ML072910105

Letters to Agencies, Request for List of Protected Species and Essential Fish Habitat within the Area Under Evaluation for the BVPS LRA Review

ML072910105
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley
Issue date:	11/02/2007
From:	Rani Franovich NRC/NRR/ADRO/DLR/REBB
To:	Densmore D US Dept of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service
Howard K, NRR/DLR/RLRB, 415-2989
References
Download: ML072910105 (9)

Text

November 2, 2007 David Densmore Project Leader U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Pennsylvania Field Office 315 South Allen St., Suite 322 State College, PA 16801-4850

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR LIST OF PROTECTED SPECIES WITHIN THE AREA UNDER EVALUATION FOR THE BEAVER VALLEY POWER STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2, LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION REVIEW

Dear Mr. Densmore:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff) is reviewing an application submitted by FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC) for the renewal of the operating licenses for Beaver Valley Power Station (BVPS), Units 1 and 2. BVPS is located near the town of Shippingport, Beaver County, Pennsylvania. 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 NRCs 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. This letter is being submitted under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act of 1973; as amended, and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1934, as amended; and the Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996.

The operating license for BVPS, Unit 1 will expire on January 29, 2016, and the license for BVPS, Unit 2 will expire May 27, 2027. FENOC is seeking to renew each of these licenses for an additional twenty-year term.

The BVPS site, comprising of approximately 453 acres, is situated on the south bank of the Ohio River approximately 25 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The nearest population center of greater than 20,000 inhabitants is the township of McCandless, Pennsylvania, located approximately 17 miles east of the site. Approximately 230 acres of the 453 acres of land on the site are developed or maintained encompassing the plant, switchyard, and related support facilities and infrastructure. The remainder of the site consists of forested areas. The site is characterized by a smooth, undulating, upland surface cut by numerous narrow, relatively shallow river valleys. Upland areas have been altered over time by strip mining, stream erosion, and glacially induced erosion. Local relief on the uplands is generally less than 200 feet, with differences of as much as 600 feet between valley bottoms and upland surfaces. Valley sides are usually moderately steep except in the upper reaches of streams where the side slopes are fairly gentle. Elevations range from 660 to 1,700 feet. The BVPS site region encompasses portions of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.

D. Densmore The presence of the Ohio River and hilly topography of the area have contributed to the development of industrial river towns where the majority of industries and residences are concentrated on relatively level land adjacent to the river. Topography beyond the river valley is characterized by steep slopes and broad, relatively flat hilltops. Much of these rural upland areas are forested, particularly on slopes; pastureland, cropland, and new residential development predominately on the hilltops and gentler slopes.

The major river systems in the region consist of the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio Rivers, and their tributaries. The Ohio River and lower portions of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers are maintained and controlled by a series of locks and dams operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

Several public lands within or near the BVPS site vicinity are dedicated to wildlife management and recreation. These public lands include a Shippingport Community Park, a 7.5-acre public recreation facility, a portion of the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge, Raccoon Creek State Park, Pennsylvania Game Lands Number 189, Beaver Creek State Forest, Brady Run County Park, and Pennsylvania Game Lands Number 173.

BVPS uses two closed-cycle, natural draft cooling towers as their primary source of cooling.

Water that is withdrawn from the river and not returned, termed consumptive use, reduces downstream flows. Facilities equipped with closed-cycle cooling systems typically are characterized as consumptive water users due to evaporative losses. River water consumption does result from withdrawals used to replace water lost, but primarily from evaporation, in closed-cycle cooling systems. Maximum consumptive loss from BVPS operation is approximately 26 mgd (40 cfs).

Power output from the BVPS, Unit 1 and BVPS, Unit 2 main generators is fed to the transmission grid at the BVPS switchyard (Beaver Valley Substation), situated on the southern perimeter of the power block area on the BVPS site. The substation is organized as a 345-kV switchyard on the east side of the substation and a 138-kV switchyard on the west side of the substation, providing connection for a total of 13 transmission lines (circuits), 150.7 miles in total length, six 345-kV lines and seven 138-kV lines. All of these transmission lines are operated as integral parts of the transmission grid or to service major electric customers from the grid independent of BVPS. Therefore, FENOC and Duquesne Light, owners of the lines, expect that these lines would remain in service irrespective of continued operation of BVPS, Unit 1 and BVPS, Unit 2. The corridors pass through land that is primarily forestland. The enclosed transmission line map shows the transmission system that is being evaluated in the SEIS.

FENOC conducts routine vegetation maintenance of its rural transmission line corridors approximately every 5 years. Trees and shrubs that do not interfere with transmission facilities are not disturbed, and portions of corridors that are not cultivated or devoted to other intensive uses are managed to promote a diversity of shrubs, grasses, and other groundcover that provides wildlife food and cover. Maintenance includes removal or pruning of woody vegetation as necessary to ensure adequate line clearance (no less than 30 feet from the conductor for transmission lines operated above 138 kV) and to allow vehicular access for maintenance.

