ML091460257
| ML091460257 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crystal River  |
| Issue date: | 05/04/2009 |
| From: | Croom M US Dept of Commerce, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration |
| To: | David Wrona Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, License Renewal Projects Branch 2 |
| References | |
| Download: ML091460257 (6) | |
Text
f I UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE Southeast Regional Office 263 13th Avenue South St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 (727) 824-5317; FAX 824-5300 http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov May 4, 2009 F/SER46:MS/mt Mr. David J. Wrona, Chief U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Division of License Renewal, Projects Branch 2 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland 20852-2738
Dear Mr. Wrona:
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Region, Habitat Conservation Division, has received your agency's letter dated April 13, 2009, regarding the preparation of an supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for the proposed renewal of the operating license for the Crystal River Unit 3 Nuclear Generating Plant (CR-3). CR-3 is located on the Gulf of Mexico near the City of Crystal River, in Citrus County, Florida. The proposed action is to renew the facility's operating license for an additional 20 years beyond the expiration of the CR-3's current operating license.Your letter indicates your agency seeks to consult with NMFS regarding the presence of protected species and essential fish habitat (EFH) in the project area potentially affected by the proposed action. To assist your agency in determining impacts associated with operation of the existing CR-3 facility, we are providing a list identifying fish/invertebrate species, life stages, and EFH categories of the project area (see enclosure).
To fully address EFH and associated fisheries in the project area, we recommend the SEIS include sections titled "Essential Fish Habitat" and "Marine Fishery Resources" that describe the potential project impacts on each category of EFH (e.g., marine non-vegetated water bottoms, continental shelf features, water column, and estuarine submerged aquatic vegetation, mangrove wetlands, estuarine water column) and marine and estuarine fishery species within the project area. These sections should analyze the potential impacts of the CR-3 on EFH and dependent federally managed species and life stages and should fully evaluate alternative measures to avoid, minimize, and offset adverse impacts. Section 600.8 10(a) of the EFH regulations defines an adverse effect to EFH as any impact that reduces the quality and/or quantity of EFH, including the loss of, or injury to, benthic organisms, prey species and their habitat, and other ecosystem components.
The SEIS should analyze impacts to benthic and prey species in the discussion of impacts to EFH. This descriptive and analytical information, coupled with a statement of your agency's conclusions regarding the effects of the action on EFH and marine fishery species, would provide the basic details necessary for an EFH assessment pursuant to the requirements of 50 CFR 600.920(e).
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council should also be provided an opportunity for comment on EFH issues under provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.Further, the project area is within the known distribution limits of a federally listed threatened species under purview of NMFS. In accordance with the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, it is your responsibility to review this proposal and identify actions that may affect endangered or threatened species. Determinations involving listed species should be reported to our Protected Resources Division at the letterhead address.If it is determined that the activities may adversely affect any species listed as endangered or threatened under Protected Resources Division purview, formal consultation must be initiated.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide these comments on environmental issues concerning the proposed relicensing of the Crystal River Unit 3 Nuclear Generating Plant. If we may be of further assistance, please contact Mr. Mark Sramek at the letterhead address above, by telephone at (727) 824-5311, or e-mail at Mark. Sramek@noaa.
