ML17209A671

Advises That NRC Must Provide Biological Assessment for Endangered Species Which Are Likely to Be Affected by Const Projects.Consultation May Be Required If Proposed Actions May Affect Listed Species or Critical Habitat

ML17209A671
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	02/24/1981
From:	HANKLA D J INTERIOR, DEPT. OF, FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE
To:	YOUNGBLOOD B J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
NUDOCS 8102270646
Download: ML17209A671 (6)

Text

+gHsoc>rrWVl0ssUnitedStatesDepartmentoftheInteriorFISHANDWILDLIFESERVICEISNORTHLAURASTREETJACKSONVILLE,F'LORIDA32202~eIsJIQk~+lao~'~l~February24,1981B.J,~Youngblood,Chief@censin'gBranchNo.1NuclearRegulatoryCommissionWashington,D.C.20555

DearMrYoungblood:

WehavereviewedtheinformationinyourletterofFebruary12,1981regardingFloridaPowerandLightCompany'sSt.LuciePlantUnitNo.2,locatedonHutchinsonIsland,St.LucieCounty,Florida.WehaveassignedLogNo.4-1-81-076toyourproject,andwerequestthatyourefertothislognumberinfuturecorrespondence.Itappearsthatsomeendangeredspeciesmayoccurinthisarea,andtheyarelistedbelow:WestIndianmanatee-EndangeredBrownpelican-EndangeredBaldeagle-EndangeredLeatherbackturtle-EndangeredHawksbillturtle-EndangeredLoggerheadturtle-ThreatenedGreenturtle-EndangeredKemp's(Atlantic)ridley-EndangeredAmericanalligator-ThreatenedTheFishandWildlifeServicehasjurisdictionovermarineturtlesonlywhentheyareonland.Inthemarineenvironment,theNationalMarineFisheriesServicehasjurisdiction,andthisagencyshouldbecontactedifyoubelievetheremaybeanimpact.Section7(c)oftheEndangeredSpeciesActof1973,asamendedin1978,requiresFederalagenciestoprovideabiologicalassessmentforthespecieswhicharelikelytobeaffectedbyconstructionprojects.Thebiologicalassessmentshallbecompletedwithin180daysafterthedateonwhichinitiated(orwithinamutuallyagreedtimeframe),beforeanycontractsforconstructionareenteredinto,andbeforeconstructionisbegun.WedonotfeelthatwecanadequatelyassesstheeffectsoftheproposedactiononlistedandproposedspeciesorCriticalHabitat(aslistedintheFederalRegister)withoutacompleteassessment.Thefollowinginformationshouldbeincludedintheassessment:OS

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l.Identificationofthelistedspecies,speciesproposedforlistingandCriticalHabitatdeterminedtobepresentwithintheareaaffectedbytheproposal.2.Descriptionofthesurveymethodsusedtodeterminepresenceoflistedspeciesorspeciesproposedforlistingwithinthearea.3.Descriptionofanydifficultiesencounteredinobtainingdataandcompletingproposedstudies.4.Descriptionoftheproposedconstructionprojectandassociatedactivities.5.Theactualandpotentialimpactsofprojectorassociatedactivitiesonlistedspecies,speciesproposedforlisting,orCriticalHabitat.Inadditiontothedirect(siterelated)impactsofprojectconstructiontheBiologicalAssessmentshouldinclude,whenapplicable,descriptionof:A.Impactsassociatedwithprojectoperation.B.C.Secondaryimpactsfromactivities,suchasdevelopment,whichwillbegeneratedbytheproposedproject.Thecumulativeeffectsoftheproposalonthespeciesand/oritsCriticalHabitat.CumulativeeffectsaredefinedasthedirectandindirectimpactsoftheFederalactionundercon-siderationcoupledwiththeidentifiableeffectsofotherreasonablyforeseeableactionsoftheFederalagency,otherFederal,Stateandlocalagencies,corporationsandindividualsuponaspeciesoritsCriticalHabitat.6.Whereimpactstolistedspecies,speciesproposedforlisting,orCriticalHabitatareidentified,theassessmentshouldincludeadiscussionoftheeffortsthatwillbetakentoeliminate,reduce,ormitigateanyadverseeffects.7.Conclusionsoftheagencyincludingrecommendationsregardingfurtherstudies.8.Anyotherrelevantinformation.Shouldyourequireadditionalinformationonthissubject,pleasecontactMr.DonPalmer,Jacksonville.AreaOffice,15N.LauraStreet,Jacksonville,Florida32202,telephoneFTS946-2267or2850.

l11<<t'*4 Afteryouragencyhascompletedandreviewedtheassessment,itisyourresponsibilitytodetermineiftheproposedaction"mayaffect"anyofthelistedspeciesorCriticalHabitat.Ifthedeterminationis"mayaffect,"youarerequiredtoinitiateconsultationbyawrittenrequesttotheAreaManager,FishandWildlifeService,15NorthLauraStreet,Jacksonville,Florida32202.Atthattimeyoushouldprovideacopyof'hebiologicalassessmentandanyotherrelevantinformationthatassistedyouinreachingyourconclusion.Ifthedecisionis"noeffect"con-sultationisnotnecessary,howeveryoumayforwardthisdeterminationtoourofficeforourconcurrxence.Ifwedonotagreewithyourdeter-mination,consultationwillberequired.YourattentionisalsodirectedtoSection7(d)oftheEndangeredSpeciesAct,asamended,whichunderscorestherequirementthattheFederalagencyandthepermitorlicenseapplicantshallnotmakeanyirreversibleorirretrievablecommitmentofresourcesduringtheconsultationperiodwhichineffectwoulddenytheformulationorimplementationofreasonablealternativesregardingtheiractionsonanyendangeredorthreatenedspecies.Weappreciateyourinterestandconcerninthepreservationofendangeredspecies,andwelookforwardtominimizingthepotentialadverseeffectsofthisprojectthroughconsultation.DonaldJ.HanklaAreaManager 0i'I