ML20307A138

NMFS to NRC, Atlantic Sturgeon Captured at Surry

ML20307A138
Person / Time
Site:	Surry
Issue date:	10/27/2020
From:	Crocker J US Dept of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service
To:	Briana Grange Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
Briana Grange 301-415-1042
References
Download: ML20307A138 (2)

Text

From: Julie Crocker - NOAA Federal To: Grange, Briana

Subject:

[External_Sender] Re: FYI: Atlantic sturgeon captured at Surry Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2020 6:36:45 PM Thank you for the timely reporting today. Dominion staff called Lynn Lanskhear this afternoon to also report the incident. Yes, I believe we will need to reinitiate consultation. I need to touch base with folks here internally on next steps. Can we set something up for early next week? It looks like we are available Weds 11/4 2:30-3:30, Thurs 11/5 before 11 or 2-3.

Thanks, Julie On Tue, Oct 27, 2020 at 2:59 PM Grange, Briana <Briana.Grange@nrc.gov> wrote:

Julie, I just wanted to follow up my earlier voicemail regarding the Atlantic sturgeon captured at Surry yesterday. Do you have time this week to discuss next steps?

Additionally, here is a summary of what I know at this time, as well as a photograph of the captured sturgeon (attached).

Oct 26 Atlantic Sturgeon Capture On 10/26, Dominion personnel discovered an Atlantic sturgeon on the lower level intake trash racks of Surry Power Station. The sturgeon was alive but entangled with a rope around its tail, which had caused injury to the individual in the form of cuts.

Divers removed the rope and used a plastic sheet to transport the sturgeon to a safe location for release. The sturgeon swam away following release.

Agency Notifications On 10/27, Dominion verbally notified several agencies of the incident, including NMFS, the NRC, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

ESA Section 7 Consultation In the most recent consultation, the NRC concluded that continued operation of Surry

and through the end of the proposed relicensing term was not likely to adversely affect (NLAA) Atlantic sturgeon. As part of its analysis, the NRC found that impingement of Atlantic (and shortnose) sturgeon represents a discountable effect because sturgeon in the action area would be of sufficient size and swimming ability to avoid impingement at the intake and that, therefore, impingement is extremely unlikely to occur.

NMFS concurred with this conclusion in a Jan 30, 2020, letter to the NRC.

The NRC and NMFS also consulted when the Atlantic sturgeon was originally listed in 2012, and an NLAA conclusion was reached by NRC and concurred on by NMFS during that consultation as well.

Reinitiation of Consultation Previous to the 10/26 event, no Atlantic sturgeon had been captured at Surry since it began operating.

This capture appears to constitute new information under 50 CFR 402.16(a)(2) that would require reinitiation.

Thanks!

Briana Briana A. Grange Conservation Biologist & ESA Consultation Coordinator Environmental Center of Expertise Office of Materials Safety and Safeguards U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission briana.grange@nrc.gov (301) 415-1042 Julie Crocker