gov.Sincerely,_Xc4' Miles Croo Assistant Regional Administrator Habitat Conservation Division Enclosure cc: F/SER4 F/SER3 F/SER46 SER -Keys GMFMC -Rester FWC -Gregg, Smith NRC -Masnik 2 EFH Requirements for Species Managed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council: Ecoregion 2, Tarpon Springs to Pensacola Bay, FL.Species Life Stage Pink shrimp 2 eggs larvae juvenile adults White shrimp 2 eggs larvae juvenile System'M M E M M E/M E E/M E/M E/M E/M E/M E Stone crab eggs larvae juvenile Gulf stone crab eggs larvae/postlarvae juvenile Red drum eggs larvae/postlarvae juvenile adults Red grouper Black grouper eggs larvae juvenile adults eggs larvae juvenile adults eggs larvae juvenile adults eggs larvae juvenile M E M/E M!E M M M/E M M M E/M M/E M M M/E M M M M EFH<50 m; sand/shell bottom<50 m; planktonic, sand/shell bottom, SAV<64 m; sand/shell substrate, SAV<64 m; sand/shell substrate 9-34 m; sand/shell/soft bottoms<64 m; plankton, soft bottom, estuarine marsh soft bottom, estuarine marsh<62 m; sand/shell/hard bottoms, SAV, reefs<62 m; planktonic
<62 m; sand/shell/hard bottoms, SAV<18 m; sand/shell/soft bottom<18 m; planktonic, oyster reef, soft bottom<18 m; sand/shell/soft bottom, oyster reef planktonic planktonic, SAV, sand/shell/soft bottom, emergent marsh<5 m; SAV, sand/shell/soft/hard bottom, emergent marsh 1-46 m (9-18 m S of Crystal River);SAv, pelagic, sand/shell/soft/hard bottom, emergent marsh 20-100 m; planktonic'20-100 m; planktonic
<50 m; hard bottoms, SAV, reefs 3-183 m; reefs, hard bottoms 18-28 m; planktonic 10-150 m; planktonic SAV, hard bottoms, reefs10-150 m; hard bottoms, mangrove, reefs'50-120 m; planktonic 50-120 m; planktonic
<50 m; SAV, reefs, hard bottom 20-120 m; hard bottom, reefs planktonic 2-50 m; planktonic SAV, reefs Gag grouper .Nassau grouper 1 E=estuarine, M=marine 2 Marine EFH S of Crystal River excludes 18-46 m. depth zone EFH Requirements Tarpon Springs to Pensacola Bay, FL -- Continued Warsaw grouper Life Staie eggs larvae juvenile System M M M EFH 40-183 m; planktonic 40-183 m; planktonic 20-30 m; reefs Yellowedge grouper eggs larvae postlarvae/juvenile adults M M M M 35-183 m; planktonic 35-183 m; planktonic 35-183 m; hard bottom 35-183 m; reefs bottom Red hind Rock hind eggs larvae juvenile eggs juvenile Speckled hind eggs larvae Scamp Schoolmaster eggs larvae juvenile eggs larvae juvenile eggs larvae juvenile adults eggs juvenile adult Red snapper M M M M M M M M M M M M M E/M M M M M M M M M M/E M/E E/M M/E M M E/M E/M 18-110 m; planktonic 18-110 m; planktonic 2-110 m; reefs 2-100 m; planktonic 2-100 m; planktonic 2-110 m; reefs 146-183 m; planktonic 146-183 m; planktonic 60-189 m; planktonic 60-189 m; planktonic 12-33 m; hard bottoms, reefs, mangrove<90 m; planktonic
<90 m; planktonic
<90 m; SAV, mangrove, emergent marsh, reefs, hard bottom 18-37 m; planktonic 18-37 m; planktonic 17-183 m; hard/soft/sand/shell bottom 7-146 m; reefs, hard/sand/shell bottoms>180 m; planktonic 1-25 m; reefs, hard bottom>180 m; reefs, hard bottom<180 m; planktonic, reefs<180 m; planktonic, reefs<180 m; SAV, mangrove, emergent marsh<180 m; emergent marsh, reefs, sand/shell/soft/hard bottoms 1-183 m; planktonic 1-183 m; SAV, mangrove, soft bottom 1-183 m; reefs, hard bottom, shoals/banks Vermilion snapper Gray snapper eggs larvae postlarvae/juvenile adults Yellowtail snapper eggs juvenile adults Lane snapper eggs larvae juvenile 4-132 m; planktonic 4-132 m; reefs, SAV<20 m; SAV, mangrove, reefs, sand/shell/soft bottom Blackftn snapper eggs juvenile M M 40-183 m; planktonic 12-40 m; hard bottom t EFH Requirements Tarpon Springs to Pensacola Bay, FL -- Continued Dog sna]Hogfish pper Life Stage eggs larvae juvenile Dwarf sand perch Greater amberjack Lesser amberjack Almaco jack Banded rudderfish Blueline tilefish Goldface tilefish Golden tilefish Gray triggerfish Spanish mackerel juvenile juvenile eggs larvae'juvenile System M M E/M E/M M M M M eggs larvae juvenile eggs juvenile M M M M M larvae juvenile eggs larvae eggs larvae eggs larvae juvenile eggs larvae postlarvae/juvenile eggs 'larvae juvenile adults M M M M M M M M M M M"M M M M E/M EFH planktonic planktonic SAV, mangrove, emergent marsh'3-30 m; SAV hard bottom 1-183 m; planktonic 1-183 m; pelagic 1-183 m; drift algae (Sargassum) planktonic pelagic 55-130 m; drift algae (Sargassum)15-160 m; planktonic 15-160 m; drift algae (Sargassum)10-130 m; planktonic 10-130 m; drift algae (Sargassum)60-183 m; planktonic 60-183 m; planktonic 60-183 m; planktonic 60-183 m; planktonic 80-183 m; planktonic 80-183 ,n; planktonic 80-183 m; hard/soft bottom, shelf edge/slope 10-100 m; reefs drift algae (Sargassum)10-100 m; drift algae (Sargassum), mangroves, reefs<50 m; plankton 9-84 m; plankton<50 m; pelagic<75 m; pelagic planktonic, FL Middle Grounds, reefs Coral all stages M U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE* .&A.HABITAT CONSERVATION DIVISION 3500 DELWOOD BEACH ROAD PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA 32407-7499 OFFICIAL BUSINESS Al//20 Re 0002844714 MA U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE COM-210 AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER ,0 I