ML19289E158

Provides Results of Review of Fes.Agrees W/Nrc Recommendation Against Cemeton,Ny Site.Raises Concern Re Potential for High Fishery Impingement & Entrainment Losses. Believes Seven Alternative Sites Are Superior

ML19289E158
Person / Time
Site:	Green County
Issue date:	03/27/1979
From:	Bricke K ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
To:	Moore V Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
NUDOCS 7904030235
Download: ML19289E158 (2)

Text

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w Ycm NY ICC07 '. ' r ;' " '; ~ 2 as GEPA 2 7 lui im Mr. Voss Moore Assistant Director.for Environmental Projects U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear Mr. Moore:

The Environmental Protection Agency has reviewed the final environmental impact statement issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in connection with the application of the Power Authority of the State of New York for a construction permit for the Greene County Nuclear Power Plant. Proposed.

for siting in Cementon, New York, power plant exhaust steam would be cooled by a closed-cycle system incorporating a natural-draft cooling tower using makeup water drawn from, and discharging to, the Hudson River.

The EPA concurs with the NRC staff recommendation that a nuclear power plant should not be built at Cementon. The economic and aesthetic judg-ments appear sound; further, we commend the NRC staff for its decision that once-through cooling is unacceptable due to the abundance of juvenile fish near the proposed site, and due to the potential for high fishery impingement and entrainment losses.

If, however, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board rejects the staff recommendation and licenses the proposal, we believe it essential that an analysis be made of the impact of an accident at the proposed site on the nearby reservoirs, Ashoken and Roundout, and thereby through the drinking water pathway to New York City.

In recommending against licensing the Cementon site, the NRC staff has determined that seven alternative sites are superior to Cementon. The EPA is concerned about the inadequate consideraticn in the final environ-mental impact statement of the adverse effects of power plant siting at the alternate and Cementon sites on the rare and endangered shortnose sturgeon. Studies by William Dovel from 1976 to 1978 under contract to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and by NALC0 Environmental Sciences Corporation (at the Stuyvesant site) for New York State Electric and Gas indicate a probable shortnose sturgeon spawning area in the Hudson River reach between Germantown and Coeymans. Five of the alternate sites considered superior by the NRC staff, as well as the t,0

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2 Cementon site, lie in this 25-mile stretch of river. Mature shortnose sturgeon have been observed in the Esopus Meadows area, casting doubt on the acceptability of the remaining two alternate sites, Esopus and Lloyd; it is believed that post-spawning adults congregate in this area and some may remain there year-round.

At this moment, EPA is reviewing the New York State discharge permit for the Cementon site. . Analysis of fishery data for this site and the alternata sites should shed light on the acceptability of these sites for future power plant siting, and should be factored into the NRC ctaff's eventual site assessment.

Thank you for your consideration of EPA's comments on the draft environ-mental impact statement.

Sincerely yours, ok/ 'b Kevin Bricke Chief Office of Federal Activities

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Accession No. 776f6TCFT(

Contractor's Report No.

Contract Program or Project Title: Criteria and Test Methods for Certifving Air-Purifying Respirators Against Radioiodine, R-410 Subject of this Document: __Quarterly Progress reported for the period

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October 1 - December 31, 1978 Ivpe of Document: Interim Contractor Progress Report (Technical)

Author (s): Gerry Odell Wood Date of Document: January 30, 1974

• Responsible NRC Individual and NRC Office or Division:

Environmental Effects Research Branch, Division of Safeguards, Fuel Cycle and Environmental Research, RES This document was prepared primarily for preliminary or internal use. It has not received full review and approval. Since there may be substantive changes, this document should not be considered final.

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Prepared for

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U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission Washington.,D.C. 20555

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NRC FIN No. A7041 '

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