ML101830405
| ML101830405 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Columbia, Washington Public Power Supply System  |
| Issue date: | 06/23/2010 |
| From: | Suzumoto B US Dept of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service, US Dept of Commerce, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration |
| To: | Bo Pham License Renewal Projects Branch 1 |
| References | |
| Download: ML101830405 (2) | |
Text
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S.... -o UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE LEs o4 1201 NE Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 1100 PORTLAND, OREGON 97232-1274 June 23, 2010 Bo Pham U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 11545 Rockville Pike
- Rockville, Maryland 20852.
Re:
Columbia Generating Station license renewal, request for species list for consultation.
Dear Mr. Pham:
This letter responds to y'our May 3, 2010 request for a list of species to be considered in Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) consultations on your proposed license renewal action for the Columbia Generating Station. This letter also clarifies how NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) intends to manage this consultation.
The Columbia Generating.Station is. located along the Columbia River near Rjchland,
'Was'ihgtqn..'._ Thirouh-eiintake of *vater 'fromi.the.'Columbiýa,Rivdr for,.coo iimgand the discharge of Waste water fromithe "Ipia to:the river, the project has
'tl6epotenitl t.i affect.aniadronmous fish tt iii nt e.vcinty the vici e pasfreshwater'intake.w'Astewat-er,.releaew~rks...
fSpedids listed ufider~th'& Endangeied S156ies Ae c
likelytoccur in A
S.....U...
ppe imba River (UCR) spring Chinook salmon (0 tshaw, ytscha;.liSted as.,
V endangered on June 28, 2005 [70 FR 37160]); critical habitat designated on September 2, 2005 [70 FR 52630], and
- Upper Columbia River (UCR) steelhead (0. mykiss; listed as endangered on August 24, 2009 [74 FR 42605]); critical habitat designated on September 2, 2005 [70 FR 52630].
This letter constitutes the required notification that Federally-listed threatened or endangered species or critical habitat under NMFS jurisdiction are present within the area affected by this project and may be affected by the proposed action.
Please refer to Section 7 of the ESA and its implementing regulations (50 CFR Part 402) for information on interagency consultation. Additional information on listed species' distribution, copies of Federal Register documents designating listed species status, and.links tovarious ESA consultation policies and tools may be found on our website'at: www.nwr.nfoaaigov.
onceri`
g the MSA, the Coiumbi River, in the plant vicinity,.providsessentila fishhabitat f,&tees for both Upper Columbia River Chi--k nd olo shal.mon,(,urrentiy..an',uunlisted,,,,-
irintroduc-ih effrit). -Water withdrawal and. wastewater
- 0) ar ia adisposal OTeqtiihs at the project.hav-e the potential to adversely affect essentialfish habitat for these species
. As the information
2 necessary to make the determinations required under ESA are sufficient to support any recommendations under the MSA, we generally conduct these analyses simultaneously using information developed during the ESA consultation. However, as Upper Columbia River coho are not listed under ESA, we request that you include them in any request for concurrence or consultation and assess the likely adverse effects of the project on their essential habitat to facilitate our MSA findings.
NMFS has determined that because the potential effects of the proposed action occur mostly or entirely within the Columbia River and our Hydro Division is most familiar with Columbia River issues, this project will be manned by our Hydro Division staff out of our Portland office. Please send all further correspondence regarding this action to the attention of Rich Domingue, (503) 231-6858 or Richard.Domingue@noaa.gov at this office.
Sincerely, Bruce Suzumoto Assistant Regional Administrator Hydropower Division I