[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 185 (Thursday, September 24, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 51088-51090] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-25461] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [I.D. 090998C] Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Receipt of Applications for Incidental Take Permits for the Operation of Pacific Gas and Electric Company's Pittsburg and Contra Costa Power Plants Circulating Water Systems, Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary, California AGENCIES: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior; National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.
Action
Notice of availability/receipt of applications.
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Summary
This notice advises the public that Pacific Gas and Electric Company has applied to the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for incidental take permits pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. The proposed permit issued by the Service would authorize the incidental take of the threatened delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus), the endangered California clapper rail (Rallus longirostris obsoletus), the endangered California least tern (Sterna antillarum (=albifrons) browni), and the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris) during the implementation of Pacific Gas and Electric Company's Multispecies Habitat Conservation Plan (Conservation Plan).
The proposed Service-issued permit also would authorize future incidental take of Sacramento splittail (Pogonichthys macrolepidotus), currently proposed for listing as threatened, should it become listed under the Endangered Species Act. The proposed permit issued by NMFS would authorize the incidental take of the endangered winter-run chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and threatened Central Valley steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) during the implementation of the Conservation Plan. The proposed take would occur incidental to power plant operations and related activities on Pacific Gas and Electric Company's lands at the Pittsburg and Contra Costa Power Plants in Contra Costa County, California, and incidental to restoration activities at the Montezuma Enhancement Site, Solano County, California. The permits would be in effect for 15 years. The Service and NMFS announce the availability for public comment of the permit applications, including the associated proposed Conservation Plan fully describing the proposed project, minimization and mitigation measures, and the accompanying Implementing Agreements. The Service and NMFS also announce the availability of an Environmental Assessment for the incidental take permit applications. All comments received, including names and addresses, will become part of the official administrative record and may be made available to the public.
Dates
Written comments on the permit applications, Conservation Plan, Environmental Assessment and Implementing Agreements should be received on or before October 26, 1998.
Addresses
Comments regarding the application or adequacy of the Conservation Plan, Environmental Assessment and Implementing Agreements with respect to delta smelt, Sacramento splittail, California clapper rail, California least tern, and salt marsh harvest mouse, or other species for which the Service has responsibility, should be addressed to the Field Supervisor, Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 3310 El Camino Avenue, Suite 130, Sacramento, California 95821-6340. Comments regarding the application or adequacy of the Conservation Plan, Environmental Assessment and Implementing Agreements with respect to winter-run chinook salmon and Central Valley steelhead, or other species for which NMFS has responsibility should be addressed to the National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Region, 777 Sonoma Avenue, Santa Rosa, California 95404-6528. General comments or comments applicable to both agencies can be sent to either or both of the above addresses. Individuals wishing to receive copies of the application, Conservation Plan, Environmental Assessment and/or Implementing Agreements for review should immediately contact either of the above offices. Documents also will be available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the above addresses.
For Further Information Contact
Mike Thabault or Matthew Vandenberg, Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, (916) 979-2725, or Penny Ruvelas, National Marine Fisheries Service, (707) 575-6050.
Supplementary Information
Section 9 of the Endangered Species Act and its implementing Federal regulations prohibit the ``taking'' of a species listed as endangered or threatened. However, the Service and NMFS, under limited circumstances, may issue permits to allow take of endangered or threatened wildlife species if such taking is incidental to, and not the purpose of, otherwise lawful activities. Regulations governing permits for threatened and endangered species are codified in 50 CFR 17.22 and 17.32, and 50 CFR 222.22 and 222.24-28.
