ML20155G776

Informs That Licensee No Longer Considering Relocating Fish from Diffuser Pond to Chickamauga Reservoir But Plans to Dispose Fish by Burial Onsite.Licensee Will Request Approval of Burial from Tennessee Div of Solid Waste Mgt

ML20155G776
Person / Time
Site:	Sequoyah
Issue date:	06/13/1988
From:	Brooks R TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
To:	Stewart P TENNESSEE, STATE OF
References
NUDOCS 8806200099
Download: ML20155G776 (3)

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. TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY

. KNOXVILLE TENNESSEE 379o2 JUN 131988 Mr. Philip L. Stewart, Manager Chattanooga Field Office Division of Water Pollution Control 2501 Milne Street Chattanooga, Tennessee 37406-3399

Dear Mr. Stewart:

SEQUOYAH THE DIFFUSERNUCLEAR POND PLANT (SQN) - NPDES DERMIT NO. TN0026450 - FISH POPULATION IN '

During previous years of operation r; SQN, fish kills periodleally occurred in the diffuser pond in summer months when water temperature in the pond reached lethal levels. -The most recent summer fish kill in the diffuser pond was in July 1985 when pond temperatures reached 104* F. Although fish kills have occurred, some fish undoubtedly survived to reproduce in the diffuser pond, especially because SQN was not operational between August 1985 and May 1988.

Surveys conducted in 1980 revealed that gizzard and threadfin shad, carp, emerald shiner, spotted sucker, yellow bullhead, channel catfish, yellow bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, and several other sunfish species are now present in the diffuser pond.

With the operation of SQN expected for at least part of this summer, another fish kill is expected to occur in the diffuser pond when water temperatures reach lethal levels. Madonna E. Martin briefly discussed this matter with you in a telephone conversation on May 5, at which time TVA was considering moving fish froa the diffuser pond to the reservoir to salvage as much of the desir-Eble resources as possible. Since that time, we have determined that moving the fish to the reservoir is not a viable option in accordance with Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved Technical Specifications for SQN. The Technical

! Specifications require TVA to limit the radiological dose to humans based on various pathways. Dose calculations used to demonstrate compliance with these limits do not consider the pathway that would result from consumption of fish reared-in-the diffuser pond. These fish do not have access to Chickamauga Reservoir, and humans are not allowed to remove or consume these fish.

Tharefore, TVA is no longer considering relocating fish from the diffuser

ad to Chickamauga Reservoir.

I We regret that it will not be possible to avoid or minimize the kill as we had hoped. We plan to pick up the fish from the diffuser pond and dispose

( of these fish by burial onsite in the vicinity of the existing demolition landfill. A letter will be sent to the Tennessee Division of Solid Waste

. Management requesting approval of the burial. We will verbally notify your office when the fish kill begins, in case you wish to send an observer. A follow-up report will be sent to you when the cleanup operations are completed.

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8806200099 890613 I DR ADOCK 0500 7 An Equal Opportunity Employer i

Fr. Philip L. Stewart If your staff has any questions or comments regarding our planned course of action, please have them call Ms. Martin at (615) 632-6695 in Knoxville.

Sincerely,

t. (

[jfRalhH. Brooks, Director Environmental Quality cc: Mr. K. P. Barr, Acting Assistant Director for Inspection Programs TVA Projects Division U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region II 101 Marietta Street, NW., Suite 2900 Atlanta, Georgia 30323 Mr. Bruce R. Barrett, Director Water Management Division U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region IV 345 Courtland Street, NE.

Atlanta, Georgia 30365 Mr. Paul E. Davis, Deputy Director Division of Water Pollution Control Tennessee Department of Health and Environment TERRA Building 150 Ninth Avenua, North Nashville, Tennessee 37219-5404 Mr. Charles H. Kaplan, P.E.

Coordinator, Thermal Analysis Permits Section Water Management Division U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region IV 345 Courtland Street, NE.

Atlanta, Georgia 30365 cc: Continued on Page 3 l

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, Mr. hilip L. Stewart JUN 131988 cc: Mr. Douglas K. Lankford, Chief South Carolina / Tennessee Unit Facilities Performance Branch Water Management Division U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region IV 345 Courtland Street, NE.

Atlanta, Georgia 30365 Mr. Anders Myhr, Biologist Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency 216 East Penfield Street Crossville, Tennessee 38555 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attention: Document Control Desk Washington, D.C. 20555 Mr. C. Wayne Pollock, Chief Fisheries Management Ellington Agricultural Center Post Office Box 40747, Room 153 Nashville, Tennessee 37204 Mr. Walter D. Stieglitz Acting Regional Director Department of Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Richard B. Russell Federal Building 75 Spring Street, SW.

Atlanta, Georgia 30303 Mr. W. Reid Tatum, Regional Manager Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency 216 East Penfield Street Crossville, Tennessee 38555 Mr. G. G. Zech, Assistant Director

. for Projects TVA Projects Division U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission One White Flint, North 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland 20852 l

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