U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Findings over 15 Years of Characterizing Effects on Fish Near Cooling Water Intakes

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has been characterizing effects on fish populations near operational cooling water intakes for the past 15 years through the license renewal program for commercial nuclear power plants.  Because NRC lacks regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA), such impact analysis typically occurs pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.  Quantity and quality of available fish data vary, which can make impact analysis difficult.  However, data collected by licensees pursuant to CWA regulations have facilitated NRC reviews.  Less than a fourth of the reviews include findings that impingement and/or entrainment may noticeably alter any important attributes of a fish population, and those findings were for sites with cooling water intake structures withdrawing water from a marine or estuarine environment.  A summary of license renewal findings to date will be presented.