ML25122A068
| ML25122A068 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Dresden  |
| Issue date: | 05/22/2025 |
| From: | Healy S NRC/NMSS/DREFS/ETRB1 |
| To: | US Dept of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service |
| References | |
| Download: ML25122A068 (1) | |
Text
E-MAIL ONLY Illinois-Iowa Ecological Services Field Office U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1511 47th Ave.
Moline, IL 61265-7022
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR CONCURRENCE WITH ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT DETERMINATIONS FOR DRESDEN NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNITS 2 AND 3, PROPOSED SUBSEQUENT LICENSE RENEWAL IN GRUNDY AND WILL COUNTIES, ILLINOIS (IPAC PROJECT CODE: 2025-0011149)
(DOCKET NUMBERS: 050-00237 AND 050-00249)
Dear Illinois-Iowa Ecological Services Field Office:
With this letter, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requests the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) written concurrence with the NRC staffs determinations pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), concerning federally listed or proposed to be listed species that may be affected by the proposed Federal action on the Dresden Nuclear Power Station (DNPS), Units 2 and 3, site in Grundy and Will Counties, Illinois. This letter includes information explaining and supporting this request.
Proposed Federal Action DNPS includes three boiling-water reactor units located in Morris, Illinois, and is owned by Constellation Energy Generation, LLC (CEG). DNPS Unit 1 operated commercially from 1960 through 1978 and was retired in 1984. DNPS Unit 2 began operation in June 1970, followed by Unit 3 in November 1971, and both units are currently operating. DNPS is located approximately 23 miles (37 kilometers) southwest of Joliet, Illinois. The DNPS site consists of approximately 2,459 acres (995 hectares) along the Illinois, Des Plaines, and Kankakee Rivers. The nuclear power station, associated infrastructure, cooling lake, and most of the site boundary are in Grundy County, with a small portion of the cooling lake and site boundary extending into western Will County.
The NRCs Federal action is to decide whether to subsequently renew the DNPS, Units 2 and 3, renewed facility operating licenses for an additional 20 years of operation. CEG initiated the proposed Federal action by submitting an application (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System) (ADAMS) Package Accession No. ML24108A007 for subsequent license renewal for DNPS, Units 2 and 3. The existing DNPS, Units 2 and 3, renewed facility operating licenses (DPR-19 for Unit 2, DPR-25 for Unit 3) have expiration dates of December 22, 2029 (Unit 2), and January 12, 2031 (Unit 3). If the NRC were to subsequently renew these licenses, CEG would be authorized to operate DNPS, Units 2 and 3, until December 22, 2049, and January 12, 2051, respectively.
May 22, 2025
Illinois-Iowa ESFO 2
Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for DNPS, Units 2 and 3, Subsequent License Renewal In support of its environmental review of the DNPS, Units 2 and 3, subsequent license renewal application, the NRC staff is preparing, as a supplement to NUREG-1437, Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants (ADAMS Package Accession No. ML24087A133), a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the NRCs regulations at Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 51, Environmental protection regulations for domestic licensing and related regulatory functions, that implement NEPA. This SEIS will address the environmental impacts of the proposed action and reasonable alternatives to the proposed action. In support of this concurrence request, the NRC staff is providing the FWS with a copy of the draft SEIS. The draft SEIS contains the NRC staffs biological evaluation, as well as other supporting information. Information relevant to this concurrence request can be found in the following sections of the draft SEIS:
Section 2.1 describes the DNPS site and operation of the plant.
Section 2.2 describes the proposed action, including the purpose, duration, timing, and associated activities that would be carried out during the proposed subsequent license renewal term.
Section 3.6 describes the terrestrial ecology of the site and surrounding area.
Section 3.7 describes the freshwater aquatic ecology of the site and surrounding area.
Section 3.8 contains the NRC staffs biological evaluation for ESA-protected species and critical habitats.
Section 3.8.1.1 describes the ESA action area.
Section 3.8.1.2 describes the ESA-protected species and critical habitats under FWS jurisdiction that are potentially present in the action area.
Section 3.8.2.1 analyzes the impacts of the proposed DNPS, Units 2 and 3, subsequent license renewal on ESA-protected species and critical habitats under FWS jurisdiction.
Request for Concurrence Consistent with Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations (50 CFR) 402.12, Biological assessments, the NRC staff requests your written concurrence with its determinations in the draft SEIS that the proposed action is not likely to adversely affect the following listed species: northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis), Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis),
eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus), sheepnose mussel (Plethobasus cyphyus), scaleshell mussel (Leptodea leptodon), Meads milkweed (Asclepias meadii),
Illinois-Iowa ESFO 3
eastern prairie fringed orchid (Plantanthera leucophaea), Hines emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana), and rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis). Additionally, the NRC staff requests your written concurrence with its determinations in the draft SEIS that the proposed action is not likely to adversely affect the following proposed species:
tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus), whooping crane (Grus americana), salamander mussel (Simpsonaias ambigua), monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), and western regal fritillary (Argynnis idalia occidentalis). Finally, the NRC staff requests your written conference concurrence with its determination in the draft SEIS that the proposed action is not likely to adversely affect the proposed designated critical habitat for the sheepnose mussel.
The NRC staff also determined in the draft SEIS that the proposed action has no effect (NE) on: decurrent false aster (Boltonia decurrens), lakeside daisy (Tetraneuris herbacea),
leafy prairie clover (Dalea foliosa), and prairie bush clover (Lespedeza leptostachya). While the ESA does not require the NRC to consult with or receive concurrence from the FWS regarding NE determination findings, the NRC staff welcomes any comments that the FWS may have on these species or the NRC staffs impact assessment.
Please provide your response electronically to the following email addresses:
EndangeredSpecies@nrc.gov and Shannon.Healy@nrc.gov.
If you have any questions regarding the information in this letter, please contact me by phone at (301) 415-6714 or via email at Shannon.Healy@nrc.gov.
Sincerely, Shannon Healy, Environmental Scientist Environmental Technical Review Branch 1 Division of Rulemaking, Environment, and Financial Support Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket Nos. 050-237 and 050-249 cc: Listserv Signed by Healy, Shannon on 05/22/25
Illinois-Iowa ESFO 4
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR CONCURRENCE WITH ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT DETERMINATIONS FOR DRESDEN NUCLEAR POWER STATION, UNITS 2 AND 3, PROPOSED SUBSEQUENT LICENSE RENEWAL IN GRUNDY AND WILL COUNTIES, ILLINOIS (IPAC PROJECT CODE: 2025-0011149) (DOCKET NUMBERS: 050-00237 AND 050-00249)
DATED:
DISTRIBUTION:
Shannon Healy Briana Arlene Mitchell Dehmer Angela Sabet Tam Tran Michelle Rome Steve Koenick John Moses Christopher Regan Jeremy Wachutka (OGC)
Illinois-Iowa Ecological Service Field Office (rockisland@fws.gov)
Kraig McPeek, Field Supervisor (Kraig_McPeek@fws.gov)
Sara Schmuecker, Deputy Field Supervisor (Sara_Schmuecker@fws.gov)
Veronica Starcevich, Administrative Officer (Veronica_Starcevich@fws.gov)
ADAMS Accession Number: ML25122A068