Background
The Pacific Gas and Electric Company seeks coverage for take of the federally listed winter-run chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, delta smelt, California clapper rail, California least tern, and salt marsh harvest mouse, as well as the proposed Sacramento splittail, (collectively ``covered species''), incidental to the operation of the Pittsburg and Contra Costa Power Plants. The actions proposed to be covered by the Conservation Plan and its associated incidental take permits are: (1) operations of the two power plants' circulating water systems; (2) maintenance and repair activities at the power plants; (3) enhancement of aquatic and terrestrial habitats at the Montezuma Enhancement Site; and (4) monitoring activities. Each of these actions may result in take of one or more of the listed species or in circumstances leading to the take of one or more of the listed species. The Conservation Plan is designed to include flexibility in its implementation; a series of circumstances or ``thresholds'' are described which would require adjustments to the power plants' circulating water systems and maintenance and repair schedules. Thresholds triggering adjustments to the plan include seasonal reductions in circulating water flow by operating the circulating water pumps under variable speed drive mode and seasonal restrictions on repair and maintenance activities within terrestrial habitats suitable for covered species. As a part of the Conservation Plan, Pacific Gas and Electric Company proposes to monitor the impacts to covered species resulting from the operations of the circulating water systems, the repair and maintenance programs, and the construction and operation of the Montezuma Enhancement Site. The Conservation Plan also includes measures to minimize the impact of the take, such as seasonal restrictions on operations and repairs and maintenance. The Conservation Plan also addresses the sale of the two power plants, expected to occur in the near future. The Environmental Assessment considers the environmental consequences of four alternatives plus a no-action alternative. Alternative 1, the proposed action, consists of the issuance of incidental take permits to Pacific Gas and Electric Company and implementation of the Conservation Plan. Under Alternative 2, Pacific Gas and Electric Company would install mechanical draft cooling towers at the Pittsburg and Contra Costa Plants and would enhance aquatic and wetland habitat at the Pittsburg Power Plant site. This closed-cycle system configuration would recirculate 100 percent of the circulating water flow through the cooling-tower system. The closed cycle system would reduce the volume of condenser cooling water to about 95 percent of that used in the existing design conditions. Under Alternative 3, Pacific Gas and Electric Company would decrease circulating water flows below thresholds established in the Proposed Action between February 1 and July 31 and enhance aquatic and wetland habitat at the Montezuma Enhancement Site. Circulating water flows could be less than 80 percent of design flow at the Pittsburg Power Plant and less than 95 percent of design flow at the Contra Costa Power Plant. Cooling-water flows could be reduced by reducing plant operation from February 1 through July 31, when fish species are most susceptible to entrainment in the cooling-water systems. Reductions in cooling-water flows could be expected to have a corresponding percent reduction in potential entrainment and impingement losses. Enhancement of
aquatic and wetland habitat at the Montezuma Enhancement Site under Alternative 3 would be the same as that described under the proposed action. Under Alternative 4, Pacific Gas and Electric Company would replace the existing fish screens at Units 1-6 at the Pittsburg Power Plant and Units 6 and 7 at the Contra Costa Power Plant with screens having smaller mesh sizes (e.g., 1/8 by \1/2\ inch) and lower approach velocities according to NMFS and the California Department of Fish and Game guidelines. The smaller mesh sizes and lower prescribed approach velocities necessitate additional major changes in the intake structures including: (1) an increase in the overall cross-sectional area of the intake bays (to reduce approach velocities); (2) the need for continuous rotating screens (to clean the smaller mesh screens); and (3) the need for fish bypass and return systems (to collect fish entrapped in the fish-screen cleaning system and return them safely to the Delta at a safe distance from the intake systems of the plants). Under the No-Action Alternative, the Service and NMFS would not issue incidental take permits, the plants would not continue to operate, Pacific Gas and Electric Company would not implement species protection and minimization measures as provided under the Conservation Plan, Pacific Gas and Electric Company would not implement the habitat enhancement project at the Montezuma Enhancement site, nor would they convey a perpetual conservation easement on the Montezuma Site to the California Department of Fish and Game. This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(a) of the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 regulations (40 CFR 1506.6). The Service and NMFS will evaluate the application, associated documents, and comments submitted thereon to determine whether the application meets the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act regulations and section 10(a) of the Endangered Species Act. If it is determined that requirements are met, permits will be issued for incidental take of the listed species.
Dated: September 4, 1998. Michael J. Spear, Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1, Sacramento, California.
Dated: September 15, 1998. Kevin Collins, Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, Maryland. [FR Doc. 98-25461 Filed 9-23-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F