ML17241A485

NPDES Noncompliance Notification:On 990906 & 07,19 Dead Green Sea Turtles Recovered from Unit 1 Intake Well.Cause Not Presently Known.Capture Efforts Increased Behind 5 Inch Net Until Remaining Turtles Recovered

ML17241A485
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	10/01/1999
From:	Stall J FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT CO.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
L-99-214, NUDOCS 9910120174
Download: ML17241A485 (7)

Text

CATEGORY' REGULATORY INFORMATION DISTRIBUTIOh SYSTEM (RIDS)

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NBR:991 0120174 DOC.DATE: 99/10/01 NOTARIZED: NO DOCKET gACIL:50-335 St. Lucie Plant, Unit 1, Florida Power Ec Light Co. 05000335 50-389 St. Lucie Plant, Unit 2, Florida Power & Light Co. 05000389 AUTH. NAME AUTHOR AFFILIATION STALL,J.A. Florida Power E Light Co.

RECIP.NAME RECIPIENT AFFILIATION Records Management Branch (Document Control Desk)

SUBJECT:

NPDES noncompliance notification: on 990906,dead green sea turtle was recovered from Unit 1 intake well. Caused by loading of drift algae approxi8 days prior to first mortality. Capture efforts have been increased behind S-inch.

DISTRIBUTION CODE: IE23D COPIES RECEIVED: LTR TITLE: Environmental Event Report (per Tech Specs) g ENCL ( SIZE: 3 NOTES:

RECIPIENT COPIES RECIPIENT COPIES ID CODE/NAME LTTR ENCL ID CODE/NAME LTTR ENCL GLEAVES,W 1 '1 INTERNAL: ACRS 1 1 ~FILE CENTER 01 1 1 OGC/RP 1 1 RGN2 1 EXTERNAL: NOAC 1 1 NRC PDR 1 1 D

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'E NOTE TO ALL "RIDS" RECIPIENTS:

PLEASE HELP US TO REDUCE WASTE. TO HAVE YOUR NAME OR ORGANIZATION REMOVED FROM DISTRIBUTION OR REDUCE THE NUMBER OF COPZES RECEIVED BY YOU OR YOUR ORGANIZATION, CONTACT LISTS THE DOCUMENT CONTROL DESK (DCD) ON EXTENSION 415-2083 TOTAL NUMBER OF, COPIES REQUIRED: LTTR 7 ENCL' gy>> j

Florida Power & Light Company, 6351 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, FL 34957 October 1, 1999 Flaw I 99-214 10CFR 50.36b EPP 4.1 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555 RE: St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389 Environmental Protection Plan Report Event Dates: September 6, 1999, September 7, 1999, and September 19, 1999 Unusual or Im ortant Environmental Events The attached report is being submitted pursuant to the requirements of Section 4.1 of the St.

Lucie Units 1 and 2 Environmental Protection Plans. The report provides descriptions of three reportable green sea turtle mortalities in the St. Lucie Plant intake canal.

Section 4.2.1(l) of the St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Environmental Protection Plans requires reinitiation of formal consultation if the amount or extent of taking specified in the Incidental Take Statement is exceeded. The number of green sea turtle mortalities for 1999 has exceeded the Incidental Take Statement limit for green sea turtles at St. Lucie Plant. FPL requests that the NRC begin the necessary steps to reinitiate formal consultation under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act for green sea turtles.

Should you have any questions on this information, please contact us.

Very truly yours, J. A. Stall Vice President St. Lucie Plant JAS/GRM Attachment cc: Regional Administrator, Region II, USNRC, Senior Resident Inspector, USNRC, St. Lucie Plant

( '991Qi20%74 99100f Il PDR ADGCK G50003$ 5 S PDR I an FPL Group company

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St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389 L-99-214 Attachment Page 1 ST. LUCIE PLANT SEA TURTLE MORTALITIES 30-DAY WRITTEN REPORT EVENT DESCRIPTION At approximately 0200 hours0.00231 days <br />0.0556 hours <br />3.306878e-4 weeks <br />7.61e-5 months <br /> on September 6, 1999, a dead green sea turtle (CV>elonia mydas) was recovered from the Unit 1 intake well. The turtle, which weighed approximately 4.5 lbs.,

was badly decomposed when recovered.

