ML12128A093

Request for Heritage Review for the Proposed Callaway Plant License Renewal

ML12128A093
Person / Time
Site:	Callaway
Issue date:	06/01/2012
From:	Susco J J NRC/NRR/DLR/RERGUB
To:	Clancy E State of MO, Dept of Conservation
Fells C, 415-6337
References
Download: ML12128A093 (6)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 June 1,2012 Ms. Emily Clancy Missouri Department of Conservation A TIN: Resource Science Division P.O. Box 180 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180 REQUEST FOR HERITAGE REVIEW FOR THE PROPOSED CALLAWAY PLANT LICENSE RENEWAL

Dear Ms. Clancy:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff) is reviewing an application to renew the operating license for the Callaway Plant, Unit 1 (Callaway), located in Fulton, Missouri.

Union Electric Company, a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation and doing business as Ameren Missouri (Ameren), submitted its application for renewal to the NRC in a letter dated December 19, 2011, pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 54 (10 CFR Part 54). If approved, the license renewal would authorize Ameren to operate Callaway for an additional 20 years beyond the current licensing period, which expires October 24, 2024. The purpose of this letter is to seek a heritage review from your office to determine the presence of Federally protected and State-protected species, critical habitat, and other areas of conservation concern in the action area that could be affected by the proposed license renewal. Project Description The proposed license renewal would include continued operation and maintenance of the Callaway plant and four transmission lines. Ameren does not plan to construct any new buildings, transmission lines, or undertake any other land-clearing or ground-disturbing activities as part of the license renewal. Callaway lies approximately 10 miles southeast of Fulton, Missouri, and 80 miles west of the St. Louis metropolitan area. The Callaway site is 7,354 acres and lies in a predominantly rural area. Power generating facilities, including the containment building, a natural draft cooling tower, a switchyard, a retention pond, a water treatment plant, and other associated buildings and infrastructure occupy 512 acres (see Enclosure 1). The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) manages 6,300 acres of the site as the Reform Conservation Area, much of which is open to the public for hiking, birding, hunting, and fishing. The MDC also manages this area to conserve natural habitats and remove invasive plant species. The remaining site land consists of deciduous forest, grassland/pasture, and cropland.

E. Clancy Callaway is a single-unit pressurized water reactor plant that uses a closed-cycle cooling water system. Callaway withdraws about 14,000 to 17,000 gallons per minute of water from the Missouri River for cooling purposes.

Water travels through pipes approximately five miles north from the Missouri River to the plant. The cooling water intake system includes vertical traveling screens and fish escape openings in the side walls, but no fish-return system. Heated water is discharged to a natural draft cooling tower, and water that does not evaporate returns to the Missouri River as blowdown.

Ameren constructed four transmission lines to connect Callaway to the power grid (see Enclosure 2). Montgomery lines #1 and #2 extend northeast for 23.2 miles to a substation near Florence, Missouri.

The Bland line extends 31.5 miles southeast to a substation north of Owensville, Missouri.

The Loose Creek line extends 23.3 miles southwest to a substation near Loose Creek, Missouri.

The transmission line corridors pass through land that is primarily forested and farmland.

Heritage Review The NRC previously sent a letter dated April 23, 2012, to Ms. Janet Sternberg in the MOC's Policy Coordination Unit. My understanding is that the Policy Coordination Unit coordinates environmental and regulatory issues among the MOC's director, divisions, and regions. The NRC's April 23 letter informed the MOC as a whole about the Callaway license renewal application review and the NRC's National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), scoping process. The NRC is submitting this letter separately to specifically request a heritage review from your division of the MOC to aid the staff in determining the presence of Federally protected and State-protected species, critical habitat, and other areas of conservation concern in the action area. Your heritage review will aid the staff in its NEPA review and ensure compliance with applicable Federal laws that protect species and habitats, such as the Endangered Species Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Bald and Golden Eagles Act, and other applicable regulations protecting species and habitats.

As indicated by the MOC's Natural Heritage Review website, the NRC has included a project description and maps with this letter. Additional information about the Callaway license renewal application is available on the internet at http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewallapplications/callaway.html. Additionally, Ms. Jennifer Allison-Campbell of your division visited the site during the week of May 21, 2012. Ms. Allison-Campbell attended a portion of the NRC's environmental site audit and provided the NRC staff with helpful information about natural resources in the area.

E. Clancy -If you have any questions or require additional information regarding the project, please contact Carmen Fells, Project Manager, by phone at 301-415-6337 or bye-mail at Carmen.Fells@nrc.gov. For questions specific to Federally protected species or the ecology review, please contact Briana Balsam, Biologist, by phone at 301-415-1042 or bye-mail at Briana. Balsam@nrc.gov.

Jeremy J. Susco, Acting Chief Environmental Review and Guidance Update Branch Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-483

Enclosures:

As stated cc w/encls: Listserv Enclosure 1

Enclosure 2

E. Clancy -If you have any questions or require additional information regarding the project, please contact Carmen Fells, Project Manager, by phone at 301-415-6337 or bye-mail at Carmen.Fells@nrc.gov. For questions specific to Federally protected species or the ecology review, please contact Briana Balsam, Biologist, by phone at 301-415-1042 or bye-mail at Briana. Balsam@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, IRA! Jeremy J. Susco, Acting Chief Environmental Review and Guidance Update Branch Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-483

Enclosures:

As stated cc w/encls: Listserv . DISTRIBUTION:

See next page ADAMS Accession No.: ML 12128A093 OFFICE NAME DATE DLR:RPB2:LA DLR:RERB PM:DLR:RPB2 m BC:DLR:RPB2 BC:DLR:RERB IKing DLogan CFelis DWrona JSusco 5/14/2012 131/12 6/1112 6/1/12 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY Letter to Emily Clancy from Jeremy Susco dated June 1, 2012.

REQUEST FOR HERITAGE REVIEW FOR THE PROPOSED CALLAWAY PLANT LICENSE RENEWAL DISTRIBUTION:

HARDCOPY:

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Campbell-Allison@mdc.mo.gov