resources Management Susquehanna River Basin Commission 1721 N. Front Street Harrisburg, PA 17102 Rachel Diamond, Regional Director Southcentral Regional Office Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection 909 Elmerton Avenue

Harrisburg, PA 17110

Nancy Ranck Environmental Lend, License Renewal Exelon Nuclear 200 Exelon Way, KSA/2-E

Kennett Square, PA 19348 Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 cc:

Christopher Wilson

KSQ License Renewal

Exelon Nuclear 200 Exelon Way, KSA/2-E Kennett Square, PA 19348

Mr. Michael P. Gallagher Vice President License Renewal Projects AmerGen Energy Company, LLC 200 Exelon Way Kennett Square, PA 19348