At approximately 0810 hours0.00938 days <br />0.225 hours <br />0.00134 weeks <br />3.08205e-4 months <br /> on September 7, 1999, another dead green sea turtle, weighing approximately 12 lbs., was recovered from the plant intake canal. This turtle, which was only slightly decomposed, was found against the 8-inch barrier net located at the A1A Bridge.

At approximately 1100 hours0.0127 days <br />0.306 hours <br />0.00182 weeks <br />4.1855e-4 months <br /> on September 19, 1999, a severely decomposed green sea turtle weighing approximately 25 lbs. was also found against the 8-inch barrier net.

These mortalities bring the total to four for this species so far this year at the St. Lucie Plant.

The limits for mortalities of this species in the National Marine Fisheries Incidental Take Statement, issued to the site by the NRC in 1997, is three or 1.5% of the total captured, whichever is greater. To date, the total number of green sea turtles captured ((100) has not approached the quantity necessary to increase the incidental take by percentage.

CAUSE OF THE EVENTS The 5-inch turtle barrier net, which was installed upstream of the 8-inch barrier net, had been lowered due to heavy loading, of drift algae approximately 8 days prior to the first mortality.

This net had to be lowered again September 13, 1999, due to the approach of Hurricane Floyd.

It has been determined that catastrophic damage to this net can occur if abnormal tension is placed on the cables and anchors.

Several turtles were observed behind the 8-inch barrier net prior to the mortalities, but capture efforts proved largely unsuccessful. The small turtle found in the plant intake well was small enough to pass through both the 8-inch net and the plant Underwater Intrusion Detection if System.- It is not known this turtle actually died in the intake well or somewhere upstream of the well.

The two turtles found at the 8-inch barrier net were not entangled in the net itself. There were no signs of external injury on the first turtle. The second turtle was too badly decomposed to make any determination. From this evidence, cause of the deaths could not be determined.

f The influx of drift algae is attributed to increased wave action offshore resulting from Hurricane Dennis. This storm passed relatively close to the East Coast of Florida. Following

tg St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389 I 99-214 Attachment Page 2 The influx of drift algae is attributed to increased wave action offshore resulting from Hurricane Dennis. This storm passed relatively close to the East Coast of Florida. Following Hurricane Dennis, Hurricane Floyd also passed near the coast, also creating high winds and seas. Although it is not presently known what caused the death of the three green sea turtles, the harsh conditions offshore and subsequently in the canal could have been a contributing factor.

CORRECTIVE ACTIONS Canal conditions allowed the 5-inch barrier net to be raised back into position September 16, 1999. This net, due to its steeper and smaller mesh design, is more effective in retaining turtles in an area of the canal where they can be effectively captured. Capture efforts have been increased behind the 5-inch net until the remaining'turtles are removed.

Section 4.2.1(1) requires reinitiation of formal consultation if the amount or extent of taking specified in the Incidental Take Statement is exceeded. Due to somewhat unusual offshore environmental conditions and the apparent increase in local populations, the number of green sea turtle mortalities for 1999 has exceeded the Incidental Take Statement limit for this species at St. Lucie plant. FPL requests that the NRC begin the necessary steps to reinitiate formal consultation under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act for green sea turtles.

AGENCIES NOTIFIED The Florida Department of Environmental Protection was notified of the three mortalities in compliance with Marine Turtle Permit ¹99.

Four-hour notifications were made to the NRC at 0225 hours0.0026 days <br />0.0625 hours <br />3.720238e-4 weeks <br />8.56125e-5 months <br /> on September 6, 1999, at 1226 hours0.0142 days <br />0.341 hours <br />0.00203 weeks <br />4.66493e-4 months <br /> on September 7, 1999, and at 1324 hours0.0153 days <br />0.368 hours <br />0.00219 weeks <br />5.03782e-4 months <br /> on September 19, 1999, in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(vi).

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