D. Densmore Provided for your information is the BVPS Site Layout (Enclosure 1) and Transmission Line Map (Enclosure 2). To support the SEIS preparation process and to ensure compliance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, the NRC requests information on Federally-listed, proposed, and candidate species and critical habitat that may be in the vicinity of BVPS and its associated transmission line rights-of-way. In addition, please provide any information you consider appropriate under the provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act.

The NRC staff plans to hold two identical public meetings covering the license renewal review process and NEPA scoping on November 27, 2007, at the Embassy Suites Pittsburgh -

International Airport, 550 Cherrington Parkway, Pittsburgh, PA 15108. 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., with a repeat of the overview portions of the first meeting, and will continue until 10:00 p.m., as necessary. In addition, during the week of November 13, 2007, the NRC plans to conduct a site audit at BVPS. You and your staff are invited to attend both the site audit and the public meetings. 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 September 2008.

If you have any questions concerning the NRC staffs review of this LRA, please contact the Safety/Environmental Project Manager, Kent Howard, at 301-415-2989 or by e-mail at KLH1@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA by Bo Pham for/

Rani Franovich, Branch Chief Projects Branch 2 Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-334 and 50-412

Enclosures:

1. Site Layout

2. Transmission Line Map cc w/encls: See next page

1. Ltr. to w/Encls. 1, 2, Svc. List: ML072910105 OFFICE: LA:DLR PM:DLR:RLRB PM:DLR:RLRB BC:DLR:RPB2 NAME: SFigueroa ESayoc KHoward RFranovich (BPham for)

DATE: 11/02/07 11/02/07 11/02/07 11/02/07

ENCLOSURE 1, Site Layout ENCLOSURE 2, Transmission Line Map Letter to D. Densmore from R. Franovich dated November 2, 2007 DISTRIBUTION:

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR LIST OF PROTECTED SPECIES WITHIN THE AREA UNDER EVALUATION FOR THE BEAVER VALLEY POWER STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2, LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION REVIEW HARD COPY DLR RF E-MAIL:

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Beaver Valley Power Station, Units 1 and 2 cc:

Joseph J. Hagan FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company President and Chief Nuclear Officer Beaver Valley Power Station FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Mail Stop A-BV-SEB-1 Mail Stop A-GO-19 P.O. Box 4, Route 168 76 South Main Street Shippingport, PA 15077 Akron, OH 44308 Director, Fleet Regulatory Affairs James H. Lash FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Senior Vice President of Operations Mail Stop A-GO-2 and Chief Operating Officer 76 South Main Street FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Akron, OH 44308 Mail Stop A-GO-14 76 South Main Street Manager, Site Regulatory Compliance Akron, OH 44308 FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Beaver Valley Power Station Danny L. Pace Mail Stop A-BV-A Senior Vice President, Fleet Engineering P.O. Box 4, Route 168 FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Shippingport, PA 15077 Mail Stop A-GO-14 76 South Main Street Commissioner James R. Lewis Akron, OH 44308 West Virginia Division of Labor 749-B, Building No. 6 Jeannie M. Rinckel Capitol Complex Vice President, Fleet Oversight Charleston, WV 25305 FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Mail Stop A-GO-14 Director, Utilities Department 76 South Main Street Public Utilities Commission Akron, OH 44308 180 East Broad Street Columbus, OH 43266-0573 David W. Jenkins, Attorney FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Director, Pennsylvania Emergency Mail Stop A-GO-15 Management Agency 76 South Main Street 2605 Interstate Dr.

Akron, OH 44308 Harrisburg, PA 17110-9364 Manager, Fleet Licensing Dr. Judith Johnsrud FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Environmental Coalition on Nuclear Power Mail Stop A-GO-2 Sierra Club 76 South Main Street 433 Orlando Avenue Akron, OH 44308 State College, PA 16803 Ohio EPA-DERR ATTN: Zack A. Clayton P.O. Box 1049 Columbus, OH 43266-0149 Beaver Valley Power Station, Units 1 and 2 Peter P. Sena III Site Vice President cc:

Director Bureau of Radiation Protection Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Rachel Carson State Office Building P.O. Box 8469 Harrisburg, PA 17105-8469 Mayor of the Borough of Shippingport P.O. Box 3 Shippingport, PA 15077 Regional Administrator, Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 298 Shippingport, PA 15077 Cliff Custer FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Beaver Valley Power Station P.O. Box 4, Route 168 Shippingport, PA 15077 Mike Banko FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Beaver Valley Power Station P.O. Box 4, Route 168 Shippingport, PA 15077 Julie Firestone FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Beaver Valley Power Station P.O. Box 4, Route 168 Shippingport, PA 15077